Abdominal pain in children

ABSTRACT

In summary, one may state that many cases of abdominal pain in children may have a psychosomatic origin, but one must also be aware and look for abdominal as well as extra-abdominal causes of abdominal pain. Loss of weight and anaemia are signs of organic disease in patients with abdominal pain. X-ray and laboratory studies should be kept to a minimum. Patients who are considered to have non-organic abdominal pain must be followed up to avoid unnecessary additional procedures and psychotherapy should be instituted if necessary. A psychosomatic diagnosis means more than a diagnosis by exclusion. It means the utilization of physiological and psychological techniques simultaneously in preparation for comprehensive medical care. Diagnosis by exclusion is dangerous in these cases and leads to greater invalidism. The physician may perpetuate the illness by his well meaning but mistaken and never-ending efforts to find a "physical cause" (AU)