The gallbladder is a small organ just below the liver in the top right of the belly. It stores bile, a fluid made in the liver that helps digest fat in the foods we eat.

Sometimes, material in the bile sticks together and forms hard, pebble-like objects, called gallstones.

Often, gallstones don't cause any symptoms. If symptoms do happen, they usually include attacks of pain (in the top or the top right of the belly, below the right shoulder blade, or in the back), nausea, or vomiting. Sometimes, gallstones can lead to other problems.

The gallstones may pass on their own or may never cause symptoms. Healthcare providers treat gallstones that cause symptoms with medicines or surgery to remove the gallbladder.

Follow your healthcare provider's recommendations for:

• Giving your child any medicines for pain, such as ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand) or naproxen (Aleve®, Naprosyn®, or a store brand). Follow the package directions for how much to give and how often.
• Giving your child any prescribed medicines.
• Making any changes to your child's diet.
• Helping your child make changes to their weight (since kids of a higher weight are more likely to get gallstones).
• Taking your child for any testing.
• Making any appointments with other medical specialists, such as a surgeon or gastroenterologist (a doctor who specializes in problems with the digestive system).
• When to follow up.

Your child:

• Has pain in the belly, back, or below the right shoulder blade
• Feels sick to their stomach or vomits

Your child has signs that the gallstones are causing a blockage, such as:

• Severe pain or pain that lasts several hours
• Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes
• A change in the color of the stool (poop)
• Dark urine (pee)

What are the types of gallstones? There are two main types of gallstones: those made from cholesterol (a fat-like substance made by the liver and also found in the foods we eat) and those made from bilirubin (a pigment made by the breakdown of red blood cells).

What problems can gallstones cause? They can lead to:

• Attacks of pain, nausea, and vomiting, sometimes after eating a fatty meal
• Inflammation (swelling) of the gallbladder
• Jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes)
• An infection of the bile ducts
• Inflammation of the pancreas

Why do children and teens get gallstones? While sometimes there's no clear reason, some things increase a child's risk of developing gallstones, such as:

• Having certain medical conditions
• Being of a higher weight
• Having other family members with gallstones
• Taking certain medicines