Gastritis – Pediatric

Gastritis is the medical term for inflammation of the lining of the stomach.

What is Gastritis?

Inflamed tissue can be seen incidentally on endoscopy or can sometimes show up as symptoms including upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, or a feeling of fullness early in meals. Gastritis can lead to ulcer formation which, on rare occasions, can lead to bleeding in the stomach that can present either as bright red or coffee ground-colored blood in vomit, or dark, tarry stools.

What Causes Gastritis?

Gastritis can be caused by overproduction of stomach acid, infections, ingestion of a caustic substance, or overuse of certain pain medications including NSAIDs and steroids.

Diagnosing & Treating Gastritis:

Gastritis can sometimes be diagnosed with a history and physical but sometimes requires upper endoscopy with biopsies to rule out other diseases. Depending on the cause, treatment may include antacid medication, antibiotics, and/or removal of the causative agent.