PEDIATRICS Vol. 79 No. 5 May 1987, pp. 677-682
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 Zuckerman, B.
Right arrow Articles by Bailey, V.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Zuckerman, B.
Right arrow Articles by Bailey, V.

Stomachaches and Headaches in a Community Sample of Preschool Children

Barry Zuckerman MD1, James Stevenson MSc1, and Veira Bailey MRCPsych1

1 From the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston City Hospital/Boston University School of Medicine; Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, England; and Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, West Middlesex University Hospital, London

The epidemiology of recurrent stomachache and headache was studied in a community sample of 308 preschool children, most of whom were white. When the children were 3 years old, interviews with their mothers indicated that 3% had recurrent headaches and 9% had recurrent stomachaches. Children with recurrent stomachaches were more likely than those without recurrent stomachaches to have mothers who were emotionally depressed (P < .01), had marital problems (P < .05), and perceived their own health as poor (P < .05). When maternal poor health was controlled, depression was still associated with their children having stomachaches (P < .05). Prospectively collected data demonstrate that children with recurrent stomachaches did not have bowel difficulties when they were infants. Other psychosocial stresses and demographic factors were not associated with stomachaches. The only variable associated with recurrent headache was maternal depression. Children with recurrent headaches or stomachaches were more likely to have behavior problems, as measured by the Behavior Screening Questionnaire, than were children without these symptoms. The analysis presents new data on these common symptoms of childhood.

Key Words: headache • stomachache • abdominal pain • psychosomatic symptom • maternal depression

Submitted on March 17, 1986
Accepted on July 15, 1986




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Nutr Clin PractHome page
M. A. McOmber and R. J. Shulman
Pediatric Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
Nutr Clin Pract, June 1, 2008; 23(3): 268 - 274.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Pediatr PsycholHome page
J. E. Beck
A Developmental Perspective on Functional Somatic Symptoms
J. Pediatr. Psychol., June 1, 2008; 33(5): 547 - 562.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch. Dis. Child.Home page
A El-Metwally, S Halder, D Thompson, G J Macfarlane, and G T Jones
Predictors of abdominal pain in schoolchildren: a 4-year population-based prospective study
Arch. Dis. Child., December 1, 2007; 92(12): 1094 - 1098.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Pediatr Adolesc MedHome page
J. V. Campo, J. Bridge, A. Lucas, S. Savorelli, L. Walker, C. Di Lorenzo, S. Iyengar, and D. A. Brent
Physical and Emotional Health of Mothers of Youth With Functional Abdominal Pain
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, February 1, 2007; 161(2): 131 - 137.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Pediatr PsycholHome page
L. Kaminsky, M. Robertson, and D. Dewey
Psychological Correlates of Depression in Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain
J. Pediatr. Psychol., October 1, 2006; 31(9): 956 - 966.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
P. G. Ramchandani, M. Hotopf, B. Sandhu, A. Stein, and and the ALSPAC Study Team
The Epidemiology of Recurrent Abdominal Pain From 2 to 6 Years of Age: Results of a Large, Population-Based Study
Pediatrics, July 1, 2005; 116(1): 46 - 50.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
E. K. Chung, K. F. McCollum, I. T. Elo, H. J. Lee, and J. F. Culhane
Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Infant Health Practices Among Low-Income Women
Pediatrics, June 1, 2004; 113(6): e523 - e529.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

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
 Pediatr. Rev.Home page
T. J. Silber and M. Pao
Somatization Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Pediatr. Rev., August 1, 2003; 24(8): 255 - 264.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Child NeurolHome page
R. Hering-Hanit, A. Cohen, and Z. Horev
Successful Withdrawal From Analgesic Abuse in a Group of Youngsters With Chronic Daily Headache
J Child Neurol, June 1, 2001; 16(6): 448 - 449.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 BMJHome page
P. Fearon and M. Hotopf
Relation between headache in childhood and physical and psychiatric symptoms in adulthood: national birth cohort study
BMJ, May 12, 2001; 322(7295): 1145 - 1145.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 Arch. Dis. Child.Home page
P. N MALLESON, H. CONNELL, S. M BENNETT, and C. ECCLESTON
Chronic musculoskeletal and other idiopathic pain syndromes
Arch. Dis. Child., March 1, 2001; 84(3): 189 - 192.
[Full Text]

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
 PediatricsHome page
P. Anttila, L. Metsähonkala, and M. Sillanpää
School Start and Occurrence of Headache
Pediatrics, June 1, 1999; 103(6): 80e - 80.
[Abstract] [Full Text]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
M. Mikkelsson, A. Sourander, J. Piha, and J. J. Salminen
Psychiatric Symptoms in Preadolescents With Musculoskeletal Pain and Fibromyalgia
Pediatrics, August 1, 1997; 100(2): 220 - 227.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]