PEDIATRICS Vol. 45 No. 5 May 1970, pp. 732-738
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Stone, R. T.
Right arrow Articles by Barbero, G. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Stone, R. T.
Right arrow Articles by Barbero, G. J.

RECURRENT ABDOMINAL PAIN IN CHILDHOOD

Robert T. Stone M.D.1 and Giulio J. Barbero M.D.1

1 Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Department of Pediatrics, Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

One hundred and two children with recurrent abdominal pain were studied and followed through hospitalization. The pain in this group was variable, with no consistent pattern in time, duration, and intensity. It was located in the periumbilical region in 50 of the patients. Associated symptoms frequently included headache, pallor, nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, and poor appetite. The principal physical finding was tenderness on deep palpation over various sections of the abdomen. Proctoscopic findings in 88 of 90 patients examined were rectal dilatation, hyperemic areas, pallor, lymphoid hyperplasia, pellet stools, edema, and friability. There were no other abnormal laboratory or x-ray findings. Various behavioral manifestations were observed in this group of children. Some of the children were able to delineate points of stress as precipitants of episodes of pain.

During hospitalization there was total abatement of intestinal symptoms in 53% of the children and there was a decline in symptomatology in another 38%.

It is proposed that the abdominal manifestations of this group of patients can be described as the irritable bowel syndrome in childhood.

Submitted on June 9, 1969
Accepted on January 2, 1970




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 PediatricsHome page
J. V. Campo, J. Bridge, M. Ehmann, S. Altman, A. Lucas, B. Birmaher, C. D. Lorenzo, S. Iyengar, and D. A. Brent
Recurrent Abdominal Pain, Anxiety, and Depression in Primary Care
Pediatrics, April 1, 2004; 113(4): 817 - 824.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
E. Crushell, M. Rowland, M. Doherty, S. Gormally, S. Harty, B. Bourke, and B. Drumm
Importance of Parental Conceptual Model of Illness in Severe Recurrent Abdominal Pain
Pediatrics, December 1, 2003; 112(6): 1368 - 1372.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch. Dis. Child.Home page
F Dignan, I Abu-Arafeh, and G Russell
The prognosis of childhood abdominal migraine
Arch. Dis. Child., May 1, 2001; 84(5): 415 - 418.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
J. M. Croffie, J. F. Fitzgerald, and S. K. F. Chong
Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Children-A Retrospective Study of Outcome in a Group Referred to a Pediatric Gastroenterology Practice
Clinical Pediatrics, May 1, 2000; 39(5): 267 - 274.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 PsychosomaticsHome page
P. Burke, M. Elliott, and R. Fleissner
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Recurrent Abdominal Pain: A Comparative Review
Psychosomatics, August 1, 1999; 40(4): 277 - 285.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
R. Wyllie and M. Kay
Causes of Recurrent Abdominal Pain
Clinical Pediatrics, June 1, 1993; 32(6): 369 - 371.
[PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
R. G. Barr, M. D. Levine, R. H. Wilkinson, and D. Mulvihill
Chronic and Occult Stool Retention: A Clinical Tool for Its Evaluation in School-Aged Children
Clinical Pediatrics, November 1, 1979; 18(11): 674 - 686.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
M. C. Hughes and R. Zimin
Children with Psychogenic Abdominal Pain and Their Families: Management during Hospitalization
Clinical Pediatrics, July 1, 1978; 17(7): 569 - 573.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
W. M. Liebman
Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Children: A Retrospective Survey of 119 Patients
Clinical Pediatrics, February 1, 1978; 17(2): 149 - 153.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
R. Friedman
Some Characteristics of Children with "Psychogenic" Pain: Observations on Prognosis and Management
Clinical Pediatrics, June 1, 1972; 11(6): 331 - 333.
[PDF]

Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
W. G. Crook
Whats' Wrong with American Pediatrics: Some Sitggestions for Improvement
Clinical Pediatrics, June 1, 1971; 10(6): 359 - 362.
[PDF]