What’s wrong with your baby’s tummy ache?

  Abdominal pain is one of the most common symptoms in pediatrics. Because of their young age, babies cannot accurately describe the location and nature of abdominal pain, and they do not cooperate with the examination, but only cry, press their hands on their abdomen or curl their lower limbs and other painful manifestations.  Some babies may have recurrent abdominal pain, which may last for a few seconds or minutes and get better when parents ignore them, while others may have abdominal pain severe enough to require surgery. There are many causes of abdominal pain in children, the vast majority of which are caused by improper diet, constipation, stool irritation, postprandial activities and intestinal peristaltic disorders. A small proportion of abdominal pain is due to surgical diseases such as acute appendicitis, intussusception, intestinal obstruction, necrotizing small bowel colitis, etc.  If the abdominal pain is accompanied by a rash on the lower extremities, it may be caused by allergic purpura. If accompanied by fever, consider mesenteric lymphadenitis, appendicitis, etc. If the baby has a relaxed expression, soft tummy and moves freely, it may not be a big problem and parents can observe it for the time being, or whether it is relieved after laxative with a corker. If the child has a painful expression, fever and vomiting, it may be simple enteritis, or acute appendicitis, peritonitis, etc. Abdominal pain and vomiting with bloody stools need to be considered intussusception.  Because there are many causes of abdominal pain and various comorbidities, parents should not blindly take painkillers or apply hot compresses or massage if they do not know which disease it is, or if they find that the child is not in good spirits, but should seek medical examination in time.