The child’s lower abdomen hurts: possible diseases, which doctor to contact

Many parents are faced with situations when the lower abdomen hurts in the child. Such symptoms are usually associated with the process of inflammation or dysfunction of the digestive tract, reproductive or urinary systems. Stool retention, intoxication, bacterial infection or mechanical damage can also cause discomfort in the peritoneum. A few common causes of this condition are discussed in sections of the article.

Unpleasant Factors

The digestive system in minors is more unstable than in adults. This is due to the fact that the digestive tract is sensitive to various circumstances. Factors that are a frequent explanation of why a child’s lower abdomen hurts include:

1. Wrong diet. The abuse of foods containing large amounts of carbohydrates and proteins violates the functions of the stomach and intestines. The child appears flatulence, nausea, discomfort in the peritoneum. Lack of useful trace elements also negatively affects the state of the digestive tract.
2. Inadequate fluid intake. A small amount of water causes stool retention. Therefore, there is a situation in which the lower abdomen hurts in the child.
3. Ignoring hygiene standards. Dirty hands are sources of helminths and germs.
4. Features of the structure of the digestive tract.
5. Individual intolerance to food.
6. Mechanical damage to the peritoneum.
7. Emotional overstrain.
8. Sedentary lifestyle.
9. Disorders of the digestive tract (gastritis, inflammatory process in the pancreas and intestines, cholecystitis).

Intoxications and gastrointestinal infections

In juvenile patients, there are often cases of poisoning.

After eating spoiled foods, a child develops lower abdominal cramps, frequent, loose stools, bouts of vomiting, fever, and weakness. Discomfort affects either the entire abdominal cavity, or part of it. Similar symptoms are also characteristic of an intestinal infection caused by the ingestion of harmful bacteria. In this condition, the baby has a very high temperature, loose stool with fragments of blood and mucus.

Discomfort in the peritoneum in girls

If the lower abdomen hurts in a female child, the cause of this phenomenon may be acute inflammation in the bladder.

In this case, frequent allocation of urine with blood fragments is observed. The desire to visit the toilet is accompanied by discomfort of a cutting nature. Unpleasant sensations may appear due to inflammation in the reproductive organs. Cysts in the gonads cause pain in the lower abdomen, a general malaise. Therefore, when contacting a doctor about pain in the abdominal cavity of a girl, she is definitely examined by a gynecologist.

Possible causes of discomfort in male children

If the malaise appeared in the boy, the cause may be an exacerbation of chronic inflammation in the prostate gland or cystitis. If the small patient has high fever and chills, discharge from the urethra probably involves infection with mycoplasma, chlamydia, or other pathogens. If such symptoms occur, it is necessary to show the child to a urologist.

Colic in babies

Such violations of the digestive system are often observed in babies in the third or fourth week after birth. As a rule, they disappear on their own after about 3 months. Colic in the abdomen in a child occurs both when breastfeeding, and against the background of the use of the mixture. Experts say that this phenomenon is not considered a pathology. It is a process of adaptation of the gastrointestinal tract to environmental conditions. But sometimes colic can be associated with individual intolerance to the substances that make up the milk or mixture. When the child’s lower abdomen hurts, his face acquires a red tint, he closes his eyes, clenches his hands into fists, and cries. The baby has flatulence, muscle tension of the peritoneum, regurgitation.

For these symptoms, consult a pediatrician. A specialist, as a rule, recommends that a nursing mother review her diet. A woman needs to exclude spices, chocolate, milk, drinks containing caffeine. Some vegetables and fruits: bananas, cabbage, beans, plums, radishes, grapes - are also undesirable. If the baby is on artificial nutrition, the pediatrician selects a mixture that does not cause discomfort.

The inflammatory process in the appendix

Parents are always worried when the baby complains of pain in the lower abdomen. What could it be? It is very important to clearly know the cause of discomfort in order to properly deal with it. Unpleasant sensations in the peritoneum often indicate the presence of a dangerous pathology, for example, the inflammatory process in the appendix. The disease is manifested by discomfort around the navel. As the disease develops, the pain gradually passes into the lower abdomen. Unpleasant sensations are pulling and cutting in nature. The patient is concerned about bouts of vomiting, frequent, loose stools. The abdominal muscles are tense. There is an increase in temperature.

If there are signs indicating inflammation of the appendix, you can not self-medicate. You need to call an ambulance.

Bowel obstruction

This condition in babies is explained by clogging of the body with accumulations of helminths, swallowed objects, calculi, or tumors. With this ailment, the lower abdomen in a child hurts. Unpleasant sensations are cramping in nature. The patient is worried about flatulence, delayed stool, bouts of vomiting with the smell of feces. Bowel obstruction is a condition requiring urgent medical attention.

Pain in the left side of the peritoneum

There are pathologies that are accompanied by discomfort in the right side above or below. These are inflammatory processes in the gallbladder, appendix. However, sometimes small patients experience discomfort in the opposite part of the peritoneum. What is the reason for this condition? To understand the possible cause, you need to know what is in the left side of the lower abdomen. The organs located in this area include:

1. Spleen. Her defeat occurs with leukemia. This process is accompanied by discomfort and an increase in organ volume.
2. Small intestine. Pain is often a sign of blockage. In addition, they can be explained by the inflammatory process in this organ.
3. Colon. The cause of discomfort is a violation of his activities.

Having an idea of ​​what is in the left side of the lower abdomen, we can assume why the child experiences discomfort in this area of ​​the peritoneum. However, only specialists can explain the exact cause of the ailment.

Chair holding

Every child sometimes encounters this condition. It is an explanation of why the lower abdomen hurts at times. When feces do not go away for 1-2 days, you can cope with malaise yourself. However, a longer delay leads to complications. The patient needs medical attention. If a child has constipation, how can I help him?

With such a pathology, drugs that include lactulose and beneficial bacteria help to cope. These are Normase, Bifiform, Acipol, Dufalac.

Other disorders of the digestive tract

Sometimes abdominal discomfort appears as a result of an upset intestinal activity. Failure can occur if there are too many harmful bacteria in this organ and not enough beneficial microorganisms. With such an ailment, the patient has discomfort in the peritoneum, loss of appetite, flatulence, skin rash, problems falling asleep and with stool. Diarrhea and pain can also be caused by individual sensitivity to certain products. In this situation, patients should follow a diet.

The cause of discomfort in the peritoneum in children is often the process of inflammation in the gallbladder. It develops as a result of previous infections (flu, tonsillitis, salmonellosis), anomalies in the structure of the organ. The acute form of cholecystitis is accompanied by loss of appetite, a yellow tint of the skin, bouts of nausea, and diarrhea.

Diagnostic measures

Pain in the peritoneum is due to many different factors. To establish the exact cause of the disease is possible only after examinations. Therefore, it is necessary to show a small patient to a specialist. In the presence of severe discomfort, an ambulance must be called. In the hospital, the following diagnostic procedures are performed:

1. Biomaterial analyzes.
2. Ultrasonography.
   
3. Tomography.
4. Irrigoscopy.
5. Inspection of specialists in the field of surgery, gastroenterology, gynecology or urology.

Therapy is prescribed by a doctor, depending on the results of the diagnosis. Many parents are interested in the question of what to give the child from abdominal pain. In a situation where the cause of the ailment is unknown, analgesics are contraindicated. They make diagnosis difficult and worsen.

Help at home

If the child’s lower abdomen hurts, these tips will help ease his health:

1. Compliance with bed rest.
2. Drinking plenty of fluids.
   
   Water should be drunk regularly, in small portions, especially in the presence of diarrhea and bouts of vomiting. Such a measure will avoid dehydration. Juices, soda, milk, coffee and tea should not be given.
3. If a child is hungry, he should eat a little. But the diet should be treated with caution. In the early days, you need to limit yourself to a lean broth with breadcrumbs. When the condition improves, you can offer baked apples, mashed bananas, boiled rice.
4. What to give a child from abdominal pain caused by a violation of the digestive tract? If the patient has an inflammatory process in the stomach or intestines, you need to use drugs prescribed by the doctor, for example, antacid medicines.