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Very often, parents try to deal with abdominal pain in a child on their own and give antispasmodics, painkillers, enzyme preparations, etc. But, often under the pain in the abdomen, a serious disease can be hidden that requires an emergency surgical operation. That is why doctors do not recommend giving a child antispasmodics, since their action can hide the picture of the disease and complicate the identification of the true causes of the disease.
With abdominal pain in a child, it is necessary to monitor his condition. If a child has a stomach ache for two hours, it is necessary to call a doctor or an ambulance. If you know that the cause of abdominal pain is the stomach and esophagus, you can give the child any of the antacids, such as Almagel. If you suspect food poisoning, you can give activated charcoal at a dose of 1 TB per 10 kg of body weight, no more than 3 times a day. Paracetamol can be given to reduce fever.
Causes of abdominal pain in a child
The most common causes of abdominal pain in children include:
- Infectious diseases that develop when bacteria and viruses enter the body. These diseases include “intestinal flu”, the causative agent of which are various types of viruses (rotavirus or norovirus). Viral intestinal infections pass quickly enough, while infections of a bacterial origin may require antibiotics;
- Food poisoning, for example, when eating stale or contaminated food, food allergies (intolerance to any food). Chemical poisoning is also dangerous, for example, if a child has swallowed soap;
- Diseases requiring surgical intervention, such as appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, etc.
What to give a child for stomach pain
The treatment of abdominal pain depends on the cause, the history of the disease, the condition of the child, and the results of a doctor’s examination. If the disease is not severe and does not pose a danger to the life of the child, it can be treated at home. In more serious cases, it is necessary to be under the supervision of a doctor. Some conditions (eg, appendicitis, acute pancreatitis, bowel obstruction) may require surgery.
When treating at home, the child is shown bed rest. In order to avoid dehydration, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, saline solutions. It is important to follow the diet and diet. It is better to give food in a semi-liquid form, exclude dairy products, since with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the body absorbs them with difficulty. Avoid carbonated drinks, strong tea and coffee. You can give low-fat broth. You can switch to more solid food gradually, starting with unsweetened crackers, baked apples.
It is not recommended to self-medicate, prescribe antibiotics without a doctor’s recommendation. Self-administration of painkillers, antispasmodics, laxatives is also contraindicated. The use of traditional medicine methods that do not have evidence of effectiveness can only worsen the situation. Aspirin should be avoided. This drug irritates the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and may increase pain.
What to do if the pain does not go away
In mild cases that do not require the intervention of a doctor, the pain usually disappears quite quickly (for example, with increased gas formation, exacerbation of gastroenteritis). If the child has a stomach ache for several hours or the pain periodically bothers the child, you should consult a doctor. In case of unbearable pain in the abdomen, accompanied by fever, vomiting, diarrhea, tension of the anterior wall of the abdomen, urgently call an ambulance.