Treatment of abdominal functional pain: the eternal debate

Authors´ conclusions: although both treatment modalities studied are effective, cognitive-behavioral treatment is somewhat more effective in the long term than usual medical care for the treatment of pediatric functional abdominal pain.

Reviewers´ commentary: there is evidence that the treatment of functional abdominal pain should be based on non-pharmacological treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, rather than on the use of drugs. It would be desirable to identify which factors will make a child do better with cognitive-behavioral therapies compared to those others in which no results are obtained, to offer each one an individualized option.