Abdominal Pain - Stress Related

Definition

• Pain or discomfort in the stomach (abdomen or belly)
• The stomach pains occur when your child is worried about something
• This is often called the "worried stomach"

Symptoms

• The pain occurs in the pit of the stomach or near the belly button.
• The pain is mild to moderate.
• The pain is real but harmless.

Pain Scale

• Mild: Your child feels pain and tells you about it. But, the pain does not keep your child from any normal activities. School, play and sleep are not changed.
• Moderate: The pain keeps your child from doing some normal activities. It may wake him or her up from sleep.
• Severe: The pain is very bad. It keeps your child from doing all normal activities.

Causes

• The most common cause of frequent stomach pains is stress and worries.
• These children tend to be sensitive and very serious. They often are model children.
• This can make them more at risk to the normal stresses of life.

Prevention of Stress

• Teach your child the importance of getting adequate sleep
• Daily exercise releases chemicals that protect from stress.
• Do something fun and relaxing every day. Examples are music, a walk, reading, and talking with friends.