Customer question:
How can I help my child with a tummy ache from the flu? Anonymous customer's question
Pharmacist's answer:
The most common causes of abdominal pain in children are:
- digestive disorders
- infection or stomach disorder (e.g., flu)
- irritable bowel syndrome or functional abdominal pain
- appendicitis (causes acute or sudden pain)
- stress or anxiety
- closure
Symptoms of stomach pain can vary depending on what is causing it but may also include cramping, diarrhea, gas, bloating, nausea, or vomiting. One of the most important symptoms to pay attention to is where your child feels pain in the abdominal area.
Most cases of abdominal pain in children are not severe and will improve within hours or days without treatment. However, if the pain is severe, does not go away, or your child is generally unwell, take him to the doctor or the hospital's emergency department.
A visit to the doctor or emergency room is necessary if the child is facing the following problems:
- stomach pains that last more than a week, even if they go away in between
- stomach pains that become worse and more frequent or cause the child to suffer from nausea or vomiting with pain
- abdominal pain that does not improve within 24 hours
- burning sensation during urination
- diarrhea lasting more than two days
- vomiting that lasts more than 12 hours
- fever above 38 degrees Celsius
- reduced appetite lasting more than two days
- unexplained weight loss
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