Irritable bowel syndrome affects many adults on a day-to-day basis. What many people don't know is that it can affect children, too. Because kids have to deal with school, sports and peer pressure, they are more susceptible to emotionally struggling with the disease than are adults. Knowing what to look for is the first step in getting help.
What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Irritable bowel syndrome involves the large intestine, otherwise known as the colon. The colon takes in all of the water and the body's nutrients that have been digested. As the colon begins to expel the waste from the body, it begins to contract and move the muscles to produce a bowel movement. If the muscles do not move in sync or smoothly, they can become spastic or move too fast or slow; this is where irritable bowel syndrome begins. Either the muscles move too quickly, causing diarrhea or the sudden urge to go, or they move too slowly, sometimes causing constipation.
Symptoms
Diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome depends on recognizing the symptoms. Generally, IBS starts off as a very bad stomachache. This stems from the spasm of the bowels trying to safely push the feces through. Many kids experience constipation, and this can also be painful. The child may also feel as if she has trapped gas or is unable to pass a bowel movement. If the child is experiencing a spasming colon, he may feel as if he has to have a bowel movement immediately, and if they doesn't, he could have an accident. This can be very embarrassing and troublesome for kids of all ages, especially while they are at school or around friends.
Causes
There is no definitive explanation for why kids get irritable bowel syndrome. Stress tends to be a leading factor in many cases. This could be caused by worry over an exam or a speech that the child has to participate in. Cases like these could cause the bowels to become tenser than usual, leading to pain, constipation or diarrhea. A diet that is high in fat or junk food could also lead to a fast and abrupt bout of diarrhea.
Treatment
Treatment for irritable bowel syndrome can be tricky because it can mimic other digestive disorders. Most physicians will want to rule out problems with the colon and the digestive tract before making a diagnosis and establishing treatment.
Treatment may involve a change in diet to more fiber-rich foods and more vegetables. Fruits and vitamin supplements may also be recommended. Adding more water and fruit juice to the diet while eliminating junk food and soda may also be a course of treatment.
Long-Term Prevention
After establishing a treatment regimen, parents and kids can benefit from establishing a plan to help prevent a recurrence. One way to do this is to keep a notebook to record when symptoms arose, what activities were undertaken throughout the day and what foods were eaten. This may become a valuable tool in making a full recovery and finding trigger points that may be causing flareups of irritable bowel syndrome.
