Possible Causes of Persistent Pain Around the Navel in a Six-Year-Old Child

Question

A six-year-old child is experiencing persistent pain around the navel, especially with an intensified pain on the left side of the navel. Accompanying symptoms include bad breath, nocturnal grinding of teeth, decreased appetite, and weight loss. What could be the cause?

Answer

The most common cause of abdominal pain around the navel in a six-year-old is omental lymphadenitis. This may be due to respiratory and gastrointestinal inflammation caused by viral infections, frequent consumption of junk food, neglect of personal hygiene, especially hand hygiene, and intestinal parasites. These factors can lead to congestion and swelling of the omental lymph nodes, resulting in abdominal pain, particularly around the navel. This type of pain usually does not affect the child’s appetite or mental state. Secondly, abdominal type allergic purpura may also cause abdominal pain, especially in the early stage when purpura has not yet appeared on the skin of both lower limbs. The rarest cause is an abdominal tumor.