The Nursing Nurse: Tummy Trouble!

Hello Readers!

Abdominal pain in our tiny ones can be eluding. How do you know if your little one has a medical emergency, a virus, or just wants a day off from school?

First off, it's hard to tell what is really going on with your tiny one when they say their tummy hurts. Young children tend to use the word "hurts" for pain as well as nausea. It can be hard to tell whether your little one is in pain or actually nauseous...but most of the time you will know soon enough.

Every parent is worried about appendicitis when their little one is having bad abdominal pain, and you're completely justified! Appendicitis is scary, and can be life threatening if not treated. Appendicitis is treated with surgery. If the infected appendix is not removed, it can rupture causing toxins to leak throughout the body, and then you have a big problem.

So how do you know when it's time to rush them to the ER?

Appendicitis usually comes along with extreme pain, fever, and vomiting. The pain usually starts at the umbilicus (belly button) and moves down to the right lower side.

The pain of appendicitis is excruciating. Your child will be guarding that right side like their life depends on it. An easy test you can do to see if they have peritoneal inflammation is ask them to jump up and down. If they can't do that without extreme pain, suspect appendicitis and head to the ER.

Another common cause of abdominal pain in children is constipation. Children should have a bowel movement at least every 2-3 days. Sometimes when children are constipated, stool will leak out around the big bulge of poop and it will look like diarrhea. It won't be a large amount and the child may not even feel it happen. If you are noticing small amounts of diarrhea, it is probably constipation and not diarrhea. If your little one is having trouble with bowel movements, prune juice or over the counter Miralax works great.

Here are some warning signs that you need to head to the Dr or ER:

-Blood in the stool or vomit -Clay colored stools -Vomit that looks like coffee grounds -Unable to keep fluids down for over 24 hrs -Severe, unrelenting abdominal pain

Keep those tummies healthy!