What to Do When Your Child Has Stomach Pain

Most children have stomachaches from time to time. Typically, it’s nothing to be concerned about and can be the result of anxiety, hunger, or wanting to get out of doing chores. However, if your child complains of stomach pain every day, it may be a sign of something more serious.

Identifying the cause of your child’s stomach pain can be challenging. To help you make sure your child gets the care they need, we’ll explain how to tell when it’s serious and when you should take them to be seen by a medical professional.

Common Causes of Stomach Pain in Children

If your child is complaining of stomach pain, the most common reasons might be:

• Gas
• Constipation
• Stress or anxiety
• Food sensitivities
• Indigestion
• Infections
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Urinary tract infection
• Appendicitis

Depending on what’s causing your child’s stomach to hurt, they may have varying symptoms like gas, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting. In addition to noticing their symptoms, it’s also important to ask where they feel the stomach pain and how intense it is.

For example, if your child is complaining of stomach pain near their belly button, it’s likely not serious and could just be indigestion, gas, or bloating. Regardless, determining the location and severity of the pain can help you or a health care provider identify the underlying cause.

When Your Child’s Stomach Pain Might Be Serious

If your child’s stomach pain is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, it may be more serious and require medical care:

• Severe pain or frequently recurring pain that isn’t resolved with medication
• Pain that relocates from the belly button area to the lower right side of the abdomen
• A fever of 100.4? or higher
• Persistent vomiting that doesn’t stop after 24 hours or is green or bloody
• Blood in the child’s stool
• Constipation or difficulty urinating
• Lethargy, paleness, or difficulty waking from sleep
• Refusing to drink fluids
• A lump in the groin area or on the stomach
• A recent injury

What You Can Do for Children’s Stomach Pains

To treat your child’s stomach pain at home, it’s best to start with simple, gentle at-home remedies, such as:

• Rest: Have your child lie down or relax for 30 to 60 minutes and watch for any worsening symptoms. If they’re struggling to sit still, help them get rest by offering a book or a TV show.
• Offer clear fluids: Encourage your child to take small sips of water, diluted juice, or clear broth to prevent dehydration. Peppermint tea may also help relieve tummy discomfort.
• Offer a bland diet: If your child is hungry, provide small portions of bland foods like bananas, rice, toast, or crackers. Don’t force your child to eat if they’re not hungry, and avoid unhealthy foods. Greasy, carbonated, or acidic foods may make stomach pain worse.
• Use medicine for stomach pain for your child: Always consult a medical provider before administering medication for your child’s stomach pain. A health care provider can recommend options that are specifically formulated for children and recommend an appropriate weight-based dosage for your little one.

If you suspect your child’s stomach pain is due to food poisoning or a stomach bug, their pediatrician or a Next Level Urgent Care provider can recommend at-home treatment in-person or virtually. You can also go to urgent care for food poisoning-related tummy pain if the symptoms are severe.

When To Seek Medical Attention for Your Child

Sometimes, even the best at-home remedies may not work. In that case, you’ll need a medical professional to diagnose and treat your child’s stomach pain. Additionally, you should contact a medical provider right away if your child experiences any of the following:

• Ongoing symptoms that don’t improve
• Recurring stomach pain
• High fever
• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent vomiting
• Difficulty swallowing
• Blood in stool

When you take your child to see a health care professional, make sure to tell the provider the exact location, severity, and frequency of the pain. Also include details about any other symptoms your child is experiencing. The provider may complete a physical evaluation or order additional tests, such as blood, urine, and stool tests or an ultrasound, to determine the cause.

Find a Next Level Urgent Care Near You

When your child is sick, you want the best care possible. Whether the medical provider prescribes medication or simply recommends specific foods for better gut health, you can trust that your child is in good hands with Next Level. And with locations all across the Houston, Austin, Beaumont, and San Antonio areas, the high-quality medical care your child needs is never out of reach. Download the Next Level app to get in line online.