Pain in the abdomen is the most common complaint in children. Often, diagnosing a disease accompanied by similar symptoms causes difficulties, because the child cannot always accurately indicate the localization and nature of pain. Most often, children are worried about pain in the navel. It may also disturb the right or, conversely, the left area of \u200b\u200bthe abdomen. What to do? In order to begin treatment, it is necessary to identify the cause of the pain.
Causes of pain
In fact, there are a lot of reasons for pain in the abdomen in a child. Painful sensations can be caused by both banal indigestion, overeating, bloating, and serious diseases such as appendicitis or disorders in the digestive tract.
Also, pain in the abdomen can indicate diseases of the kidneys and liver. parasites, foodallergies, as well as stress, can provoke such discomfort. Pain can occur due to stretching of the abdominal muscles during vomiting, coughing, or strenuous sports. In infants, abdominal pain is caused by colic or intestinal obstruction.
Sharp abdominal pain
Acute abdominal pain can be caused by diseases such as:
- appendicitis;
- pancreatitis;
- gastritis;
- jade.
You can distinguish them by the following features:
- Acute appendicitis. A sign of this disease is a pulling pain that appears first in the umbilical region or in the epigastric region, then passing into the right iliac region. May be accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea and fever.
- Acute pancreatitis. Constant, girdle pain under the "spoon", radiating to the shoulders. The abdomen is swollen and tense. Nausea and vomiting appear.
- Acute gastritis. Pain and heaviness is felt in the upper abdomen. Nausea and vomiting may also occur.
- Acute nephritis. In addition to pain in the abdomen, when the sides are tapped in the lumbar region, the child has pain. Edema, urinary retention, fever also indicate inflammation of the kidneys.
Also, acute pain in the abdomen can be caused by poisoning and intestinal infections.
Causes of chronic pain
Recurring pain can trigger:
- Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Pain appears in the epigastric region and aroundnavel. There may be a feeling of heaviness, sour belching.
- Gastrointestinal ulcer. The pain appears on an empty stomach and at night. Accompanying ulcers are: belching, vomiting, heartburn, nausea, constipation.
- Biliary dyskinesia. Pain is felt in the right upper abdomen and may radiate to the right shoulder.
- Ulcerative colitis. It is characterized by spasmodic pains in the abdomen, which are associated with intestinal motility. The stool may be liquid with an admixture of blood. There may also be loss of appetite and weight loss.
Intermittent abdominal pain in children can also be caused by allergies or parasites.
Pain localization
Pain in the left or right iliac region can be caused by diseases of the biliary tract, liver, inflammation of the stomach, duodenum, acute appendicitis.
Pain in the navel is often caused by problems in the digestive tract, as well as the presence of parasites.
What to do if the child has pain in the abdomen
If a child experiences abdominal pain, you need to show him to the local pediatrician. He, in turn, based on the examination and questioning, will make a preliminary diagnosis and prescribe a series of tests to clarify it. In most cases, the following tests are prescribed:
- blood and urine;
- ultrasound examination of the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, spleen;
- FGDS;
- testing for the presence of worms.
If a child has a stomach ache in the navel, what should I do? Needconsult a doctor immediately. Self-medication can only aggravate the situation. Having established an accurate diagnosis, the pediatrician will prescribe the appropriate treatment, or give a referral to a highly specialized specialist (surgeon, gastroenterologist).
If it turns out that pain in the umbilical region is caused by appendicitis, diverticulitis or hernia, then surgery is indispensable. For pain caused by gastrointestinal diseases, the child is prescribed a course of anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and antacid drugs. Also shown is a strict diet in compliance with the diet.
When an emergency is needed
Urgent medical attention is required if:
- appeared nausea and vomiting;
- the child has an "acute" abdomen;
- pain accompanied by high body temperature;
- severe pain lasts more than two hours;
- there is blood in the vomit and feces.
Not until the doctor arrives:
- give pain medication because it can make diagnosis difficult;
- use a heating pad and give an enema to keep inflammation from getting worse;
- give the child to drink and eat: if surgery is necessary, the stomach must be empty.
To ease the suffering of the baby, you can massage the stomach clockwise and apply an ice pack.
