Abdominal Pain and Poisoning

ABDOMINAL PAIN

Children often complain of stomach pain. It is one of the most common reasons that parents take children to the doctor or the hospital emergency department. Stomach pain can be hard to diagnose. 

Most of children with stomach pain get better in hours or days without special treatment. 

A range of causes:

There are many health problems that can cause stomach pain for children. Here you have the most common ones:

· Bowel problems (constipation, colic or irritable bowel)

· Infections (gastroentiritis, kidney or bladder infections, or infections in other parts of the body)

· Food-related problems (too much food, food poisonng or food allergies)

· Problems outside the abdomen (muscle strain or migraine)

· Surgical problems (appendicitis, bowel obstruction or intussusception)

· Period pain (some girls can have it before their periods start)

· Poisoning (spider bites, eating soap...)

Some children suffer repeat attacks of stomach pain which can be worrying for parents. Children might feel stomach pain when they are worried about themselves or people around them. 

What to do:

· Have the child rest (avoid activity especially after eating).

· Ask your child’s doctor before giving any medicine for abdominal pain. Drugs can mask or worsen the pain. Give to the child paracetamol as a painkiller, remember that doses for children are often different to those for adults, so please, check the packet carefully, for the right dose. Avoid giving aspirin.

What to do so as to treat symptoms:

· Provide clear fluids to sip, such as water, broth, or fruit juice diluted with water.

· Serve bland foods, such as saltine crackers, plain bread, dry toast, rice, gelatin, or applesauce.

· Avoid spicy or greasy foods and caffeinated or carbonated drinks until 48 hours after all symptoms have gone away.

· Encourage the child to have a bowel movement.

When to call a doctor:

Call the child's doctor immediately if your child has any of the followng:

· Persistent pain on the right side of the abdomen, which could be an appendicitis.

· Pain confined to one part of the abdomen.

· Severe or rapidly worsening abdominal pain or pain that doesn't go away within 24 hours.

· Pain or tenderness when you press on the belly.

· A swollen abdomen or an abdomen that is rigid to the touch.

· Pain in the groin, or pain or swelling in a testicle.

· Unexplained fever.

· Lots of vomiting or diarrhea for more than 24 hours.

· Refused to eat or drink.

· Bleeding from the rectum.

· Blood in the stool or vomit.

· A recent abdominal injury.

· The child becomes pale, sweaty and unwell.

Abdominal Pain in 4-12 Year Old Children (VIDEO)

Children's First Aid: Vomiting and Diarrhoea (VIDEO)

Child poisoning: 

Accidental poisoning is common, especially among young children aged between one and three years. 

Poisoning may be a a medical emergency: if you suspect a child has been exposed to a poison or if a child has been given the wrong medicine or wrong dose of medicine, phone the Poisons Information Centre inmmediately.

If the child has collapsed, stopped breathing, is having a fit or is suffering an anaphylactic reaction, immediately ring for an ambulance. 

Symptoms of poisoning:

If the child has had a significant poisoning, any symptoms that develop will depend on a number of factors.

Symptoms of poisoning can include:

· Nausea.

· Vomiting. 

· Drowsiness.

· Falling over.

· Tummy pain.

· Fitting.

DO NOT WAIT FOR POISONING SYMPTOMS TO APPEAR. DO NOT TRY TO MAKE THE CHILD VOMIT, THIS CAN DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

Children First Aid: Poisoning and harmful substances (VIDEO)