Stomach Pain Around the Belly Button in a Kid

There are a ton of reasons why a kid might have a stomachache. Some of them are super serious and need immediate surgery to fix, while others don't need such drastic steps. Either way, you should never ignore stomach pain. Let's try to figure out the reasons that could cause belly pain around the belly button area. Keep in mind, little kids can't exactly pinpoint where it hurts, so we're just talking about stomach pain in general.

Reasons Behind Stomach Aches

All diseases can be split into 2 major groups:

1. Those requiring surgical treatment

2. Those not requiring surgical treatment.

Surgical Diseases

The most common cause of stomach pain that needs surgical intervention is acute appendicitis - inflammation of the appendix. Appendicitis can occur in a child of any age, including infants, which is why any stomach discomfort should be closely monitored for this particular disease.

Symptoms of acute appendicitis can vary depending on the child's age and the location of the appendix. The classic course is characterized by one or two episodes of vomiting, stomach pain (the child may not be able to pinpoint the exact location of the pain), and a fever. There may also be disturbances in bowel movements and urination, especially in very young children.

The inflammation develops quickly, so immediate hospitalization of the child in a surgical department and operative treatment are required. Otherwise, peritonitis may develop, significantly complicating treatment and worsening the prognosis. That's why it's strictly forbidden to give any antipyretic or pain-relieving medications to a child with stomach pains before consulting a specialist, as they can obscure the clinical picture.

Intussusception

In infants and toddlers, there's a risk of a serious condition known as intussusception of the intestines. This pathology involves one part of the intestine sliding into another, leading to necrosis (death) of the intestine and causing acute intestinal obstruction. It's an extremely severe condition that requires immediate hospitalization.

Abdominal pain in this condition initially occurs in bouts, then the child's condition rapidly deteriorates, possibly leading to vomiting and a swollen belly. A distinctive sign is the presence of "raspberry jelly" stool.

Hernia Strangulation

Another serious cause of abdominal pain is hernia strangulation, in this case, an umbilical hernia. It can happen to any child with a hernia that hasn't been surgically repaired. Straining can cause a loop of the intestine to become trapped, and trying to fix it on your own can only lead to a rapid worsening of the condition. If the patient isn't operated on urgently, it could lead to necrosis of the intestine and severe consequences, including death.

Non-surgical Causes

Conditions that don't require surgery can also be divided into two major groups:

 - infectious 

 - non-infectious

Gut infections can cause stomach pain, are often accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, and a fever. Symptoms of intoxication are also present. It's not always easy to tell a mild infection apart from acute appendicitis, which is why a kid with stomach pains should always be checked out by a professional.

Non-infectious causes include:

• Allergic reaction. Infants might suffer from this after being introduced to their first solid foods
• Parasitic worms. Kids don't always follow personal hygiene rules, which can lead to worm infestation.
• Colic. This issue is common in newborns and can be managed at home. It's best to consult a doctor in advance on what to do in such cases.
• Urinary tract infection. If the stomach constantly hurts but the digestive system is fine, it's worth checking the urinary tract. This problem often occurs in preschool-aged children.
• Dysbiosis. This process isn't dangerous by itself, but it can lead to more complex and serious diseases, so it's important to start treatment on time.
• Bile duct dyskinesia
• The start of menstruation – in girls

Parental Strategy or When Should You Sound the Alarm?

You should urgently go to the hospital if, besides stomach pains, the following symptoms are present:

• The baby's being fussy, crying, pulling their legs up;
• Skin's pale and looks sickly;
• Fever's going up;
• There's constipation, bloating, or diarrhea;
• The kid's passing out;
• Discomfort and pain's been lasting a day or more;
• The kid's turning down food and drinks;
• There's nausea and vomiting;
• The kid gets tired real quick and always wants to sleep;
• There's blood in the stool or vomit;
• Stomach upset's been going on for about a day;
• Rashes are popping up on the body;
• It hurts the kid to go to the bathroom.

If the kid's belly hurts around the belly button area, then feels fine again, you still gotta see a doctor as planned.

If the belly hurts after eating, it's likely a digestive system issue, but in other cases, you gotta dig deeper to find the cause.

Diagnostic Procedures

When parents head to the hospital with their kid complaining of belly button area pains, the usual game plan includes the following steps:

• Initial check-up and questioning. During this check, they figure out the nature and frequency of the symptoms, and also tentatively pinpoint what might've triggered them. The pediatrician might also throw out an initial diagnosis.
• Running some tests. Typically, this involves snagging a stool sample from the kiddo, along with blood and urine tests. This helps to spot or rule out any issues with worms and various bacterial and infectious diseases.
• Ultrasound and other computerized exams. This type of diagnostic comes into play if no pathologies that could be causing the stomach pains were found earlier. These exams can accurately confirm or deny any diagnosis.

Skipping a comprehensive examination is not an option. Symptoms of different diseases can look pretty similar, but their treatments can be worlds apart. Trying to diagnose and treat on your own could not only worsen the condition by wasting precious time but also trigger the onset of new diseases.

Treating the Condition

Treating belly button discomfort depends on the cause that triggered the issue. If the illness is serious, therapy is conducted in a hospital setting, but sometimes the doctor will prescribe a treatment plan and send the kid home with their parents.

At home, you can treat the following conditions:

• Colic. This is treated by expelling gas from the intestines. The doctor prescribes a diet for the child and their mother, issues medication. In some cases, massage is recommended.
• Worm infestation. The doctor prescribes anti-worm medication.
• Bile duct dyskinesia
• Mild intestinal infections (antibiotics are prescribed, along with plenty of fluids, enzymatic drugs, and medications to restore intestinal flora)

In other cases, particularly when a hernia, appendicitis, or acute forms of some diseases are detected, surgical intervention is necessary, followed by a recovery period under medical supervision.

Preventing Belly Button Pain

To avoid future occurrences of pain, it's recommended to monitor your child's diet - cut out foods that could cause pain and discomfort. Also, make sure your kid drinks plenty of clean water.

Avoid overdoing it with fizzy and sugary drinks. If your child experiences gas, consult a doctor about the best medication to alleviate the pain. These recommendations should be followed both for prevention and during the treatment of stomach pains and discomfort.

Even if the pain subsides, keep an eye on your child. It's possible that the pain might return. Other symptoms may also appear, indicating the presence of a disease. To prevent such symptoms in the future, it's crucial to regularly visit the hospital for preventive check-ups.