Toddler complaining of back pain...?

[Littlerhubarb]

Hi Mums,

Recently my DD (20 months) has started having these...'turns'...where she rubs at the back of her head (sometimes ears & face a bit too) and gets upset, then she starts arching her back and crying. She says "ow back ow!" and thrashes around. It's sort of intermittent and the bursts are anywhere from a few seconds to about 20 seconds long. I think. Seeing her suffer feels like forever. Usually she doesn't want to be touched except by me and after or inbetween the crying/writhing she asks to be breastfed and this comforts her until it's over. Then suddenly she's back to normal again.

We have tried to find a link to what she's doing/eating/wearing/temperature/sleep patterns etc etc and we cant figure out any pattern.
We've taken her to see a few doctors and they all say she seems healthy and well. And it's true, until it happens again...

We've been told it's probably her skin - invisible irritation, prescribed hydrocortisone cream and aqueous. Or that it's behavioural. But she is even tempered before and after and i absolutely believe her complaints of pain are genuine. Might not be her back per se, but something hurts. Most recently she was checked for a possible bladder infection but tests came back ok.

Please can somebody help us to help her??
Does this sound familiar to anyone??

[TheHouseOnTheLane]

Keep a food diary...note what she's eaten on the day and the days coming up to a turn. It sounds very upsetting for you OP. x

[Pipistrella]

Have a video camera to hand, and try and capture the episode if you can.

[Littlerhubarb]

Thank you. I've started writing down what she eats and when, what she does, how she seems, when she poos, how she sleeps...anything i can think of. So far all our theories have been debunked. But am keeping a close eye on her and it seems to be happening less often and with less intensity, so i'm still mystified and worried sick...but hopeful.
We tried to video her 'pains' but only captured mild ones and the doctor we showed was the one who suggested it was behavioural. I guess seeing it out of context a briefer and milder one could look that way...?
He did write us a letter referring us to the hospital in case it was a seizure of some kind, but mainly for our peace of mind. At the hospital they did suspect a bladder infection but a sterile urine sample came back fine.
Ugh. Poor little human :-(