Learn About Childhood Pancreatitis

What is the definition of Childhood Pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis in children, as in adults, occurs when the pancreas becomes swollen and inflamed.

What are the causes of Childhood Pancreatitis?

The pancreas is an organ behind the stomach.

It produces chemicals called enzymes, which are needed to digest food. Most of the time, the enzymes are only active after they reach the small intestine.

When these enzymes become active inside the pancreas, they digest the tissue of the pancreas. This causes swelling, bleeding and damage to the organ and its blood vessels. This condition is called pancreatitis.

Common causes of pancreatitis in children include:

  • Trauma to the belly, such as from a bicycle handlebar injury
  • Blocked bile duct
  • Side effects of medicine, such as anti-seizure medicines, chemotherapy, or some antibiotics
  • Viral infections, including mumps and coxsackie B
  • High blood levels of a fat in the blood, called triglycerides

Other causes include:

  • After an organ or bone marrow transplant
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Crohn disease and other disorders, when the body's immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake
  • Type 1 diabetes that is uncontrolled
  • Overactive parathyroid gland causing very high calcium levels
  • Kawasaki disease

Sometimes, the cause is unknown.

What are the symptoms of Childhood Pancreatitis?

The main symptom of pancreatitis in children is severe pain in the upper abdomen. Sometimes the pain may spread to the back, lower abdomen, and front part of the chest. The pain may increase after meals.

Other symptoms may include:

  • Cough
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Swelling in the abdomen
  • Fever
  • Yellowing of the skin, called jaundice
  • Loss of appetite
  • Increased pulse
Not sure about your diagnosis?
Check Your Symptoms
What are the current treatments for Childhood Pancreatitis?

Treatment may require a stay in the hospital. It may involve:

  • Pain medicines
  • Stopping food or fluids by mouth
  • Fluids given through a vein (IV)
  • Anti-nausea medicines for nausea and vomiting
  • Low-fat diet

The provider may insert a tube through the child's nose or mouth to remove contents of the stomach. The tube will be left in for one or more days. This may be done if vomiting and severe pain don't improve. The child also may be given food through a vein (IV) or a feeding tube.

The child can be given solid food once they stop vomiting. Most children are able to take solid food within 1 or 2 days after an attack of acute pancreatitis.

In some cases, therapy is needed to:

  • Drain fluid that has collected in or around the pancreas
  • Remove gallstones
  • Relieve blockages of the pancreatic duct
Who are the top Childhood Pancreatitis Local Doctors?

Mayo Clinic Health System-Southwest Minnesota Region

501 State St N, 
Waseca, MN 
 0.4 mi
Accepting New Patients

Christopher Schimming is a Family Medicine provider in Waseca, Minnesota. Dr. Schimming and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Childhood Pancreatitis. His top areas of expertise are Renovascular Hypertension, Nephrosclerosis, Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), and Obesity in Children. Dr. Schimming is currently accepting new patients.

300 State Ave, 
Faribault, MN 
 19.1 mi
Accepting New Patients

Judy Fruehbrodt-Glenzinski is a Family Medicine provider in Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Fruehbrodt-Glenzinski and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Childhood Pancreatitis. Her top areas of expertise are Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsy, Unverricht-Lundborg Syndrome, Lafora Disease, and Dravet Syndrome. Dr. Fruehbrodt-Glenzinski is currently accepting new patients.

 
 
 
 
Learn about our expert tiers
Learn More
Family Medicine
Family Medicine

Allina Health Faribault Clinic

100 State Avenue, 
Faribault, MN 
 19.2 mi

Amy Elliott is a Family Medicine provider in Faribault, Minnesota. Dr. Elliott and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Childhood Pancreatitis. Her top areas of expertise are Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and COVID-19.

What is the outlook (prognosis) for Childhood Pancreatitis?

Most cases go away in a week. Children usually recover completely.

Chronic pancreatitis is rarely seen in children. When it occurs, it is most often due to genetic defects or birth defects of the pancreas or biliary ducts.

What are the possible complications of Childhood Pancreatitis?

Severe irritation of the pancreas, and pancreatitis due to blunt trauma, such as from a bike handle bar, can cause complications. These may include:

  • Collection of fluid around the pancreas
  • Buildup of fluid in the abdomen (ascites)
When should I contact a medical professional for Childhood Pancreatitis?

Contact the provider if your child shows symptoms of pancreatitis. Also contact the provider if your child has these symptoms:

  • Intense, constant abdominal pain
  • Develops other symptoms of acute pancreatitis
  • Severe upper abdominal pain and vomiting
How do I prevent Childhood Pancreatitis?

Most of the time, there is no way to prevent pancreatitis.

What are the latest Childhood Pancreatitis Clinical Trials?
Study of the Etiology, Clinical Picture, Complications and Outcomes of Necrotizing Pancreatitis in Children.

Summary: The aim of this research is to study the etiology, the clinical picture, the management, the complications and the outcomes of necrotic pancreatitis in children. Currently, there is a significant number of errors in the early diagnosis of AP in children associated with the complexity of differential diagnosis, which leads to the untimely verification of the correct diagnosis and, consequently, to ...

Match to trials
Find the right clinical trials for you in under a minute
Get started
The Study of the Natural Way of Development of External Pancreatic Fistulas in Children with Necrotizing Pancreatitis

Summary: The external pancreatic fistula (EPF) is characterized by the leakage of pancreatic juice outward through an area of skinor through a drainage tube. The leakage of pancreatic juice occurs due to the rupture of the pancreatic duct (PD) caused by the destruction of pancreatic tissue. EPF can cause deterioration in the patient's condition due to the leakage of protein-rich pancreatic juice outward, a...

Who are the sources who wrote this article ?

Published Date: June 11, 2024
Published By: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Aria - Jefferson Health Torresdale, Jefferson Digestive Diseases Network, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What are the references for this article ?

Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al. Pancreatitis. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 399.

Schaffzin JK. Acute pancreatitis. In: Long SS, ed. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 62.

Vitale DS, Abu-El-Haija M. Pancreatitis. In: Wyllie R, Hyams JS, Kay M, eds. Pediatric Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 82.