SIGNS, HOME CARE, PRECAUTIONS AND TREATMENT OF ULCERS IN CHILDREN
Signs and symptoms
An older child with ulcers has upper abdominal pain before meals or at night, and the pain is often relieved by eating. Preschoolers with ulcers have pain near the navel; the pain comes and goes and is aggravated by eating. Children of any age may vomit bright red or dark brown blood or have blood in the stools (appearing as tarry stools). Ulcers are seldom the cause of ordinary stomachaches in children – although they often get blamed for such pains. The diagnosis of an ulcer can be made only by X rays (upper gastrointestinal series) or, less commonly, by endoscopy which involves viewing the stomach directly by means of an instrument passed down the oesophagus, the passageway from the mouth to the stomach.
Home care
Temporary relief for pain can be provided by giving the child an antacid by mouth. Other home treatment is not recommended. The child should be under a doctor’s care.
Precautions
• Not all black (tarry) stools contain blood. Iron supplements and some foods can cause black stools. The stool should be tested.
• Abdominal pain in a child who is under emotional stress is more likely to be caused by the stress than by an ulcer.
• Several members of a family may have ulcers because they share the family’s lifestyle and tensions, not because ulcers are hereditary.
Medical treatment
Your doctor will take a careful health history of your child, perform a physical examination, and may order X rays. Your child’s stools will be tested for blood, and a blood count will reveal any evidence of secondary anaemia. The doctor will probably prescribe antacids between meals and at bedtime or antispasmodic drugs before meals. The doctor will also advise you on changes in the diet and ways to relieve the child’s emotional stress.
Changes in the diet usually involve avoiding caffeine in cola drinks, tea, and coffee, and aspirin (including cold remedies that contain aspirin). Treatment usually can be discontinued in a few weeks or months.
*233/84/5*
