A child has a stomach ache: reasons, what to do, how to help

Children often complain of abdominal discomfort, age does not matter. Babies signal by crying, pressing their legs to the tummy, and abrupt movements. Adult children communicate verbally. It does not matter at what age the child is, the main thing is not to panic, to provide the necessary assistance in time. The first step is for parents to determine the nature of the pain. It can be dull, aching, cutting, sharp with spasms. Attacks: Frequent, intermittent, or recurring. The main step towards help is identifying the cause of your child's abdominal pain.

What to do, how to help and how to correctly determine the cause?

The first step is to identify the source of the pain. What to do, how to help if the cause is an unhealthy diet? It's simple. First, it is supposed to remove from the diet foods that cause pain spasms:

• Carbonated drinks;
• Milk;
• Mushrooms, salted, smoked food;
• Kvass.

Products cause increased gas evolution. Better to switch to vegetables and fruits. Put on a diet that improves digestion. If the cause is bloating and flatulence, offer Espumisan or Disflatil. If the pain syndrome manifests itself after eating, there is a heaviness in the stomach area, it is better to give a Mezim or Festal pill. Linex will help with diarrhea. All products are intended for children, will not harm.

The main causes and defining symptoms

The pain can come suddenly after a hearty dinner, heavy physical exertion, or illness. It happens that an infectious disease becomes the cause. There are many factors, as well as symptoms. Most parents have to deal with abdominal discomfort in children.

Consider the popular causes of abdominal pain:

• Colic - babies up to a year suffer from the disease. Usually they cry a lot, squeeze their legs. Treat colic with dill water or apply a heated diaper to the tummy, vilify with a column. If the painful sensations are excruciating, bother the baby at night, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician, take a special medicine that relieves painful sensations. For example, Plantex. Colic disappears without complication, without fever.
• Constipation is a bloated bowel. An enema, a special candle, will help. Occurs in a one-year-old infant.
• Muscle sprains are common in older children. Stretching is usually associated with heavy physical exertion or occurs after a severe cold. For example, when a child 4, 5 years old coughed heavily, he vomited. Sharp pains in the lower abdomen of the baby develop. Nothing bothers him anymore, he does not refuse food, he sleeps at night.
• Bowel obstruction. Usually children suffer a year. The disease is serious and requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms accompanying the disease are nausea, vomiting, blood in the stool. Bowel surgery may be required.
• Bloating (flatulence) is the accumulation of gas in the body in children. The disease manifests itself as follows: the baby is constantly naughty, refuses to eat, does not sleep well. After feeding, belching, regurgitation appears. Self-treatment is prohibited, the disease is regarded as the first signal for the onset of other diseases.
• Worms. Occasionally occurs in children 3 years of age. Frequent contact with peers, unwashed hands in the mouth, toys without sanitization, contact with animals. All this contributes to the appearance of parasites in the intestines. The painful sensations are not strong, as with colic, but they are constantly manifested. Symptom - headache, itching in the anus, flatulence. Do not try to attribute the creak of your teeth to the symptoms of the appearance of worms. This is a misconception.
• Intolerance of the body to certain foods. It often appears in children 4 years of age. Eating inappropriate food can cause tummy cramps. Usually these are foods containing lactose, carbonated drinks. Feeling unwell manifests itself after 30-40 minutes, bloating, diarrhea, and sometimes nausea begin. Spasmodic pain sometimes turns into colic. Do not force food, especially unloved foods. This rule will help to avoid illness and complications in the future.
• Jaundice is a contagious, dangerous disease. The location is the liver area. The disease manifests itself as follows - yellowed eyes, urine has a dark tint, a pungent odor. An urgent hospitalization is required, a visit to a doctor. The disease is contagious, sometimes ends with serious consequences, including death.
• Inflammation of the testicular area. A painful syndrome manifests itself in the lower abdomen, radiates to the scrotum, the pain is acute. The appearance is associated with a bruise or hernia. Doctors need help.
• Pyelonephritis manifests itself in girls, accompanied by sharp cutting pains in the side, lower abdomen, lower back. The temperature rises, a headache appears, severe weakness, increased sweating. The reason for this condition is bacteria that have entered the urinary system, a violation of the outflow of urine from the kidneys. Treatment with drugs, in case of emergency, consult a doctor, have an operation.
• Gastroenteritis. Suffering from inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach, small intestine. Viruses, bacteria become the cause. Symptoms accompanying the disease are nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea. If the diagnosis is confirmed, it is urgent to see a doctor.
• Appendicitis. It manifests itself at the age of 8-14, pain in the lower abdomen is dull, aching, turning into cramping. Complete loss of appetite, vomiting, fever. Urgent hospitalization is required, an operation to remove the appendix. If you refuse hospitalization, the condition will worsen, everything can end in death.

Symptoms for which you need to urgently call an ambulance

At the first complaints of abdominal discomfort, you need to listen to the child, try to determine the cause. If you do not have medical skills, immediately call an ambulance. The only doctors determine the exact cause.

When we call an ambulance:

1. The child is less than 5 years old, pain syndrome is almost 3 hours. Accompaniment with tears, whims.
2. A rash appeared on the skin, the pain became unbearable.
3. Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, refusal to eat.
4. Increased body temperature.
5. The place of localization of pain is in the navel.
6. Complete refusal of food, water.
7. I was injured, against the background of this pain began.
8. Weakness, loss of consciousness.
9. The manifestation of pain began at night, the child cannot go to the toilet.
10. The pain has not stopped for almost 2 weeks, the weight loss has been dramatic.

These are the main reasons to call an ambulance. Do not wait 2 weeks for your child to faint. In case of prolonged pain, immediately contact a specialist, call a doctor.

What help should be provided to a child before the arrival of doctors

While the parent is waiting for the ambulance, first aid will be required. Pain can occur in both toddler and teenager. Help is provided based on complaints and symptoms.

Basic principles of first aid:

• If the parents do not have a medical education, it is better to protect them from drugs until the arrival of doctors.
• Provide plenty of drink, feeding is prohibited. Drinking - still water, saline solution, juices, soda, milk cannot be drunk.
• Control of body temperature, with an increase, a pill is served to lower the temperature.
• You can not warm the sore spot. Heating pads are prohibited. This can worsen the condition, provoke inflammation.
• If the parents are sure that this is common bloating, it is permissible to give medication to relieve the spasm.
• If constipation develops, it is better not to do an enema until a complete diagnosis by a doctor.
• With the appearance of sharp pains, vomiting, watery stools, the main signs of intestinal infection are noted.

Before the ambulance arrives, parents can provide the necessary assistance to the children. But a qualified medical one will be provided only in a hospital. Do not delay calling a doctor.

What is functional pain and how can you help your child?

Functional pain occurs between the ages of 7 and 15. They look like migraines. With a deep examination, it is difficult to determine the cause of the disease. Doctors advise parents to listen to their offspring and help them.

What are the functional pains associated with:

• Overwork at school;
• Stress or nervous exhaustion;
• Disruption of the stomach or poor digestibility of food;
• Bowel problems, frequent constipation or diarrhea;
• Abdominal discomfort is accompanied by headache, nausea.

Functional pains are not dangerous, they will disappear over the years. Specifically, treating a child with such a disease is not required. It is worth paying more attention to it. The kid does not cheat and really feels bad. It is a mistake to think that this is a way of avoiding school and household chores.

What to do for parents when diagnosed with "functional pain":

• Protect the child from stress, nerves. To create for him a favorable and comfortable atmosphere, extremely positive emotions.
• Diet, separate meals. Light salads, soups, lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.
• Medication is only light when the child cannot tolerate pain. Analgesics are suitable: ibuprofen, paracetamol.
• It is recommended to keep a diary of illness. Record the period of the illness, the main symptoms of pain, how long it lasts, what treatment is used, what pain pills are used.

Treatment can take place at home. If the diagnosis is not dangerous, typical indigestion, upset stomach, the baby is treated at home. At the first symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, they give activated charcoal, Mezim. For a while, foods that cause disorder should be excluded from the diet. Water the child as much as possible, with diarrhea, the body is dehydrated.

So that paroxysmal contractions and abdominal discomfort do not appear again, monitor the child's rationality. Drink plenty of fluids, eat only healthy foods, wash before use, less sweets, fatty, salty foods. Fresh vegetables and fruits are the key to health. Frequent hand washing will relieve the occurrence of intestinal infections; contact should be made only with healthy animals. Do not pick up from the floor, from the ground. Monitor compliance with the food intake, take medications.

If a child complains of abdominal pain, this should not be ignored. Pain is the first step to serious illness. If you self-muffle with drugs, the result is an operating table. It is impossible to treat on your own, only urgent medical assistance or consultation will allow you to avoid serious illnesses and surgery! A healthy baby means happy parents.