Childhood pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is a rare finding in childhood but probably more common than is generally realized. This condition should be considered in the eval uation of children with vomiting and abdominal pain, because it can cause s ignificant morbidity and mortality. Clinical suspicion is required to make the diagnosis, especially when the serum amylase concentration is normal. R ecurrent pancreatitis may be familial as a result of inherited biochemical or anatomic abnormalities. Patients with hereditary pancreatitis are at hig h risk for pancreatic cancer.