Experiences of abdo pain in children

[fruitfly3]

Posting in AIBU for traffic.

Anyone have any experience in their children of repeated tummy ache and sickness that impacts on daily living? Looking for ideas of what we do next, possibly diagnosis and just a hand hold.

My DS 6, is normally very well, active and bright - eats a reasonable diet (7/10). Over the past few months he’s had a series of tummy pain and sickness episodes. These were following a pattern of being after a meal out / excitement / take away etc — with one recent episode that’s been different and more concerning. I’ve briefly summarised the instances below - all of which have been in a 4 month period (3 since Christmas);

One - Large meal out including pizza, charcuterie and churros. Woke in the early hours with significant abdominal pain, followed by a large vomit. He was completely fine after being sick and next day.

Two - Unremarkable day / normal food. Abdominal pain waking him at night, lasting a couple of hours. No vomiting. Completely well the next day.

Three - Meal out including bread, fish and chips and sorbet. Very excited day. Abdominal pain again overnight but no vomiting. Resolved by morning.

Four - party evening and food. Woke in severe pain overnight and was upset for
hours. Eventually vomited early morning - this continued for a few hours. Totally wiped out next day.

Five - Shorter, milder episode of abdominal pain overnight after a party - vomited once.

Six - This episode has been the most unusual. It began after a few days of excitement, treats and rich foods last Friday. Rather than a single overnight episode, he has had persistent tummy pain over several days. No sickness.

He’s really struggling with the tummy ache, is generally very pale and sad. When it hurts he’s unable to do anything - sometimes writhing and sometimes just upset. He’ll perk up a bit with calpol and ibruprofen, play in the day (other than the days after severe episodes when he barely moves). We’ve seen a paediatrician in ED after episode 4 who just thought D&V - fair as this was only the second episode involving sickness and it was way more severe. They checked his tummy, ruled out appendix and diabetes. We’ve also seen the GP. He’s had bloods today and will look at all possibilities. My working diagnosis is abdominal migraines, but this latest 4 day episode has totally thrown me. He said tonight he wants to be the person he was before which broke me a bit.

If this sounds familiar, I’d be very grateful to hear your experience.

Could it be abdominal migraines?

Obviously you will be guided by your doctor... I wonder if they have tested for coeliac? If not, maybe ask.

@caffelattetogo yes, it could. That was my working diagnosis before this latest episode which has gone on for 4 days. Don’t know if they usually last that long?

my dd has always had a pattern of tummy aches and sickness after meals out/excitement/rich foods. It seems better now she's older, but until recently we'd have at least 1 night of vomitting every holiday and then sporadically throught the year. Sometimes monthly, twice a month.
She's been tested for celiac and other inflammatory digestive issues but it all came back negative.
I first noticed a pattern when she was about 3 and it peaked about 6/7/8 - she's nearly 11 now and although she's felt sick it's not led to throwing up in about a year

@ScarlettSarah yes, his bloods included coeliac. He’s ‘thriving’ (tall, good weight) so I can’t see it being that but you never know.

@longwalkahead thank you so much, and glad your DD has grown out of it.

We had a similar thing with my son when he was 6/7. Things like this, then increasing bouts of nausea, though with decreasing vomiting.

He had an impacted bowel. He did not like the toilets at school and was holding in poo to manage to avoid them. So he was just so full. He did have diarrhoea quite often, but told noone. So the vomiting was our only initial clue.

@Snugglemonkey thank you. That’s on my list. He’s not a great drinker, and has had some mild incontinence which can point to bowel issues. We tried movicol for a while and it didn’t ease. He does go to the loo daily and isn’t straining or having diarrhoea though so I’m not convinced it’s this.

Appendicitis? My sons appendix burst. He had stomach pain and vomiting on a few occasions over a year. Then 4 days and I thought it was a tummy bug and it was appendicitis.

@Infracat thanks, this is at the back of my mind. I’ve heard people talk about a grumbling appendix. I’ll look up whether there is a way of diagnosing this without going in there, which I know no one will do (and is obviously drastic. The pain is central so the paediatrician didn’t think so, but said it could be an early sign.

Some solidarity here as been going through the same since my child had their appendix removed which turned out to be a tumour. She’s now on morphine to handle the pain from the symptoms.

One of the suggestions from the doctors is anxiety causing a lot of the symptoms.

@McGregor33 so sorry to read that. How awful. I truly hope the pain resolves for her 😢

He's not too young for IBD. Something like Crohn's Disease.

My sons pain was central, by his belly button, which is why I discounted appendicitis. I was asking on fb if a stomach bug was going around. Im nit saying this is what your son has, but if it gets really bad call 111. Thats what I did and they said to get him straight to hospital.

My daughter had this when she was 4 until 9 or so. Dr did all the usual tests etc but he looked at our family history and diagnosed Migraines. DH and I both had them.

Apparently it’s not uncommon for children to have Abdominal Migraines before they sometimes develop full on migraines, which she did aged 14. Not all children do develop full migraines.

https://www.childrens.com/health-wellness/what-is-an-abdominal-migraine