title: Recurrent abdominal pain in children: a clinical approach.
abstract: The term 'recurrent abdominal pain', or RAP, refers mainly to the duration of painful period and frequency of pain. The commonly accepted duration is at least three months in the preceding period, and over this three-month period, there are at least three episodes of pain that are severe enough to affect the daily activities of the affected patients. Over the years, with advances in medical technology and better understanding of the pathophysiology of abdominal pain, more and more organic causes have been identified. However, the most common cause of RAP in children is still functional in origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074. senghock_quak@nuhs.edu.sg.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Quek
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D002239:Carbohydrate Metabolism, Inborn Errors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D008286:Malabsorption Syndromes; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012008:Recurrence
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