Potential Serious Causes of Bellyache
At Plant City Pediatrics in Florida, Dr. Timothy Williams leads four additional providers and 16 support staff members in providing high-quality health care for children. Plant City Pediatrics, also known in the community as Plant Pediatrics, approaches each family with compassion and works with parents to determine the best course of care for any complaint.
While bellyaches are common complaints by children, there are times when this kind of pain is cause for genuine concern. Most abdominal pain goes away with rest or a trip to the toilet, but if the pain remains or worsens after 24 hours, a doctor’s advice may be in order. This kind of persistent pain can be a sign of inflammatory disease, bowel twisting, blockage, or other conditions of the digestive or urinary tracts.
Any acute pain in the lower right abdomen is also cause for concern, as it may be a symptom of appendicitis. This condition can lead to serious secondary infections; physicians typically recommend that any suspected case receive immediate medical attention. Most instances of appendicitis also present with fever, as do a number of other conditions that cause belly pain. Additional secondary symptoms of potential concern include diarrhea for more than 24 hours, vomiting for 12 hours or more, persistent poor appetite for several days, and weight loss without apparent cause.
Plant City Pediatrics Supports the Annual Back to School Bash
As the summer winds down, kids across the United States brace themselves for another year of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Before the onset of homework and pop quizzes, a number of exhibitors in Florida band together to throw the Back to School Bash, the last big party before the school year begins.
Offering fun activities for kids and parents, the Back to School Bash hosts a number of exhibitors and special events. At the 2012 Bash event, held over the weekend of August 11 and 12, kids can participate in arts and crafts, enter to win door prizes, receive free face painting, and get hands-on with animals at the Florida State Fairgrounds petting zoo. While the kids play, parents can attend seminars on how to plan for college education, learn swimming safety tips, and discuss tutoring techniques that accommodate children with varying needs.
Back to School Bash tickets are still available. Kids 12 and under get in free, and adults pay only $9.00 with a special $1-off coupon available online at www.backtoschoolbash.com.
More about Plant City Pediatrics
Board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, Dr. Timothy Williams practices at Plant City Pediatrics located in Plant City, Florida. Learn more at www.plantcitypediatrics.com.
“Tympanometry: A useful and non-invasive diagnostic test for children,” by Dr. Timothy Williams, Plant City Pediatrics
Pediatricians often use tympanometry to test the level of pressure inside their patients’ ear canals. The knowledge gained from this non-invasive procedure can help to diagnose obstructions in the middle ear, such as fluid, a tumor, or excessive earwax, all of which can affect a child’s hearing and balance. A tympogram graph can also reveal whether there is a perforated eardrum, scarring, or a lack of connection between some of the bones in the middle ear. The medical professional begins the procedure by looking in the eardrum, then placing a device in the ear that changes the air pressure, and records the ear’s response to the change in pressure and the resulting noises this change creates. Because these noises might be disturbing to young patients, it is a good idea to explain what they will hear ahead of time, and possibly demonstrate using a doll or stuffed animal.
About the Author: Plant City Pediatrics in Florida has provided comprehensive primary care for children since 2002. Led by Dr. Timothy Williams, the staff at Plant City Pediatrics exhibits a patient and caring attitude in the diagnosis and treatment of their young patients.
Plant City Pediatrics 