Recurrent abdominal pain in child patients seen at a pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Observations of 50 children and their families.
Recurrent abdominal pain is a common patient complaint in general pediatric and gastroenterology clinics. Various psychiatric problems have been noted in the children, adolescents, and parents of children who present with nonorganic recurrent abdominal pain. This article reviews the stressors, psychopathology, and biopsychosocial treatment of 50 patients with recurrent abdominal pain who were referred from a pediatric gastroenterology clinic to their psychiatric consultant over a 3-year period (1987-1990). The salient literature is also reviewed and thoughts for future research are outlined.
Woodbury
M M
MM
Department of Psychiatry, Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology