Stomachaches are common in children. Most of the time, it’s nothing serious, such as a stomach bug, constipation, or your child having eaten something that didn’t agree with them.
Sometimes a child has a stomachache when they’re worried, sad, or feeling stressed. That’s because the stomach reacts quickly to emotions.
As a parent, it can be hard to know exactly what’s going on. You want to help your child, and that’s completely understandable. Fortunately, stomachaches usually go away on their own.
What are the possible causes?
Examples of common causes include:
- Stomach flu (viral infection); Your child will often also have a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting.
- Constipation: Your child doesn't have bowel movements often, the stool is hard, or having a bowel movement is painful.
- Air in the stomach; This can be caused by eating too quickly, drinking through a straw, or drinking carbonated beverages.
- Anxiety or stress; For some children, “stress sits in the stomach.” They may experience stomachaches in stressful situations, such as at school, during arguments, or when they’re worried about things at home.
- Food intolerance; for example, a reaction to milk (lactose).
Examples of less common causes include:
- Urinary tract infection; Your child may experience pain when urinating, need to urinate frequently, or have a fever.
- Inflammation or disorder of the intestine; symptoms may include: diarrhea, sometimes with blood or mucus, failure to gain weight or weight loss, and recurrent fever.
- Appendicitis; The pain is often located in the lower right part of the abdomen, and may be accompanied by nausea or a fever.
- Gluten allergy (celiac disease); Children with a gluten allergy may experience various other symptoms in addition to abdominal pain, such as difficulty eating, a distended abdomen, diarrhea or constipation, and poor growth.
What can you do on your own?
There are many things you can do on your own to help your child, such as:
- Calm and attention: Give your child the space to tell you where it hurts and how they feel. Sometimes a hot water bottle or just sitting together for a while can help.
- Stay well-hydrated: drink mostly water or tea. This helps keep your bowel movements regular and prevents dehydration.
- Healthy eating: high-fiber foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products.
- Exercise: Make sure your child gets some exercise every day; it helps the intestines function properly.
- Routine: Regular mealtimes and bedtimes promote a sense of calm.
- Be aware of stress: if you notice that your child often has stomachaches in stressful situations, talk it over with them. Sometimes it helps just to explain to your child that the body actually reacts to emotions.
When should you see a pediatrician?
Your family doctor or pediatrician will determine whether your child needs a referral to a pediatrician. Call or visit your family doctor if:
- Your child is in a lot of pain or the pain suddenly gets worse.
- Your child has a fever that has lasted longer than three days.
- Your child looks drowsy, pale, or very sick.
- Your child keeps vomiting or refuses to drink.
- Your child has blood in their stool.
- The child has a bloated stomach or is unable to have a bowel movement or urinate.
- The abdominal pain has persisted for more than two weeks without a clear cause.
- You're very worried about your child
What do we do?
At De Kinderartsenpraktijk, we take the time to listen carefully to your story.
We ask how the stomachache started, when it occurs, and what you’ve already tried. Then we examine your child in a calm and gentle manner.
If it’s really necessary, we’ll conduct additional tests, such as:
- Urinalysis to check for an infection
- Abdominal ultrasound to examine the organs
- Blood tests when we suspect inflammation or food intolerance
We always discuss together what the best next step is. Sometimes an explanation and reassurance are enough.
We believe it’s important for parents and children to feel heard and supported.