Your child may complain of a bellyache (abdominal pain) from time to time.
Most of the time, children with mild abdominal pain are not seriously ill; the symptoms go away in a day or two and can be managed at home. However, if your child has severe abdominal pain or has a bellyache along with frequent vomiting, you should contact your child's pediatrician. Abdominal pain that seems to be getting worse or lasting longer than expected also should be discussed with your doctor.
Answering the questions in this health decision guide will help you understand more about what usually causes children to have abdominal pain, and help you know when you should contact your pediatrician for medical care. Please note, this guide is not meant to take the place of a visit to your pediatrician's office.
Children under the age of two can't always communicate what they are feeling, making it harder to figure out what's going on with them.
If your child is under two years of age, call your doctor for advice.
| Last updated: | June 28, 2006 |
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| Reviewed By: | Faculty of Harvard Medical School |
Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. By using AOL Body, you indicate that you have read, understood, and agreed to our Terms of Service, Use of Content Agreement and AOL Body Advertising Policy. Read more about our content partners.
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