Having an adult become afflicted with a painful condition can be difficult for the strongest individual to bear, but when the condition is placed in the lap of a child, it is that much more difficult to understand and cope with. And while there are some illnesses that many don't believe that children are capable of having, physicians are finding they are not totally immune from them; one of these conditions is having an ulcer. Ulcers are very common in adults under the age of 40 (approximately 1 in 5 people are said to have them), but now children are also suffering from this condition. And while there is no known preventative measure to help your child avoid this illness, there are things you can learn to help the situation if it ever affects your family.

Why Do Children Develop Ulcers?

There are many myths existing as to why anyone can get an ulcer. One is that high levels of stress (i.e. job, relationships) can eat away at the lining of your stomach. In addition, people believe that eating spicy foods can build acids that make the condition develop. While these factors play a role in worsening the situation once it has developed, they are not medically determined to be factors in creating the condition.

Instead, doctors have discovered that in 90 percent of patients afflicted with the condition, there is bacteria that has developed in the stomach or upper intestine (duodenum) called h. pylori, and it weakens those areas allowing the acid already in the stomach to eat away at sensitive walls.

However, in children, the bacteria seems not to be present as much as it is in adults. So doctors have determined that the cause of ulcers in children instead stem from medication, most commonly Ibuprofen or other NCAIDs. Also, children who have suffered severe burns have also been known to develop them as a result of physical stress.

How Can I Help A Child With This Condition?

To help the child you will first have to have them diagnosed. To determine symptoms, you should look for the following: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, blood in vomit, and sharp abdominal pains. After you've taken your child to your physician and the condition has been determined, you will need to make sure to follow medication orders specifically until the symptoms have disappeared. Also, if the condition was caused by medication, your child will need to avoid that medication until the doctor determines it is safe.

In children, doctors usually don't go as far as to recommend dietary restrictions like in adults because their conditions rarely are related to food. However, if any changes are to be made, they would be related to caffeine, tea and sodas that might irritate the ulcer while healing.

Children rarely are afflicted with ulcers, however if your child is one of the rare cases, it is great to have the proactive knowledge needed to care for the condition. Children are finding themselves suffering from more "adult diseases" every day. But while you can't prevent most of them, including ulcers, you can at least prepare yourself in the event it happens.