Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children

What is recurrent abdominal pain (RAP)?

A stomach ache or bellyache is called abdominal pain. If a child has abdominal pain that comes and goes regularly, they have recurrent abdominal pain (RAP).

Recurrent abdominal pain can be caused by a number of different illnesses or there may not be any underlying problem at all. If the child is seen by a doctor, and all medical causes are ruled out, then the child is said to have "functional abdominal pain". This means that there is no known cause for the pain.

Functional abdominal pain

Functional abdominal pain is common. This type of abdominal pain is often vague and is described as pain "all over" the tummy. It usually lasts for less than one hour. It occurs in 10% to 15% of all children. It typically occurs in children between the ages of five and ten. Although it is not serious, it can interfere with a child's daily activities. Some children miss school because of the abdominal pain. Functional abdominal pain will eventually get better on its own and does not require any treatment.

Other causes of recurrent abdominal pain

Some children with recurrent abdominal pain do have an identifiable cause. Some possible causes include:

• constipation
• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• food sensitivities (for example, lactose intolerance)
• heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux)
• abdominal migraines
• anxiety or depression
• gas
• ovulation in girls
• inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
• recurrent urinary tract infections

When to see a doctor

See your child's doctor if your child has abdominal pain and also any of the following:

• weight loss
• slowed growth
• significant vomiting and/or diarrhea
• persistent pain on the right side of the abdomen
• fever
• pain that wakes the child up at night
• blood in the stool
• pain or bleeding with urination (peeing) or feeling urgency to pee
• changes in stool pattern (stool more frequently or less frequently than what was typical for the child, or stooling at night)

If your child does not have any of these symptoms, but they have recurrent abdominal pain, keep a pain diary for your child. Record when the pain happened, how long it lasted and if there were any triggers. Take this diary with you when you go to see your child's doctor.