What could be wrong?

[EverybodysCryEyed]

My DS is 5 and has always loved fruit and not been a fan of many other foods. He has always been slim and has always had reasonably loose stools which we put down to the fruit. As a baby/toddler he was a big milk drinker.

In the past 3 months his food intake has reduced. He frequently has diarrhoea and on 2 occasions he has vomited with no other symptoms (I think he may have had gastric flu the first time though). He often complains of feeling like he's going to be sick.

I weighed him tonight and he weighs the same as he did 12m ago and 1.5kg less than he did 5m ago. He is on the 9th centile when he has always been 25th.

In a day he eats a yoghurt and cereal, a fruit for snack (can't be anything else at school), a school lunch (I don't know what he has but he says tomato cucumber and bread today) and for dinner it is a battle to get him to eat more than a handful of food.

Due to the diarrhoea I have banned all fruit except banana (and what he has at school).

I have an appointment at the GP for him but I'm not sure what they will say about the above. I don't want to be fobbed off because I am concerned about him.

Does anyone have any advice or suggestions as to how I should proceed? Should I be going to the GP?

[EverybodysCryEyed]

bump

[BreeVanDerTramp]

What does he actually weigh? My DS is almost 5 and very small he weighs 17kg. He was a good varied diet.

Does your DS eat meat and veg? Does he eat sweets/chocolate? How active is he? Does he have any stomach pain?

[EverybodysCryEyed]

He's exactly 5 and a half and he weighs a tad over 17kg

He eats meat and veg and no sweets/choc/cake (he doesn't like them)

He is reasonably active - outside school he does tennis for 2 hours a week, football for an hour and general 5 year old running around

He does sometimes say he has tummy pains but generally before he does a poo.

[EverybodysCryEyed]

He is average height (always been 50th centile)

[conorsrockers]

Ummm... have you heard of coeliac disease?

[EverybodysCryEyed]

I've heard of it but i hadn't considered it

will look it up

[conorsrockers]

It's quite common. They test for it by a blood test. I guess they would go for that first purely on the slow growth and diarrhoea, at least you'll be armed with some back up info incase they don't suggest it (or try and fob you off).

[EverybodysCryEyed]

normally the gp offers ds something to eat and when ds eats he says he is fine or he wouldn't be eating!

i will push for a blood test. he is happy in himself but DH and I are very worried about him

[EverybodysCryEyed]

Thank you!

[conorsrockers]

You are very welcome.

Best of luck at the GP's - let us know how you get on.

[EverybodysCryEyed]

It's not until Friday so will let you know after

[BreeVanDerTramp]

I would keep a diary of what he is eating and how he is, noting any changes in bowel movements or any vomiting. I thinks it's normal for their weight gain to be very slow at that age, DS has only put on 2kg in 18 months.

The food diary might highlight something particular that is upsetting his stomach.

Also would packed lunches be an option so you can monitor what he is eating?

[Cezzy]

Will the school let you know what he eats there so you can keep an accurate food diary? If you feel something isn't right, insist the go fully investigates, good luck,x

[EverybodysCryEyed]

Packed lunch isn't an option but teacher eats with them so I think she would be able to help.

I'll keep an eye on his food this week and then once i've spoken to the GP I will decide what to do about school. his teacher would help i'm sure

[TudorJess]

Could it be acid reflux?

[eragon]

it could be food intolerence, of course thats commonly milk or wheat.
does he feel sick more often after eating food with a high amount of milk?

do you have a allergies in the family, ezcema asthma etc?

[EverybodysCryEyed]

I don't think that would explain the diarrhoea? Not sure though

[eragon]

well, yes intolerence does cause diarrhorea, vomiting, tingling in throat, sore throat, chest pain , tiredness etc.

I have a DD with milk and soya intol, and a DS with IgE allergies.

if you suspect into problems a good book is 'the complete guide to food intolerence and allergies' by prof j brostoff, published by Gamlin.

[EverybodysCryEyed]

oh sorry - i meant acid reflux!

wrt food intolerance

we have no allergies etc in the family

Don't notice it particularly after dairy products. He had a mug of milk before bed - when would you expect to see the effect?

I think a food diary is a good idea

[narmada]

Get the docs to check for giardiasis as well. This can present as weight loss, loss of appetite and long-lasting diarrhea. It's a parasite, not uncommon, and can be easily treated.

[EverybodysCryEyed]

Will do - thanks

[eragon]

normally get pale poo with this, my son had it once, passed white stool with blood. needs trip to doc if thats the case.

[EverybodysCryEyed]

his poos are pale - no blood though

his burps also smell strongly of vomit and the smells from the other end are really bad

Will have to wait and see at doctors

He was ok today.

We chatted about it last night and I said I was worried that he wasn't putting on weight and that he needed to make sure he ate proper meals. He ate the hot meal at school and the hot dessert (not the fruit) as I asked him to and then ate a big dinner and 3 bananas.

[notapizzaeater]

My son always gravitated to fruit and veg and had dropped down the centiles. His was coeliac disease - after he was diag. He announced how much better it was now his tummy didn't hurt - at the time he had never complained about tummy ache I suppose if you've always had it it's normal.

[EverybodysCryEyed]

Oh that's quite sad but good he is better now

We will see. If it turns out he is coeliac I may need advice on what to feed him!