Children are prone to all kinds of pains. Some of these pains may be caused by infections, falls and injuries, allergies, insect bites and so on. However, when the pain is localised in the abdomen where there are no obvious wounds, parents may have to do some sleuthing.
You may immediately think that the issue points to problems in the digestive tract but sometimes that may not be the case. Some of the causes of abdominal pain in children can be very surprising.
Surprising Causes of Abdominal Pain
Ear infections, for example, are notorious for causing children gastrointestinal upsets. The child may also have trouble sleeping, may cry more, run a fever and appear weak and sick. Moreover, he may lose his appetite, vomit and have diarrhoea because oftentimes the virus that causes ear infections can also cause abdominal cramps.
Another reason why ear infections can sometimes be mistaken for a stomach upset is when it is a very young child who is affected. Because of his young age, he may not be able to localize the pain and may complain of a stomach ache even though it is his ears that are hurting.
The same goes for Tonsillitis. The two oval-shaped tissue masses at the back of the throat are known as tonsils. Their purpose is to trap airborne germs that enter the windpipe through the nostrils and produce antibodies to fight these germs. Sometimes, the tonsils themselves may get infected. They swell up and get inflamed. This condition is known as Tonsillitis. If the Tonsillitis is caused by the flu virus, it can cause a stomach infection which can result in diarrhoea.
If the infection is caused by bacteria such as the Streptococci bacteria, in which case the sore throat would be called Strep Throat, the swallowed bacteria could cause bowel irritation and strep infection around the anus. This would cause pain and constipation because children would try to withhold their bowel movements to avoid the pain.
Both Tonsillitis and Step Throat are common in children of all ages. For the former, it usually occurs after the age of two especially during a bout of cough and cold with running nose. For the latter, it is most common in children between the ages of five and 15.
Bladder and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) often cause pain in the lower abdomen and the bladder area. It is most common in children aged one to five and it is more common in girls than boys. UTIs cause a burning sensation during urination. The child would be urinating more frequently but in small amounts and he or she may or may not have blood in their urine, get a fever and wet themselves.
Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix − a finger-shaped pouch about 5cm to 10cm long that sticks out from the large intestines on the lower right side of the abdomen. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus. Why this occurs is a mystery but sometimes it may be due to food or fecal matter getting lodged in the appendix where it becomes infected.
Appendicitis presents itself as strong pain around the belly button like a growing stomachache. The child may have a mild fever, will not have appetite to eat and may feel nauseas and vomit. He may also have diarrhoea. As the pain gets worse, it will move down the abdomen to the right side where the location of the appendix is. The child may also have a swollen belly.
Appendicitis is serious as the appendix has the potential to rupture in about 48 to 72 hours after the onset of symptoms. If it ruptures, the contents in the appendix will spill out into the stomach and spread bacteria throughout the body. By this time, he will have a high fever.
Appendicitis is most common in children from the age of five. If you suspect that your child has Appendicitis, get to a doctor immediately. Surgery can be avoided if caught on time.
A child going through stress, sadness, anxiety or other forms of emotional upset may experience stomach pains. This type of pain is more likely to occur among school children than a child under five although it does not mean toddlers don’t experience it. A change of caregivers, a loss or divorce in the family, a change in the environment like moving to a new area, going to kindergarten or school where the child must make adjustments, make new friends and learn a new way of life, and exam and competition stress could cause emotional upheaval to some children.
To assess if this is a real illness, parents should monitor if other symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, pain during urination, sore throat and so on, accompany the child’s complaint of a stomachache. If there are no other symptoms, the pain could be psychosomatic (physical symptoms brought on or worsened by mental factors) and could be due to the child internalizing his anxieties and not being able to cope. Observe the timing of these stomach aches. Do they come and go during certain phases when the child has to go through stressful events? A talk with the pediatrician or child psychologist could shed some light on how to deal with it.
When one mentions the word Migraine, one will automatically think about headaches. However, did you know that the abdomen can get migraines too? Called Abdominal Migraine, this type of migraine occurs in the stomach shares similar triggers to migraines in the head. The triggers include stress, anxiety, skipping meals or prolonged fasting, dehydration, exposure to bright, flashing lights, poor sleep hygiene and poor gut health. Some foods such as chocolate, caffeine, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and artificial flavours and colouring are also said to be triggers.
Symptoms are a dull persistent stomach ache that starts suddenly and can last as long as 72 hours, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and pale skin. Just like migraine headaches, resting in a dark, quiet room is said to relieve Abdominal Migraine along with avoidance of the above-mentioned triggers.
Children between the ages of three and 10 are most often affected and usually they are those who will have a family history of migraine headaches. There is also evidence that suggests that 70% of children with Abdominal Migraines will develop migraine headaches as they grow into teenagers and adults later in life.
Common Causes of Abdominal Pain
Recognising the Signs of Abdominal Pain
Many times, a child’s tummyache can resolve itself with a little rest and reassurance. However, in some cases, a doctor is needed. To know when abdominal pain should be taken seriously, keep a watch out for:
Preventive Measures
Many of the abdominal pains in children can be mitigated by building the child’s immunity. When they are toddlers and preschoolers, their immune systems are still developing − which is why children tend to fall ill, get coughs and colds and chronic ear infections more frequently than adults. As can be seen above, ear infections, Tonsilitis and many other seemingly unrelated illnesses can cause stomach pains and disrupt the child’s school attendance and overall development.
One way to build immunity is by strengthening the child’s gut health. Nutrition plays a key role in in modulating the immune function and since 70% of the body’s immune system is located in the gut, it makes sense that he or she is given the proper nutrition that will optimise their gut health.
Gut health refers to having a healthy gut microbiome where a complex and delicate balance of trillions of helpful and unfriendly bacteria, viruses and fungi microorganisms work together to regulate the digestion of food and bowel movements, support optimum immune function, the central nervous system and even the brain, mental health, mood and behaviour. To achieve this, the idea is to encourage a gut microbiome that has more good bacteria than bad.
Eating a balanced diet alongside a healthy intake of probiotics and prebiotics have been found to contribute to the growing child’s gut health.
Probiotics, the good bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Saccharomyces boulardii occur naturally in many fermented foods such as yoghurt, lassi, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread and some cheeses.
Prebiotics are non-digestible fiber that provide food for the probiotics to thrive. Essentially, they work as a kind of fertiliser to promote the growth of probiotics. Without prebiotics the probiotics can’t flourish in the intestines and do their job. You can give your child as many probiotics as you like but unless they have prebiotics to feed on, the probiotics cannot grow.
This is why some growing up formula milk add the prebiotic Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS) which is made up of plant fibers, into the formulation to promote a gut microbiome similar to that created by breast milk. This is because GOS occurs naturally in breast milk but after the child is weaned and starts on solids, his intake of GOS may be limited, especially if he doesn’t eat enough prebiotic rich foods such as whole grains, bananas, apples, berries barley, soybeans and so on.
Another good thing about prebiotics is that it helps your child’s body to absorb calcium.
Vitamins and Minerals
Apart from prebiotics and probiotics, many vitamins and minerals also contribute and are essential for immune health. Many vitamins and minerals are important when it comes to immunity but top of the list are:
Other Steps to Prevent Abdominal Problems in Children
Other steps that can be taken are making sure hands are washed after going to the toilet and before eating. A lot of times, infections causing diarrhoea are passed through the oral-fecal route. Practicing healthy toilet hygiene, healthy eating habits and healthy sleep hygiene, eating lots of fruits and vegetables along with the right amounts of protein, avoiding foods and sugary colas that don’t agree with the child, exercising, keeping stress at bay, and building a strong and resilient disposition are some of the ways that one can build immunity. Given a strong immune system, the body can often fight off infections on its own.
Morinaga Chil-kid
Consuming quality nutrition is the foundation of overall health for every growing child. Morinaga Chil-kid is a fortified growing up milk specially designed for children’s growing up needs. Formulated in Japan for Asian children aged one to seven, Morinaga Chil-kid comes in a mild vanilla taste for high palatability among young children and is enriched with 45 essential nutrients carefully balanced for their optimal growth and development.
The nutrients include ARA+DHA, Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), five Nucleotides, Omega 3 & 6 LCPs (Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids) as well as vitamins A, C, D E, K1 plus all the B-vitamins including Folic Acid, and minerals such as Calcium, Iodine, Zinc, Iron and many more.
Made with a balanced ratio of protein, fat and energy, this formulation complements children’s dietary needs and helps them achieve their daily Recommended Nutrition Intake (RNI).
Morinaga Chil-kid uses milk from dairy cows in the Netherlands and is packed in a state-of-the-art plant in the Netherlands where it goes through stringent quality assurance processes and a double inspection in Japan before it is released into the market.
For more information on Morinaga Chil-kid, please visit the website here.