Ds9 stomach pain

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Posting for traffic (I know-but at the end of my tether and desperate for advice)

Ds9 has had tummy pains on and off for years, usually gets them often for a few months then nothing for a year or so, dr said nothing seems amiss and try to distract.

Since about new year though they've been happening more frequently and don't seem to be letting up. The pain comes sporadically, sometimes from nothing, sometimes during/after eating. The pain is just below his belly button and he also feels nauseated and get's a dry/sore throat (think like the feeling in your throat when you're going to be sick)

Drs have examined and have booked blood tests to check for any deficiencies, but we've had to postpone as we have Covid in the house.

No pain on pressure/above appendix etc.

I did think maybe trapped wind as that can be very painful and the pain he has comes on quickly and goes reasonably quickly.

I'd say he maybe has one or two episodes a day, rarely a day he doesn't. Sometimes mild pain but sometimes he is crying.

I think some of it may also be worrying about why it's happening

Sorry for long post any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thank you

We also wondered if it might be dairy as he eats a lot of cheese, but after cutting it out it made no difference

Could he be constipated by any chance?
My son had the same symptoms and that was the cause, he had an xray to make sure.

I've said it recently on another post but look at migraines in children - they often present as abdominal pain in younger children. Any migraine in the family? It's a common familial link.

I used to get abdominal migraine as a child. I now have ibs and that can be worse after eating.

I also have a DS 9 with tummy pain on and off for ages. We gave in a poo sample and he had a FBC which all came back fine. I suspect its a combination of constipation, gas and perhaps a bit of anxiety.

We've cut out cordial, reduced sugary snacks massively (he helped himself to biscuits etc throughout the day without DH and me really realizing), and upped his intake of fibre. He also takes packed lunch to school with plenty of fruit and veg and been advised by the GP to eat slowly. School gives the kids 15 minutes to eat so we have asked for extra time. It's made a difference. He hasn't complained of pain in weeks.

Thank you all! He's not constipated, he said it's a mixture of someone's normal poop someone's a bit loose but goes every day.

I suffer migraines, but he gets these every day and they don't last long, could that still be abdominal migraine? I'll look into it thank you.

@TwentinQuarantino

I also have a DS 9 with tummy pain on and off for ages. We gave in a poo sample and he had a FBC which all came back fine. I suspect its a combination of constipation, gas and perhaps a bit of anxiety.

We've cut out cordial, reduced sugary snacks massively (he helped himself to biscuits etc throughout the day without DH and me really realizing), and upped his intake of fibre. He also takes packed lunch to school with plenty of fruit and veg and been advised by the GP to eat slowly. School gives the kids 15 minutes to eat so we have asked for extra time. It's made a difference. He hasn't complained of pain in weeks.

This is what I'm thinking, a mixture of a few things and anxiety makes it worse.

He has quite a limited diet as he's so fussy and has some sensory issues around food so I don't think that helps that he's not getting a proper varied diet

Yes, it could be daily. I have chronic migraine which is daily. However hopefully it's not that!!

Definitely one to raise with the doctor though. My Dad's attacks last a max 30mins. Mine can last weeks. It's such a varied and complex disease.

@SilverHairedCat

Yes, it could be daily. I have chronic migraine which is daily. However hopefully it's not that!!

Definitely one to raise with the doctor though. My Dad's attacks last a max 30mins. Mine can last weeks. It's such a varied and complex disease.

I've just had a look. He often does get dark circles under his eyes too, it actually sounds very very similar, thank you for suggesting this I'd heard of it but didn't think it was that due to the frequency and how long they last

I will definitely speak to my dr about it when we get blood results and I'm the meantime try a painkiller to see if that helps

You need to do a proper process where you try excluding different food groups one at a time to see if there is a trigger. Google fodmap diet. Removing dairy was a good try but it doesn’t sound like you’re tried removing gluten yet? That was my first thought when you mentioned the tummy aches.

So so many kids in this generation have food intolerances. Do explore this really thoroughly, I think it’s probably the answer. Our GP kept saying the tum aches were school anxiety, or constipation, or infections - turned out the problem was wheat which the GP had said was “really unlikely to be a food issue.” It’s good that your GP is doing blood tests and make aure yoh get a stool sample done too but don’t rely on their opinions, the NHS isn’t good at spotting food intolerances.

@Thewindwhispers

You need to do a proper process where you try excluding different food groups one at a time to see if there is a trigger. Google fodmap diet. Removing dairy was a good try but it doesn’t sound like you’re tried removing gluten yet? That was my first thought when you mentioned the tummy aches.

So so many kids in this generation have food intolerances. Do explore this really thoroughly, I think it’s probably the answer. Our GP kept saying the tum aches were school anxiety, or constipation, or infections - turned out the problem was wheat which the GP had said was “really unlikely to be a food issue.” It’s good that your GP is doing blood tests and make aure yoh get a stool sample done too but don’t rely on their opinions, the NHS isn’t good at spotting food intolerances.

Thank you I'll look at this. I struggle with cutting out foods because his diet is so limited anyway and he's very reluctant to try new things (eg swapping good normal bread for gf) and I worry about him then restricting further. For example he had cheese every lunch time, but when we cut out dairy to see if it made a difference, even though it didn't, he's now reluctant to eat cheese again

I'd be worried it could be appendix issues.

@jeaux90

I'd be worried it could be appendix issues.

I did consider this, however it's been going on for a very long time I would have expected it to get a lot worse? There's also no pain or tenderness when pressing

It can rumble on for ages and can be difficult to diagnose.

My partners son had it for about a year before it started getting bad and even then when they did the ultrasound they weren't 100% sure but advised to take it out. (I can't remember what they said, whether it look enlarged or something else)

He hasn't had issues since.

I'm just saying don't discount it because IME (I've had mine out) in can escalate really quick

Best not to cut out any food groups until after the blood test. Has your GP included a screen for coeliac disease in the blood test? If not I'd ask for that to be included. There are a number of symptoms, or a child may have no symptoms, but intermittent abdominal pain, nausea and throat irritation from silent reflux are quite typical.

Possibly migraine, as others have said, or mesenteric adenitis (may not have spelled it quite correctly), where glands in/near the stomach become inflamed.

@PragmaticWench

Best not to cut out any food groups until after the blood test. Has your GP included a screen for coeliac disease in the blood test? If not I'd ask for that to be included. There are a number of symptoms, or a child may have no symptoms, but intermittent abdominal pain, nausea and throat irritation from silent reflux are quite typical.

Thank you, I'll ask them to add that on when I call to rearrange