An Authoritative Guide to Chronic Pediatric Abdominal Pain
Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Management
- 1st Edition - September 1, 2026
- Latest edition
- Editors: Miguel Saps, M.A. Benninga
- Language: English
An Authoritative Guide to Chronic Pediatric Abdominal Pain: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Management provides a comprehensive and extensive overview of all aspects relevant to the… Read more
An Authoritative Guide to Chronic Pediatric Abdominal Pain: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Management provides a comprehensive and extensive overview of all aspects relevant to the care of children with abdominal pain. It includes chapters tailored to each discipline, level of training, and primary interest (clinical or research), covering daily practice, diagnosis, testing, conventional and complementary treatments, interdisciplinary care, and the transition to adult gastroenterology treatment. The book critically updates the evidence behind these methods and prepares readers to understand more advanced techniques. Topics include early adverse life events, intestinal permeability, visceral hypersensitivity, sex differences, microbiome infections, use of antibiotics, and the microbiome.
Information on clinical perspectives and management in the emergency department helps inform pediatricians, gastroenterologists, residents, fellows, and nurse practitioners about the scientific basis for prior workups, differential diagnoses, and the rationale behind them. In addition, this book helps clinicians understand the basic research behind these factors, how they influence pathophysiology, clinical presentation, progression, and outcomes.
Information on clinical perspectives and management in the emergency department helps inform pediatricians, gastroenterologists, residents, fellows, and nurse practitioners about the scientific basis for prior workups, differential diagnoses, and the rationale behind them. In addition, this book helps clinicians understand the basic research behind these factors, how they influence pathophysiology, clinical presentation, progression, and outcomes.
- Includes chapters tailored to each clinical discipline, level of training, and primary interest (clinical or research)
- Presents an overview of all aspects relevant to daily practice, including diagnosis, testing, and conventional and complementary treatments
- Provides the most up-to-date evidence and critically appraises treatment recommendations by experienced academic clinicians
- Contains more detailed and broadly-based information than previously published books
The target audience includes students, entry-level practitioners, clinicians, pediatricians, family practice doctors, emergency room doctors, and pediatric gastroenterologists.
I. Epidemiology
1. Epidemiology of abdominal pain
II. Biopsychosocial Model
2. The biopsychosocial model
III. Risk and Protective Factors
3. Early life events
4. Stressful life events and abdominal pain
5. Sexual influences in abdominal pain
6. Abdominal pain. The role of resilience
7. The patient and family perspective
IV. Pathophysiology
8. Pathophysiology of abdominal pain in disorders of gut-brain interaction
9. Abdominal pain and the autonomic system
10. Visceral hypersensitivity
11. Microbiome in abdominal pain disorders
12. The role of mast cells and eosinophils in abdominal pain
V. Clinical Considerations
13. Overlap between irritable bowel syndrome and IBD
14. Overlap between irritable syndrome and celiac disease
15. Abdominal pain in children with primary motility disorders
16. Abdominal pain in the emergency department
17. Abdominal pain in special populations (Down syndrome, autism)
18. Abdominal pain in inflammatory bowel disease
19. Sleep and abdominal pain
VI. Diagnosis
20. Diagnosis of chronic abdominal pain disorders of non-organic origin
21. Diagnostic masquerades in pediatric abdominal pain
22. Testing in children with abdominal pain
23. Medical extended reality. Clinical and therapeutic applications
VII. Management
24. Diet and abdominal pain
25. Pharmacological treatment of abdominal pain
26. Complementary treatments
27. Hypnotherapy
28. Neurostimulation
29. Psychogastroenterology
30. Online based treatments
31. Placebo/nocebo effect in children with abdominal pain
32. Interdisciplinary care
33. Transition to adult care
VIII. Clinical Research Considerations
34. Design of clinical trials for abdominal pain in children
35. Integration of research between pediatric and adult gastroenterologists
36. Integration of technology to the research and care of children with abdominal pain
37. Artificial intelligence and abdominal pain
1. Epidemiology of abdominal pain
II. Biopsychosocial Model
2. The biopsychosocial model
III. Risk and Protective Factors
3. Early life events
4. Stressful life events and abdominal pain
5. Sexual influences in abdominal pain
6. Abdominal pain. The role of resilience
7. The patient and family perspective
IV. Pathophysiology
8. Pathophysiology of abdominal pain in disorders of gut-brain interaction
9. Abdominal pain and the autonomic system
10. Visceral hypersensitivity
11. Microbiome in abdominal pain disorders
12. The role of mast cells and eosinophils in abdominal pain
V. Clinical Considerations
13. Overlap between irritable bowel syndrome and IBD
14. Overlap between irritable syndrome and celiac disease
15. Abdominal pain in children with primary motility disorders
16. Abdominal pain in the emergency department
17. Abdominal pain in special populations (Down syndrome, autism)
18. Abdominal pain in inflammatory bowel disease
19. Sleep and abdominal pain
VI. Diagnosis
20. Diagnosis of chronic abdominal pain disorders of non-organic origin
21. Diagnostic masquerades in pediatric abdominal pain
22. Testing in children with abdominal pain
23. Medical extended reality. Clinical and therapeutic applications
VII. Management
24. Diet and abdominal pain
25. Pharmacological treatment of abdominal pain
26. Complementary treatments
27. Hypnotherapy
28. Neurostimulation
29. Psychogastroenterology
30. Online based treatments
31. Placebo/nocebo effect in children with abdominal pain
32. Interdisciplinary care
33. Transition to adult care
VIII. Clinical Research Considerations
34. Design of clinical trials for abdominal pain in children
35. Integration of research between pediatric and adult gastroenterologists
36. Integration of technology to the research and care of children with abdominal pain
37. Artificial intelligence and abdominal pain
- Edition: 1
- Latest edition
- Published: September 1, 2026
- Language: English
MS
Miguel Saps
Miguel Saps MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist, is the Chief of Division Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Holtz Children’s Hospital of Miami. He holds the George E. Bachelor Chair in Pediatrics and is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Miami. With a background in pediatric motility disorders, Dr. Saps has held key positions at renowned medical institutions, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Lurie Children’s Hospital. He has contributed significantly to research, with over 150 peer-reviewed articles and numerous presentations globally. Dr. Saps is actively involved in various committees and advisory boards, such as the FDA Gastrointestinal Advisory Drug Committee and the Pediatric Rome Committee. His mentorship has shaped the careers of pediatric gastroenterologists and motility experts worldwide.
Affiliations and expertise
University of Miami Health System, USAMB
M.A. Benninga
Marc Benninga MD, PhD is a Professor of Paediatrics specializing in paediatric gastroenterology at the University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Medicine (AMC-UvA). He has been a key figure at the Paediatric Gastrointestinal Department of the Emma Children’s Hospital AMC since 2001, serving as department head since 2007. Dr. Benninga's research focuses on the etiology of functional gastrointestinal conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic abdominal pain, constipation, and fecal incontinence.
He coordinates and conducts large-scale clinical trials to evaluate new medications and the effectiveness of nutritional supplements like pre and probiotics. He serves on the editorial boards of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, and Digestive and Liver Disease, and chairs the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition’s Motility and Paediatric Functional GI Disorders working group. He has secured over €700,000 in grants to study hypnotherapy's effectiveness in treating chronic abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome.
Affiliations and expertise
Emma Children’s Hospital / Amsterdam University Academical Centers, The Netherlands