Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
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Signs and Symptoms of IBS
All Signs & Symptoms of IBS
Here are the top symptoms or behaviors listed by parents of kids diagnosed with IBS:
| Symptom | Frequency | Number of mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Stomach ache(s) or pain | Often | 11 mentions |
| Constipation | Often | 8 mentions |
| Diarrhea | Often | 7 mentions |
| Nausea | Often | 5 mentions |
| Physical pain | Often | 4 mentions |
| Difficult bowel movement | Often | 3 mentions |
| Vomiting | Often | 3 mentions |
| Upset stomach | Sometimes | 2 mentions |
| Abdominal pain | Sometimes | 1 mention |
| Colic | Sometimes | 1 mention |
When do symptoms start?
How to read this chart
Stomach ache(s) or pain
0 years oldAmount of children: 2%1 years oldAmount of children: 2%2 years oldAmount of children: 0%3 years oldAmount of children: 3%4 years oldAmount of children: 0%5 years oldAmount of children: 0%6 years oldAmount of children: 2%7 years oldAmount of children: 2%8 years oldAmount of children: 0%9 years oldAmount of children: 0%10 years oldAmount of children: 2%11 years oldAmount of children: 0%12 years oldAmount of children: 0%13 years oldAmount of children: 2%14 years oldAmount of children: 0%15 years oldAmount of children: 2%16 years oldAmount of children: 2%17 years oldAmount of children: 0%average 7 years 7 months old
Constipation
0 years oldAmount of children: 3%1 years oldAmount of children: 3%2 years oldAmount of children: 3%3 years oldAmount of children: 3%4 years oldAmount of children: 3%5 years oldAmount of children: 0%6 years oldAmount of children: 3%7 years oldAmount of children: 0%8 years oldAmount of children: 0%9 years oldAmount of children: 0%10 years oldAmount of children: 0%11 years oldAmount of children: 0%12 years oldAmount of children: 0%13 years oldAmount of children: 0%14 years oldAmount of children: 0%15 years oldAmount of children: 3%16 years oldAmount of children: 0%17 years oldAmount of children: 0%average 4 years 6 months old
Diarrhea
0 years oldAmount of children: 0%1 years oldAmount of children: 3%2 years oldAmount of children: 0%3 years oldAmount of children: 0%4 years oldAmount of children: 0%5 years oldAmount of children: 3%6 years oldAmount of children: 3%7 years oldAmount of children: 0%8 years oldAmount of children: 0%9 years oldAmount of children: 0%10 years oldAmount of children: 3%11 years oldAmount of children: 0%12 years oldAmount of children: 3%13 years oldAmount of children: 3%14 years oldAmount of children: 0%15 years oldAmount of children: 0%16 years oldAmount of children: 0%17 years oldAmount of children: 0%average 9 years 3 months old
Change in symptoms of IBS*
What happens to common IBS symptoms over time?
| Symptom | Worse | A Little Worse | Stayed About the Same | A Little Better | Better | Completely Resolved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stomach ache(s) or pain | 9.1% | 0% | 36.4% | 27.3% | 27.3% | 0% |
| Constipation | 0% | 0% | 12.5% | 50% | 25% | 12.5% |
| Diarrhea | 0% | 0% | 14.3% | 42.9% | 28.6% | 14.3% |
| Nausea | 0% | 0% | 20% | 60% | 20% | 0% |
| Physical pain | 25% | 0% | 25% | 25% | 25% | 0% |
| Difficult bowel movement | 0% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 0% | 0% |
| Vomiting | 33.3% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 33.3% | 33.3% |
| Upset stomach | 0% | 0% | 50% | 0% | 0% | 50% |
| Abdominal pain | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| Colic | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 100% |
Conditions with similar symptoms to IBS
Parents also mention the behaviors, signs, and symptoms associated with IBS when they describe these conditions:
Allergies
Symptom Frequency Number of mentions Sneezing Often 227 mentions Runny nose Often 177 mentions Coughing Often 99 mentions Hives Often 93 mentions Rashes (any cause) Often 77 mentions Watery eyes Often 73 mentions Itchy eyes Sometimes 60 mentions Itching Sometimes 59 mentions Congestion Sometimes 37 mentions Fever Sometimes 33 mentions Anxiety
Symptom Frequency Number of mentions Nervousness Often 49 mentions Panic attacks Often 42 mentions Unusual fears or phobias Often 31 mentions Shyness or social anxiety Often 26 mentions Frequent crying Sometimes 25 mentions Angry behavior Sometimes 16 mentions Separation anxiety Sometimes 15 mentions Constant worry Sometimes 14 mentions Anxiety in social situations Sometimes 11 mentions Fidgeting Sometimes 11 mentions Constipation
Symptom Frequency Number of mentions Stomach ache(s) or pain Often 36 mentions Difficult bowel movement Often 14 mentions Hard stool Often 10 mentions Physical pain Often 7 mentions Being irritable Sometimes 6 mentions Frequent crying Sometimes 5 mentions Crying Sometimes 4 mentions Upset stomach Sometimes 4 mentions Abdominal pain Sometimes 3 mentions Nausea Sometimes 3 mentions
Discussion of IBS
What was your approach to IBS? What were the results?
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