Pediatric hereditary angioedema presenting as recurrent episodic abdominal pain and vomiting: Challenges in diagnosis and management

Abstract

Recurrent episodic abdominal pain and vomiting, with symptom‐free intervals between attacks, represent common and often challenging presentations in children, typically leading to extensive workups without a clear etiology, as standard diagnostic algorithms fail to include rare systemic conditions. We present the challenging diagnostic odyssey of a pediatric patient (symptom onset at age 4 years; diagnosis at age 8), culminating in an unexpected diagnosis of hereditary angioedema, a critical etiology often omitted from differentials. This case underscores a key gap in current clinical pathways and serves to expand the diagnostic consideration for specialists managing unexplained recurrent episodic abdominal symptoms.