Stomach aches can happen frequently, though most of them are just minor cases. However, some can be an indication of more serious things, so make sure to be in the know and stay alert when it comes to your child’s health.

1. Abdominal Pain: This is simply a feeling of discomfort in the abdominal area. Most of time tolerable, but sometimes can hamper a child’s day-to-day activities.

See a doctor if: The pain just suddenly came and seems like it’s not going away.

2. Vomiting: In children and infants, vomiting is common. This happens when the child is too full or stomach contents are involuntarily brought up back to the mouth whether or not the child is full. It could also be a gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) if your child complains about a sour or foul tasting substance in the mouth or points the pain in the upper middle part of his abdomen.

See a doctor if: Vomiting has tinges of blood, or if it’s becoming more frequent and is accompanied by abdominal cramps and diarrhea.

3. Constipation: Constipation is among the three most common causes of tummy aches in kids. Adding more fibre to your children’s diet, along with prune juice or apple juice can help a lot in maintaining healthy digestion.

See a doctor if: You see signs of rectal bleeding. It could be a chronic constipation, which can be a sign of celiac diseases or underactive thyroid gland.

4. Dehydration: When a stomach ailment causes your child to vomit more frequently, accompanied by diarrhea, he is at risk of dehydration. This means that the body will lack electrolytes and fluid to function properly.

See a doctor if: Your child shows signs of moderate to heavy dehydration, such as sunken fontanelle (the soft spot on an infant’s head), sunken eyeballs, constant thirst, absence of tears, and dry skin.

5. Diarrhea: This is a condition wherein the child produces loose or watery stool, usually three times in a day. In this condition, the consistency of the stool is much more important than the frequency of the bowel movements. So even if the child makes more than three movements a day, with formed stool, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s diarrhea.

See a doctor if: There’s mucus or blood in the stool and if it’s accompanied by abdominal cramps and fever or follows vomiting after a meal, as this could be a sign of food poisoning.

Tummy aches among children is common, but knowing what this indications could mean—along with other signs—can save your child from serious health condition.