In rare cases, chronic abdominal pain in children is due to peptic ulcer disease, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, gallstones, renal stones, choledochal cysts, discitis, or abdominal migraine, although the last problem is "probably more common than is recognized," Dr. Cox said.
There’s approximately a 2% incidence of a syndrome of abdominal migraine and cyclic vomiting in school-age children, he estimated. The syndrome features recurrent, explosive bouts of vomiting and/or abdominal pain, punctuated by periods of normal health. In one study of 214 children with cyclic vomiting syndrome, 82% had associated migraines (J. Pediatr. 1999:134:567-72).
Dr. Cox reported having no relevant financial disclosures.