Child at secondary school says her tummy feels funny

[Emmy2020]

My daughter is in her second week of secondary school, says she enjoys it and has fun but every morning and sometimes throughout the day she says her tummy feels funny, I don’t know if it’s a bug if it’s on and off? Or if it’s anxiety although she says she’s fine about school. Not sure what to do should I call the doctor so they can check?

But check for what? Is it like period pain? She ate something dodgy pain? Butterflies in the tummy pain?

Nerves or not eating and drinking sensibly?
What was she like at the weekend?

It could be anxiety. I get upset stomachs when I'm anxious - I didnt know this is why I got upset stomachs when I was young. Maybe keep an eye on it for a few days and if it doesn't get better take your DD to the doctors?

I once read children don't get anxious they get tummy ache and I think it's really true. It can be excitement too though children and grown ups can struggle to tell the difference

Anxiety. Especially if it goes away when she gets home.

Maybe her period is on it's way? I started mine in the second week of secondary school

Sounds like a form of anxiety (although agree, it could be her period). Growing up, I had what I thought of as the "homesickness" feeling in the morning if I slept at a friend or went on a school trip or whatever. I think now it was a sort of anxiety or sensory issue of being outside of my comfort zone.

Have her put her hand where the funny feeling is. Above the waist, anxiety or hunger; below, oncoming period or something digestion related.

Probably anxiety, although given she's now in secondary school I think she's a bit old to be talking about her tummy feeling funny? Sounds like a much younger child, she should be able to use more 'grown up' descriptions now.

Pain, itch, tightness? Left, right, above naval, below naval? Bowel movements still normal? Any discharge?

She needs to tell you more than that.

Does the feeling change when she presses the part where she feels it?

@Mmsnet101
She’s 11, she just described it as her tummy feeling funny as she wasn’t sure exactly how to describe it to me as she’s not sure herself really. She actually uses very long and grown up words when talking, much more than her teenage sister, it’s just she couldn’t really describe it.
It’s on and off so not sure, that’s why I wasn’t sure whether to call doctors as we don’t actually know what it is. I was thinking probably more of an anxiety thing even though she says she’s happy at school maybe it’s the whole situation with how school is at the moment with Covid? Also they’ve had confirmed cases so one year group isn’t at school at the moment. And she’s maybe subconsciously thinking about it but still unsure.
Actually not sure if she had it over weekend, that’s a good point @TeenPlusTwenties my fault for not checking, it’s just I’m due my baby any time and am so so exhausted and feeling sick I didn’t think to check 😬 I Will discuss with her in more detail when she gets home to try and work out what it could be. Thanks so much everyone for all your comments 😊😊

My daughter is younger but gets this often. She's had issues in the past and her specialist nurse said tummy aches are very common in children. She never knows if she is hungry, anxious, has wind, feels sick or needs a poo. All described as tummy aches.

My dd had tummy aches which stopped and started for years. Turned out she had coeliac disease. If it continues and you don't think it's anxiety might be worth checking she doesn't have a physical cause.

Doctor will ask some very basic questions you can ask yourself.
Pain, if so where, what sort, constant or intermittent?
Diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting- if so when?
Fever, any other illness?
Pain on passing urine? (Probably do a dip stick) frequency of passing urine?
Change in appetite?
Period issues?
Any emotional upset or possible anxiety situations? (YES!)

Run through these yourself. Use your judgement if she’s unwell. If any concerns after this call your GP.

Having butterflies in your tummy/ funny feelings is absolutely normal when starting a new school especially right now. Reassure her.

Good luck with your baby.

@MatildaTheCat Thank you 😊 and thanks for those questions! I will ask her them when she gets home and see if we can work it out what it could be.

@The3Ls

I once read children don't get anxious they get tummy ache and I think it's really true. It can be excitement too though children and grown ups can struggle to tell the difference

That's interesting... I think there's something in that. Although I wonder whether it could also be about how the anxiety is communicated than the presence of 'proper' tummy ache...

I was an anxious child (now an anxious adult!) and I remember saying that I 'had a tummy ache' when I actually had a very 'physical' anxious feeling (tightness of chest, lump in throat, butterflies, etc). No actual tummy ache but there was definitely something wrong. In my case, my parents weren't very mental health aware and so saying I had a 'tummy ache' was an easier solution than saying I was horribly worried about something and trying to describe how I felt (I was too young to know it was called anxiety).

My oldest is 12 and had this badly at the beginning of last year. To a lesser extent it's happening this year too.

In her case, it's largely impacted by not sleeping enough and feeling travel sickness on the bus.

@Emmy2020 I'm glad you posted as my ten year old has had complained of stomach daily since starting back at school, despite enjoying it on the surface. We've also temporarily moved house due to renovations which I think is contributing to her anxiety.

What is interesting is that she is eating like a horse and using the loo normally which does rather rule out many medical causes.

I've bought her lavender relaxation products, I'm doing back rubs before bed,.,more talking etc etc. Doctor appointment tomorrow to get some reassurance but I can't see how it is medical. I'll update here for info.

Could it be something she's eating? For years I used to get a tummy ache mid morning every day. Turned out I was lactose intolerant and it was my breakfast porridge. Just switching to soya milk solved it!

I'd second pp with period pain and that's why she's not able to articulate it

You could also check if she's using the loos. My son hates the loos at secondary and won't use them which has led to some tummy issues for him too.

Thank you all for your comments and advice!
So I asked her all the questions and we worked out she has a butterfly feeling in her tummy on her way to school which seems to go once she’s in class and then only comes back at the end of the day, nothing at weekends.
So think it’s anxiety with walking into school, although she goes to the gate with her sister and it’s just walking to her class and then afterwards he sister waits at the gate for her then they walk to where I’ve parked but I think she worries that her sister or I won’t be there. She’s always been a bit like this about thinking we will not get her and I don’t know why.
I said we always will pick her up and if there was any issue with me, going into labour/traffic etc then I would of told school and she’d go to reception or I would get her grandparents to pick her up, whatever happens we aren’t just going to leave her there. She has her phone too. She says she can’t get rid of that feeling even though I’ve told her this and I am now wondering is there anything that can stop her feeling like this.