Nervous Stomach in Children

We all wonder what is nervous stomach disorder that can affect people, irrespective of their age. From a kid awaiting the first day of the school to a middle aged man struggling in his business, anxiety and stress can cause nervous stomachs in anybody. Nervous stomach in children particularly cannot be categorized under any specific group of diseases. In fact, it is a group of symptoms that affect the children and manifest in various forms. The causes are more psychological, though the physical causes like indigestion, food allergies and stomach flu can be the contributing factors. Nervous stomach in children is also known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Nervous stomach symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, mucus in stools and abdominal pain. You may read more on stomach ache in children and nervous stomach ache. Let's discuss the nervous stomach symptoms in detail.

Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a disorder of the stomach that is caused due to either a bacterial or a viral infection. In many cases, even parasites are known to cause diarrhea. Diarrhea causes dehydration in the body and it is quite dangerous for children and older people, if it advances to the later stages. Generally, diarrhea lasts for a day or two but it can be life threatening if it reaches to the advanced stages. One of the prominent symptoms of nervous stomach in children, diarrhea can be controlled by proper medication. Read more on BRAT Diet Plan for diarrhea.

Constipation
Constipation is a common symptom of nervous stomach in children. The child may experience stomach pain and will strain while passing stool. The stool will be hard, dry and pellet like and in discharging the stool, the child may have to strain a lot. Lack of fibrous food in the diet is cited as a major reason for constipation in children. Many children develop a tendency to ignore the urge to have a bowel movement and this may lead to constipation in the children. The children may feel uncomfortable and complain of regular stomach pain if the problem of constipation persists for a long time. Read more on chronic constipation in children.

Mucus in Stool
Mucus is a semi solid, semi liquid jelly-like substance, that is produced by the epithelial lining of large intestine. As mucus is slippery, it acts as a lubricant in reducing the friction and helping the passage of stool up to the anus. It is very normal to have mucus in stools to some extent, however, if there is excessive inflammation in the intestine (due to spicy and junk food) then the stool can show traces of blood. In children, mucus in the stools is more prominent in the cases of diarrhea. Mucus in stool can be caused due to the various reasons like food allergies and bacterial overgrowth that results in infection in the intestine. Know more on the causes of mucus in stool.

Nervous stomach anxiety is another important contributor of nervous stomach in children. It has been found that many children seriously complain of stomach ache and upset stomach, when they have to face exams and other stressful situations. Academic pressure and peer pressure are prime reasons that induce stress and anxiety among the children. Though healthy competition is necessary for the proper upbringing of the child, poor stress management can cause nervous stomach in children that can carry on for years. Parents should make sure that their children learn proper and positive ways of handling stress situations. Nervous stomach in children can be due to the above mentioned symptoms or a combination of them. Nervous stomach can be cured easily by correct medication and proper diagnosis.