Mommy … ughhhh … my tummy hurts.”

Not exactly what we’re hoping to hear in the midst of Thanksgiving festivities.  Yet as wonderful as they are to celebrate with friends and families, holidays can be cruel to our stomachs, especially for our kids. Between October and January, their young tummies endure a lot — Halloween candy, ladle after ladle of gravy, one-too-many pieces of pumpkin pie…

Although most stomach upsets resolve on their own within 24 hours, we get a lot of questions this time of year from concerned parents helping their children through a host of tummy troubles – everything from intestinal viruses and flu to gas and indigestion.

All of us at Weiss Pediatric Care wish you a happy and healthy holiday season. But if you do find your holidays ending on a sour note, here are a few guidelines to help determine if your child’s stomach ache is more likely due to overindulgence or something more serious.

Signs of indigestion/gas:

  • Onset of pains shortly after meals
  • Abdomen is soft and uncomfortable with minimal pressure
  • Temperature less than 100 degrees
  • No recurrent vomiting or diarrhea

Suggested treatment: Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. If vomiting, take small sips of water every 15 minutes. For diarrhea, eat salted crackers and drink about one half cup of white grape or apple juice diluted with one half cup of water every two to three hours to help replace lost sugar and salt.

Signs of Infection (stomach flu, strep throat, appendicitis, etc.)

  • Fever over 100.5 degrees
  • Loss of appetite
  • Recurrent nausea/vomiting
  • Diarrhea, both loose consistency and increased frequency
  • Other complaints, such as headache, sore throat, cough, burning feeling when urinating, blood in stool

Suggested treatment:  The more symptoms your child has, the more likely it’s not simply indigestion.  Call the doctor, especially if you notice blood in the stool, which may indicate that the infection could be serious.

Be sure to check out our holiday hours  – Click for Holiday Hours.    For urgent concerns after hours, 24 hour telephone support is available for established patients by calling our office at 941-552-8341.