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Lower abdominal pain in children
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
What causes lower abdominal pain in children?
Appendicitis
If the cause of pain in the lower abdomen is appendicitis, the pain syndrome tends to alternately increase and decrease, accompanied by poor general health. If the following symptoms occur, you should immediately call a doctor:
- Loss of appetite, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Persistent pain in the lower right abdomen
- Pain when walking and any physical activity
When palpating, the abdomen is painful and hardened. If you lay the baby on his back with his knees bent and lightly press with your hand on the right lower segment of the abdomen, then quickly release your hand, the pain in the lower abdomen in children will be much more intense.
The appendix becomes inflamed when it is blocked by indigestible particles that enter the intestines. At first, pain in the lower abdomen in children may be diffuse, but within twelve to twenty-four hours it is localized in the lower abdomen on the right side. If appropriate measures are not taken in time, the wall of the appendix may rupture, which entails the entry of bacteria into the abdominal cavity and provokes the risk of infection. The most accurate diagnosis of appendicitis can be made using ultrasound, blood and urine tests. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the inflamed appendix is removed surgically.
Cystitis
Bladder inflammation can occur in a child of any gender and age. The main cause of the disease is the penetration of infection into the bladder - chlamydia, staphylococci, streptococci, etc. Girls are more often susceptible to this disease, due to the fact that they have a wider urethra than boys. The disease can be provoked by weakened immunity, lack of vitamins in the body, hypothermia, various chronic pathologies of internal organs and the genitourinary system. Pain in the lower abdomen in children is accompanied by frequent urination, the urine is cloudy, may be mixed with blood. Sometimes urination can be spontaneous. With chronic cystitis, pain can appear and disappear alternately. If cystitis is suspected, an ultrasound diagnosis is performed with a full bladder, a urine test is taken for nitrites, the level of proteins and leukocytes is determined. When treating cystitis, bed rest, warm herbal baths with sage, chamomile (in a sitting position), a diet that excludes spicy and other irritating foods are recommended. It is necessary to eat a balanced diet, take vitamin and mineral complexes, and drink more fluids.
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Colic
When air gets into the intestines, the baby may experience colic, this most often happens in children under six months. When the gas passes, the pain usually subsides. Colic can occur both with natural and artificial feeding, and is a way for the intestines to adapt to the environment. Poorly digestible lactose and protein are difficult to digest and provoke pain, which can be accompanied by pulling the legs to the stomach, regurgitation of food, and gas formation. You can improve the passage of gas and reduce pain with a gentle massage, lightly stroking the baby's stomach in a clockwise direction. The baby can also be relieved with an exercise called "bicycle": the child should be laid on his back and alternately gently bend and straighten his legs towards the chest. To eliminate bloating and excessive gas formation, you can use the emulsion "Espumisan", "Hilak", fennel preparations, after consulting with a pediatrician.
Intestinal dysbacteriosis
Symptoms of the disease may include a small increase in weight, height, development of deficiency anemia, diarrhea, constipation, intestinal colic, bloating, regurgitation of food, and a feeling of anxiety in the baby. Treatment of the disease should be comprehensive, may include the prescription of special diets, drugs to improve the motor and secretory functions of the gastrointestinal tract, herbal decoctions, dill water.
Lower abdominal pain in children should be diagnosed by a doctor, after which appropriate treatment can be prescribed.