Abstract
Disorders of the gut-brain interaction negatively impact quality of life and carry a substantial socioeconomic burden. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional abdominal pain-not otherwise specified (FAP-NOS) are common functional abdominal pain disorders in childhood. The pathophysiology is not fully understood, and high-quality intervention trials and international guidelines are missing. Therefore, the management of these disorders remains challenging. This review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of therapeutic possibilities for pediatric IBS or FAP-NOS and recommends management strategies. To prevent unnecessary referrals and extensive costs, it is fundamental to make a positive diagnosis of IBS or FAP-NOS in children with chronic abdominal pain with only minimal investigations. A tailor-made approach for each patient, based on the accompanying physical and psychological symptoms, is proposed to date. Conclusion: Shared decision-making including non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions should be considered and discussed with the family.What is Known:• Irritable bowel syndrome and functional abdominal pain-not otherwise specified are common in childhood.• Although the number of treatment options has grown recently, managing these disorders can be challenging and unsatisfactory, and no evidence-based international management guidelines are available.What is New:• We suggest using a stepwise individualized approach to management, where after first-line management, both non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions should be discussed.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2603-2617 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | European journal of pediatrics |
Volume | 181 |
Issue number | 7 |
Early online date | 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jul 2022 |
Keywords
- Children
- Chronic abdominal pain
- Management
- Therapy
- Treatment