to go to A&e with my dd3 *pictures*

[littlemaemae]

My DD who is 3 has been having stomach/bowel problems for the last year. Diagnose as constipation. She can not pass a stool for weeks despite fantastic diet and laxatives and weeks is in severe pain most days. She is very petite and skinny but her stomach has swollen to look 9 months pregnant. Getting no where with doctors/hospital etc.
Aibu to think this is not how a heathy child's stomach should look.

My DS rarely pooed as a newborn, I was told that was because he was fully BF and a huge 10 pounder, so there was no wastage!

By the time he was 3, he was regularly complaining of tummy pain, had swollen tummy like your photos. Was crying in pain, unable to eat or drink etcAnd regularly vomited (because there was nowhere else for it to go)

He was refered to the "pace team" at local hospital, who explained that because his bowels had not been moving things along as they should, they were bag/sack shaped rather than tubular. The blockages had to be cleared then maintained before the bowels would be able to shrink back into shape.

He has been on a movical and picosulfate regime. Movical is NOT a laxative, it works in a similar way to the gell stuff in babies nappies by absorbing water and softening the poo. It's therefore important that the child drinks plenty. Dehydration is biggest cause of constipation. The pica sulphate is a laxative however.

It's been complete trial and error to work out dosages for both. You can't solve the problem overnight. my DS is now nearly 7! He is doing ok. His biggest issue is not drinking enough at school and their unwillingness to support me with this. (But that's for another thread) he still takes movical daily but very rarely needs the picosulfate. he finally has an appointment with a dietician as I suspect wheat is a problem.

It really is a long slow slog!

I would pester your GP again, to get an "urgent" meeting with the consultant. I hope the poor little mite is better soon!

QUOTE: These threads worry me......Me too. So many armchair doctors saying that little girl's abdomen looked normal (it didn't) and accusing the OP being unreasonable for even considering A&E when "it's a GP problem". Endless people saying this isn't an emergency situation hmm

I worry that threads like these might cause some parents to put off seeking medical help, which is dangerous.

BUT - the OP has had medical help - she called her GP who gave advice of taking lactulose tonight as an additional laxative on top of the 10 sachets of movicol which the little girl should currently take but OP has said she is not taking - OP chose not to take the advice of the GP. She was additionally offered a GP appointment at 8.45 am tomorrow morning - so just over 12 hours away, a nights sleep for her little girl and she will be medically examined. The GP is certain nothing will happen overnight as it is a chronic problem. Encouraged by armchair mumnetters OP has chosen to keep her little girl out of bed, traipsed to A&E, seen it was to busy and decided to return home. At 9 pm she will keep her little girl out of bed again and return to OOH to be seen by a GP who may or may not admit her to the ward once the OP mentions hersprungs disease (which her consultant has never mentioned to her) various food allergies (which her consultant has never mentioned to her) and other ideas OP may now have.
As a HCP - and an ulcerative disease patient I am still not convinced that A&E is the place for this little girl, and that the GP, and an urgent call to the consultants secretary tomorrow is much more appropriate.

I would keep nagging for further investigations.

My 'story' is only anecdotal but an acquaintance had similar problems with her daughter. Appetite became increasingly smaller but it was generally good, high fibre food. Then she rang one night to say that her daughter had started vomiting faeces. I told her to go to A&E and not move until they were admitted. With further investigations they found she had a malfunctioning valve of her stomach causing all the problems. One very simple operation later and she was, and is, fine. So frustrating that ongoing constipation is treated as minimal.

Your poor DD her stomach is distended.I get the same,I started suffering with IBS when I was 2 and then when I was 24 I was rushed into hospital and was told I have ulcerative colitis.

Like others have said make sure you push for them to get this sorted out for your DD OP,the pain I can suffer when my stomach does the same can be worse than being in labour and I've had 5DC.

Our DD8 suffers with bowel problems,her Nursery and school have been amazing,she's under specialists and her Nursery knew that and her school know all about her stomach problems.It's a main stream school but they've set up a bathroom just for our DD,it has wipes in there and her spare changes of clothes and bags for her to stick the clothes she's changed out of.

Honestly the school have never judged and she is one of the most popular children amongst all the children,teachers and the parents.
Her little friends all know that she's poorly and they've all been great.

I hope your DD's bowel problems are something that they can sort out soon,but if it is something that goes on for a while longer as long as you explain to her nursery then they should be fine.

The OOH should be with you soon 💐

Tell them you are concerned about her colon rupturing as well. A friends DD has just had this due to a similar thing, she had to have an emergency op and is now having to use a colostomy bag & hope it heals.

Tell them, in no uncertain terms, to stop fobbing you off.

Then I think of the poor families who have a disabled child or a seriously ill child and feel awful for them and that I really have no right to be upset about a bit of poo.

Don't be daft, it's not a bit of poo. Constipation DOES rule your life - the constant obsessing of when did they last go, have they had the right dose of Movicol today, are they drinking enough, are they eating enough, are they withholding?

And that's just normal constipation - your worries are way bigger than that.

Please don't feel you should minimise how severe this is and how much it impacts upon your every waking moment. It is serious, and I really do think the doctors you've seen thus far have been bloody negligent in telling you this is just constipation and you just need more Movicol. They aren't looking at the bigger picture - the severity of the problem and her low weight. I'm sure it's connected.

Hoping you are getting seen OP. I really feel for you and your poor DD.

I agree with you on one thing Boston, A&E Isn't the place for this little girl -the Paediatric unit is though,a child who is obvious pain & discomfort should not have to go another 12 hours.

Thinking of you love, and your lovely little girl! Fingers crossed a AND YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY JUSIFIED IN TAKING HER TO A&E

(((Huge hugs)))

Thinking of you too OP, hope you are getting somewhere and you don't get sent home.

you Know what is normal for your child. If her stomach isn't normally that enlarged, coupled with her other symptoms, then I'd take her to
A&e

My DS tummy looked this, he is coeliac - I'd be keeping a full food diary before I next saw the doctor. Hope you get some help tonight,

Thinking of you, hope your little girl is getting the help she needs right now.

Hope your little one is being seen and getting the help she needs

Hope you get the paed referral tonight

I agree with you on one thing Boston, A&E Isn't the place for this little girl -the Paediatric unit is though,a child who is obvious pain & discomfort should not have to go another 12 hours....

Then why hasnt the GP admitted straight to the children's ward - that is what my expectation would be for a child in severe pain. Why hasn't the consultant taken this more seriously if it has been like this for months?.....if is it an acute escalation then yes an admission may be necessary but surely the usual GP would know the child's history much better than a junior doctor on a busy night at A&E.

Your poor DD, here's hoping the OOH's has some sense and refers you to someone that can help.

My ds2 suffers with poo problems, he withholds, leaks and is on movicol and you are right it absolutely takes over your life. There have been times he's been screaming in pain for hours it is truly awful but the longest he's gone is 5 days.

I cant imagine the state your DD must be in. You are absolutely doing the right thing getting her urgent medical attention.

Also, depending on the outcome of tonight for the long term I'd ask your GP for a referral for a 2nd opinion and use choose and book to get her in a hospital with a good reputation for this kind of thing. In no expert but I believe you can choose the hospital you want anywhere in the uk. I also think you are entitled to ask for a 2nd opinion on a diagnosis. To be fobbed off with no scans/X-rays and given movicol just isn't on. I'm sure there will be others on the thread that are more up to speed with this side of things.

Good luck

Sorry- I misunderstood earlier, I thought op had an ooh appt at 9 tomorrow morning, which was why I suggested a different hosp tonight. . Apologies. Hope your appt went well.

Thinking of you and hoping your dd is on the road to getting the help she needs.

Her tummy looks so bloated, poor thing. I don't blame you for thinking A&E, you have to do whatever you can - sounds like you are hitting a brick wall every way you turn. Just wanted to offer support, you're doing your best for her, don't feel bad for that.

I wish I knew the answer Boston,sadly things go wrong and things are missed,it's happened with my own children,my DD in particular had quite a common issue that went undiagnosed from birth to 13 years & every medical professional who has seen her since is absolutely flabbergasted it was missed.
It was only picked up when we changed GP and I raised concerns yet again.
It happens.

Just to update have been seen by OOH and he said it doesn't feel like anything is twisted etc but wants her to go for an X-ray in the morning (huge victory!)as she is really impacted and we need to know what we are dealing with. He said there may be an underlying problem, I'm glad that has been noted.
Also examined her and said her bottom hole is very very small and tight like a constant spasm so she needs that investigating. May need dilation therapy it could be as simple as having a really small bum that can't let it out!
Seeing gp again in the morning so should get sent for the xraY and more investigation. Thank you so much for your support and kindness,It means a lot.

glad to hear that this gp listened and is starting investigations.
good luck and hopefully this means the start of recovery for your lovely dd.

That's great news.

Not that she needs an X-Ray and possible dilation but that someone has taken you seriously.

Sounds like they are taking it seriously which is good

I hope the xray brings some answers and in hope the OOH drs acknowledging there might be an underlying problem leads to further testing. especially allergies and coeliacs.

what an eventful evening