What causes chronic abdominal pain in children?
The four most common causes of chronic abdominal pain in children are: • Abdominal migraine: Very bad abdominal pain with a headache. Your child’s eyes may also be sensitive to light. • Functional abdominal pain: Pain which has no known cause. Your child may not want to do things he enjoys because of the pain. • Functional dyspepsia: Upper abdominal pain that does not go away when your child has a bowel movement (BM). • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Abdominal pain that goes away when your child has a BM. Your child’s BM’s may also look different, or he may have more BM’s than usual. Other causes of your child’s chronic abdominal pain may be: • Anxiety (worry) and stress may be caused by school problems, physical abuse, or problems at home. • Infection. • Inflammation (swelling). • Menstrual cycle (period) for females. • Poor sleep. • Your child’s bowel does not empty right or is too relaxed.
