TUNING INTO TUMMY HEALTH

Emerging data from the Middle East suggests that problems with abdominal pain and constipation are as common as everywhere else and also possibly on the increase. This is because diets are changing. Also, there have been changes in breastfeeding practices, which can impact early life programming. Childhood development and programming in early life sets the scene for whether you pick up diseases later on.

According to Dr Nikhil Thapar, honorary consultant paediatric gastroenterologist at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, both constipation and abdominal pain are common disorders among children, with one in five of children affected worldwide. He shares some advice for parents who are concerned about their children’s stomach health.

IT’S NOT A BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEM: It’s often hard for families to understand why children have accidents such as incontinence. It’s not that these children are behaving badly, it’s just a change in the way the bowel is working.

IT’S TREATABLE: The outcomes for children with constipation and abdominal pain are actually good, as long as we recognise it and step in and treat it early.

IT’S VERY COMMON: One quarter of all school age children will get constipation, but sometimes parents feel very isolated that their child has a problem that no one else has.

SEEK MEDICAL HELP EARLY:

Take your child to a local healthcare professional as early as possible.

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