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Original poster

Exhausted child and a strange smell

192 replies

BlueDinosaurs · 15/01/2025 19:49

My daughter is 9 and for the last few days has just been absolutely shattered. Laying down in bed almost as soon as they get in from school. Bit of stomach ache going on, no diarrhoea or sickness, some blood in her poo. Not a huge amount. Off her food a little bit but is eating things like toast, fruit and yogurts. Generally just under the weather but the main thing that I have noticed is that she has an odd smell about her. After she has been for a poo it has a really odd smell to it and her breath does too - the same smell. Has anyone encountered this? I’m assuming it’s a version of a stomach bug but it’s the odd smell finding a bit unsettling. Any advice welcome, thank you.

OP posts:
thequeenoftarts · 15/01/2025 21:59

Don't wait to get samples, get her to emergency doctor or hospital asap please, if she is in ketoacidosis it's extremely dangerous

mitogoshigg · 15/01/2025 21:57

Definitely see the dr urgently, I detected my friends serious medical condition because I'd smelled the smell before, pancreatitis in this case, it was distinctive enough to me but others either couldn't smell it or were too polite (it wasn't nice to me)

Hogglehedge · 15/01/2025 21:57

Please go to a&e op. My son had these symptoms age 12. The nausea,dark blood in poo and lethargic we went straight to a&e as it was sudden and alarming i didnt mess about.

He had something called a meckels diverticulum which had ruptured badly and he was very anaemic and we spent a week in hospital he was very unwell.

Also I agree with the diabetes comments.

creamsnugjumper · 15/01/2025 21:57

Wow fab advice already i was going to say diabetes.

WolfFoxHare · 15/01/2025 21:55

You should have taken her to be checked out as soon as you saw blood in her poo. Get her to the GP.

MrsMitford3 · 15/01/2025 21:55

I could always smell when my DD had an infection, knew she had tonsillitis before she did etc.
I could always smell it.

Toseland · 15/01/2025 21:54

Iwishiwasapolarbear · 15/01/2025 21:08

Maybe she means as soon as they get in as in more than one kid gets in from school

weird thing to pick apart when op is now stressed about her daughter possibility being diabetic

Show quote history

Agree, more than one child is getting in from school!
There is an annoyance at the mangling of the British language at the moment. Hopefully we can go back to normal use one day soon.

MargaretThursday · 15/01/2025 21:53

AFingerofFudge · 15/01/2025 19:56

Or (not to say it won't be diabetes, just giving you my view) it could be like DS1- when he was younger he would sometimes smell funny when he was ill (tonsillitis, a big, a cold). I would smell his illness too. It was weird, and didn't happen with the other 2 DC's.

Ds was the same. I could always smell illness on him, but the girls never.

elliejjtiny · 15/01/2025 21:52

Could be something or nothing tbh. I would try and get a gp appointment asap. Hope she is ok.

ladyflower23 · 15/01/2025 21:50

This sounds similar to my DD this week. She's also 9 and has been off school with stomach pain, nausea and tiredness and today smelt weird! Luckily she seemed to perk right up after dinner tonight and saying she feels better so hopefully it was just a bug. Otherwise I think I would have been rushing off to A & E with her after reading this! Hope your DD is feeling better soon and it just turns out to be a weird virus going round.

Gcsunnyside23 · 15/01/2025 21:50

I'd take her to a&e

TellYourSugargliderISaidHi · 15/01/2025 21:40

Differentstarts · 15/01/2025 20:23

Did people's kids just die before mumsnet

People discussed with their close community, people don’t necessarily have that now, so they reach out to other people online to discuss.

Merryoldgoat · 15/01/2025 21:39

Is the smell like pear drops or nail polish remover?

Has she lost any weight?

JaxKennedy · 15/01/2025 21:37

This could be the smell of ketones, get her to the GP ASAP for blood glucose testing, or the ED if you cannot get seen by the GP. Best of luck.

XiCi · 15/01/2025 21:34

Twaddlepip · 15/01/2025 21:33

Forgive me, but I’m slightly shocked that your daughter has blood in her poo and you haven’t thought to take her to the doctors.

Yes this was my first thought too

Twaddlepip · 15/01/2025 21:33

Forgive me, but I’m slightly shocked that your daughter has blood in her poo and you haven’t thought to take her to the doctors.

Toseland · 15/01/2025 21:31

Reading this as my son has come home tired and with an odd smell tonight! I can smell perhaps someone else on him and his clothes.
If I suspect he's ill by instinct I check by holding his hand, the palms always feel diffent to me.
Blood in poo always needs checking.

InfoSecInTheCity · 15/01/2025 21:28

DD smells vinegary when she has a virus, it usually starts about 24 hours before she gets a fever and my husband says I'm imagining it because he does not smell it, but I'm not and I'm right every time.

GivingitToGod · 15/01/2025 21:26

Caerulea · 15/01/2025 19:52

I'd give 111 a ring tbh, it's an odd combination of symptoms & blood in poo always needs checking.

This plus a GP appointment

stichguru · 15/01/2025 21:24

Early menstruation? Unlikely but possible.

claretblue79 · 15/01/2025 21:23

@Differentstarts Perhaps she's just after some reassurance from other parents. It is a support and advice site after all.

TheFormidableMrsC · 15/01/2025 21:22

My niece is Type 1. Came completely out of the blue. She just collapsed. No thirst issues or anything like that. I'd be looking at that urgently. Blood in poo needs checking asap.

icecreamfish · 15/01/2025 21:22

I also know a child who was always hungry (could never be filled) ended up being diabetic.

lifeisacat · 15/01/2025 21:20

Hope she's ok OP

AInightingale · 15/01/2025 21:13

Sounds as if it could be an infection, esp with the bleeding and cramps. Kids can pick up some nasty parasites, specifically worms, but there's others like giardiasis. Has she been round farm animals or anything. Very worrying for you, you do need to get a sample next time she goes.

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