Abdominal Pain in Children

Abdominal Pain in Children

Abdominal pain can be caused by many things. The causes may also change as your child gets older. Often, abdominal pain is not serious and it gets better without treatment or by being treated at home. However, sometimes abdominal pain is serious. Your child’s health care provider will do a medical history and a physical exam to try to determine the cause of your child’s abdominal pain.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s health care provider. Do notgive your child a laxative unless told by your child’s health care provider.

• Have your child drink enough fluid to keep his or her urine clear or pale yellow.
• Watch your child’s condition for any changes.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your child’s health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your child’s abdominal pain changes or gets worse.
• Your child is not hungry or your child loses weight without trying.
• Your child is constipated or has diarrhea for more than 2–3 days.
• Your child has pain when he or she urinates or has a bowel movement.
• Pain wakes your child up at night.
• Your child’s pain gets worse with meals, after eating, or with certain foods.
• Your child throws up (vomits).
• Your child has a fever.

Get help right away if:

• Your child’s pain does not go away as soon as your child’s health care provider told you to expect.
• Your child cannot stop vomiting.
• Your child’s pain stays in one area of the abdomen. Pain on the right side could be caused by appendicitis.
• Your child has bloody or black stools or stools that look like tar.
• Your child who is younger than 3 months has a temperature of 100°F (38°C) or higher.
• Your child has severe abdominal pain, cramping, or bloating.
• You notice signs of dehydration in your child who is one year or younger, such as:
  • A sunken soft spot on his or her head.
  • No wet diapers in six hours.
  • Increased fussiness.
  • No urine in 8 hours.
  • Cracked lips.
  • Not making tears while crying.
  • Dry mouth.
  • Sunken eyes.
  • Sleepiness.
• You notice signs of dehydration in your child who is one year or older, such as:
  • No urine in 8–12 hours.
  • Cracked lips.
  • Not making tears while crying.
  • Dry mouth.
  • Sunken eyes.
  • Sleepiness.
  • Weakness.