Aim: To determine the value of investigative procedures in finding out the etiology of Recurrent Abdominal Pain (RAP) in children.

Material and Methods: 83 children with recurrent abdominal pain satisfying Apley's criteria in the age group 4-12 years attending Pediatric Gastroenterology (OPD in ICH&HC between July 2004 to July 2005 were prospectively evaluated with complete physical examination and detailed investigations.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 6 years and male to female ratio was 1:2. Stool microscopy was positive for ascariasis in 3, giardiasis in 2 and amoebiasis in 1. Urine culture was positive in 4 children, USG abdomen showed renal calculus in 1 child. Barium study showed malabsorption pattern in 22, malrotation in 1, ascaris worm in 2 and features suggestive of Koch's in 1. UGI endoscopy showed esophagitis in 7, esophagogastritis in 1, gastritis in 1, gastritis + duodenitis in 2, duodenitis in 4 and deformed duodenal bulb and gastric mucosal prolapse in 1 each. Mantoux, Chest and abdominal X-ray, urine routine were not contributory, 5 children were diagnosed as pancreatitis with high serum amylase. 3 children fitted with the diagnosis of somatisation disorder. 46 children were found to have dysfunctional pain.

Conclusions:RAP is one of the commonest childhood problems, which cannot be ignored in view of high incidence of organic cause. The efficacy of certain investigations like Barium Meal Series and UGI scopy was high (31.2 & 22.9 respectively). Gastroesophageal Reflux (GOR) was found to be a major cause, which is often missed unless looked for. Psychogenic pain constitutes a very small percentage.

Ped Gastro 2005 - Conference Abstracts. Pediatric Oncall [serial online] 2006 [cited 15 March 2006(Supplement 3)];3. Available from:
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Reccurrent_abdominal_pain.asp