Endoscopic Findings of Gastritis in Children

Gastritis is a very common disease in children. The main presentation of children with gastritis is recurrent abdominal pain and dyspepsia or vomiting. Young children may have hematemesis or melena as presentation. Drug induced or food related gastritis presents usually with acute symptoms but Helicobacter pylori gastritis have mainly recurrent abdominal pain and dyspeptic symptoms. Other presentations include diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, bloating, fatigue, low energy level, weight loss, muscle loss, bad breath etc.

The main causes of gastritis are infections, inflammation and other disorders affect the gastric mucosa in pediatric patients. Helicobacter pylori infection is the most common cause of gastritis in children which is also responsible for the majority of duodenal ulcers.

Acute erosive gastritis is most commonly the result of metabolic stress or drug or corrosive injury.

Other major causes of gastritis include celiac disease, allergic disorders, and Crohn's disease .Medication as NSAIDs, uremia, ischemia, shock, radiation, sepsis, trauma, severe burns and surgery.

Endoscopic pictures in acute gastritis may be in the form of:

- Multiple round-shaped severe erosions with a diameter of several millimeters.

- Mucosal edema, hyperemia.

- Peptic ulcer While in chronic gastritis is variable. Affects the antrum in the beginning and advances to the proximal in time .