Abdominal pain in children: Which symptoms require consulting an emergency doctor?
Dr. Muhammed Sami Tufan, Pediatric Health and Diseases Specialist at Acıbadem Bakırköy Hospital, listed the causes of abdominal pain in children and 10 critical symptoms requiring emergency intervention.
Critical symptoms that parents should pay attention to regarding frequent complaints of abdominal pain in children have been explained. Acıbadem Bakırköy Hospital Pediatric Health and Diseases Specialist Dr. Muhammed Sami Tufan emphasized that the pain can stem from simple causes like gas or constipation, or it can be a harbinger of emergencies such as appendicitis.
Abdominal pain in children is among the complaints that parents have the most difficulty understanding the cause of. In school-age children, this situation is sometimes evaluated as an excuse not to go to school, which can delay consulting a doctor.
Experts point out that abdominal pain in children can be based on 5 important causes, such as constipation, gas, gastrointestinal infections, stress and anxiety, urinary tract infections, extra-abdominal causes, and appendicitis.
It is recommended to consult a doctor without wasting time in cases of severe or continuous pain, pain that gradually increases and becomes pronounced in the lower right abdomen, recurrent vomiting, green-colored vomiting, and blood seen in vomit or stool.
In addition, pronounced abdominal swelling, signs of dehydration, extreme fatigue, unwillingness to walk or move, pain in the testis in boys, or sudden groin pain in girls are among the findings that require urgent medical evaluation.