PREVALENCE OF CHRONIC RECURRENT ABDOMINAL PAIN AND MOST COMMON CAUSES AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

Background: Recurrent abdominal pain is a common problem in childhood worldwide it was defined by Apley in 1958 as a three episodes of pain in three month period and is severe enough to affect child activities. Aim of the work: The aim of the present study is to determine the prevalence and most common causes of recurrent abdominal pain among school aged children attending outpatient’s clinic in Ain-Shams University Children’s Hospital. Methods: This is a cross sectional study carried out on (100) Children aged 4-15years. After explaining the nature of the study to the child and caregiver the following were done to all patients through a detailed questionnaire filled by the doctor assessing various parameters of the investigated symptom. Results: We divide the patients into 5 groups according to causes Group I (51%): parasitic infestation, Group II (4%): Urinary tract infection Group III (12%): H-pylori gastritis, Group IV (23%): Irritable bowel syndrome (functional abdominal pain) and Group V (10%): Inflammatory bowel disease. Conclusion: Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is a common childhood complaint, occurring in ~15% of children and accounting for at least 5% of all pediatric office visits. The present study reveled that parasitic infestations was the most common organic cause of RAP among studied cases and that parasitic infestations is a major public health problem in children affecting their lifestyle. We should consider parasitic infestations as a cause of RAP especially in patients with low socio-economic status, poor sanitation, inadequate medical care and absence of safe drinking water supplies.