Pediatric Abdominal Pain: An Emergency Medicine Perspective

Jeremiah Smith; Sean M Fox

doi:10.1016/j.emc.2015.12.010

Pediatric Abdominal Pain: An Emergency Medicine Perspective

Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2016 May;34(2):341-61. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2015.12.010.

Authors

Jeremiah Smith¹, Sean M Fox²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Medicine, Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Boulevard, MEB Floor 3, Charlotte, NC 28203, USA. Electronic address: jeremiah.smith@carolinashealthcare.org.
² Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Boulevard, MEB Floor 3, Charlotte, NC 28203, USA.

PMID: 27133248
DOI: 10.1016/j.emc.2015.12.010

Abstract

Abdominal pain is a common complaint that leads to pediatric patients seeking emergency care. The emergency care provider has the arduous task of determining which child likely has a benign cause and not missing the devastating condition that needs emergent attention. This article reviews common benign causes of abdominal pain as well as some of the cannot-miss emergent causes.

Keywords: Appendicitis; Functional constipation; Functional gastrointestinal disorder; Gonadal torsion; Incarcerated inguinal hernia; Necrotizing enterocolitis; Pyloric stenosis.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Abdominal Pain / diagnosis
Abdominal Pain / etiology
Abdominal Pain / therapy
Child
Child, Preschool
Diagnosis, Differential
Disease Management
Emergency Medicine
Emergency Treatment / methods*
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Pediatrics / methods*
Physical Examination / methods