Many children suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) that can develop at a young age. IBS may be diarrhea-predominant, constipation-predominant, or have a variable stool pattern and affects boys and girls equally. Headache, nausea, or mucus in the stool are the other symptoms associated with IBS. A child may also suffer from weight loss if he/she starts eating less to try to avoid pain. The first symptoms of IBS may develop after some children experience a stressful event, such as teething, a bout with the flu, or problems at school or at home. Stress does not cause IBS, but it can trigger symptoms.

Diagnosis of IBS:

The doctor will ask questions about symptoms and examine the child to rule out more serious problems or diseases when checking for IBS. IBS is actually a syndrome, or group of symptoms that occur together. This condition will not cause damage of the intestine. IBS can be treated by making some changes in diet-eating more fiber and less fat to help prevent spasms. You can also inculcate proper bowel training in children to prevent IBS. This includes teaching the child to empty the bowels at regular, specific times during the day. Laxatives are rarely prescribed to children as they become more addicted to it than adults. When using laxatives, parents must follow the doctor’s instructions carefully. Stress management techniques can also be taught to children for effective cure from IBS.

Symptoms:

IBS may cause abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and similar problems. It can cause recurring abdominal pain in children as it is a functional disorder caused by a problem in the intestines.

There are many differences with respect to IBS in children and adults. The doctor will try to understand the symptoms before treating IBS in children. Mostly the child is prescribed a change of diet and is asked to consume more water and avoid greasy foods etc. Medications are also often recommended with utmost care because medications affect children a lot differently than they do adults.

Treatment

Although a simple change in diet or medication can remove the symptoms of irritable bowel if this is not sufficient then hypnosis, yoga, and other relaxation techniques are often prescribed that will help to reduce stress and help relieve the symptoms associated with the condition. As stress in many causes this problem, yoga and other relaxation techniques will also give a good remedy for this problem.

Author: Tom Chuong

Tom Chuong is an Alternative Health Consultant. Currently, he is writing health articles on topics related to Best Diet Pills, and Herbal Remedies.

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Children

Parents may pass off abdominal pain in children as normal, but if it is recurring, it could already be a sign of irritable bowel syndrome. 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS - Symptoms and Treatments in Children

If stress is the reason, the children should be taught stress management, or how to handle situations to make them less taxing, therefore reducing the possibility of IBS. 

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Weight gain isn’t normally found on irritable bowel symptom lists. However, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) sufferers can experience weight gain.

Imbalances caused by digestion problems can lead to a whole array of health issues. Gallbladder, spleen and liver disorders can go hand in hand with irritable bowel syndrome. Such disorders can affect the hormonal system and the body’s other coordinating systems so that fat is not properly metabolized.

Loss of nutritional reserves from chronic bouts of diarrhea and malabsorption can cause an increase in hunger as the body tries to fill its nutritional void. Often times, this increase in hunger is accompanied by food cravings that lead sufferers to eat all the wrong foods.

Improve and Enjoy Overall Health and Wellness

Meeting these nutritional deficiencies through diet changes and a herb and supplement program is the beginning to healing an irritable bowel and alleviating cravings so the body can regain balance and normalize weight.

Reworking your kitchen cupboards is the best place to start when trying to alleviate irritable bowel symptoms. By doing this, you will give your body improved nutrition and reduce its toxic overburden from "depleted food". Through your consistent effort, your body will be able to function more efficiently and begin the process of healing.

Once a disease state as manifested itself into painful symptoms, it takes a strong will and proactive action to overcome these issues. Typically, this calls for drastic lifestyle changes. Along with diet and exercise changes, therapeutic doses of herbs and supplements are very beneficial for overcoming nutritional deficiencies that have resulted. It can be very challenging to fill these deficiencies with today’s nutrient depleted food supply.

To receive more answers on how to overcome irritable bowel syndrome naturally, I have a free report you can access here

Author: Kelly Hoffman

Kelly Parks-Hoffman is the owner and author of NaturalHealthGirl.com She has 10 years of study in natural health. Visit her site to get more valuable, eye-opening natural health information. (Articles by Kelly maybe copied for non-monetary use as long as author information and live link are present.)

"I think it is so important to share experiences. It might just be that one friend, relative or testimonial that helps, teaches or supports someone to better health without drugs or surgery." Kelly Parks-Hoffman, The Natural Health Girl

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Some types of anti-depressants when prescribed at a low dose have been found to offer relief to some people with IBS even when depression is not a feature. Although the exact mechanisms involved are not completely understood, it is believed that altering serotonin levels can have a positive effect on the digestive system. Before we look at why, we should clarify what IBS actually is.

Find a healthy way to cope with IBS and Maintain a Healthy Digestive System Here!

IBS or irritable bowel syndrome is a complex disorder which manifests itself in a combination of symptoms affecting the digestive tract such as diarrhoea, constipation or both along with abdominal pain, bloating, a sense of urgency to pass a bowel movement particularly in the morning or twenty minutes or so after eating, straining, and a feeling that the bowels haven’t emptied properly after performing a bowel movement. Not everyone of course will experience all of these symptoms and for some the symptoms might be mild and only a slight inconvenience whereas for others they can be so debilitating that they significantly reduce quality of life.

What can cause IBS?

No one knows exactly what causes IBS because there appears to be many different factors that can contribute to the development of IBS in some people. For example, IBS can be triggered by diet and food intolerances, some people develop IBS after a particularly stressful even in their lives and others have found that their IBS started after a gastrointestinal infection or even after taking a course of antibiotics. However, many researchers believe that the root cause of IBS symptoms lies in the Enteric Nervous System (ENS) which has a direct connection with the brain, and the role that serotonin has to play.

Serotonin and the gut

Serotonin is an extremely important neurotransmitter involved in brain function, basically it is the "feel good" chemical in our brains. However most of the serotonin actually resides in the gut. Serotonin helps to regulate our moods, appetite, sleep, and pain sensitivity and plays an important role in motility, the process of propelling the contents of the gut through the digestive tract and towards the anus. This shows just how much the brain and the gut are inter-linked. Indeed, IBS is thought to be a malfunction in brain-gut communication.

We already know that serotonin affects the nerves in the gut and that it helps to control peristalsis so if we have low levels of serotonin in the gut then this process is likely to be more sluggish, which of course can result in constipation. If, on the other hand, the levels are high, then this process is likely to be speeded up resulting in diarrhoea. Many people with IBS have been found to have altered levels of serotonin depending on whether their IBS was diarrhoea or constipation predominant.

What this also suggests of course is that as the brain and the gut are connected, anything that has an impact on the brain may also have an impact on the digestive system, such as intense stress or anxiety. If this is the case then perhaps by treating the underlying anxiety and finding ways of avoiding stress whilst also treating the symptoms of IBS itself it is possible to find relief from IBS and improve quality of life.

Stress is already known to exacerbate the symptoms of IBS, probably because any type of stress can also be felt in the gut. You only need to imagine the nervous feelings in the pit of your stomach you experience before an important exam or a driving test for example, to see how stress can affect the digestive system.

Get the Proper Nutrients from Food!

As IBS is a long term disorder that is likely to last a lifetime then it makes sense to make long term changes in order to find ways of coping with IBS on a day to day basis. This inevitably will involve both dietary and lifestyle modifications.

Try eliminating any foods or drinks from the diet that irritate the digestive tract and/or worsen the symptoms of IBS and increase the amount of soluble fibre in the diet. It is absolutely vital to drink plenty of fluids to help keep the digestive system working efficiently.

Find ways of reducing the amount of stress in your life. Make sure you indulge in regular exercise as this helps keep the bowels healthy and is also good for your state of mind. Even a half hour walk several times a week can do wonders for your mental health and at the same time help to ease IBS symptoms. Perhaps try learning some relaxation techniques like breathing exercises, or take up yoga or practice meditation. The most important thing is that you enjoy what you do.

Finally, mealtimes should be stress free as much as possible. Take time over your meals and avoid the temptation to skip meals or to eat too much at one sitting. The ultimate key here is balance.

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The author- Dave McEvoy is an award winning personal trainer with over 20 years experience; he has also suffered from IBS for 15 years. For more information please come a visit our site.

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Lack of sleep is a big trigger that will bring on IBS the next day. Drinking caffeine just irritates the bowels even more. Get enough sleep, and if IBS is a problem after a bad/short night’s sleep then try to take a 30 minute nap.

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Since 1958, hypnotherapy has been approved by the AMA as being a valid medical treatment. Since it is able to reach the subconscious levels on one’s mind, hypnotherapy can alter a person’s conscious perception of his or her health problems.

Since 1958, hypnotherapy has been approved by the AMA as being a valid medical treatment. Since it is able to reach the subconscious levels on one’s mind, hypnotherapy can alter a person’s conscious perception of his or her health problems. This has been found to be a very effective means of alleviating the variety of symptoms that accompany IBS including diarrhea, pain,constipation, nausea, bloating and gas.

Hypnotherapy is regarded as only affecting the mind. However, the mind and body are intertwined especially regarding IBS, since it is often called the brain-gut dysfunction. Therefore, hypnotherapy can help physical ailments.

During the hypnotic state, consciousness becomes more selective, and a hypnosis patient becomes focused on internal processes rather than being distracted by worldly concerns.

Approximately 10% of today’s population is not susceptible to hypnotherapy. The rest of us can turn to this method in order to relieve the symptoms of a variety of disorders which include the following: asthma, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, high blood pressure, irregular heart beat, paralysis, allergies, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, nausea and vomiting, muscle spasms and finally, with a well documented success rate, irritable bowel syndrome.

Hypnotherapy has been proven successful in reducing or even alleviating all symptoms associated with IBS. Research has been carried out for over fifteen years and has revealed that hypnotherapy is a safe, effective and an inexpensive treatment for IBS. Some believe that this should be the treatment of choice in the event that conventional means of treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome fail.

For many people who suffer from IBS, it seems that stress seems to trigger an attack. Let’s face it, stress is a normal part of living today. However, one must be able to manage stress. This is where hypnotherapy and irritable bowel syndrome come into play.

Hypnotherapy treatment for irritable bowel syndrome has the ability to reduce the effects of stress, and this is particularly beneficial to those who suffer from IBS.

IBS is, in fact, uniquely suited to treatment either by hypnotherapy or self-hypnosis for several reasons. First, as was just cited, hypnotherapy can greatly reduce stress-related attacks. Second, hypnotherapy is able to alleviate virtually all of the types and different levels of pain. This is a great benefit for those who suffer with IBS. Finally, since IBS is a syndrome, if you can help to relieve and prevent any of the symptoms of IBS, then you have affected a cure for this disorder.

The underlying syndrome may still be there, but if you are not suffering from any of the symptoms, then you will be living a life that is free of IBS. When one undergoes hypnotherapy, then he or she must think positive thoughts and know that after the end of the sessions a symptom-free result can be expected.

How do you go about using hypnotherapy for your IBS symptoms? There are two options to choose from. For many people, due to their busy schedules, the best means is by using a self-hypnosis program that you can use in your home that is specifically gut-directed. You can also find a trained hypnotherapist whose main focus is on IBS in your area and then call and set up an appointment for in-person treatment sessions.

Article written by Jessica Bradbury, she has a site dedicated to bottom line information on IBS, including spastic colon treatments and the cure for irritable bowel syndrome.

IBS Hypnosis                                                                                                          The second route is to buy an audio IBS hypnosis programs from the internet and from specialist stores, and listen to them in the comfort of your own home and at a time which suits you.

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During a normal day, muscles located in the colon contract every few hours moving feces along the intestinal tract and resulting in a bowel movement. For those people that suffer with IBS, it is believed that those same muscles are exceptionally sensitive. An large list of things such as hormones, foods, medications or just plain old stress can cause symptoms associated with IBS and one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of IBS is constant and persistent nausea.

Scientists are not sure why people who have IBS have this unique colon muscle sensitivity. Stress isn’t believed to be a sole cause, but it can aggravate it. There are many documented cases where people suffer strong IBS symptoms during exceptionally stressful periods in their lives, like the death of a relative, but it is not believed that the stress alone causes IBS. Nausea flare ups during periods of exceptional stress are common for IBS sufferers.

The cause of nausea in IBS sufferers is difficult to pinpoint. Anytime the digestive system is not balanced, nausea is the most common result. A vast majority of IBS sufferers report that nausea is a primary symptom, but the most difficult aspect for doctors and patients alike is that one cure which works for one sufferer is likely not to work for another. It’s this lack of consistency in treating IBS that makes it one of the most challenging ailments to treat if you’re a doctor and one of the most frustrating to suffer from if you’re a patient.

Nausea and cramps can sometimes be relieved by a bowel movement, but some sufferers of IBS may not be able to have a movement. Many different types of drugs can be used to treat the nausea associated with IBS, but since there is no known cure, the drugs are used mainly to alleviate symptoms only.

Anticholinergics are drugs that affect the nerve cells or nerve fibers and are used to decrease muscle spasms in the small and large intestine and alleviate symptoms such as nausea, cramping pain or diarrhea.

Dicyclomine is a drug that is used to relax the muscles in the gut and bladder to help prevent spasms and ease movement of feces through the digestive tract. It also helps to reduce the amount of stomach acid that is produced to help treat nausea. But even this treatment has side effects of its own, which include dry mouth, nose and throat and a decreased ability to sweat, which can lead to heat stroke if the user is active while on the medication.

Many other drugs are used to help treat IBS and the nausea that accompanies it, but there are more simple solutions.

Changing your diet to include more or less of certain foods can help. Many IBS sufferers are sensitive to dietary fiber. For some, simply adding a bran muffin or avoiding insoluble fiber can help a lot. Also, over the counter anti-diarrhea’s such as Pepto Bismol or Milk of Magnesia can calm the digestive tract and rid an IBS sufferer of nausea. Before experimenting with dietary changes, please consult your doctor to ensure your body continues to get the correct level of nutrition.

By: Susan Reynolds -

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Ibs And Nausea                                                                                                         The IBS medications currently available may be disappointing. They do not cure the syndrome.

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