Abdominal pain in children is a common problem. About one out of three children is seen by a doctor for abdominal pain by the time they are 15, but only a small number of these children have a serious problem.
Complaints of abdominal pain are more common in children younger than 11 years old and are often caused by changes in eating and bowel habits. Most cases of abdominal pain are not serious, and home treatment is often all that is needed to help relieve the discomfort.
Abdominal pain in children is often frightening and frustrating for parents. Many times it is hard to find the exact cause of a child's abdominal pain. Pain without other symptoms that goes away completely in less than 3 hours is usually not serious.
In children, abdominal pain may be related to injury to the abdomen or an illness, such as stomach flu, an ear infection, a urinary tract infection, or strep throat. Constipation is a common cause of abdominal pain in children. Some more serious causes of abdominal pain in children include appendicitis, lead poisoning, or problems with the intestines, such as intussusception or malrotation. Girls who start having menstrual periods may have abdominal pain each month, and the pain may be more severe in some months than others.
Babies and toddlers often react differently to pain than older children who can talk about their pain. A baby may become fussy, draw his or her legs up toward the belly, or eat poorly. Older children may be able to point to the area of the pain and describe how severe it is.
Abdominal pain can occur one time, or it can occur repeatedly over several months. Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is a condition that affects children between the ages of 4 and 11.
Review the Emergencies and Check Your Symptoms sections to determine if and when your child needs to see a doctor.
Emergencies
Does your child have any of the following symptoms that require emergency treatment? Call 911 or other emergency services immediately.
- Shock, which is more likely to occur with an injury, bleeding, or a serious illness
- Severe dehydration
- Moderate to severe difficulty breathing
Check Your Symptoms
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, click on the "Yes" in front of the question for information about how soon to see a health professional.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
If your child has any of the following symptoms, evaluate those symptoms first.
- Constipation: Go to the topic Constipation, Age 11 and Younger.
- A child has swallowed an object: Go to the topic Swallowed Objects.
- A child has swallowed a poison: Go to the topic Poisoning.
Does your child have severe pain?
See significance of severe pain if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
| Note: | Do not allow your child to eat or drink until you have talked with your child's doctor. |
Does your child have severe pain that is not relieved by passing gas or having a bowel movement?
Does pressing on your child's abdomen cause severe pain?
Is your child's abdomen swollen or hard (rigid) to the touch?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Has your child had a recent injury to the abdomen?
See significance of an injury if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
| Note: | Do not allow your child to eat or drink until you have talked with your child's doctor. |
Does your child have severe pain?
Does pressing on your child's abdomen cause severe pain?
Is your child's abdomen swollen or hard (rigid) to the touch?
Has your child had an abdominal wound that penetrated deeper than a scratch?
Do you think your child's injury was intentionally caused by another person?
Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
| Note: | Do not allow your child to eat, and allow only sips of clear liquids until you have talked with your child's doctor. |
Has your child vomited more than one time following an injury to the abdomen?
Does your child still have pain when pressing on the abdomen 1 hour after an injury?
You may wait to see if your child's symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Has your child had nausea or has he or she vomited one time in the last 24 hours?
Is your child less hungry than normal in the last 24 hours?
Has your child had an ongoing mild stomachache for 24 hours but no other symptoms?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
See significance of localized pain if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
| Note: | Do not allow your child to eat or drink until you have talked with your child's doctor. |
Has your child had severe pain that is not relieved by passing gas or having a bowel movement?
Is your child's pain rapidly getting worse?
Does your child have nausea or vomiting?
Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
| Note: | Do not allow your child to eat, and allow only sips of clear liquids until you have talked with your child's doctor. |
Has your child had moderate pain for 4 hours without other symptoms?
Does your child have pain with a new or different bulge at the navel or groin?
You may wait to see if your child's symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Has your child had mild pain that comes and goes for 12 hours but does not have other symptoms?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Does your child have generalized or cramping pain?
See significance of generalized or cramping pain if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
| Note: | Do not allow your child to eat or drink until you have talked with your child's doctor. |
Has your child had continuous severe pain for 30 minutes or longer?
Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
| Note: | Do not allow your child to eat, and allow only sips of clear liquids until you have talked with your child's doctor. |
Has your child had mild to moderate pain for longer than 4 hours?
You may wait to see if your child's symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Has your child had mild pain for 48 hours or longer?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Has your child developed a symptom or problem after surgery?
See significance of developing a symptom or problem if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
| Note: | If your child has had surgery, be sure to answer all of the other Check Your Symptoms questions. Your answers to the other questions will help your child's doctor determine the severity of the problem. |
Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Has your child developed a serious symptom or problem?
Has your child developed a symptom or problem and you do not know whether it is a serious symptom or problem?
Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Has your child developed a minor symptom or problem?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Does your child have rectal bleeding?
See significance of abdominal pain and rectal bleeding if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Does your child have more than a streak of blood on the surface of the stool or on the diaper?
Has your child had a stool with blood and mucus (looks like red jelly) on it?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
See significance of abdominal pain and a fever if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
| Note: |
For information about taking accurate temperatures in babies and children, see the topic Body Temperature. If your child has a fever with signs of a serious illness, go to the topic Fever, Age 3 and Younger or Fever, Age 4 and Older. |
Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Does your baby younger than age 3 months have a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher?
Do you think your baby younger than age 3 months has a fever but you are unable to measure his or her temperature?
Does your child older than age 3 months have a temperature of 105°F (41°C) or higher?
Do you think your child older than age 3 months has a high fever, but you are unable to measure his or her temperature?
Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Does your child have a fever and a health risk that increases his or her chances of having a serious problem?
Does your child have a temperature higher than 102°F (39°C) that has not come down after 12 hours of home treatment and medicine?
Do you think your child older than age 3 months has a moderate fever but you are unable to measure his or her temperature?
You may wait to see if your child's symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Does your child have a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher that has not come down after 24 hours of home treatment and medicine?
Do you think your child has had a mild fever for 24 hours or longer, but you have not been able to measure his or her temperature?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Does your child have symptoms of dehydration?
See significance of dehydration if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Does your child have symptoms of moderate dehydration and he or she is unable or unwilling to drink fluids?
Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Does your child have symptoms of moderate dehydration but he or she is drinking a small amount of fluids?
You may wait to see if your child's symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Has your child had symptoms of mild dehydration for longer than 12 hours?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
See significance of a medicine causing abdominal pain if you need information to help you answer the question below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to the following question.
Do you think that your child's abdominal pain may be caused by a medicine?
| Note: |
If your answer is "Yes":
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If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Has your child had 3 episodes of abdominal pain in 3 months (recurrent abdominal pain, or RAP) that are severe enough to limit his or her normal activities?
See significance of recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) if you need information to help you answer the questions below.
Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.
Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
| Note: | Do not allow your child to eat, and allow only sips of clear liquids until you have talked with your child's doctor. |
Is your child's pain getting more severe?
Are your child's episodes of pain occurring more often?
Is your child's current episode of pain different than the other episodes?
Your child needs an appointment within the next 1 to 2 weeks if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.
Has your child had episodes of abdominal pain without other symptoms?
Is your child less hungry than normal and he or she has lost weight?
If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
Other Symptoms to Watch For
Does your child have any of the following symptoms?
- Fever: Go to the topic Fever, Age 4 and Older or Fever, Age 3 and Younger.
- Vomiting: Go to the topic Vomiting, Age 3 and Younger or Nausea and Vomiting, Age 4 and Older.
- Painful urination or other urinary problems: Go to the topic Urinary Problems, Age 11 and Younger.
- Diarrhea: Go to the topic Diarrhea, Age 11 and Younger.
- Breathing problems: Go to the topic Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger.
- Episodes of colic: Go to the topic Colic.
- Crying: Go to the topic Crying, Age 3 and Younger.
If a visit to a health professional is not needed immediately, see the Home Treatment section for self-care information.
Home Treatment
Most of the time, a child's abdominal pain will get better with home treatment and will not need a visit to a doctor.
Home treatment for abdominal pain often depends on other symptoms that are present with the pain, such as diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Be sure to review the home treatment for any other symptoms your child has by looking in the Related Information section of this topic.
Try the following, one at a time in the order listed, if your child has mild abdominal pain without other symptoms:
- Have your child rest when he or she has mild stomachaches. Most symptoms will get better or go away in 30 minutes.
- Have your child sip clear fluids, such as water, broth, tea, or fruit juice diluted with water.
- Have your child try to pass a stool.
If the measures above do not work, you may also try these:
- Serve your child several small meals instead of 2 or 3 large ones.
- Serve mild foods, such as rice, dry toast or crackers, gelatin, or applesauce. Do not give your child spicy foods, other fruits, and drinks that have caffeine or carbonation until 48 hours after all symptoms have gone away. These foods may make your child's stomachache worse.
- Do not give your child any medicines without talking to the doctor first. Medicines may mask the pain or make it worse.
Symptoms to Watch For During Home Treatment
Use the Check Your Symptoms section to evaluate your child's symptoms if any of the following occur during home treatment:
- Pain increases or localizes to one section of the abdomen.
- Pain does not go away within 24 hours.
- Other symptoms develop, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or fever.
- Pressing on the belly increases your child's pain.
- The belly feels hard or looks very swollen.
- Symptoms become more severe or frequent.
Prevention
Abdominal pain in children can often be prevented.
- Abdominal pain in children is often caused by irregular bowel habits. Become familiar with your child's normal bowel patterns. Also, be aware of the size and consistency of your child's stools. This will help to determine whether constipation is a problem. For information on preventing constipation and establishing toilet training, see the topic Constipation, Age 11 and Younger.
- Try to make sure your child has regular eating habits. Overeating is a common cause of abdominal discomfort. Have your child eat slowly and stop when he or she feels full. For more information, see the topic Healthy Eating for Children.
- Swallowing air (aerophagia) can cause abdominal pain and a swollen abdomen. Your child may also have a lot of belching or flatus. Limit chewing gum and carbonated beverages to help prevent this. Many children swallow air when they are anxious or frightened.
Preparing For Your Appointment
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your child's condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:
- Has your child had an injury to the abdomen?
- How long has your child had the pain?
- What was your child doing when the pain started?
- Has your child had similar episodes of abdominal pain before? What were these episodes like? How were they treated?
- Is the pain constant, or does it come and go?
- Is the pain localized to one area or generalized over the whole belly?
- How severe is the pain? What has your child's activity level been?
- Can your child describe the pain? Is the pain cramping, a steady ache, or sharp and burning?
- What makes the pain better? What makes the pain worse?
- Does your child have other symptoms, such as nausea, urinary problems, constipation, or diarrhea?
- Is your child vomiting? If so, describe how much, how often, and how long.
- Does your child have a fever?
- Has your child recently traveled outside of his or her native country?
- Has your child drunk any untreated well, stream, or lake water?
- Does your child have any health risks?
Related Information
- Appendicitis
- Colic
- Constipation, Age 11 and Younger
- Crying, Age 3 and Younger
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea, Age 11 and Younger
- Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Fever, Age 3 and Younger
- Fever, Age 4 and Older
- Hirschsprung's Disease
- Intussusception
- Lead Poisoning
- Nausea and Vomiting, Age 4 and Older
- Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger
- Urinary Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Vomiting, Age 3 and Younger
References
Other Works Consulted
Campo JV, et al. (2004). Recurrent abdominal pain, anxiety, and depression in primary care. Pediatrics, 113(40): 817–823.
Credits
| Author | Jan Nissl, RN, BS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics |
| Last Updated | January 16, 2009 |
