Worried about my little girl (nearly 6) (TMI if you're squeamish!)

[NotAnotherBrick]

We've had a sickness bug in the family. DD1 came down with it on Thursday afternoon, followed by me a couple of hours later. She had it really badly - lasted about 8 hours. I had it not so badly - about 4 hours. Both of us were sick and had wierd diarrhoea - very dark and thick.

48 hours later, DD2 (nearly 6) and DD4 (2) got it. They didn't get it nearly so badly - just threw up three or four times over the course of 2 or 3 hours and that was that. DD2 did have one bout of the weird diarrhoea.

DH just felt nauseous for a day and DD3 (nearly 4) seems to have got of scott free.

Now DD2 (the one I'm worried about) does seem to suffer from IBS every now and then - she'll get stomach cramps, and then go and do very watery diarrhoea. She had an episode before she got sick, but I think it was the IBS, not the illness because of the pattern.

THe day after she was ill (Sunday), her energy was like normal, she was eating normally within 12 hours, and she was completely herself.

Yesterday she got very tired in the morning, very unlike herself, but I just put it down to her recovering from the sickness bug. She hardly ate anything yesterday. Then, in the evening, she complained of stomach cramps again, and had more watery diarrhoea. She went straight to sleep when she went to bed, which is unlike her. And this morning she is still in bed at nearly noon. (She's home educated so wouldn't be in school anyway now).

She has been dozing on and off all morning, and, when asked, says she's tired and has tummy ache, but doesn't feel ill. She's not had an episode of diarrhoea since yesterday evening.

She's been drinking ok yesterday - mostly water and ice-cubes - but nothing this morning so far. She said she wanted to get up for breakfast about half an hour ago, but then sank back down on the pillow and I said, 'why not stay here for a bit longer?' and she said 'ok' and closed her eyes again

So now I'm starting to worry. WWYD?

It's normal for them to be utterly wiped out by a vomiting bug.

Have they tried to find out which foods (or do you know already) seem to upset her generally?

Bear in mind that gastrointestinal viruses can cause a temporary lactose intolerance so avoid dairy if you can as this will upset her stomach further.

As always though, see a GP if you are concerned.

the tiredness is probably dehydration, it's very common to feel exhausted when you haven't had anything to drink.

Can you get her to have anything now? It will probably help.

However I am more concerned about her occasional 'IBS' - I wouldn't want to ignore this, has she been seen about it or is it self diagnosed?

It isn't usual for kids to have IBS, I don't think.

Don't know if this will be any use, but when my DD2 had a tummy bug a few months ago it was weird: one evening/night she'd throw up, next day not eating, next day fine so gave her more to eat, then throwing up in the night again, and so on, every other day. Eventually I took her to the doctor's who said if her tummy has been badly irritated by the bug she needs a more controlled, v. bland diet for at leat 48 hours otherwise "normal" food will irritate her system more. SO: no wheat if poss, no raw fruit or veg (incl. juices - make compote by boiling fruit in water), no eggs, dairy, fried stuff etc. Rice is good, cooked veg, gradually proceed to dry toast, then chicken but steamed or cooked in water with veg etc.
Hope she's better soon. Must be worn out poor thing

Meant to add: IBS? sounds like an intolerance to sth - gluten? MSG?

thanks all.

Yes, it's an intolerance to fat and possibly sorbitol too.

She gets it half an hour or so after having proper ice-cream, for example, or after having a shop-bought cake with sorbitol in. It's usually fairly easy to work out the culprit and it's definitely int he family - I get it too, same foods, when I'm pregnant or have my period. My mum does as well.

We just avoid things that might upset her tummy as much as possible.

Will go and give her a drink now.