Do your kids ever complain about stomach aches? How often? Do those aches seem to have a pattern to them or interfere with your child’s ability to get through the day and participate in school and social events? If so, your child may have IBS, irritable bowel syndrome. And, chances are other people in your family have this, too. This isn’t something many people talk about but it is much more common than you realize. Believe it or not, 6-14% of adults and kids have IBS so you are far from alone!
April being IBS awareness month is a great excuse for you to gather some information and really sort out if those “my tummy hurts” complaints deserve further attention. IBS isn’t your typical stomach ache – it is much more profound than that because it happens more frequently and more intensely than the typically upset stomach. While most people think of this as an adult condition, it actually affects more kids than you’d realize – in fact, to the same degree! And, from my own clinical experience, I can tell you this is very real in kids and teens and often comes in very predictable times – like State testing or moving or friendship issues or trouble at home. Just like us adults, the intestines of our kids are often the mirror of their minds and emotions.
The symptoms are often very, very uncomfortable with abdominal pain and sometimes bloating. The pain is often lessened when the child has a bowel movement. And, bowel movement patterns are often altered with some IBS patient’s having very hard stools or true constipation and others more loose stools. For these symptoms to be true IBS, they need to occur for 12 weeks during the year and not necessarily in a row.
What should you do if you think your child may have IBS? First, start keeping a log of your child’s symptoms and foods and stress. Second, call your pediatrician. There is a lot that can be done to help people with IBS but the first step is being open to the diagnosis, and getting your child to the doctor to get a diagnosis.
Keep in mind, that many kids have “nervous stomachs” that still warrant attention even if they end up not quite meeting the true criteria for IBS. So, still make that call if your child has symptoms that are interfering with any life activities at all. Even IBS- like conditions deserve attention and many kids have those as well. This is an unfortunate side effect of our busy life styles and perhaps even our unhealthy diets.
So, now you have some information to think about and can decided if you need to talk further you’re your child’s pediatrician. Better to call and have those tummy symptoms be nothing than to find out later there was actually something simple you could have done to help your child feel better. Act today so tomorrow can be a better day for whoever in your family has IBS.
For more information check out:
About IBS
About IBS Kids
