An approach to functional abdominal pain in children and adolescents.
For children with chronic abdominal pain, the early introduction of stress as a potential cause is likely to improve outcome. Parents underestimate their child's awareness of and capacity to worry about everyday events. Parents, children, and teachers need to be convinced that functional symptoms are a normal feature of life. The need for empathy and quality discussion between doctor, parents, and child concerning potential causes of stress is critical. All reinforcement should be removed including insistence on continued school attendance. Cognitive behavioural therapy appears to be helpful in resistant cases. Medication such as antidepressants should be avoided unless prescribed by a child psychiatrist.
General Practice and Primary Health Care Research, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, Australia. tom.brett@nd.edu.au
Tom
T
Brett
Marion
M
Rowland
Brendan
B
Drumm
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D012017:Referral and Consultation