Recurrent Abdominal Pain (functional)

What is functional abdominal pain and why has my child got it?

Functional abdominal pain (FAP) is common in children or teenagers. The word functional means that there is no physical blockage, infection, inflammation or disease causing the pain.

FAP can be very upsetting for children and their families. Although FAP has been studied, the exact cause is not known. It is likely that several factors play a part in the development of FAP. It may be due to overly sensitive nerves in the gut. The gut has a huge network of nerves which sends signals to the brain to say we are hungry, full or ill. Sometimes things outside the gut can affect these messages and they are misinterpreted by the brain. For example, it is common not to feel hungry on the morning of an important test or big performance, or to visit the toilet many times, or even vomit. The symptoms are real and don’t help with the pressure of the situation, but they are not caused by a physical disease.