Understanding functional abdominal pain disorders among children: a multidisciplinary expert consensus statement
IntroductionFunctional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are pediatric gastrointestinal conditions marked by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain without anatomical and/or biochemical abnormalities. This position paper guides primary care providers in the early diagnosis and management of FAPDs to imp...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pediatrics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2025.1576698/full |
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| author | Yvan Vandenplas Andy Darma Flavia Indrio Marion Aw Mario C. Vieira Boosba Vivatvakin Suporn Treepongkaruna Sylvia Cruchet Bhaswati C. Acharyya Rodrigo Vázquez Chun Yan Yeung Pedro Gutiérrez |
| author_facet | Yvan Vandenplas Andy Darma Flavia Indrio Marion Aw Mario C. Vieira Boosba Vivatvakin Suporn Treepongkaruna Sylvia Cruchet Bhaswati C. Acharyya Rodrigo Vázquez Chun Yan Yeung Pedro Gutiérrez |
| author_sort | Yvan Vandenplas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionFunctional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are pediatric gastrointestinal conditions marked by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain without anatomical and/or biochemical abnormalities. This position paper guides primary care providers in the early diagnosis and management of FAPDs to improve the well-being of affected children and their families.MethodsA 12-member expert advisory board reviewed current approaches to diagnosing and managing FAPDs in children. Based on literature and discussions, 23 statements were drafted and voted on to achieve an acceptable level of agreement.ResultsFirst-line healthcare professionals are key in diagnosing FAPDs, using ROME diagnostic criteria and recognizing red flags for accurate assessment and referrals. Comprehensive evaluation, including medical, dietary, and psychosocial history, physical exams, and basic tests helped to identify the initial triggers. Probiotics such as Limosilactobacillus (L. reuteri) DSM 17938 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) help in alleviating functional abdominal pain (FAP) in children along with primary measures, such as dietary modifications [a balanced diet advocating moderation in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP)-rich foods] and physical activity. Probiotics should be given for 6–8 weeks and can be resumed if symptoms recur. Cognitive-behavioral and hypnotic therapy also help, with remote options such as web-based, compact disk (CD)-based or application-based tools available.DiscussionThis position paper provides expert insights to guide primary care providers in diagnosing and managing FAPDs, equipping them to make informed decisions for effective management of FAPDs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9b2d4c5bb9e44617a470464f676e687a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2296-2360 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-9b2d4c5bb9e44617a470464f676e687a2025-08-20T01:50:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pediatrics2296-23602025-05-011310.3389/fped.2025.15766981576698Understanding functional abdominal pain disorders among children: a multidisciplinary expert consensus statementYvan Vandenplas0Andy Darma1Flavia Indrio2Marion Aw3Mario C. Vieira4Boosba Vivatvakin5Suporn Treepongkaruna6Sylvia Cruchet7Bhaswati C. Acharyya8Rodrigo Vázquez9Chun Yan Yeung10Pedro Gutiérrez11Department of KidZ Health Castle, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universitiet Brussels, Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Child Health, Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, IndonesiaDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Salento, Lecce, ItalyDepartment of Paediatrics, National University Health System, Singapore, SingaporeCentre for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hospital Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, BrazilDepartment of Pediatrics, Chulalongkorn University, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, ThailandDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandHuman Nutrition Unit, INTA, University of Chile, Santiago, ChileDepartment of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Child Health, Manipal Hospital, Kolkata, India0Department of Research, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, México1Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hsinchu Municipal MacKay Children's Hospital, MacKay Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan2Pediatric Research Division, Universidad Juarez del Estado de Durango, Durango, MexicoIntroductionFunctional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) are pediatric gastrointestinal conditions marked by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain without anatomical and/or biochemical abnormalities. This position paper guides primary care providers in the early diagnosis and management of FAPDs to improve the well-being of affected children and their families.MethodsA 12-member expert advisory board reviewed current approaches to diagnosing and managing FAPDs in children. Based on literature and discussions, 23 statements were drafted and voted on to achieve an acceptable level of agreement.ResultsFirst-line healthcare professionals are key in diagnosing FAPDs, using ROME diagnostic criteria and recognizing red flags for accurate assessment and referrals. Comprehensive evaluation, including medical, dietary, and psychosocial history, physical exams, and basic tests helped to identify the initial triggers. Probiotics such as Limosilactobacillus (L. reuteri) DSM 17938 and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) help in alleviating functional abdominal pain (FAP) in children along with primary measures, such as dietary modifications [a balanced diet advocating moderation in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP)-rich foods] and physical activity. Probiotics should be given for 6–8 weeks and can be resumed if symptoms recur. Cognitive-behavioral and hypnotic therapy also help, with remote options such as web-based, compact disk (CD)-based or application-based tools available.DiscussionThis position paper provides expert insights to guide primary care providers in diagnosing and managing FAPDs, equipping them to make informed decisions for effective management of FAPDs.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2025.1576698/fullfunctional abdominal pain disordersRome criteriamicrobiota–gut–brain interactionabdominal painfunctional gastrointestinal disorderprobiotics |
| spellingShingle | Yvan Vandenplas Andy Darma Flavia Indrio Marion Aw Mario C. Vieira Boosba Vivatvakin Suporn Treepongkaruna Sylvia Cruchet Bhaswati C. Acharyya Rodrigo Vázquez Chun Yan Yeung Pedro Gutiérrez Understanding functional abdominal pain disorders among children: a multidisciplinary expert consensus statement Frontiers in Pediatrics functional abdominal pain disorders Rome criteria microbiota–gut–brain interaction abdominal pain functional gastrointestinal disorder probiotics |
| title | Understanding functional abdominal pain disorders among children: a multidisciplinary expert consensus statement |
| title_full | Understanding functional abdominal pain disorders among children: a multidisciplinary expert consensus statement |
| title_fullStr | Understanding functional abdominal pain disorders among children: a multidisciplinary expert consensus statement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding functional abdominal pain disorders among children: a multidisciplinary expert consensus statement |
| title_short | Understanding functional abdominal pain disorders among children: a multidisciplinary expert consensus statement |
| title_sort | understanding functional abdominal pain disorders among children a multidisciplinary expert consensus statement |
| topic | functional abdominal pain disorders Rome criteria microbiota–gut–brain interaction abdominal pain functional gastrointestinal disorder probiotics |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fped.2025.1576698/full |
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