ABSTRACT
Abdominal pain is one of the more common reasons for parents to bring their child to the Emergency Department. While many diagnoses traverse all age groups, some are more age specific (Table 7.1).
7.1.2 Assessment of abdominal pain
The assessment of the child with acute abdominal pain depends on a good history and careful examination. The nature of the pain itself must be carefully elicited, including its characteristics, relieving and precipitating factors. Truly severe colicky pain suggests an obstruction of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary or hepatobiliary tract. Pain can be referred from elsewhere such as the testes and the lungs. Associated features must also be elicited such as gynecological symptoms in adolescent girls. A full and careful but sensitive examination must follow. If acute activity precipitates pain, it suggests peritonitis. Acute serious problems need rapid combined surgical and medical assessment and management. The algorithm (Figure 7.1) may be used as a guide to the systematic consideration of various categories of causes of acute abdominal pain. Typical features of some important causes of acute abdominal pain in children are described in the following
7.1 Abdominal pain 7.2 Constipation 7.3 Diarrhea and vomiting 7.4 Jaundice in early infancy 7.5 Adolescent gynecology-lower abdominal pain 7.6 Adolescent gynecology-menorrhagia
table (Table 7.2).
