No doubt you’ve heard it more than once: “My tummy hurts!” Probably the most common complaint kids make, recurrent stomach pains occur in up to 15 percent of school-aged children, according to the Children’s Digestive Health and Nutrition Foundation. “Kids are just more susceptible to stomach issues,” says Randy Neustaedter, OMD, author of Child Health Guide: Holistic Pediatrics for Parents (North Atlantic, 2005). “Their digestive tracts are more sensitive, their immune systems aren’t fully developed, they tend to eat a lot of foods that are irritating, and they don’t yet know how to cope with stress, all of which can cause stomach upset.”

It’s often tricky to determine the cause of a painful stomach. Is it the flu, or slow-movingbowels? Gluten intolerance, or tomorrow’s spelling test? Paying attention to telltale symptoms and asking a few targeted questions can help you figure out what’s causing your kid’s tummy woes.

Possible culprit: food poisoning

Fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and cramps are the most common signs of gastroenteritis, a nonspecific catchall term for a gastrointestinal infection. Viral gastroenteritis (commonly called stomach flu) is usually self-limiting, lasting only a few days. Food poisoning, a type of gastroenteritis, manifests with similar symptoms but is potentially more serious because it can cause severe diarrhea, which may lead to life-threatening dehydration.

Rule out food poisoning by playing detective: Did your child eat something unusual during the last 24 hours? Did the symptoms come on suddenly and abruptly? If the answer to either question is yes, treatment is usually the same as for common viral gastroenteritis—bed rest, replacing lost fluids—but if symptoms are acute, it’s time for medical attention (see Stomach Pain: When to Call the Doctor.”)

Next page: Could ir be food allergy or intolerance?