Peptic ulcers are commonly known as stomach ulcers. In older children and adults, the most common symptom of peptic ulcer disease is a gnawing or burning pain in the abdomen, usually in the area below the ribs and above the navel. This pain typically gets worse when someone with ulcers has an empty stomach and improves as soon as they eat food, drink milk, or take antacid medicine. Younger children with peptic ulcer disease may not have symptoms as clear cut as those of older children, and their illness may be harder to diagnose. In industrialized countries, the infection is rare in children, and only about 40 percent of adults are infected.
Risk of infection is higher for persons who live in overcrowded or unsanitary conditions.
Although scientists believe that the infections are passed from person to person, they don't know exactly how this happens. Once they do know, prevention guidelines may become available. But what that really means from a practical point of view is unknown. Your doctor may also give antacids or acid-suppressing drugs to neutralize or block production of stomach acids. This means planning meals so that your child's stomach doesn't remain empty for long periods.