Abdominal pain ranks with fevers as one of the leading sources of pointless visits to doctors & pediatricians. Although it is very common, the pain rarely stems from organic causes, and usually does not indicate a serious illness. Pediatricians say that only about 1 in 10 children brought to their office for tummy aches actually need medical attention.
What could be the cause?
Infants – ‘colic’, gas, digestive disturbances, food allergies/intolerances, infection
Older children – constipation, overeating, tension, gastroenteritis(infection), food allergies, appendicitis, emotional; ‘abdominal headaches’ due to stress
Generally, stomach aches are
1) The result of indigestion from eating too much or too fast.
2) The result of psychological or emotional causes. School phobia could be to blame, in which case you need to patiently, gently, interrogate your child to determine the association between his school and his pain. Are they being bullied? Having discipline problems with teachers? Ashamed and worried because they haven’t been doing their homework? Troubled because of the separation from you? Dealing with bad behavior from other children? Similar to headaches, stomachaches may evolve as a form of subconscious avoidance of unpleasant tasks, or a desire to gain sympathetic attention from parents.
3) Produced by allergies to food, medications, or chemical additives to the foods that they eat.
4) A symptom of another ailment.
Natural treatments:
– a warm drink, a hot water bottle on the tummy and avoiding solid food should ease the pain.
– If the pain is recurrent and eased by a bowel movement, constipation may be the problem. If they are not moving their bowels at least once a day, increase their intake of fluids and fibre-rich foods, and reduce the refined and processed foods.
– Ensure your child drinks plenty of water and diluted juices to flush the system of anything that may be causing the condition.
– Add a drop of chamomile oil to a little olive or almond oil and massage the abdomen, starting in the lower right quadrant (above their hip bone on their right leg), moving up towards their ribs, across their belly, and then down their left side. This is the path of the colon, and any gas or feces that may be expanding the bowels will be broken up.
– Chiropractic! When the spinal joints are not moving properly all functions in the body are compromised. In infants or children who are constipated I often find spinal subluxations in the lower lumber spine, and once corrected, the bowels return to normal. Even in children with no abdominal complaints, the parents often find their systems are ‘more regular’ with consistent spinal wellness care. If your child has never had a Chiropractic spinal assessment call us to find out more and book their check up 705.446.9733 or visit www.icpa4kids.org for more info.
When to seek medical advice:
– whenever abdominal pain severe (they are doubled over),is accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, or weight loss.
Disclaimer: Chiropractic care supports overall health and healing, but is not a cure or treatment for diarrhea, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, ‘colic’, gas, digestive disturbances, food allergies/intolerance, infection, constipation, overeating, tension, gastroenteritis(infection), food allergies, appendicitis, emotional; ‘abdominal headaches’ due to stress in children.