"My belly hurts!" A stomachache is a common childhood complaint, but for about one in ten kids, frequent abdominal pain that's severe enough to get in the way of daily activities and occurs at least three times during a 3-month period is known as recurrent abdominal pain. Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Bristol, both in the United Kingdom, studied how often recurrent abdominal pain occurred, whether it continued throughout early childhood, and whether it was associated with emotional or other physical complaints.
Parents of children born between April 1991 and December 1992 completed health questionnaires when their children were 2, 3, and 6 years of age. Parents noted whether there had been times when their child had a pain in the stomach in the last year and how many times this happened. Parents also reported whether their child experienced headaches, pain in the arms and legs, or behavioral or emotional problems, such as anxiety or low mood. In addition, moms and dads were asked about their own anxiety symptoms or whether they'd ever had a stomach ulcer.
Nearly 40% of 3-year-olds experienced belly pain at least once within the last year and 55% of 6-year-olds had it within the last year. However, only about 4% of 2-year-olds, 7% of 3-year-olds, and 12% of 6-year-olds experienced pain five or more times within the past year. Girls complained of belly pain more often than boys, and kids who had recurrent abdominal pain were more likely to have headaches and limb pain than those who didn't report recurrent belly pain.
In addition, children who had recurrent abdominal pain had significantly more emotional and behavior problems, compared to kids who didn't experience recurrent belly pain. Mothers of these children were also more likely to have symptoms of anxiety and depression. Recurrent abdominal pain tended to continue throughout childhood - 36% of the kids with pain at 2 years of age had pain at 3 years of age, too. And 34% of those with pain at 3 years of age also had recurring pain at 6 years of age.
What This Means to You: Recurrent abdominal pain is a common complaint that often starts in early childhood. According to the results of this study, toddlers and preschoolers with frequent belly pain are more likely to have other physical complaints, such and headaches, and parents are more likely to report emotional or behavioral problems. This study suggests that psychological factors, such as anxious temperament, may be at least in part responsible for a child's recurring abdominal pain. Recurrent abdominal pain is usually not associated with serious gastrointestional problems, but if your child complains of stomachaches often, talk to your child's doctor.
Source: Paul G. Ramchandani, MRCPsych; Matthew Hotopf, PHD; Bhupinder Sandhu, MD; Alan Stein, FRCPsych, et al., Pediatrics, July 2005
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: August 2005
