Chronic abdominal pain in children

ABSTRACT

Children in the age group of 5 to 12 years, attending a paediatric outpatient department, were evaluated to determine the prevalence, and also to elucidate the causes of chronic abdominal pain. 10.5% of the children were found to be suffering from chronic abdominal pain. The maxium affection was seen in the age group of 7 to 9 years. The proportion of affected girls was twice[14.7%] compared to boys [7.5%]. The location of pain was periumbilical in nearly half of the cases. 2.5% of the children had UTI and abdominal sonography carried out in 128 instances was abnormal in 3% of the cases. Nervous, excitable and apprehensive personality traits were strongly related with chronic abdominal pain, so also the presence of enuresis. Children with chronic abdominal pain had significantly more school absences compared to the controls. Out of six emotional problems analysed to assess their association with chronic abdominal pain, single parenting, chronic illness in the mother and father and excessively rigid parenting were found to have significant relationship. The results of this study suggest that chronic abdominal pain is a relatively common complaint in children. A good history, physical examination and minimal laboratory investigations usually provide a direction either towards an organic cause or a functional/psychological etiology