7 year old with bad stomach crapms

[jj594]

Hi, my 7 year old daughter has been complaining of stomach cramps for the past week or so. It's not all the time and her teacher says she hasn't complained at school but a few times a day at home she's doubled over in pain and then a couple of minutes later it passes. Nothing else, just cramps, eating fine and going to the toilet every day, no temp. Taken her to the doc who prescribed laxatives and said her bowel felt a bit hard. Been 2 days now and still has the pain (checked for worms but not that either). Any one experienced anything similar - don't know what to do next! Thanks

Has she been having fizzy drinks, caffeine, fried foods, broccoli, onions?

My DS has chronic constipation but he doesn't seem to suffer cramps with it.

I have cramps sometimes with my IBS.

Trapped wind may cause sudden cramps. It's possible if she's constipated there is some trapped wind and also if the bowels are moving again due to laxitive theres wind being released.

I would suggest seeking a 2nd opinion if a) she gets/ has a temp or b) you think shes the same/worse and not happy with the original diagnosis.

There's a lot to be said for mums intuition. I hope she feels better soon.

I had the same at 10 and was eventually hospitalised with 'constipation' being the final diagnosis. Without going into normal bowel movements 'for me' there was nothing new but I was a child and nobody asked me. Having suffered similar when I was 20 I reckon now it was stress related and they stuck an IBS label on me then. I truly don't think anyone really knows what was going on but at both points in my life there was stress (at 10 it was the 11+, a house move to the other side of the country, and bullying because I had a brain I wasn't equipped or prepared to hide).
Ask your daughter, perhaps through play, what sort of things might worry someone of their age. Is there a doll which might be having a problem at the moment? Is she mature enough to talk to you if you ask her directly about how she feels emotionally and mentally?
Good luck!

No, hasnt had any just a quater cup of ffizzy drink on Fridays as a treat but we've always done that

Thank you. I'm not sure if it is constipation. Think I'll keep her on the laxatives another couple of days and then go back. I have colitis but they said its not that (thankfully). Am thinking its maybe stress related as strange she's fine at school. So awful seeing her suffer - desperate to sort it out. Thanks for all the advice x

Nobody would have guessed that I was stressed when I was a child as I remained communicative and interested in things. Are there changes in her life that she may be worrying about or even not worrying about but the stress is coming out in her body? Try talking with her, young as she is, she might be able to shed some light on things.
Hoping she's feeling better, that pain is awful!