Helping Children With Ulcers

Peptic ulcer disease is not a small problem. It is estimated that each year in the United States alone millions of people are treated for ulcer disease at a cost of over five billion dollars. An ulcer is a local defect or excavation of the surface of an organ or tissue, which is produced by the sloughing of inflammatory necrotic tissue. Many doctors classify it into two basic categories, gastric ulcers (ulcers that occur in the stomach) and duodenal ulcers (ulcers that occur in the first part of the intestine just outside the stomach).

Simply put an ulcer represents a sore, or an erosion, in the lining of the wall of the stomach. Many researchers have found that there are many factors that can contribute to the disease. Heredity plays an important role. A number of family studies have shown that there is a very good likelihood of ulcer’s occurring in close relatives. Another factor is cigarette smoke which can also cause the disease. Many teenagers start smoking very young and by the time they reach their late teens they may already be experiencing stomach problems. It is a prov-en fact however that diet, can be both a cause and a cure of ulcer disease. As many parents know it is very hard to get any teenager to eat properly.

How can you tell if your child may have an ulcer? Well one of the primary symptoms is pain in the upper abdomen, which is often described as burning in nature, and occurs a few hours after they have eaten. Usually doctors will tell you to look for stomach pain that occurs mostly at night. It is very difficult for doctors to make the diagnosis of ulcers just based on the symptoms. Their is a basic screening test for finding out if your child is suffering from this problem. If you think that an ulcer may be your child’s problem you will definitely want to speak to their doctor.

It will however comfort you to know that an ulcer is not a serious life-threatening problem. An ulcer will heal on it’s own without any medical treatment. The main reason for getting treatment is to help with the pain, speed healing, and to prevent recurrences. The first thing that your child’s doctor may recommend is an antacid, which will neutralize excess stomach acid. They have been pr-oven to be very safe and effective. Also a change in diet can help to prevent your child from getting a stomach ulcer.

There are a few more steps that you can take to help prevent your teenager from getting an Ulcer. Foremost, avoid the unhealthy habit of smoking. If you discover that your teenager has started smoking, stop it immediately, and explain to them some of the consequences such as an ulcer. Also avoid abusing over the counter medications, especially those containing aspirin.

If you have noticed that certain foods, such as spicy foods or caffeine, seem to bother their stomach, it would be very wise to avoid eating them. So if you child or teenager is constantly complaining about stomach pain do not just brush it off, it could be an ulcer and even though they will heal themselves you will want to take steps to help minimize their pain.
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