Symptoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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.

Main symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include abdominal pain that lasts for about 2 months. Along with this, the pain must be accompanied by at least two of the following factors in a period of 12 weeks, although not necessarily consecutive. The three factors are: change in the appearance of the stool; change in the frequency of stool excretion and pain relief after defecation.

Other sets of symptoms that doctors watch out for are: abnormal frequency of defecation, which sometimes reach three times a day or less than three times in a week.); abnormal appearance of the stool, which are often lumpy and hard or watery in form.); abnormally hard passage of stool, characterized by a feeling of incomplete evacuation, difficulties that lead to straining and urgency to defecate. In some cases, there are mucus threads that are found on the stool. Mucus is a substance that aid in the passage of stools by moistening the path.

Another symptom is bloating, perhaps because of the inability to defecate or the feeling of abdominal distention. Remember though that these are all secondary symptoms and not the main ones. These symptoms only serve as support for the main symptoms. Their presence, even all of them, is not enough for a diagnosis.

Some patients that suffer from irritable bowel syndrome also complain of experiencing heartburn and nausea. About 25 to 50 percent of the patients diagnosed with irritable bowel movement report these. Another symptom that patients may feel is the early feeling of satiety when eating, brought on by the fullness of the stomach.

Many patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome also experience fatigue and muscle pain. There will also be sleep disturbances and even sexual dysfunction. Although these items are also symptoms, these may already be consequences or complications that have arisen from body dysfunction.

As with other problems, symptoms may vary from one person to another. A patient will not feel all the symptoms. The severity of each symptom particularly the abdominal pain also varies from one patient to another. In fact, some patients have abdominal pain that is so mild that they do not even know that they have a problem.

This is often the problem with irritable bowel syndrome. In addition to having no direct cause and no specific diagnostic test, the symptoms are so varied and so common that people do not even recognize the problem. Most, in fact, believe that they have just suffered from a mild case of food poisoning when they do feel the pain and experience diarrhea.

Signs And Symptoms Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is perhaps one of the most difficult medical problems to diagnose. In addition to having no specific cause, irritable bowel syndrome cannot also be tested as there are no diagnostic tests that can confirm the condition.

What is IBS?
Irritable bowel syndrome is dysfunction in the large intestine, the part of the digestive system that is responsible for the storage and excretion of solid body wastes. According to experts, it seems that people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome have large intestines that are very sensitive to stimulation, too much so that the slightest change in the bodily function can cause the whole system to go haywire.
Although there are no known causes of the problem, most doctors agree that food intake and the stress that the body experience may play a role in triggering the problem. Similar to allergic reactions, there are certain foods that may irritate the large intestine and lead to either constipation or diarrhea. Milk products for instance, can cause irritable bowel syndrome.

No direct cause
The lack of direct cause is also the reason why there is no diagnostic test that can confirm the diagnosis. Doctors have to rely on the accounts of the patients about their symptoms as well as the medical history. Diagnosis can only be achieved if the set of criteria is fulfilled. This means that the presence of only one symptom is not enough to make a diagnosis. The doctor must find a set of symptoms before drawing conclusions. Thus, it is called a syndrome and not just a disorder. This, however, can be rather confusing as most if not all of the symptoms under irritable bowel syndrome are those that are also present in other diseases.

What are its symptoms?
According to the Rome II Diagnostic Criteria System, often used in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders, a problem is diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome if there is a 12 month-period of abdominal pain accompanied by two of these three factors, pain is relieved when the person has already excreted the waste material; the onset is associated with a change in the frequency of defecating, either by constipation or diarrhea; or the onset is associated with a change in the appearance of the stool. Accompaniment of these factors must have a duration of at least 12 weeks and is not necessarily consecutive.

Do You Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome is perhaps one of the hardest to diagnose especially if the symptoms are mild that few people think that they even exist at all. But the symptoms are there.

Most cases of irritable bowel syndrome are actually not reported probably because most people will not be able to connect this kind of problem with a dysfunction in the bowel system, the part which takes care of the storage and excretion of solid wastes of the body. Because of its strong connection with body wastes, most people are quick to dismiss the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome as something brought about by the food that they ate or the time that they ate their food. But this is not the case.

Unlike diarrhea which is caused by a bacteria that people have ingested accidentally, irritable bowel syndrome is not a disease or an illness. It is a body dysfunction that is often associated with overly sensitive bowel areas. Slightest movement can trigger contractions that may lead to constipation. Sometimes, nerves are also affected that diarrhea occurs.

There is actually no known cause for Irritable bowel syndrome. Up until now, medical experts have not yet come up with answers to the question on where it comes from. All they know is that stress and food can sometimes trigger an attack.

Diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome is dependent on the symptoms present. Symptoms should be detected accurately as doctors often base their diagnosis on the symptoms alone.

In irritable bowel syndrome, there is often abdominal pain and bloating. These are the main symptoms of IBS. The rest of the other symptoms are only there to lend support to the diagnosis. Remember that there is actually no test that can confirm diagnosis. Oftentimes, the doctor will rely on the staff to get some results.

Constipation and diarrhea are actually only secondary symptoms. People suffering from irritable bowel syndrome may have infrequent bowel excretion. If course, as to what degree, the problem depends on the person as symptoms may vary from one to another. Some find it hard to excrete their wastes while others cannot excrete them at all. Mucus, a substance that moistens the passageway of bowels in the body may also be found with the excretion. There are also some who suffer from diarrhea instead of constipation. With this condition, the person will have frequent watery stools.