Significance

• Stress seems to trigger IBS in children. IBS seems to occur after an illness or an incident at school or home.
  
  

Digestive Symptoms

• Diarrhea and/or constipation are common symptoms for children with IBS. A child mainly has diarrhea or constipation. With some children, the diarrhea and constipation alternate.
  
  

Intestinal Gas

• There is abdominal pain, bloating and flatulence due to gas in the intestines.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Treatment is usually alleviating the symptoms. For children, this is best accomplished by a diet change. Children should increase their intake of fiber-rich foods and to drink at least 10 glasses of water each day. A diet low in fat is also suggested.
  
  

Warning

• While there are drugs to treat the more troublesome of IBS symptoms, these are not recommended for children because of the potency of the medications.
  
  

Considerations

• The symptoms of IBS in children are similar to those of other diseases, so it is important for the child to have a medical exam for a confirmed diagnosis of IBS.