Tag: bloating

Abdominal Pain in Children

Tummy aches are one of the most frequently complained about problems in children. There are many causes attributed with it, and it is a challenge for the parent or the physician to find out the exact problem. Sometimes the pain requires immediate attention and can also be a case of emergency. The causes can be related to food, infections, poisoning, insect bites, etc.

Bacteria and viruses are responsible in case of abdominal pain due to infections. Gastroenteritis and stomach flu are some of the examples of infections that can cause stomach aches. Gastroenteritis is the inflammation and irritation of stomach and the gastrointestinal passage. Extra care must be taken by travelers, as the food and drinks can be contaminated at new locations and can lead to travelers getting diarrhea. Stomach pain due to viral infections ward off quickly, but bacterial infections demand the intake of antibiotics. In both the cases, some children recover very fast by vomiting and excreting. In case of diarrhea, excess drinking fluids should be given to the kid to avoid dehydration.

Food related stomach aches can be caused because of food poisoning, gas production, excess food ingestion and food allergies. Problems because of food poisoning are temporary and can cause bloating. Symptoms of food poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and nausea. Usually these symptoms surface within two days of consumption of contaminated food. Depending on the severity chill, fever, bloody stools, or damage to the nervous system can follow. In case of a group of people who consumed the contaminated food, this situation is known as an outbreak. Over two hundred diseases are known to be transmitted via food. Food can be poisoned because of toxic agents or infective agents. Infective agents are parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Toxic agents are uncooked food, exotic foods, and poisonous mushrooms. Food can get contaminated because of handling by unclean workers at the local restaurant, too. Parents should check out the cleanliness and should visit a trusted restaurant.

Particular foods can cause the irritation, such as diary products can cause lactose intolerance. If this is the case, the child is allergic to certain food or drinks and swallowing even a small amount can cause vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, cramping, and skin rash. Since these items are harmless otherwise, such kind of allergic reactions are known as hypersensitivity reaction. Sometimes the symptoms can be life threatening and are known as anaphylactic shock or anaphylaxis.

Poisoning can also be due to overdose of medicines and even due to eating non-food stuffs. Insect bites such as black widow spider bite can also lead to pain in the abdomen. It can be accompanied with muscle cramps, weakness, nausea, tremor, vomiting and in severe case it can cause dizziness, faintness, respiratory problems, and chest pain. Also, the heart rate and blood pressure increases.

In very rare cases, abdominal pain can be due to appendicitis. This is a result of blockage and inflammation of tissues. Young kids have a higher rate if complications are considered and should be immediately rushed to the hospital. The pain starts slowly in the abdomen, specifically near the belly button. The pain shifts slowly to the right side of the lower abdomen within a time period of over twenty four hours. Clear symptoms are abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, fever and loss of appetite. Diabetes can also be a reason of abdominal pain. Small children usually curl up, cry and express pain through facial expression. Some kids will be reluctant to talk, but the parent should try to get clear explanation of the problem. Along with close monitoring of the symptoms, studying the location of pain, pain duration, nature of vomiting, and urinary problems will help. After that a pediatric should be consulted who can further refer to a gastroenterologist. Until help is reached, the child should be made to relax.
Often, lying with face in downward direction can relieve pain due to gas. Incase of vomiting and diarrhea, fluids should be given constantly. Solid food should only be given when the child is comfortable about eating it.

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Understanding IBS in Children

Irritable bowel syndrome is a dysfunction in the digestive system particularly in the large intestine or in the colon. There is actually no known cause of this problem. Although there are some factors that do trigger its exacerbation such as stress, certain food items and milk. Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include constipation or diarrhea, abdominal pain and feeling of fullness or bloating.

As irritable bowel syndrome affects all ages and all genders, children are not free from the problems it may bring on. In fact, it is even more a problem with children as they may feel severe abdominal pain because of their inability to excrete their body waste. Still, the same set of criteria that the Rome II Diagnostic Criteria System prescribed is used with children. There is no age distinction as well as gender differences. In fact, irritable bowel syndrome affects girls and boys equally.

Children suffering from irritable bowel syndrome may also experience headaches and nausea just like their adult counterparts. They may also find mucus threads on their stool. Mucus is a substance that helps moisten the passage of wastes out of the body. Most often, irritable bowel syndrome occur during periods when they are on the throes of growth milestones such as teething or some serious illness such as a flu. Some children may also develop irritable bowel syndrome if they are stressed in class. Despite this, it must be noted that stress does not cause irritable bowel syndrome. Rather it triggers the effects of irritable bowel syndrome to the body.

Diagnosis in children will also involve accounts of symptoms as well as examination of the medical history. As with diagnosing adults, physicians may conduct tests that will rule out the possibility of other diseases before reaching a full diagnosis.

Treatment in children involves more on the natural diet side as they are much too young to take in medications. Often, they are asked to eat food items that are rich in fiber to help ease constipation and get rid of the pain in the abdomen. Training is also recommended especially to children who do not empty their bowels often.

Medications like laxatives may also be prescribed but as last resort as children are more susceptible to addiction to the drug compared to adults. If laxatives however is badly needed, doctors provide detailed procedure to the parents to endure that the medication will be properly taken in.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome – What is It?

Irritable bowel syndrome is a problem characterized by a dysfunction on the bowel system of the body. As the name will suggest, the disorder largely affects the bowel or the part of the body, which regularizes the storing and excretion of wastes. The large intestine come to mind but there are a host of other parts of the digestive system that may be affected in the long run. It is called a syndrome instead of dysfunction, mainly because irritable bowel syndrome has a number of different syndromes and not just one.

Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS,as it is called by most medical doctors, causes either constipation or diarrhea depending on the reaction of the body to the stressor. Because excrements are not regularly funneled out of the body, bloating and cramping may also occur. It is also not surprising that gas problems will also ensue after some time.

One point to clarify is that IBS is not a disease caused by bacteria or viral infection. It is only a disorder in the body, which may be caused by a number of things. According to experts, IBS is often brought on by nerves and muscles in the bowel system that has become very sensitive to stimulation, too sensitive. This means that the littlest movement or stimulation can trigger the muscles to contract too much. This can lead to diarrhea, even though you have not really eaten anything spoiled. Nerves may also be very sensitive and this can lead to cramping and extreme pain in the stomach. The pain according to depictions from patients are often dull, gas-like and non-descript. What is sad though is that pain will only disappear when the person has finally excreted the bowel.

Although the term IBS is not as popular as perhaps most of the diseases in the medical field, it is one disorder that people often suffer from albeit a milder version. This is actually a problem with IBS. People do not actually recognize the problem since the symptoms are pretty mild. Some will even assume that it is something that they ate. One problem with IBS is that there are no diagnostic tests that can support a physicians diagnosis of IBS. Unlike other problems, diagnosis will only rely on the symptoms that the patient will describe.

Still there are cases when the symptoms are so severe especially the pain and the constipation that people will go to the doctor for treatment. There is really no age or gender factor when it comes to risk. Almost anyone can suffer from this kind of dysfunction.

Fighting Celiac Disease

Fighting celiac disease is a lifelong intestinal disorder. Celiac disease is triggered by the ingestion of gluten and may result to vitamin, mineral, and nutritional deficiencies. Patients inflicted with this disease need to follow a rigid and lifelong diet. Fighting celiac disease is a very difficult task to do and is not only the battle of the patient as well.

Gluten is a protein present in all forms of wheat, rye and barley. Persons with celiac disease eliminate all gluten from their diet. There is no cure for this disease but can be managed by following the gluten-free diet.

Symptoms of children with celiac disease may include growth failure, vomiting, bloated abdomen, and behavioral changes. While adults can experience recurring bloating or gas, chronic diarrhea or constipations, unexplained weight loss or gain, vitamin K deficiency, fatigue, missed menstrual periods, cankers sores in the mouth, and tooth discolorations or loss of enamel.

Fighting celiac disease or any disease starts with getting medical attention or consulting your physician immediately. Celiac disease is often misdiagnosed or undiagnosed because its symptoms are often confused with other sickness. Getting professional attention is the best way to address any health and medical issue.

As with any illness, early detection through health and medical tests is the key to fighting celiac disease. Celiac disease can be inherited, there is about 5 to 15 percent that a person can have this disorder if it present in their family history.

There are some cases that celiac disease is triggered by trauma like stress, infection or childbirth. There is no telling when celiac disease may hit you. Therefore, any symptoms or abnormalities noticed in your health should always be consulted to a physician.

A celiac patients lifestyle is a very disciplined life. To manage their illness, celiac patients must undergo a gluten-free diet. Patients are listed foods to avoid such as breads, cereals, crackers, pasta, cookies, cakes and pies, gravies and sauces, unless they are gluten free.

To manage their difficult lifestyle, celiac patients have the help of a local support group. Support groups are any groups that meet regularly for mutual support in handling celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.

Every day can be a challenge, especially for people who are newly diagnosed. Over time, however, managing celiac disease will easily become second nature. To cope with the disease and the difficulty of managing it, talking to people who know what you are undergoing can be reassuring.

Celiac support groups can be found in your local community, or there are even listings in the newspapers or in the internet. There are numerous websites and forums were celiac disease patients can click and visit to check out the different tips patients and patient family members suggest to carry out the fight against the disease.

Aside from this, it is also advisable to contact or consult a dietician or nutritionist to assist the patient about the diet. There are creative ways to cook and prepare food for celiac patients without sacrificing their health. Gathering information about celiac disease will help the patient to know more about the illness and what should be considered to fight it.

Celiac disease, or any illness for that matter, is life changing. It does not only change the patients life but also the lives of the people around the patient. Families and friends serve as support core of the celiac patients. Any support generated from the people around him serves as the patients lifeline. Fighting celiac disease, or any illness, should never be just the battle of one.