| Theme |
Abdominal Pain in Children : Current Clinical Management |
| Title |
Abdominal Pain in Children : Practice and Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care |
| Author |
Eiji Kato |
Department of Pediatrics, Fukui-ken Saiseikai Hospital |
| [ Summary ] |
Abdominal pain in children presents a diagnostic dilemma. Many cases of abdominal pain are benign processes such as constipation or gastroenteritis, but some are life-threatening surgical emergencies and require rapid diagnosis and treatment to minimize morbidity. The most common cause for surgery in children is acute appendicitis and intussusception in infants. Young children with abdominal pain cannot fully describe their pain or how they feel, so the physician must gather accurate histories taken through physical examinations. Age is a key factor in evaluating the cause. The incidence and symptoms of different diseases vary greatly over the pediatric age group. Most children with chronic and / or recurrent abdominal pain have functional or psychogenic conditions. However, the diagnosis should be not determined until organic causes are ruled out. |