Question
What’s causing my 5-year-old to have intermittent abdominal pain every so often?
Answer
Intermittent abdominal pain in 5-year-olds can be caused by a variety of factors, including but not limited to intestinal cramps, enteritis, appendicitis, and acute pancreatitis. Intestinal cramps are often due to poor diet and may not have a specific tender point; the child may appear normal after the pain subsides. Enteritis often comes with vomiting, diarrhea, and lower abdominal pain, with the abdomen feeling soft upon palpation and no fixed tender point. Appendicitis is characterized by pain in the lower right abdomen, while acute pancreatitis is more common in children over 5 years old. Regardless of the cause of the abdominal pain, parents should not give their children painkillers on their own and should immediately take the child to the hospital for treatment.