About stomach pain or ache
Stomach pain in children and teenagers is very often caused by wind and indigestion, neither of which is serious.
A sore tummy might also be a sign of infections like food poisoning, gastroenteritis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections or colds.
Anxiety or stress can cause stomach discomfort. This might feel like ‘butterflies’ in the tummy.
Severe stomach pain might be caused by more serious illnesses like appendicitis or intussusception, which is when part of the intestine slides into or over itself.
Tummy pain that keeps coming back might be associated with constipation, food intolerances or inflammation in the gut.
In adolescent girls, stomach pain can be caused by reproductive issues, including period pain, a twisted ovary and ectopic pregnancy.
Sometimes stomach pain is functional abdominal pain. This means that the gut is very sensitive, even to the normal movement of food through the digestive system.
Symptoms related to stomach pain
The symptoms that come with stomach pain depend on what’s causing the stomach pain.
For example, if the stomach pain comes on suddenly along with symptoms like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, the problem could be gastroenteritis or food poisoning.
Stomach cramps and general stomach pain might be associated with food intolerance, excess wind, indigestion and bloating.
Tummy pain that doesn’t go away could be constipation or a urinary tract infection. Children with a urinary tract infection might also have pain when doing a wee, do more wees than usual or wet themselves. And they might have a fever, vomit and feel irritable.
Tummy pain might also be associated with pneumonia or other viral infections. In this case, your child will probably also have a fever and other symptoms like a cough and possibly a sore throat.
A sore tummy is more likely to be a sign of something serious if the pain:
- wakes your child
- is very severe
- is in a specific area of the abdomen, away from your child’s belly button.
For example, in appendicitis, the pain is usually sharp, and the pain often starts in the middle then moves to the lower right section of the abdomen. Your child might also have fever, loss of appetite and vomiting. They might not want to move because of the pain.
With all types of stomach pain, there’s a risk that your child will become dehydrated. You should watch for signs of dehydration, including sunken eyes, less urination than usual, lethargy and weight loss.
Medical help: when to get it for children and teenagers with stomach pain
You should take your child to see your GP if your child:
- complains of severe pain in the tummy or it wakes them from sleep
- has tummy pain that doesn’t go away or that keeps coming and going
- is unwell or has a fever in addition to the pain
- has diarrhoea or vomiting that doesn’t go away
- is losing weight or has pain that affects their energy levels.
Take your child to a hospital emergency department straight away if your child has:
- bloody or green vomit
- blood in their poo
- symptoms of severe dehydration, including little or no urination, weight loss, tiredness and extreme thirst
- pain that gets worse when they move or is so severe that they can’t move.
If you think your child has swallowed something poisonous, call the Poisons Information Centre on 131 125 for advice.
Treatment for stomach pain
To help your child feel more comfortable, you can give paracetamol or ibuprofen according to the instructions on the packet.
A warm bath or shower might help with the pain. Or you could suggest that your child puts a heat pack on their stomach. Heat the pack only for as long as recommended, and check it isn’t too hot before giving it to your child.
Distracting your child from the pain and using relaxation strategies can help too.
It’s also important to make sure that your child gets enough fluids to prevent dehydration, as well as plenty of rest.
Don’t give your child aspirin for any reason. Aspirin can make your child susceptible to Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal illness. It can also cause serious illness or even death in children with chickenpox or flu symptoms.