WWYD suggesting a family member seek a medical opinion?

[wigglybeezer]

My 4 month old niece has had infrequent bowel movements since birth, and was a poor feeder. She didn't poo for more than a week when she came home from hospital and has always had a huge belly out of proportion to her general size. She is formula fed and at first only pooed once a week, now twice a week ( explosively!). My poor mother ( retired nurse)is really worried that the baby has Hirschsprung's disease but doesn't want to panic the parents unnecessarly by suggesting they go to the doctor. I am trying to decide whether to talk to my brother.

Any parents with experience out there?

Lots of babies have infrequent bowel movements and don't have the disease you mention. What reason does your Mother suggest this? A distended stomach and infrequent bowel movements could suggest a myriad of conditions.

Definitely suggest they ask the GP for a referral to a paediatric gastroenterologist. My DD has a similarly poor record for bowel movements at that age (although not as bad - every six days or so). I was told that Hirschsprung's, although not exactly common, crops up more than you think.

It was excluded in my DD, but for a baby whose bowels are that bad I think it needs to be excluded too. At the very least she needs medication to ease the constipation. DD has been on Movicol since 7m, and she's still on it at 20m.

BTW, the consultant was very interested in bowel movements immediately after birth, so the fact your niece didn't poo for more than a week could be significant.

This is your brother, not some random off the street! Why on earth can't you and your mum just mention it? Maybe I'm too forward, but really, if you can't speak candidly to family then there's something amiss.

There was an issue with delayed appearance of meconiumn, but at the time everyone was more concerned about feeding problems. Mum is a logical person, not given to making a fuss about medical matters but her instinct says something is not quite right, however she realises Hirschsprung's is very rare and doesn't want to alarm the parents without cause. DN's belly is really out of proportion.
I have decided to speak to my brother, for the sake of mum's peace of mind, we all get on we'll but DB and SIL are older first time parents and my parents are anxious not to seem interfering as they have not known SIL very long.
I won't be alarmist.

Surely you don't need to mention particular conditions? Can you not just suggest they get her checked out by a doctor to see if they can help with the symptoms she is having. Hopefully it will turn out to be something easily treatable!

Oh and my Dad and late grandparents were doctors and there is definitely a family culture of assuming other medical professionals have all been doing their job properly. Dad attempted to prod DN's belly at one point but SIL whisked her away.
I am going to go with my instinct on this and suggest a docs appointment rather than the HV, better to get any issues sorted before she goes on solids.
My parents are lovely but a bit too stiff upper lipped sometimes!

Don't worry about being alarmist, interfering or doom mongering. Better you say something to the parents than wait for the baby to worsen. All you need to say is it probably isn't Hirschsprung's, but it's worth getting an appointment with a consultant to rule it out.

Any update OP? Was just thinking about your thread.