RECURRENT ABDOMINAL PAIN, HEADACHE AND LIMB PAINS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

The prevalence of recurrent abdominal pain, headache, and growing pains has been investigated in an eight-year long longitudinal study on the basis of a nonselected population of school children. The prevalence of these pains was 14.4%, 20.6%, and 15.5%, respectively. Abdominal pain seems to reach a maximum at 9 years of age and headache about three years later. All three sorts of pain show a declining frequency toward adulthood. The ultimate prognosis appears to be dubious. An inquiry into the families of children with and without recurrent pain shows that these pains are part of a reaction pattern in families with an exceptional pain proneness.