Etiology of Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Children

Authors

  • Binita Gurubacharya Joshi Paediatric Gastroenterologist, Kanti Children’s Hospital, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v33i1.7413

Keywords:

RAP, Organic, Non organic

Abstract

Introduction: Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints during childhood and most frequent presentation in paediatric clinics. RAP has been classified etiologically into two broad groups: organic and functional. Functional causes of RAP were reported to be present in 90% of cases in the past. Because of the new diagnostic tools and an improved knowledge, the prevalence of RAP has been now increasing. The current study was done to find out the etiology of RAP in Nepalese children.

Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study conducted in Civil Services Hospital, Paediatric department from April 2010 to March 2011 in children aged between 4 and 15 years, attending the outpatient department. All the children with RAP, who fulfilled the Apley’s criteria were included in this study.

Results: Out of 47 children with RAP, organic causes were found in 41 children while non-organic causes, in 6 children. Parasitic infestation was the commonest organic cause of RAP, followed by idiopathic chronic constipation. Other causes were culture proven urinary tract infection, antral gastritis and H. pylori infection.

Conclusion: Organic disorder is still the commoner cause of RAP in our part of the world. The key step in the management of RAP is to first investigate for the organic cause based on the symptoms.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v33i1.7413

J Nepal Paediatr Soc. 2013;33(1):31-33

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Abstract
813
PDF
927

Author Biography

Binita Gurubacharya Joshi, Paediatric Gastroenterologist, Kanti Children’s Hospital, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu

Consultant, Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary

Downloads

Published

2013-06-15

How to Cite

Joshi, B. G. (2013). Etiology of Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Children. Journal of Nepal Paediatric Society, 33(1), 31–33. https://doi.org/10.3126/jnps.v33i1.7413

Issue

Vol. 33 No. 1 (2013)

Section

Original Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).