Cause
There are numerous causes for a ‘tummy ache’. It is most often due to excessive gas or indigestion which are not serious. Anxiety or stress can also cause ‘butterflies’ in the tummy. Abdominal pain may herald the onset of food poisoning or gastroenteritis. Severe pain may be due to more serious illness such as appendicitis or intussusception. Recurrent abdominal pain may be associated with constipation or urinary tract infection, although it is common for no cause to be found.
The nature of abdominal pain varies according to the specific cause. Pain may be crampy and general, such as with excess gas, or sharp and in one area only, as with full blown appendicitis. It may occur in recurrent bouts or as an isolated acute event. Other symptoms often associated with abdominal pain include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The pain is more likely to indicate something potentially serious if it wakes the child from his sleep, or it is in a specific, localised part of the abdomen, i.e. away from the umbilicus.
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