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When is it more than just a tummy ache?

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When is it more than just a tummy ache?
Sometimes home remedies just ain't enough


MANILA, Philippines —  Seeing children reach their milestones is one of the joys of being a parent. Catching them smile for the first time, hearing them say their first word, watching them take their first step – there’s probably nothing more rewarding.

As children grow and start exploring the world, parents have no choice but to let them see, feel, smell, hear, and taste it. After all, experience is the best teacher.

However, while they’re out discovering new things, they also become more prone to accidents and exposed to germs and viruses.

Parents are all too familiar with kids who would put just about anything in their mouths – from their dirty little fingers, food picked up off the floor, to any random thing they could get their hands on. That’s why they’re also familiar with tummy aches.

But are stomach aches as simple as something parents can treat at home? When is it more than just a tummy ache?

Identifying the type of discomfort and initial treatment

There are two kinds of stomach aches – the short-term and the recurring.

Short-term tummy aches never last more than a week. It’s usually caused by viral infection, constipation, or sometimes stress. Your child may complain of muscle pains, feeling gassy or both, which is often followed by diarrhea.

Your child may also complain of pain throughout the whole stomach or on a large part of the belly area but it might only be caused by stomach flu, gas, or simple indigestion.

Parents can use home remedies to treat these kinds of tummy aches. Try letting the kid relax first, make them drink water, and see if they can pass stool. Avoid giving them soft drinks, fried food, dairy, citrus, and tomato products.

On the other hand, recurring stomach aches don’t just go away after a simple treatment. It can last for weeks, even months. The pain is also intolerable. 10-15% of school-aged children have reported having experienced this kind of tummy ache.

It could be caused by food sensitivities like lactose intolerance but it could also be much worse like appendicitis, colitis, and ulcers.

So when is it time for a trip to the doctor?

If the child complains of pain coming in waves, increasing in intensity or both for more than 24 hours already, have them checked by their pediatrician.

Other signs that call for a pediatrician’s attention include:

  • Vomiting or diarrhea lasting longer than 2 to 3 days

  • A burning sensation during urination

  • High fever

  • Sudden weight loss

If your child is experiencing the following, rush them to the emergency room immediately:

  • Vomiting blood

  • Defecating black or dark-colored stool

  • Blood in the child’s urine  

  • Rigid or tense belly

How to keep a healthy tummy

A stomach is healthy when the complex ecosystem of bacteria, immunity cells, and other parts are in harmony. When this order is disrupted, that’s when we start feeling sick.

For children, this system is still developing so it must be fortified. Fortunately, it’s not that hard for parents to do this. First, ensure that children have the right diet to boost their immunity.

An overly squeaky clean environment is not always good as well. A little exposure to dirt actually helps build a child’s immunity.

And like how they’re taking vitamins for cough and colds, kids should also be taking good probiotics to protect them from tummy aches. Good probiotics, like those found in Erceflora ProbiBears, help keep our digestive system healthy.

Erceflora ProbiBears contain two probiotics: Lactobacillus acidopilus and Bifidobacterium lactis. These good bacteria help keep tummies strong and free from organisms that cause indigestion and diarrhea. They also come in yummy chewable bears that are easy to eat!

Remember, a healthy tummy keeps a child (and their parents!) happy. Rappler.com

Learn more about this 2-in-1 Probiotic to help protect your kids tummies! Visit www.ErcefloraProbiBears.com

Important message: Erceflora Probibears is not medicine and must not be used as cure for any type of illness.

Sources:

http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/f/functional-abdominal-pain

Stomachaches are common in kids; a pediatrician offer advice on addressing them | Washington Post

MAHALAGANG PAALALA: ANG ERCEFLORA PROBIBEARS AY HINDI GAMOT AT HINDI DAPAT GAMITING PANGGAMOT SA ANUMANG URI NG SAKIT.

ASC REFERENCE NO. S036P122118E

All content found in this advertorial were created for informational purposes only; and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Kindly seek the advice of your attending physician regarding questions you may have about a medical condition. Please do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of information you obtained on this advertorial.

SAPH.LABL.18.06.0184g / Version No. 4.6 / 09NOV2018

 

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