By definition, chronic or recurrent abdominal pain must occur at least 4 times each month for at least 2 months. Abdominal pain complaints begin as soon as a child can provide an accurate pain history, usually around age 7 years but occasionally younger. Before that age, children have difficulty separating emotional distress from physical pain. The differential diagnosis of child and adolescent...

THIS paper is an atteimpt to elucidate the common causes of recurrent abdominal pain in childhood of more than a transient nature, and consists of an investigation of all cases admitted to the Belfast Hospital for Sick Children during the years 1934, 1935, and 1936, whose abdominal symptoms were of such a character as to be considered worthy of laparotomy. There are 134 cases in all, 130 have b...

CONTEXT Recurrent abdominal pain is one of the commonest gastrointestinal complaints in children, affecting approximately 10% of school aged children and adolescents. There is no consensus with regards to etiology, investigation and management of this common problem. This review addresses some of the issues related to epidemiology, etiology, management and prognosis of recurrent abdominal pain....