Digestive problems

What kind of gastric issues do children have and what causes them?

Digestive problems are among the most common reasons parents seek paediatric advice. At the Clinic for Children, we identify underlying causes and combine conventional care with integrative treatments to support your child’s long-term gut health.

Children can experience a range of gastrointestinal complaints, including:

Abdominal pain
Constipation and stool withholding
Bloating and gas
Reflux symptoms
Food sensitivities or intolerances
Irritable bowel patterns

In young children, the digestive system is still developing. This makes it more sensitive to changes in diet, routine, and environment.

Common contributing factors include:

Low fibre intake or insufficient hydration
Changes in diet or feeding patterns
Toilet training stress or withholding behaviour
Gut microbiome imbalance
Food sensitivities (such as cow’s milk or certain carbohydrates)
Emotional factors such as stress, transitions, or school-related anxiety
Post-infectious changes after a stomach bug

In some children, symptoms overlap with allergic tendencies, especially when there is a history of eczema, asthma, or hay fever. Other children may have an underlying gastric disease that needs to be diagnosed and treated.

Abdominal pain and constipation are common concerns in childhood. While usually not caused by a serious underlying condition, they can significantly affect a child’s comfort, mood, sleep, and overall well-being. Children may express abdominal discomfort in different ways, such as irritability, reduced appetite, or recurrent tummy pain. Constipation may present as infrequent bowel movements, hard stools, pain during passing, or stool withholding. In most cases, these symptoms are functional, but careful assessment remains important to exclude medical causes and guide appropriate treatment.

What are the standard treatments offered by paediatricians and general practitioners?

Conventional medical care provides the basis for safe and effective treatments for most gastrointestinal complaints.

For constipation, standard treatment typically includes:

Dietary advice (increasing fibre and fluid intake)
Osmotic laxatives such as polyethylene glycol (macrogol)
Stool softeners when needed
Education around healthy toilet habits and routines

For abdominal pain, care often involves:

Reassurance and explanation (functional pain is very common)
Monitoring of symptoms over time
Identifying and managing triggers
In some cases, further investigations to exclude underlying conditions

How does the Clinic for Children approach digestive problems?

At the Clinic for Children, we combine conventional paediatrics with an integrative approach tailored to each child, with conventional care always forming the foundation of treatment.

Our focus is on identifying patterns and triggers, rather than only treating symptoms, restoring balance and supporting the child’s natural development.

This may include:

Personalised nutritional guidance
Supporting fibre intake, hydration, and identifying possible food sensitivities
Gut microbiome support
When appropriate, we may consider evidence-informed use of probiotics or dietary adjustments
Behavioural and routine support
Helping children develop relaxed, consistent toilet habits and reducing stool withholding. Pelvic floor physiotherapy is excellent for achieving this.
Parental guidance and reassurance
Empowering families with clear explanations and practical strategies
Attention to the mind–body connection
Recognizing the role of stress, emotions, and transitions in gastrointestinal symptoms
Complementary therapies
In selected cases, gentle complementary treatments may be used alongside conventional care like hypnotherapy, homeopathy and herbal remedies.

Our approach looks beyond symptoms while ensuring appropriate medical evaluation. When indicated, we can perform blood tests and radiological investigations, and we work closely with gastroenterologists in surrounding hospitals for further assessment or treatment. This helps ensure that no underlying pathology is missed.

Looking for an integrative paediatrician and classical homeopath near The Hague or Wassenaar?

We have over 22 years of experience in paediatric care and expertise in guiding expat families in the Netherlands. Call us to make an appointment or ask any questions — in both English and Dutch.

Call +31 (0)70 517 0890Call +31 (0)70 517 0890

Studies and updates of interest for further reading on digestive problems in children

Selected clinical studies suggest that probiotics may support symptom relief in children with functional abdominal pain and constipation, although effects are strain-specific and vary between individuals.

Here is a link to an article related to this topic:
Publication 1

Dietary patterns, including fibre intake and overall nutrition, play a key role in maintaining healthy bowel function and supporting microbial diversity in children.

Here is a link to an article related to this topic:
Publication 1

Herbal medicine (phytotherapy) is sometimes used as a supportive approach in children with functional abdominal pain. Some clinical studies suggest that peppermint oil in particular may help reduce the frequency and severity of abdominal pain in older children. In clinical practice, herbal treatments are considered as a complement to conventional care, not a replacement.

Here is a link to an article related to this topic:
Publication 1

Pelvic floor physiotherapy can be a helpful, supportive treatment for children with constipation, particularly when there is stool withholding or difficulty coordinating the muscles needed for bowel movements, by gently teaching relaxation and proper defecation patterns.

Here is a link to an article related to this topic:
Publication 1