Pale and tired 2.8 year old - can anyone help?

[LiquorsOnDeck]

I am new to posting but have been using MN since my DD was born to help acquire knowledge as and when needed.
So, for the past 12 months I have worried that my daughter isn't quite right in terms of her health. It isn't usually constant but comes and goes, sometimes daily and sometimes weekly. But has been particularly bad for the past 2 months.
She just looks unhealthy and seems tired. She can only just manage 5 hours awake time. Gets up at approx 7.30 am, goes to bed at 7.30 pm, sometimes sleeps through but more often than not she wakes circa 3 or 4 times. We co sleep so she has a small feed and then settles back down, never really cries or grumbles.
She feeds to sleep for her nap which is usually around 12.30 and will sleep for either 45 mins or 90 mins.
She yawns constantly and wakes up looking tired. She has purple/dark circles under her eyes. She is pale skinned but within an hour of waking the colour drains from her to the point I get loads of comments oh dear is someone poorly or tired!? She has periods of looking healthy but only after she has been running about.
She has a relatively good diet but has been fussy lately especially with veg. She has Minadex tonic, a gummy vitamin and 5 mild spatone everyday. Also, probiotic in her milk at nap time.
She had terrible reflux as a baby so we went lactose free which helped massively. She has 2 8oz cups of Lactofree milk throughout the day.
I was worried this time last year so went to GP who checked for anaemia but Hb was normal.
She has had her share of ailments but doesn't seem particularly 'sickly' it does always take her a while to get over things.
I have private health insurance and am tempted to take her for a full check up but maybe I am being ridiculous. Am I missing something? I just want to see her looking fit and healthy but it never ever happens.
Sorry for the essay - it has helped just to write it all down.
Any thoughts gratefully accepted.

[LiquorsOnDeck]

Should read 5 mls spatone per day - sorry

[harrasedmom]

Hi sorry to read your concerned about your child's health. My boy is nearly 3 years old and has been dairy free since around 6 months old. He too is very pale although has lots of energy but we also get comments about his pallor. I would advise you go back to the doctors with your concerns. Listern to your gut, even if she has another check up and all is fine which I'm sure it is it will give you some peace of mind x

[Paddypaws3]

Does she have any tummy issues?

As I was reading, it sounds like my dd who is lactose and fructose intolerant.

[JonSnowKnowsNowt]

I had a pale and tired 2.8 year old. Age 4, he was diagnosed with coeliac disease. With hindsight, I really wish I had demanded a coeliac test then and saved him two years of unwellness.

I would call Coeliac UK to discuss the diagnosis process. For very young children it is not always reliable and you are more likely to get a false negative, so even if the test is negative, I wouldn't discount the possibility of coeliac.

My DC is 8 now and bounding with health and energy now, so a diagnosis quite literally changes lives. I am so glad that I didn't get fobbed off even longer and have a very unwell child now.

[LiquorsOnDeck]

I am very grateful for your replies. With coeliac would she have unusual bowel habits? She tends to pass at least 3 large stools each day. Mostly formed but for the last 2 weeks she has had smearings of mucous and undigested food. Sorry for detail. I will contact Coeliac UK on Monday. Again, thank you for taking the time to help. Really appreciated.

[LiquorsOnDeck]

I had never even thought of a fructose link. How on earth do you manage? Thankyou will do some research.

[LiquorsOnDeck]

Regarding the fructose intolerance- I gave her a Xylitol lolly a few weeks back and she had terrible diarrhoea a few hours later. Could that be linked or just coincidence?

[BlackSwan]

You need to see a paediatrician. Don't self diagnose with anything online. Private health insurance or not. There is no point waiting...

[LiquorsOnDeck]

Yes, point taken. Thank you.

[Paddypaws3]

Yes it's possible she reacted to xylitol if she's fructose intolerant. My daughter was diagnosed with hydrogen breath tests.

Let us know if you decide to get her checked out.

[user789653241]

I don't want to scare you, but my ds had up and down health from birth.
He had multiple food allergy, so I assumed it got something to do with it.

I was wrong. After multiple visit to GP and A & E, he was finally diagnosed,
and had surgery.

If you are unsure, and have private medical, I would get checked out.
My ds only needed one ultrasound. They didn't do it on NHS because they didn't think it was serious. He could have died. And while in hospital, I have met few children in critical condition because they weren't diagnosed sooner. You can never be to careful.