A Prospective School-based Study of Abdominal Pain and Other Common Somatic Complaints in Children
Abstract
Objective To determine the prevalence and impact of pediatric abdominal pain (AP).Study design Prospective cohort study (12/2005-06/2006), with gastrointestinal and other symptoms assessed weekly. Anxiety, depression, functional disability, quality of life, somatization, coping, school absenteeism and medical care were assessed in 237 students in the third through eighth grades (11.8 years; 134 girls) from 2 public schools weekly. Complete data were obtained on 4606 of 5175 (89%) possible questionnaires.Results Seventy-two percent of children reported >1 somatic symptom weekly, and 45% of children reported >1 gastrointestinal symptom weekly. The weekly prevalence of AP was 38%, and 90% of children reported AP at least once. AP persisted >4 consecutive weeks in 52% of children and was associated with higher anxiety (P < .001) and depression (P < .001) scores and worse quality of life (P < .001). Twenty-three percent of children missed school for AP (average, 2.3 days), and 10% of parents of those children missed work (average, 1.9 days). Presence of AP (P < .001) was independently associated with school absences. Four children (2%) sought medical attention.Conclusions AP is common in school-age children and is associated with worse quality of life, psychological co-morbidities, school absenteeism, and parental work absences.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
FSS in children and adolescents are associated with increased societal costs including extensive health care visits, school absence and parental absence from work.
“FSS in children and adolescents are associated with increased societal costs including extensive health care visits [98, 99], school absence and parental absence from work [100].”
From Feasibility of group-based acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescents (AHEAD) with multiple functional somatic syndromes: A pilot study (2020) · cites this paper as [100]
Cites
(1970) · Cited by 24,983 · see citing works
Varni, J. W., Seid, M., & Kurtin, P. S. (2001) · Medical Care · doi:10.1097/00005650-200108000-00006 · Cited by 5,131 · see citing works
Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI)
Kovacs, M. (2011) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_4285 · Cited by 3,885 · see citing works
The functional gastrointestinal disorders and the Rome III process
Drossman, D. A. (2006) · Gastroenterology · doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2006.03.008 · Cited by 2,416 · see citing works
Drossman, D. A., Li, Z., Andruzzi, E., Temple, R. D., Talley, N. J., Grant Thompson, W., Whitehead, W. E., Janssens, J., Funch-Jensen, P., Corazziari, E., et al. (1993) · Digestive Diseases and Sciences · doi:10.1007/bf01303162 · Cited by 2,198 · see citing works
Childhood Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Child/Adolescent
Rasquin, A., Lorenzo, C. D., Forbes, D., Guiraldes, E., Hyams, J. S., Staiano, A., & Walker, L. S. (2006) · Gastroenterology · doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2005.08.063 · Cited by 1,785 · see citing works
Children’s Depression Inventory
Kovács, M. (1978) · PsycTESTS Dataset · doi:10.1037/t00788-000 · Cited by 1,166 · see citing works
Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide
(1992) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-117-8-703_2 · Cited by 1,113 · see citing works
The functional disability inventory: Measuring a neglected dimension of child health status
Walker, L. S., & Greene, J. W. (1991) · Journal of Pediatric Psychology · doi:10.1093/jpepsy/16.1.39 · Cited by 881 · see citing works
Recurrent Abdominal Pains: A Field Survey of 1,000 School Children
Apley, J., & Naish, N. (1958) · Archives of Disease in Childhood · doi:10.1136/adc.33.168.165 · Cited by 807 · see citing works
Psychosocial Factors in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Drossman, D. A., McKee, D. C., Sandler, R. S., Mitchell, C. M., Cramer, E. M., Lowman, B. C., & Burger, A. L. (1988) · Gastroenterology · doi:10.1016/s0016-5085(88)80017-9 · Cited by 757 · see citing works
A Review of Predictors of Youth Violence
Hawkins, J. D., Herrenkohl, T. I., Farrington, D. P., Brewer, D. D., Catalano, R. F., & Harachi, T. W. (1999) · Sage eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781452243740.n7 · Cited by 620 · see citing works
Abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome in adolescents: a community-based study
Hyams, J. S., Burke, G., Davis, P. M., Rzepski, B., & Andrulonis, P. A. (1996) · The Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.1016/s0022-3476(96)70246-9 · Cited by 532 · see citing works
Garber, J., Walker, L. S., & Zeman, J. L. (1991) · Psychological Assessment · doi:10.1037/1040-3590.3.4.588 · Cited by 404 · see citing works
Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide.
(1986) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-104-2-292_3 · Cited by 401 · see citing works
Development and validation of the pain response inventory for children
Walker, L. S., Smith, C. A., Garber, J., & Van Slyke, D. A. (1997) · Psychological Assessment · doi:10.1037/1040-3590.9.4.392 · Cited by 292 · see citing works
The Child with Abdominal Pains
Apley, J. (1960) · Southern Medical Journal · doi:10.1097/00007611-196009000-00050 · Cited by 288 · see citing works
Evidence of Student Attendance as an Independent Variable in Education Production Functions
Lamdin, D. J. (1996) · The Journal of Educational Research · doi:10.1080/00220671.1996.9941321 · Cited by 261 · see citing works
Parental Response to Child Illness Behavior
Walker, L. S., & Zeman, J. L. (1992) · Journal of Pediatric Psychology · doi:10.1093/jpepsy/17.1.49 · Cited by 228 · see citing works
Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain: How Do They Grow Up?
Apley, J., & Hale, B. (1973) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.3.5870.7 · Cited by 196 · see citing works
The economic impact of irritable bowel syndrome
Inadomi, J. M., Fennerty, M. B., & Bjorkman, D. (2003) · Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2036.2003.t01-1-01736.x · Cited by 190 · see citing works
Long-Term Health Outcomes in Patients with Recurrent Abdominal Pain
Walker, L. S., Garber, J., Slyke, D. A. V., & Greene, J. W. (1995) · Journal of Pediatric Psychology · doi:10.1093/jpepsy/20.2.233 · Cited by 182 · see citing works
Chronic Pain Among Children and Adolescents: Physician Consultation and Medication Use
Perquin, C. W., Hazebroek-Kampschreur, A. A. J. M., Hunfeld, J. A. M., van Suijlekom‐Smit, L. W. A., Passchier, J., & van der Wouden, J. C. (2000) · Clinical Journal of Pain · doi:10.1097/00002508-200009000-00008 · Cited by 158 · see citing works
Reexamination of Input and Process Factor Effects on Public School Achievement
Caldas, S. J. (1993) · The Journal of Educational Research · doi:10.1080/00220671.1993.9941832 · Cited by 157 · see citing works
Insights in the use of health care services in chronic benign pain in childhood and adolescence
Perquin, C. W., Hunfeld, J. A. M., Hazebroek-Kampschreur, A. A. J. M., van Suijlekom‐Smit, L. W. A., Passchier, J., Koes, B. W., & van der Wouden, J. C. (2001) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(01)00355-4 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CHILDHOOD ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE IN AN URBAN GENERAL PRACTICE
Mortimer, M. J., Kay, J., & Jaron, A. G. (1993) · Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8749.1993.tb11629.x · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Gastrointestinal complaints and diagnosis in children: a population‐based study
Kokkonen, J., Haapalahti, M., Tikkanen, S., Karttunen, R. A., & Savilahti, E. M. (2004) · Acta Paediatrica · doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2004.tb02684.x · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Multiple risks and comorbidity in an African‐American population
McCord, J., & Ensminger, M. E. (1997) · Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health · doi:10.1002/cbm.194 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
A Prospective Community‐based Study of Gastroenterological Symptoms in School‐age Children
Saps, M., Sztainberg, M. O., & Lorenzo, C. D. (2006) · Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition · doi:10.1097/01.mpg.0000235979.41947.f6 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Self-citationRecurrent abdominal pain in children: a long term follow-up
Magni, G., Pierri, M., & Donzelli, F. (1987) · European Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.1007/bf00647291 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Recurrent abdominal pain: A five‐year follow‐up study
Størdal, K., Nygaard, E. A., & Bentsen, B. S. (2005) · Acta Paediatrica · doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2005.tb01897.x · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Recurrent abdominal pain: A five-year follow-up study
Størdal, K., Nygaard, E. A., & Bentsen, B. S. (2005) · Acta Paediatrica · doi:10.1080/08035250410025104 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Bell, M. L., Kelley‐Baker, T., Rider, R. P., & Ringwalt, C. L. (2005) · Journal of School Health · doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2005.tb06667.x · Cited by 29 · see citing works
[Recurrent abdominal pain in schoolchildren 9-12 years of age].
Lundby, L., Sandbæk, A., & Juul, S. (1990) · PubMed · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Causes of Recurrent Abdominal Pain
Wyllie, R., & Kay, M. H. (1993) · Clinical Pediatrics · doi:10.1177/000992289303200611 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Youssef, N. N., Perez, M., Ciecierega, T., et al. (2006) · Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition · doi:10.1097/00005176-200610000-00055 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Functional Abdominal Pain in Childhood and Long-term Vulnerability to Anxiety Disorders
Shelby, G. D., Shirkey, K. C., Sherman, A. L., Beck, J. E., Haman, K., Shears, A. R., Horst, S. N., Smith, C. A., Garber, J., & Walker, L. S. (2013) · Pediatrics · doi:10.1542/peds.2012-2191 · Cited by 272 · see citing works
A Randomized Controlled Trial of <i>Lactobacillus</i> GG in Children With Functional Abdominal Pain
Francavilla, R., Miniello, V., Magistà, A. M., De Canio, A., Bucci, N., Gagliardi, F., Lionetti, E., Castellaneta, S., Polimeno, L., Peccarisi, L., et al. (2010) · Pediatrics · doi:10.1542/peds.2010-0467 · Cited by 242 · see citing works
Predicting Persistence of Functional Abdominal Pain From Childhood Into Young Adulthood
Horst, S., Shelby, G., Anderson, J., Acra, S., Polk, D. B., Saville, B. R., Garber, J., & Walker, L. S. (2014) · Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology · doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2014.03.034 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
Shulman, R. J., Hollister, E. B., Cain, K., Czyzewski, D. I., Self, M. M., Weidler, E. M., Devaraj, S., Luna, R. A., Versalovic, J., & Heitkemper, M. (2017) · Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology · doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2016.03.045 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
School attendance in children with functional abdominal pain and inflammatory bowel diseases
Assa, A., Ish‐Tov, A., Rinawi, F., & Shamir, R. (2015) · Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition · doi:10.1097/mpg.0000000000000850 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
Warner, C. M., Colognori, D., Kim, R. E., Reigada, L. C., Klein, R. G., Browner-Elhanan, K. J., Saborsky, A., Petkova, E., Reiss, P., Chhabra, M., et al. (2011) · Depression and Anxiety · doi:10.1002/da.20821 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Stress Management Methods in Children and Adolescents: Past, Present, and Future
Zisopoulou, T., & Varvogli, L. (2023) · Hormone Research in Paediatrics · doi:10.1159/000526946 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Maragkoudaki, M., Chouliaras, G., Orel, R., Horvath, A., Szajewska, H., & Papadopoulou, A. (2017) · Acta Paediatrica · doi:10.1111/apa.13992 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Lee, S., Burns, G. L., & Becker, S. P. (2017) · Journal of Attention Disorders · doi:10.1177/1087054716680077 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Kallesøe, K. H., Schröder, A., Wicksell, R. K., Preuss, T., Jensen, J. S., & Rask, C. U. (2020) · BMC Psychiatry · doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02862-z · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Cerutti, R., Spensieri, V., Amendola, S., Presaghi, F., Fontana, A., Faedda, N., & Guidetti, V. (2021) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-019-00414-7 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
- Authors
- Saps, M., Seshadri, R., Sztainberg, M., Schaffer, G., Marshall, B. M., & Di Lorenzo, C.
- Affiliations
- Northwestern University (US)
- Northeastern Illinois University (US)
- Venue
- The Journal of Pediatrics
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-03
- Volume
- 154
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 322-326
- ISSN
- 0022-3476 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2014524519
- Cited by
- 330
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 35 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 11.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Pediatrics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pediatric Pain Management Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Keywords
- pediatric abdominal pain, somatic symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, prevalence, school absenteeism, quality of life, anxiety, depression, somatization, coping, elementary school students
- MeSH terms
- Absenteeism, Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Anxiety, Chicago, Child, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Parents, Prospective Studies, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Schools, Students, Abdominal Pain, Comorbidity, Prevalence, Cost of Illness
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
