Recurrent pain like headaches and stomach aches are common in kids. But as a parent it can be bewildering and—let’s face it—frustrating to deal with. When your kid tells you she has yet another tummy ache, what do you do? Is it real? What’s causing it? Should you keep her home from school? See the doctor?
My 10-year-old gets a lot of headaches. They happen about once a week on average, and although I’ve managed to reduce them by getting him to drink water and exercise more, they still happen. Changes of routine, or weather, or sleep habits—these all contribute to his headaches. And sure enough, now that we’re back-to-school, he’s been getting more headaches than usual.
As a family doctor, I see the same things I see in my son in lot of my patients. Many kids struggle with recurrent headaches and stomach aches, even after significant underlying medical reasons have been ruled out. Although there may be phases where it’s better or worse, it still happens.
Research shows that one in five children experience recurrent pain on a weekly basis or more. The most common type of pain is headaches, followed by stomach aches, and then muscle/joint/back pain. Recurrent pain is more common in girls than boys.
It’s perfectly natural to worry about what’s causing your child’s pain, and it’s important to see your family doctor to properly assess the cause. But the truth is, most of the time, recurrent pains are not a sign of a chronic disease or illness. In fact, 90% of kids with stomach aches have no identified medical reason for the pain.
So why does it happen, then? Well, pain is supposed to be an alarm system to warn us of injury or illness. But all too often that alarm system can be on overdrive. Sometimes it fires for no reason or is overly sensitive.
A lot of people suspect kids are faking pain to get attention or to get out of school. But according to recent research, this is quite rare. It turns out kids are terrible at faking pain and parents can usually see right through it.
Your child is actually experiencing the pain he’s complaining of. Even when there’s not an underlying medical cause, he’s not imagining it, and he’s not faking it.
For many of us, our first impulse is to keep our kids home from school when they have pain. But there are a few reasons why that might not be the right thing to do.
For one, it’s important for kids to learn how to continue to participate in daily activities even when they have recurrent pain. Going to school (and staying at school), doing homework, completing chores at home, participating in social events...these are all things a kid should be encouraged to do. Learning how to cope with pain is an important thing. Pain loves attention, and sometimes, giving in to it will only make it worse.
There are times when a kid does need to stay home, of course, and you need to use your judgement as a parent. Symptoms of illness (a fever, sore throat, diarrhea, etc.) are different than recurrent pain, and keeping a child who is sick with an infection home from school is appropriate.
There are many ways to help kids learn to cope with recurrent pain. First, see if you can identify any stressors at school or home. Even if stress isn’t the cause of your child’s pain, stress makes pain worse.
One final note: it’s important to pay attention to how you talk in front of your child about your own ailments like headaches, back pain, and illness. Kids learn how to respond to recurrent pain by watching their parents—whether you realize it or not.
This is proudly sponsored by our friends at the Centre for Pediatric Pain Research.
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So last night you wrangled the kids to bed early (for a change), you and your partner settled in for a binge session of House of Cards and takeout spicy tuna rolls. Plus microwave popcorn. And the remainder of a pan of brownies.
Now it’s the morning after, and you’re paying the price with belly cramps and pain. That pain is going to mess with your day...and with your packed schedule, it’s the last thing you can afford.
What do you do?
Most people can relate to occasional abdominal pain, but some people experience gastrointestinal cramping on a more regular basis—and sometimes that pain can be intense. A recent survey found that abdominal cramps can be a weekly occurrence for some women, and it can interfere with their daily routines.
There are many different sources of sporadic abdominal pain. Pain and cramping can be brought on by a variety of triggers: stress, poor sleep, or food that is very spicy, acidic, or fatty. That “cramping” many of us feel is caused by a tightening of the smooth muscles of the stomach and intestines.
Sometimes abdominal pain is due to something more serious, like appendicitis or kidney stones. Here are the signs your belly pain may be due to something more complicated. If you experience any of the following in conjunction with stomach pain, you need to see your doctor:
But let’s assume you don’t have any of those symptoms, how do you deal with it?
There are several options for short-term abdominal pain. Try the following to find which one works best for you:
A hot water bottle - this is an old-school remedy, but many people get temporary relief of their belly pain with a hot water bottle.
Peppermint tea - peppermint tea is a natural treatment that may help soothe your gut.
Rest/relaxation - stress management is part of your long-term solution, but it can also help in the short-term. This breathing exercise can help lower your stress levels.
Buscopan - a medication specifically designed for GI cramping. Never heard of it? Think of it like this: when you need to choose a medication, it doesn’t make sense to take the same pain reliever you’d take for a headache. After all, it’s a different kind of pain. Buscopan works by relaxing that intestinal smooth muscle I mentioned earlier. It’s a medication that has been used around the world for more than 60 years to ease belly cramps. I first encountered it when I was a medical resident—we routinely used it in the hospital for people with colicky pain (pain that’s cramping or intermittent in quality) caused by things like gallstones. It’s available without a prescription, all you have to do is talk to your pharmacist.
When your abdominal pain is due to something chronic, it’s important to identify your triggers. Some of the common ones are listed above, but everybody is unique in terms of their sensitivity to different factors. A good first step is to keep a food and symptom diary. You may also want to work with a dietitian to identify and eliminate food triggers.
It goes beyond food, though. Stress, family issues, and lack of sleep can play a big role. Manage your lifestyle with a regular sleep schedule, exercise, and stress management. It may help to work with a counsellor or therapist to learn some stress-coping strategies.
Because let's face it, the last thing you need is belly pain slowing you down, right?
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