Most otherwise-healthy children who repeatedly complain of stomachaches for two months or more have functional abdominal pain. The term “functional” refers to the fact that there is no blockage, inflammation or infection causing the discomfort.
Your GI Provider will help determine whether your child’s pain is functional. Nevertheless, the pain is very real, and is due to extra sensitivity of the digestive organs,
sometimes combined with changes in gastrointestinal movement patterns. A child’s intestine has a complicated system of nerves and muscles that helps move food forward and carry out digestion.
In some children, the nerves become very sensitive, and pain is experienced even during normal intestinal functions. The pain can be triggered by illness, stress, constipation, or other factors.
These children often miss school and activities. Fortunately, despite recurrent pain, these children have normal growth and are generally healthy.
