What might this be-DS (nearly4) has a tummy ache at least once a day nearly every day for past 6 months! Also lots of runny poo. Now starting to not control his wees; lots of accidents

[weewee]

Tummy ache almost every day after eating, feels poorly and needs to sit/lie down; runny poo, full runny nappy every night; starting to not know when he needs a wee and just wees on the floor; seems quite distressed and says he didn't feel it coming (has been potty trained during the day for 9 months at least); after tummy ache often needs a big runny poo in a hurry! Please help me with any suggestions as to what you think this might be:
Doctors have suggested three things one after the other; all three have proved to be not the case- I need now to suggest to them what it might be, so they check them all out, rather than waiting months while they bark up another wrong tree (diagnosis) with tests and appointments, and meanwhile my DS is feeling ill every day.
They firstly came up with: "It's nothing".
Next they said his tonsils look enlarged (though they said it could be he just always has large tomsils) They said the possible tonsil infection could be causing glands in his tummy to swell up causing the pain. They told me these infections can't be treated, sometimes last 5 to 8 weeks. Told me to wait until he has had three days running with no tummy ache, then they would check if the tonsils were still swollen. If they were still swollen even after tummy ache's disappeared then he may need them out. I, like an idiot, did as I was told and waited and waited, with DS complaining of tummy ache after he'd eaten almost every day. 8 weeks later I go back to say he STILL has tummy ache almost every day and now he doesn't seem to know when he's about to wee anymore (after being toilet trained for 8 months) and is peeing all over the floor every day. His poo is still runny and still the tummy ache.
She then said maybe a urine infection, due to the weeing. Took wee wee and checked it- no sign of urine infection. Sending me now to Paediatric Gastroenterology, but I need to wait another two weeks for appt and feel so sorry for the poor little lad that I want to go see doctor tomorrow to demand she think what else it might be. I don't want to go another few weeks or months waiting for results when we're barking up the wrong tree again, like with the tonsilitis and the urine infection.
I want to go armed with all the possibilities, so i can ask her, assertively, what about this illness, could it be this? If not, why not? What about that illness, could it be that? If not, why not? Can we check these things out instead of putting all our eggs in one basket again with the gastroenterology.
Any suggestions very welcome!

[iceagethree]

no idea but I googled to give you a bump

sounds awful, poor thing

anyway I found this on "rapid gastric emptying" on a med query website

"If you have documented hypoglycemia (by a low blood sugar), one would about a mismatch between carbohydrate load and insulin release. Your physician can determine if there is excessive glucose release by blood tests."

I don't know what it means but could it be something to do with blood sugar, possibly also affecting the urine?

[bubblagirl]

could you do food diary and see if its related to a certain food or ingredient in that food maybe intolerant of something

[iceagethree]

oh

sorry the blood sugar level is a symptom not a cause

hum

[weewee]

Thanks for responses. Yes I'll try to keep an eye on what food it is, but it really seems to be anything at the mo, though i admit I haven't kept a food diary (I should have)
I did ask docs about food allergies/intolerance. they said no as he was putting on loads of weight.

[TotalChaos]

could it be as simple as him being badly constipated? as that can make kids wet themselves, if the full bowel presses down on the bladder. apols if that has been ruled out. if you google fecal impaction, that might (or might not) ring a bell.

[weewee]

Well he does runny poos every night in his nappy, so I guess that rules out constipation?

[TotalChaos]

not necessarily, as sometimes (TMI coming) a proper solid stool can get stuck, with runny stuff managing to escape around it.

[weewee]

Yuck!
Thing is I don't think I've seen a proper solid stool come out of him in about 6 months! poor little blighter.

[Sidge]

It could be chronic constipation - the runny poo is known as overflow, where liquid poo dribbles out around the solid poo. Constipation can also cause tummy ache, cramping, nausea, vomiting and urgency (the loaded bowel is cramping desperately trying to shift the poo blockage).

Have a look at this website and see if any of this might apply

Chronic constipation can also cause urinary incontinence as the loaded bowel and rectum put pressure on the bladder causing involuntary emptying. This page explains a bit more

You could ask the doctor if s/he has considered chronic constipation and whether it might be worth trying Paediatric Movicol, a gentle but really effective children's laxative.

[EColi]

Runny poo is a sign of constipation. Sounds strange but if his bowel is blocked by a hard impacted poo only liquid poo will be able to get around it. The quantity of runny poo can be really big so it makes you think that they can't possibly be constipated but believe me, it's definitely possible. Paed Gastroenterology referral is a good thing - my ds was referred to a general paed because the gp thought it was psychological..then we had another wait for the gastro referral! If it is constipation (and 4 GPs missed it in my ds) then it will need a lot of laxative/stool softener to shift it and it will get worse (more runny poo) before it gets better.
Ds was also tested for crohn's disease and inflammatory bowel disease (blood tests).

[weewee]

Thanks for that;I'll definately ask doc about constipation. Though I wish I wasn't sat here eating while I read those websites
He is leaking wee wee into his pants which is a sign. And I think he did used to hold in his poo as he always wanted to save it up to do in his nappy at night , so that might have started the problem. I'm taking notes and will bring all this up woth doc

[Friendlypizzaeater]

Have they checked the poo ? My LO has had chronic diahorrea for nearly 2 years - hes on imodium every day to try and control it and is off under anaethestic for tests on Tues 1st Sept, they are checking for Chrohns, IBS, divitilitus (sp) & coeliac diesease. Also taking blood tests at same time (not sure what therse are for - think allergies as he is allergic to egg white and seafood.)

[weewee]

No, they hven't checked poo. I guess they may do at Gastroenterology. 2 years! Your poor LO. I'll write those down to ask at Gastro or at docs tomorrow

[weewee]

bump

[frakkinpannikinAGRIPPA]

Okay way TMI but what's his poo like? Is it very yellow? Mucusy? Water with bits in?

Allergies/food intolerance can cause changes in colour as well as consistency - assuming you remember what your DS's normal health poo looks like. And you can continue to put on weight, especially if it's intolerances which react with the lower part of the bowel after 'useful' nutrients have been extracted.

Food diary is a good idea but if it's something as all-pervasive as gluten it might not show up without an exclusion diet which you shouldn't do unless under medical supervision, especially with a child.