Gut Problems

Gut Problems Infant colic This is a term used primarily to describe the discomfort felt by an infant and the screaming that occurs, usually in the evening and often between the ages of 1-5 months. It is unclear whether this is a real phenomenon or whether it is discomfort due to a maturity problem of…

Gut Problems Constipation Normal bowel patterns are very variable in children of all age groups. Weaver and Steiner have shown that 85% of 1 to 4 year olds pass stools once or twice a day and 96% do so three times per day to once every other day. When there is delay in defaecation with…

Gut Problems Toddler’s diarrhoea Toddler’s diarrhoea is a diagnosis of exclusion when all other diseases have been excluded. It is very common in children between the ages of 1 and 5 years of age and is of no consequence. It simply is a reflection of the increased speed of transit of food going through the…

Gut Problems Gut infections These are commonly called food poisoning and cause problems either due to toxins presented to the gut by the bacteria or they are caused by viruses such as Rotavirus in infants or they are caused by parasites such as Giardia. They also can unmask disease such as inflammatory bowel disease and…

Gut Problems Pancreatitis This is an inflammatory condition, usually of unknown origin which involves the pancreas gland which produces enzymes to help digestion.This can present with abdominal discomfort or vomiting/nausea and usually inflammation can be identified by a blood test, called amylase (this can also come from the salivary glands also and therefore if the…

Gut Problems Sucrose intolerance This is congenital and due to the absence of the enzyme sucrase isamaltase present in the small bowel and responsible for digesting the sucrose which is present in refined sugar and also as a component of the sugars found in fruits. It has variable expression in that children can be mildly…

Gut Problems Gut blood loss and anaemia This problem is not particularly common but painless blood loss from the gut which can lead to anaemia can occur due to various problems in childhood. One of course is a condition known as polyps which are benign outgrowths of tissue in the gut. This is not cancer…

Gut Problems Common liver problems Common liver problems in children in the UK usually are associated with viral infections and involve transient inflammation. Hepatitis A, B and C can occur but generally children are now immunised against Hepatitis B, and if they are travelling abroad Hepatitis A. Other viruses can cause liver problems, such as…

Gut Problems Recurrent abdominal pain Chronic or recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is one of the most commonly encountered events in childhood interfering in the normal lifestyle of up to 10-15 % of all children at some point and described first by Apley who emphasised the role of a thorough history and examination. (Apley 1958) A…

Gut Problems Giardia Giardia is a parasite which is very common in freshwater lakes, for instance, and can be present on unwashed vegetables. Simple precautions when travelling are important but as the parasite can reside in the gut of children and adults for months if not years it is important to think of this in…