Question

My daughter is over four years old and has had abdominal pain for about six months. We had an ultrasound done at Kunshan Hospital, and one at Shanghai Children’s Hospital, both with no issues found. (The cost of the ultrasound at Shanghai Children’s Hospital on May 2nd, seen by Dr. Jing Hong in the Internal Medicine Department, was 220 yuan.) Some medication was prescribed for adjustment, but the pain returned after taking the medicine. The reason for the visit was abdominal pain caused by abnormal bowel movements. My little one has a bowel movement every 2-3 days (dry and infrequent). On May 7th, the baby had four bowel movements, which were loose and dark in color. Is this due to catching a cold or medication side effects? Thank you.

Answer

  1. There are many possible causes of abdominal pain in children of this age, with common ones including intestinal spasm, mesenteric lymph node enlargement, and pre-defecation intestinal peristalsis. However, if the pain is not severe and can be tolerated, and eating and growth are normal, there is no need to worry excessively.
  2. Sit-ups strengthen abdominal muscles, which are not related to the intestines.
  3. If the abdominal pain is unbearable, if each episode lasts a long time, or if it affects growth and eating, further examination is needed, including CT scans and gastroscopy.