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Pedia Flash 2018 › Pedia Flash Vol-4, No-3, 2018

Functional gastrointestinal disorders in childhood: Review of the pathophysiology, complications and management options

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) are conditions that include a mixture of chronic or recurrent symptoms without evident structural or biochemical abnormalities affecting the GI tract.1 FGIDs are frequently reported with an overall prevalence rate ranging between 1.6-29.6% across age groups. In children, they are considered to be the most common diseases affecting the digestive system. They affect the child’s performance at school and family life and incur substantial financial expenses. The common FGIDs in children include abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic constipation, dyspepsia, abdominal migraine, and fecal incontinence.2 However, according to the Rome IV criteria, FGIDs in children and adolescents are specifically classified into three main categories: nausea and vomiting disorders, abdominal pain-related disorders, and defecation disorders (Table 1).