Ahlke Willenborg

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Sabrina Gruslinski

Ahlke Willenborg

Ahlke Willenborg

Pediatric Practice

Ahlke

Willenborg

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Services

Chronic Abdominal Pain

Recurrent or constant abdominal pain (“belly ache”) is among the most common complaints in childhood. In a German study evaluating children ages 3 to 17 it was shown that 20% of participants complained of recurrent abdominal pain. In younger children it is the most frequent of all complaints; in older children it is the second most frequent after headache. Despite extensive testing, for the majority of these children, no organic cause is found. This type of belly ache is then called “functional abdominal pain”, meaning that their gastrointestinal tract is principally healthy - even if it causes pain. The actual cause of functional complaints is currently being investigated.

 

Functional abdominal pain is not imaginary or simulated. It originates in a widespread system of nerves in the GI tract, responsible for bowel movements and pain perception. Studies showed that this system is more sensitive in children with functional abdominal pain than in others. In these children a normally harmless stimulus can cause an intense pain, e.g., distension of the bowel wall by air or food or increased bowel activity before or after a meal. In some patients a gastrointestinal infection can be the trigger of the increased pain sensation.

 

Functional abdominal pain can only be diagnosed when organic causes have been excluded. For this purpose a thorough medical history and a physical examination are necessary to identify alarm signals like weight loss, rectal bleeding, or certain familial diseases. In our practice we use a questionnaire to acquire detailed information about our patients’ complaints.

 

After completion of these preliminary investigations, further tests that may be employed depending on the patient’s complaints include: tests of blood, stool, and urine; ultrasound; H2-breath tests or upper/lower endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract; or x-ray/MRT investigation. Our patients and parents will be actively involved in the development of this diagnostic schedule.

Pediatric Gastroenterology

In pediatric gastroenerology we diagnose and treat children and teenagers with illnesses of the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract: stomach, intestine, liver, pancreas). In childhood and adolescence these illnesses are not only quite different from those diagnosed in adults, they can also change the physical and psychological development of children. Gastrointestinal diseases cause symptoms like acute and chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea, insufficient weight gain/failure to thrive, nausea, vomiting, constipation, jaundice, increased liver enzymes, and many more. If your child suffers from these complaints we can perform the necessary examinations and diagnostic tests in our practice.

Here are some of the gastroenterological illnesses we diagnose and treat:

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Flotowstraße 1

12203 Berlin-Steglitz

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Our Team

  • Ahlke Willenborg
    Pediatrician and Pediatric Gastroenterologist
  • Sabrina Gruslinski
    Medical Assistant

Our Team

  • Ahlke Willenborg
    Pediatrician and Pediatric Gastroenterologist
  • Sabrina Gruslinski
    Medical Assistant

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