There are a number of what are known as alarm signs and symptoms. These may indicate disease. When present, a more comprehensive evaluation of the abdominal pain will be required.
It should be borne in mind that patients diagnosed with functional abdominal pain may have abdominal pain due to other causes and origins throughout its evolution, so abdominal pain that is different from the usual pattern of presentation or appearance of alarm signs and symptoms should be re-evaluated by your paediatrician.
Alarm signs and symptoms that suggest disease:
- Family history of inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease or stomach or duodenal ulcer
- Persistent pain on the right side
- Difficulty and/or pain on swallowing
- Persistent vomiting
- Gastrointestinal bleeding (vomiting blood, bloody stools or black shiny stools)
- Nocturnal diarrhoea
- Joint inflammation
- Lesions around the anus
- Involuntary weight loss
- Lack of height growth
- Delayed onset of puberty
- Fever of unknown cause