Systematic Reviews
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Pediatr. Jun 9, 2025; 14(2): 103323
Published online Jun 9, 2025. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v14.i2.103323
Breaking the cycle: Psychological and social dimensions of pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Nermin K Saeed, Adel S Bediwy, Reem Elbeltagi
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31511, Alghrabia, Egypt
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Department of Pediatric, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 26671, Bahrain
Nermin K Saeed, Medical Microbiology Section, Department of Pathology, Salmaniya Medical Complex, ‎Governmental Hospitals, Manama 26671, Bahrain
Nermin K Saeed, Medical Microbiology Section, Department of Pathology, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain, Busaiteen 15503, Muharraq, Bahrain
Adel S Bediwy, Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Alghrabia, Egypt
Adel S Bediwy, Department of Pulmonology, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 26671, Bahrain
Reem Elbeltagi, Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain, Busaiteen 15503, Muharraq, Bahrain
Author contributions: Al-Beltagi M, Saeed NK, Bediwy AS, and Elbeltagi R contributed to developing this systematic review; All authors were involved in collecting the data, drafting the manuscript, and critically revising it for intellectual content; and each author approved the final version of the manuscript and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring accuracy and integrity.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mohammed Al-Beltagi, MD, PhD, Professor, Chief Physician, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, 1 Hassan Radwan Street, Tanta 31511, Alghrabia, Egypt. mbelrem@hotmail.com
Received: November 15, 2024
Revised: December 14, 2024
Accepted: January 2, 2025
Published online: June 9, 2025
Processing time: 123 Days and 11.7 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Functional gastrointestinal disorders in children are closely linked to psychological comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues. This bidirectional interaction between the gut-brain axis and psychosocial stress highlights the need for a biopsychosocial approach. Integrating medical treatment with psychological therapies, parental education, and dietary adjustments can significantly improve gastrointestinal symptoms and mental well-being, enhancing the overall quality of life for affected children.