stomach ache | Georgetown Pediatrics

Yes, we’re starting to see some fall/winter viruses that cause gastrointestinal (GI) problems. By the end of winter, Rotavirus will have been our most common offender, but now that kids are back in school, lots of viruses are happy. Families who get the viruses… not so much.

GI viruses like school, daycare and home settings because these places have children who haven’t always learned good hygiene practices. Prevention is always the best action against these diseases, so don’t forget to CLEAN door handles, toilet seats, other bathroom surfaces, television remotes. Also be sure to wash hands before cooking, serving and eating food.

Another way to hinder a virus is to keep your child home when she’s sick, preventing the spread to other children and adults. That may have been where she came into contact with the virus. Let’s not spread the “love.”

When can you send him back to school or daycare? Make sure he has been fever free for 24 hours (without a fever reducer), is able to tolerate small amounts of bland foods, has gone at least 12 hours since his last episode of vomiting and has had no more than 3 episodes of diarrhea in 8 hours.

Contact our office if diarrhea and vomiting don’t subside within three days or if diarrhea is bloody, if there’s been no urine output for 10 hours, or if the fever is high or doesn’t subside. We have a nurse available for advice on the phone, and we often can call in prescriptions for nausea for older children, unless we think they need to be seen in the office first.

More information? See our blog from last spring which includes a link to the American Academy of Pediatrics article on Rotavirus. Also, our blog regarding when to be concerned about a fever.

Stay healthy this winter!

Do you ever wonder whether abdominal pain warrants a call to the doctor, or even a visit to the emergency room? How can you tell?

One worry with children and teens is appendicitis. The appendix is a small, tubular-shaped organ in the lower right abdomen, that has no known function. Sometimes it can become inflamed and needs to be surgically removed. If left alone, an inflamed appendix can rupture and cause very serious illness.

Appendicitis can occur at any age, and is often difficult to diagnose.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has a great article here about appendicitis. The main symptom is pain, which begins as a “vague stomachache near the navel,” and then is described as a combination of a sense of fullness and pressure on the lower right side. Here is the complete list of symptoms they give, some of which are similar to stomach viruses, and some of which are different:

“Persistent abdominal pain that migrates from the midsection to the right lower abdomen
Nausea and vomiting
Constipation
Gas pain
Diarrhea
Low fever, beginning after other symptoms
Tenderness in the right lower abdomen
Abdominal swelling
Elevated white blood cell count
Appetite loss.”

Call your doctor immediately if your teen or child experiences these symptoms. Have him lie quietly and “don’t offer water, food, laxatives, aspirin or a heating pad.” Any movement can increase her pain. If appendicitis is suspected, a blood test (to determine white blood cell count) will likely be taken, possibly with other diagnostic tests.

Georgetown Pediatrics

Caring for your children.

Category Archives: stomach ache

Stomach virus season

Appendicitis