Belly pain in young children: everything you need to know

It is possible that, on many occasions, your child has complained that his belly hurts, possibly because it is some other accumulated gas and is not able -for now- to identify where it may hurt exactly and why . In fact, it is usually very common for you to even complain of belly pain, when in reality it is not your belly that hurts.

Be that as it may, the truth is that belly pain in the smallest is an extremely common and frequent condition, and identify the cause that is causing this pain can be quite complicated, regardless of whether the child already speaks and tells you where the abdomen is hurting.

Therefore, as many pediatricians say, It is very important for parents to identify the area where they would have pain and whether or not there are any other related symptoms That could help us to know a little more about the pain.

At what point does the child tell you that your belly hurts?

Depending on when the child tells you that his belly may be hurting, it is possible to identify some of the causes that may be directly related.

Before going to school or to school

It also depends on when the small child's belly hurts. So, for example, if you often say that your stomach hurts before going to daycare or school, the cause may be nervousness, stress or anxiety.

Many children, even when they are small, may feel nervous before going to daycare or preschool. Therefore, when the belly pain or discomfort appears at this time the most common is that it is due to it, without any other cause.

If it hurts after eating

If the belly pain appears immediately after having eaten or dined, or shortly thereafter, it is most likely because the child may have eaten a lot.

However, If vomiting, diarrhea and fever are accompanied by stomach pain, it may be more serious, for example, an intestinal or stomach infection whose symptoms have appeared a few hours after infection.

Causes of belly pain in infants and young children

In addition to the causes indicated above, a useful option for many parents is to try to investigate and discover what are the causes that may be causing this pain or upset stomach. The most common are the following.

Gases and flatulence

It is one of the causes of belly pain in babies and young children more common. Therefore, the key is to try to find out what the child has eaten or drunk, and that is the main cause of this accumulation of gases.

A very useful solution is to eliminate those habits or foods that cause this accumulation of gases. For example, some fruit juices may contain sorbitol, which is a non-digestible form of sugar.

Constipation

It is another of the most common causes, since the constipation It is a very common or frequent problem among the little ones. For example, if you notice that your little one has fewer bowel movements (that he has not pooped for three days or more), and then makes them small, hard and difficult to get out, he is probably suffering from occasional constipation .

To treat it the most appropriate is give enough liquid to the small, which will help your stools to be somewhat softer. In addition, there are some foods rich in fiber that can be very useful, such as peas, prunes, pears and cereals such as oats.

Stomach flu

The stomach fluIt is undoubtedly one of the diseases that tends to worry many parents. And is another common cause of stomach pain in children, especially when they go to the nursery or school, where the infection is very frequent and simple.

We should always suspect gastroenteritis when in addition to belly pain the child has vomiting or diarrhea, which can also be accompanied by some fever.

The most common cause is viral or bacterial infection, being the most frequent infections by viruses such as rotavirus, adenovirus, astrovirus and calicivirus.

Hydration is very important, especially if the child or baby has vomiting and / or diarrhea, which will prevent dehydration. In addition, it is essential to go to the pediatrician quickly if you suspect that there is any symptom that can alert you to possible dehydration. This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Pediatrician. We advise you to consult your trusted pediatrician. ThemesDiseases in babies and children

Abdominal pain in children: Dr. Miranda explains what parents need to know (April 2024)