To ask for something to help my ten year old with a tummy ache!

[inneedofaglowup]

Anyone who has some good advice my ten year old daughter has an awful tummy ache. I've given her gaviscon, calpol, and a paracetamol none of it has helped. She's been toilet but nothing. She's crying when the pain in her tummy peaks and I don't know what to do. It looks to be indigestion or a bug of some sort as she says the pain is where her belly button is. It goes and then comes back. Thank you in advance for anyone who can help 🙏🏻

Stewed apple / flat coke or flat lemonade are good if it’s trapped wind/constipation. Also you could try cycling her legs while she is lying on her back. Otherwise hot water bottle and back rubs - could she be getting her period?

I had horrendous stomach pain a few months ago and ended up in A&E with a kidney infection. If it doesn’t pass in the next couple of hours then it might need hospital attention. Like PP I’d also be thinking of appendicitis so Google the symptoms and be ready for A&E.

Sorry let me clear up the paracetamol. I gave her a dose of calpol the one for 0+ month around 2.5ml of it just over 2 hours ago. I realised it wouldn't help as she usually has the 6+ and her tummy is hurting still so I gave her half a paracetamol tablet around 30 mins ago. I haven't given her more paracetamol than she should be having.

Just been doing the leg cycling and legs to the chin and rocking her. I'm going to keep doing this for the next 20 min

Good news about the paracetamol @inneedofaglowup also agree with pp could it be the start of her period? That's the trouble with abdo pain so many potential causes, most are harmless, I know you'll be worried I've been there as I'm sure many others have, hang in there

Actually she can have another half a paracetamol. At 10 years old the dose is 1 tablet. Or 500mg

Sounds like the pain is serious enough for a full dose. 2.5ml of baby calpol won't touch the sides.

It's a possibility but nothing to indicate yet. If it continues to hurt I'll give her the other half of the paracetamol

Yes exactly my thoughts RE the calpol. I'll give the other half of the pain continues

Rub her tummy anti-clockwise. It’s the way poo travels around the tubes. Hot water bottle.

Won’t work if appendicitis.

Another position that's good for trapped wind is on all fours with her head down.

Good luck @inneedofaglowup based on what you've said and I'm no medic (just mum to 2 girls now 8 & 11) and been in your shoes more times than I'd have liked, it does sound like trapped wind to me, the fact it's coming in waves like the bowel is trying to get something moving but please contact 111 if you get concerned.

The rocking and constant massaging (past couple hours) seems to have worked a little. She's finally trying to fall asleep. But I'm still massaging her until she's properly asleep

Apart from appendicitis it could be ovulation related if on one side.

I used to get a lot of painful tummyaches as a young girl/teenager. It started as constipation, pain comes and go. Nothing helped (healthy fibre rich diet) and I'd cry etc until I passed gas and it progressed into diarrhoea. It was IBS.

My son gets painful trapped wind. Getting in this position helps alot ( in case it's this). Hot water bottle over stomach also comforting.

I would get it checked unless she is ok now. I ignored similar symptoms thinking it was just ovulation pain or a bug or trapped wind. By the time I gave in and went to hospital my appendix had burst. Somehow I thought the pain of appendicitis would be unbearable but it was only the bit just before it burst that was so awful. Temporary relief when it burst and then the fever etc hit as I started developing peritonitis so really don’t mess around, if this isn’t a level of pain she has felt before don’t hesitate to get her checked.

Just too add another possibility, DD had similar last year. Was in agony with tummy pain all morning and calpol not helping at all. By early afternoon, was concerned enough to take her to OOO walk in centre. They were concerned about appendix and ran some tests. She tested positive for influenza (no cough or cold symptoms though) and doctor said children sometimes get swollen lymph nodes in tummies when they are fighting bugs which can be really painful. She recovered fairly quickly with regular pain relief but was wiped out for a week or so. I'd want to rule out appendicitis though if pain doesn't ease off soon.

If it doesn't resolve soon, you may need a trip to A&E (been there all day today also with a daughter with stomach pain).

Appendicitis does present with pain around the belly button.

Some experience of appendicitis here, having had mine removed a week ago and my son having his removed 6 months ago! The pain we experienced started around the tummy button and then settled in the lower right of the abdomen. They say pain on walking or raising your right leg is indicative of appendicitis. If you press into the abdomen and the pain is worse upon release, then I think it is quite progressed and you’d be wanting to think about hospital.
I spoke with 111 for both my son’s appendicitis and my own, they were helpful.
I hope your daughter feels better soon and that you are both able to get some sleep.

Thank you everyone for the very helpful advice. My daughter is just about drifting into sleep and said it didn't hurt as bad anymore I'm hoping she sleeps through the night so her body can repair itself and she's better in the morning. If it happens again I will take her A+E.

That sounds horrible for you. I went to A&E 14 months ago with unbearable abdominal pains but they never scanned my abdomen - they gave me a chest x-ray, told me I had a chest infection (which I did not) and sent me home with ibuprofen and omeprazole. After my sons appendicitis in May I was told they recommended operating or it could return at a later date and be worse - it got me wondering if I would experience the same pain again - and sure enough, 8 days ago I got exactly the same pain, around my tummy button that was excruciating and nothing would ease it. This time when I went into A&E I was determined to be scanned and they were reluctant, but suddenly, at 3.30am they told me I was going for a scan and about half an hour later the doctor came to ask me the last time I had eaten - I knew then it was my appendix and it had been the time before, it must have just settled following the antibiotics they gave me for my “chest infection” (my GP confirmed at a later appt that the x-Ray showed no sign of an infection in my chest - but my bloods indicated some form of infection present).
Makes me wonder whether if they had left me this second time, if mine might have gone on to rupture. So glad they changed their minds about the scan this time - I think they spoke to the team at another hospital and they told them to do it. I was transported over to this other hospital for the operation - in and out within 25hrs! They were amazing.

Jumping up and down helps with trapped wind.

Like PP, my appendicitice started with pain around the belly button that then moved to the right. Another sign for me was vomiting and not feeling any better afterwards (no temporary feeling of relief like when you have a bug or food poisoning) - mentioning it in case it happens with your dd. I think it is not advisable to use a hot water bottle if you suspect you may have appendicitice, so you may want to refrain from using one just in case.