PAEDIATRICIANS AND FUNCTIONAL GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS

Key words: Functional gastrointestinal disorders, Rome criteria, Children, Primary care

Even though functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) are often considered an example of disease mongering, their reported prevalence and costs prompt to take into consideration the most cost-effective approach that can be applied to primary care in order to avoid stressful and useless investigations to patients and to decrease family and health system costs. The aim of the present article is to point out the clinical criteria that can be useful in clinical practice, as already done in some studies performed in primary care. The central role of the family paediatrician in the FGID management and a simple approach are suggested. This suggested solution allows an expensive diagnostic workup aimed at excluding improbable organic causes and the referral to tertiary centers to be minimized, thus decreasing costs. This approach is time-consuming and will require greater devotion to paediatricians but it will provide satisfaction and more sense to their work. The results of the studies performed in primary care highlight their importance for evaluating the effects of continuing medical education, which should aim at changing behaviours in clinical practice.