Common Causes For Stomach Pain In Children And When To Worry
05Recurring burning in upper abdomen that worsens after eating
What it could be
When a mixture of food and acid flows back through a weak valve at the top of the stomach (gastroesophageal reflux or GER), it causes heartburn and a “barfy” taste in the back of the throat. Heartburn typically doesn’t affect young kids, but becomes more common as puberty approaches, notes John Howard, a paediatric gastroenterologist and professor at the University of Western Ontario. GER is common in babies under a year old, but it usually causes spitting up rather than heartburn.
What parents can do
If your child has recurring burning pain after eating, check in with your doctor before using over-the-counter antacids or reflux medicines, since not all products are appropriate for children. Smaller meals, avoiding trigger foods, and not lying down right after eating may help in the meantime. Rather than subjecting kids to invasive tests, Howard usually prescribes a medication to suppress stomach acid production—if it works within two or three days, that proves the problem is heartburn.
When to worry
Call your doctor if the burning pain keeps happening, is getting worse, or starts interfering with meals, sleep or daily activities. Get medical advice sooner if your child has trouble swallowing, vomits repeatedly, loses weight, refuses food or has vomiting, black stools or severe pain, since those symptoms can point to something more serious than simple reflux.
