To go back to A&E

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

3 year old since yesterday afternoon has had sporadic stomach pain, will scream and cry, grabbing at her stomach saying it hurts. After bedtime this ramped up to every 11minutes. DH took her to A&E last night, they said no other worrying signs, (they didn’t run any actual tests- but felt her belly and did her observations), and they think that essentially she’s trying to pass a stool. Told to give ibuprofen- which she’s had 1 dose so far.
I have had her in bed with me, we have been up every 6-12 mins without fail since 1am, she’s thrown up once through the pain- still no other symptoms, no temp no sweats etc.
Am I right to go back and demand further tests, my child is exhausted, this cannot be normal.

Yes take your child back to be seen again.

Yes I would take back.

Can you not give her more ibuprofen yet?

I'd go back and if it's cause of her bowels I'll ssk for suppositories or whatever they use these days.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers oh I'm so sorry this is happening to you all.

I would say go back - you know your child better than anyone else and you deserve answers. I actually worked in A&E for a period of time and the amount of parents who felt guilty for bringing their children in was shocking. Please trust your gut, if it's really nothing then the most you'll lose out on by taking her down there is your sleep/patience/sanity lol 😂

Mum of a 3 year old here 🙋🏻‍♀️ YANBU at all. You know your child. I’d be going back with mine in that situation too.

Hope your DD is ok 💐

Yes I would probably take her back, from your post it sounds like when she was taken last night she hadn't been sick yet?
I'd be worried about the possibility of something like appendicitis. If it is because of her bowels then there must be something they can give to help.
Did the ibuprofen help at all, it sounds like maybe it didn't? I'd go back with the two new bits of info - she's now vomiting, and painkillers aren't helping.

It sounds like it could potentially be a sickness bug with bad stomach cramps maybe. But it sounds fairly extreme and you're obviously worried so if it were me I wouldn't want to bet

Pressed post too soon. Wouldn't want to bet on it being nothing serious.

I would be going back, when in doubt check it out is the best adage with little kids. They can't tell you much, it may well be something 'minor'. Is the pain in the stomach or bowel? If it's around bellybutton that's likely bowel pain. There are extremely painful bowel problems that aren't dangerous, mesenteric adenitis is one that is fairly common in young children. This is diagnosed by ultrasound. Constipation can be really painful, physical examination for it isn't always accurate. Ultrasound will show if really bad but x-ray is better for that. Gas pain can be extraordinarily painful, no test for that one, though if they start farting a lot and it eases might point to that. Is there any reason you can't alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen? I'd be doing that, though I have found the later more helpful for bowel issues. Heat pack might help. Are they eating and if so does it hurt more during or straight after eating?

That will mask the pain, but it's what is causing such extreme pain still
is the issue here surely?

Definitely go back to A&E.

Thanks all- really hard to tell if it’s stomach or bowels my LOs speech is only just picking up - she’s grabbing at the belly and says it hurts but can’t be specific like is it one side. They said if it was the stomach she’d have more likely been throwing up.
She ate yesterday, not great but she’s fussy anyway- pain didn’t seem related to when she ate.
No idea why they didn’t say paracetamol- they just told my DH ibuprofen.
Going to go back this morning and ask all the questions.

Why not ring the GP first? If she’s constipated, she will feel uncomfortable until that’s cleared.

Because the GP wouldn’t be able to do anything. To me every 11mins and over 11 hours of constant pain seems extreme for constipation- but that’s why I was asking.

Yep go back. If she's in that much pain because of constipation they should be treating it anyway, Ibuprofen will do sweet FA.

There are extremely painful bowel problems that aren't dangerous, mesenteric adenitis is one that is fairly common in young children.

There was a thread on here fairly recently I think where a child had really bad stomach pain and vomiting and ended up being admitted. I think this was what it ended up being.

The child is not "uncomfortable", she's in pain.

I know the NHS is struggling but this child needs to be seen, even if hopefully it turns out to be nothing serious, small children become unwell very quickly.

@CornishGem1975 sorry I tagged the wrong post!!

That should've tagged @Soontobe60 post!!

About being "uncomfortable"

Ha no worries @Behindyouiam

can you give her a drink, to soften her stool

I would ring 111 and ask to see your local Peds at hospital.
Our get gp appt for them to escalate.
if she was passing stool movicol is better but I am concerned she swallowed a magnet.
my daughter had bowel issues would sometimes go weeks without pooing this never happened to her

I would take her in, poor girl. I hope she feels better soon 🙏

Presumably they asked what she has eaten in the last couple of days, what her bowel habit has been and if it has changed, what her stools look like? Did they then offer an explanation of why they think she is trying to pass a stool? Possible impaction?
The answers DH gave to those questions might shed some light.
Did they suggest a warm bath? Local heat? Tummy massage? Stool softener?
Just suggesting ibuprofen doesn't sound at all useful.
I am sorry. It is so upsetting when they are in pain and you don't know why.
Could she have eaten anything dodgy?
I remember being very ill when I ate some berries from the garden. My dad ripped the plants out. I can't remember what they were now. It was 60 odd years ago.

I'd probably try and see the GP first if they open soon, just to save yourself hours of waiting in A&E before you're seen again. But it depends on how good your GP is, mine is really good and would get us in straight away.

Has she got a fever? I'm just wondering as my children have this past week been unwell with high fevers and stomach pain. One was vomiting, one wasn't. It is going around their nursery.

Could she have swallowed a foreign body? What was she playing with before the pain?

My DC had this a couple of times and we ended up in hospital. Got given Laxido to take and then ended up having to take a couple of packets a day for a couple of years. They're fine now but it was horrible to see them writhe in agony.