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What Causes Pain Just Below Breast Bone In A 6 Year Old?
Question: My 6 year-old daughter is complaining that her stomach hurts. It appears that the pain is from just below her breast bone and all the way to around her navel. I thought maybe it was constipation. Now she says her hands hurt across the top and back of her hands. Particularly the backs of her fingers. She is lethargic but not overly sleepy. She has a slight fever of 100.2 but no other symptoms.
Brief Answer:
I would like to rule out viral fever with gastritis
Detailed Answer:
Hello
In the presence of symptoms like pain in upper abdomen along with low grade fever,my initial diagnosis will be viral fever with gastritis.
As you said constipation can also cause pain abdomen, but there will be no fever.
Presence of fever usually suggests some kind of infection.The most common cause of infection in this age is viral infection.In any fever there may be associated pain in the different part of body.
I have few queries-
1)Is there any swelling or redness in the hand(at site of pain)
2)Is there any urinary difficulty like burning sensation or dribbling of urine(as the bacterial UTI is also a possibilty in presence of fever and pain abdomen)
In the present condition I would like to-
1)monitor the fever by making a temperature chart
2)observe the baby for worsening/improvement in symptoms or appearance of any other symptoms(like vomiting,loose stool etc)
3)Give her plenty of water/fluids
4)Give her antipyratic(paracetamol) if fever is >100 F,paracetamol will also take care of pain as it is an analgesic too
5)Give her acid reducing agent like lansoprazole(this is a prescription medicine and get it prescribed by a physician)
5)in the presence of any urinary problem or worsening of symptoms/baby remains lethargic and if oral acceptance decreased then I shall get her evaluated by a pediatrician for direct clinical examination and management accordingly.
I will be glad to answer if you have any queries
Wish your child speedy recovery
Regards
I would like to rule out viral fever with gastritis
Detailed Answer:
Hello
In the presence of symptoms like pain in upper abdomen along with low grade fever,my initial diagnosis will be viral fever with gastritis.
As you said constipation can also cause pain abdomen, but there will be no fever.
Presence of fever usually suggests some kind of infection.The most common cause of infection in this age is viral infection.In any fever there may be associated pain in the different part of body.
I have few queries-
1)Is there any swelling or redness in the hand(at site of pain)
2)Is there any urinary difficulty like burning sensation or dribbling of urine(as the bacterial UTI is also a possibilty in presence of fever and pain abdomen)
In the present condition I would like to-
1)monitor the fever by making a temperature chart
2)observe the baby for worsening/improvement in symptoms or appearance of any other symptoms(like vomiting,loose stool etc)
3)Give her plenty of water/fluids
4)Give her antipyratic(paracetamol) if fever is >100 F,paracetamol will also take care of pain as it is an analgesic too
5)Give her acid reducing agent like lansoprazole(this is a prescription medicine and get it prescribed by a physician)
5)in the presence of any urinary problem or worsening of symptoms/baby remains lethargic and if oral acceptance decreased then I shall get her evaluated by a pediatrician for direct clinical examination and management accordingly.
I will be glad to answer if you have any queries
Wish your child speedy recovery
Regards
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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