One illness that kids are frequently found to be ailing from is stomach ache. Its nature varies from mild to at times chronic, but in most cases a stomach ache is quite harmless and it’s only rarely that one is required to be admitted in a hospital because of it. The stomachache could be crampy or sharp or limited to a specific region in the body as in the case of one suffering from advanced appendicitis. Moreover, it could accrue in successive bouts or as an isolated chronic episode.
There could be other symptoms linked with an abdominal pain or stomachache like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Since kids normally display varying degree of tolerance to pain, it is from these symptoms that the seriousness or the acuteness of the stomachache is determined. A pain is more liable to specify something really serious if it wakes up a sleeping kid or if it’s specific / localized in one part of the abdomen i.e. away from the umbilicus.
Causes of Chronic Stomach Ache in Children & Remedies
How to Recognize Chronic Stomach Ache in Children?
When children suffer from stomachaches because of harmless reasons, the pain normally subsides after a couple of hours. But in certain cases like gastroenteritis, the cramp-like stomach pain may actually heighten with each bout of vomiting or diarrhoea. A doctor should be immediately consulted if the stomachache continues for more than three hours. However, if the stomachache is non-stop and seems to be continuously getting worse accompanied by vomiting and fever, then a doctor needs to be consulted.
How to Handle Children’s Stomachache at Home?
Conditions When the Doctor Needs to be Immediately Consulted
There could be other symptoms linked with an abdominal pain or stomachache like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Since kids normally display varying degree of tolerance to pain, it is from these symptoms that the seriousness or the acuteness of the stomachache is determined. A pain is more liable to specify something really serious if it wakes up a sleeping kid or if it’s specific / localized in one part of the abdomen i.e. away from the umbilicus.
Causes of Chronic Stomach Ache in Children & Remedies
- Indigestion
- Constipation
- Gastroenteritis
- Worm Infestation
- Frequent Chronic Stomachache
- Food Allergies
- Drugs
How to Recognize Chronic Stomach Ache in Children?
When children suffer from stomachaches because of harmless reasons, the pain normally subsides after a couple of hours. But in certain cases like gastroenteritis, the cramp-like stomach pain may actually heighten with each bout of vomiting or diarrhoea. A doctor should be immediately consulted if the stomachache continues for more than three hours. However, if the stomachache is non-stop and seems to be continuously getting worse accompanied by vomiting and fever, then a doctor needs to be consulted.
How to Handle Children’s Stomachache at Home?
- Rest
- Diet
- Sitting on the toilet
- Medicines to be Given
Conditions When the Doctor Needs to be Immediately Consulted
- The pain is chronic, continuous or lasts for over a couple of hours.
- The pain is intermittent and lasts for more than 24 hours.
- The pain is accruing from the scrotum or testicle.
- The pain is ensued by frequent vomiting and fever.
- The child looks very unwell.