...to suggest our GP is being dismissive?

[notthatcommon]

Our toddler has been struggling with digestive issues for months - regularly has a distended tummy like a beach ball and it can feel rock hard; sometimes can be sick, daily diarrhoea, bad smelling wind and bowel movements; and tells us his tummy hurts.

I'm concerned he's intolerant to something and we're missing it. We're keeping a food diary and he has gaviscon for reflux; we've cut out dairy for the moment to see if that helps.

If we call GP, I can almost hear her rolling her eyes down the phone and she seems to think this is all normal for a toddler.

Is it?

Not normal with any of my 4.

Not normal with mine at all

Not normal at all. Be the squeaky wheel until your child receives proper attention.

My DD sometimes got constipation as a toddler and some of these symptoms match up - any chance of that, OP?

My 2 year old is the same minus needing medication. The consultant diagnosed.... Toddler diarrhoea!

No it’s not normal… keep at them and ask for a second opinion. After hearing/being involved in lots of horror stories I do not trust GP “opinions” (I’m a nurse and the amount GPS miss is horrifying)

No not normal. GP shouldnt dismiss you but if they try you need to insist a bit or ask for a second opinion.

I know a family whose young son had very similar symptoms- ended up being celiac disease.

I hope you get an answer soon x

@ChicChaos

My DD sometimes got constipation as a toddler and some of these symptoms match up - any chance of that, OP?

I don't think so but as a FTM I'm not certain - he has a dirty nappy daily, sometimes two or three times, drinks plenty of water/watered down diluting juice, and eats a decent amount of fruit and veg most days.

Talk to the pharmacist and also get on allergy forums sounds like you are going to have to figure out what is going on. Symptoms and trigger diary. Any poo witholding or constipation. Possible triggers to work through excluding (be methodical in your recording) dairy, fructose, gluten. But it might be idiosyncratic, my dd gets horrible stomach cramps after eating pastry but she is fine with all the individual ingredients, she just can't digest it. Consider using pre and probiotics maybe to improve gut health, but don't do everything at once because you won't know what is helping. Make a plan of action from the advice here maybe.

Possibly lactose intolerance. Frequently misdiagnosed because apparently diarrhoea is the usual side effect. My Ds was on paediatrician prescribed laxatives for years until he went lactose free and it solved the problem. He would have a distended taut stomach, constipation etc.

All fine since cutting out lactose.

Not normal.
My dc was the same symptoms included - vomiting, loose stools, constipation, very skinny but bloated abdomen, low iron levels, still needing afternoon sleeps aged 5, dry skin, fatigue and partial hair loss.
After many trips to the Dr's I sat and cried in front of the Dr and refused to leave until dc was given blood tests (I specifically requested bloods for coeliac along with other more general bloods) - they came back with anemic and coeliac disease.
Dc was then referred to a gastroenterologist and was diagnosed within 6 weeks.
So stamp your feet do what ever you need to do in order to get heard/seen. It took me 4 1/2 years to get a diagnosis and lots of back and forwards, I'm so glad I did though.
Maybe see a different gp in the practice, consider moving GPS if you know there's a good gp locally.

No, this isn't normal.

What you describe is exactly how DD reacts to dairy and eggs (she has a mild allergy).

We're doing the milk ladder under the guidance of the allergy clinic to desensitise her and I can tell when she's eaten something too challenging (with too much dairy) by the shape of her tummy and a very specific smell that her poo gets.

Mine is the same. GP isn't concerned as his weight is fine. I've cut out dairy and tomotoes but he still has constant diorreah but I'm too afraid to change anything now. Anyway my health visitor has referred me to a nutritionist, could you ask yours to do that?

I have similar symptoms. After speaking to me on the phone the GP had me in the next day to feel my stomach and sent me off for blood tests for coeliac disease and sample for bowel cancer (although I have lost some weight which is what really flagged up her concern). She has also arranged another telephone call once all the results are in.

Some GPs just brush everything off and some are really on the ball, I'd phone the surgery and ask to speak to a different doctor there.

Ask for a referral - ? Coeliac

You should get him checked for coeliac and don’t exclude anything until the tests are done or you may get false negatives

This is not normal and don’t let them fob you off. One of our children in nursery nearly died yesterday after slipping into a diabetic coma. The doctors had fobbed the parents off for nearly 3 months putting it down to a virus 😡

Please keep pushing for a referral OP. My friends daughter had very similar and it ended up being a severe intolerance.

The most common allergies/intolerances are wheat, dairy, eggs. Start with those and keep on at your gp. Or keep seeing different ones in the group.
Food instruction in medical training can be summarised in ‘your body will take what it needs from what you give it’ , no other knowledge is needed. So you’re staring at a very low bar.
Approach the gps cautiously and courteously as they are sensitive creatures and hold the gateway to better treatment.

DS2 was the same. I took him off gluten and he was loads better - ate enough rice cakes to empty a supermarket!

Gradually weaned him back onto gluten after about 6 months off and he was much better. He still gets bloated occasionally and we need to cut down on bread/gluten intake.

Just to reiterate as advise about exclusion is wrong- please don’t exclude anything from his diet before tests are taken!

We had this with my ds since he was young and at the age of 10 he was finally diagnosed with Coeliac disease. Please don't let them fob you off like they did with us. I wish I had pushed harder for a diagnoses.

I would eliminate gluten from his diet and see if that helps. There is a blood test for celiac, but it's not very accurate. My doctor told me the best thing to do is an elimination diet.

@steff13 that's terrible advice! The blood test for coeliacs requires you to be eating gluten right up til the test date or it realky doesnt work. No its not 100% accurate but it mostly is. And speaking as one of the exceptions its far, far easier not to live like a coeliac unless you have to and its far, far better to be accepted as having a real medical need to avoid gluten than to self diagnose. So always try the official route to diagnosis first.