Stomach or Lower Abdominal Pain - Children

Causes

• Indigestion: Overeating causes many mild stomachaches
• Gastroenteritis: A viral infection of the intestines causes stomach cramps as well as vomiting and/or diarrhea
• Food Poisoning: Severe vomiting and/or diarrhea lasting less than 12 hours is often due to bacterial overgrowth in unrefrigerated foods
• Constipation: The need to pass a BM causes lower abdominal cramps
• Strep: A strep throat causes up to 10% of acute abdominal pain

Serious Causes

• These include appendicitis, kidney infections and intussusception

Reassurance

A mild stomachache can be caused by something as simple as indigestion, gas pains or overeating. Sometimes a stomachache signals the onset of a vomiting or diarrhea illness from a virus (gastroenteritis). Watching your child for 2 hours will usually tell you the cause.

Rest

Encourage your child to lie down and rest until feeling better.

Clear Fluids

Offer clear fluids only (e.g., water, flat soft drinks or half strength Gatorade). For mild pain, offer a regular diet.

Prepare for Vomiting

Keep a vomiting pan handy. Younger children often refer to nausea as a "stomachache".

Pass a BM

Encourage sitting on the toilet and trying to have a bowel movement (BM). This may relieve pain if it is due to constipation or impending diarrhea. (Note: for constipation, sitting in warm water may relax the anus and help release a BM.)

Avoid Medicines

Any drug (especially ibuprofen) could irritate the stomach lining and make the pain worse. Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps. For fever over 102 F (39 C), acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be given.

Expected Course

With harmless causes, the pain is usually better or resolved in 2 hours. With gastroenteritis (stomach flu), belly cramps may precede each bout of vomiting or diarrhea and last for several days. With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.