Daughter complaining of stomach pain (around belly button) for the past 4 months.

[EweHaveGoatToBeKiddin]

Hi, just looking to see if any one can advise?

This pain has been ongoing for about 4 months. Every day, 5yo dd will complain of it hurting. Most days, just a little niggle. But some days/nights, she'll be in tears because of it.

The doctor at first dismissed it as growing pain.

And then he said it was constipation.

And then he said it might be a food allergy.

I've taken all his advice, but the pain's still there. DD says it's worse at night time.

Surely it can't be anything to do with the appendix as it's been going on for so long?

I've tried pressing her belly button area to see if I can feel anything, but she tells me it's sore when i do this.

I have another appointment for 2 weeks time. Getting a bit worried now, though.

No other symptoms such as a temperature or sickness or anything. Does anyone have any experience of this?

Inflamed lymph nodes?

When he said constipation did he give her any meds to ease it?

Is it localised to just the belly button, or spread around that area? Is it worse at certain times of day or just after meals?

Thanks for the replies.

I didn't even know there were lymph nodes in the tummy area, IThink

I've just Googled and found something called Mesenteric Adenitis. But the tummy pain is the only symptom she has. No cold-like symptoms or nausea. I'll be mentioning this to the GP though for his opinion.

Yes, RobotHamster it seems to just be around the belly button/central area. Maybe an inch all round the belly button. but not to the side of the abdomen or anything. We were given some Lactulose, but nothing's improved.

I have no idea how likely this could be, but could it be an umbilical hernia?

Do you think its constipation? How often does go?

Dd2 was like this with constipation. She was very compacted. HAs he given enough medication to get rid of compaction? (Movicol was what dd2 had)

Thanks again for the replies.

I've had a google of the hernia, and i don't think it's this. DD doesn't have any lumps or bloat that i can see (just her usual round tummy, but she's always had this).

She's never been someone who goes every day for the toilet. Perhaps every 2nd day, sometimes third. But her stools are normal looking. Not like the constipated sort. (TMI sorry).

I've not heard the word compaction being used by the doctor before. How would he be able to tell if it's this? Last time, he just had a little feel and said it was possibly constipation. And then gave us the Lactulose.

We had almost the exact same with DD (5). She has a sluggish bowel and can get impacted if it's not kept on top of.

Movicol is fantastic for this. It even comes in chocolate flavour and can do the trick within 24-48 hours. It isn't a laxative however.

The problem with lactulose is that it is absolutely full of sugar and can produce a stomach pain of its own.

Thank you. I'll definitely ask the GP about Movicol at our appointment in 2 weeks. Or is this something i can buy over the counter?

DD eats a lot of fibre-rich foods. We eat brown pasta and brown bread instead of white. Fruit, fruit juice, (have cut out bananas recently though) and cereals. It may even be a case of her getting too much iron actually. I had this issue temporarily when i was put on iron tablets.

I just feel so bad for her having to put up with this pain every day. It's there even after she's done the toilet. She says it's constant and never goes away. But sometimes it will flare up worse than usual.

I think movicol sounds like a good idea to clear any possible blockage, if nothing other than to rule out constipation as the cause of the pain.

DS was put on 2 a day initially, going down to 1 a day after the blockage had definitely cleared, took a couple of weeks iirc. I'd make an appointment for 2-3 weeks after you've started the movicol for a follow up appt.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but can brown rice/pasta/too much wholegrain actually cause a problem in smaller children? Might be worth checking.

Robot I think you're right, my DS gets constipation from eating brown bread. Try switching to white bread for a bit. Prune juice and there is a prune concentrate that you can buy from chemists works as a natural laxative, it might be worth a try so that when you go to the doctors next you can confidently rule out constipation. I think as its been going on for a while, I would push for a hospital referral as it can take a while to get an appointment.

Did you ever find out what was wrong? My daughter, 5 years old is complaining of the same for the last 3 weeks.

When ds2 had this it was constipation. He ate lots of fibre too but, once you're v constipated, too much fibre can mame things worse.

Hi Ewehavegoattobekiddin, did u get to know what’s wrong with your daughter? My daughter has been complaining the same for past 2 months.

Hi there,
My daughter who is 5 year is complaining the same problem. What did you do. Did your problem solve. Is your daughter fine now.

Hi all,

I am having Greg exact same thing with my 5yr old dd. She is usually so upbeat and never complains even when sick. With this particular thing she cry’s in and off all day:( anyone find out what was causing your child’s?

We have already been to the emergency room and did X-rays, ultrasounds and blood work. None of which showed any issue.

Did anyone ever get an answers my 5yr old boy has exact same pain, been docs they checked his urine everything fine...
should i try this laxative just incase?

Hi, my son has had a sore tummy since before her was 3/4 - the gp once sent us to a&e with suspected appendicitis. He's now 9. Eight months ago I took him to a herbalist who muscle tested him and perscribed herbs and a probiotic. She also muscle tested him for food intolerance - he was intolerant to more than 20 of the foods she tested him for. Two weeks later and his sore stomach had cleared up. Delighted. Then 6 weeks ago the sore stomachs started again. Back to the herbalist - multiple food intolerance again, but different ones. Back onto the herbs .... 2 weeks later and the stomach pain has gone again. Very relieved. I would really recommend food intolerance testing and visiting a herbalist who is trained in kinesiology. It means at least they are not guessing as to which herbs will work. Hope this helps.

My daughter also gets sore tummies - She is prone to leaky gut. Artemesia 30c and a probiotics clears it up in 3 months.

I think the GPs normally start down the constipation route because it's fairly common and one of the easier things to fix. So it might be a case of trying to fix the constipation. And if that doesn't work, back to the GPS or an alternative practitioner.

My son has exactly the same issue
No other symptoms just abdominal pain
Almost on a daily basis
Has been going on for 4 weeks
Have been to hospital on a few occasions
No clear diagnosis
Any advice

Did anyone ever get to the bottom of this? My daughter has been in severe pain for at least 2 months. A&E visits, in patient stay, blood tests all fine.. conflicting information about bowel impaction (told she was then she wasn't then she was then she wasn't). Pain worsening but no one seems to care or offer a solution..

@cm0301

Did anyone ever get to the bottom of this? My daughter has been in severe pain for at least 2 months. A&E visits, in patient stay, blood tests all fine.. conflicting information about bowel impaction (told she was then she wasn't then she was then she wasn't). Pain worsening but no one seems to care or offer a solution..

We have exactly the same. Drs refer straight to hospital, stay in for observation and then sent home non the wiser. Has been impaction as well as unable to urinate for 24 hours plus. Had a uti to start with, also possibly made worse eating meat, possibly dairy too. Really scary when an episode starts, is acute for maybe thirty hours then dissipates. Hospital has advised me not to contact Dr again when it happens to avoid a hospital admission, this scares me too, in case it is something like a grumbling appendix, what if it bursts and I’ve been told to manage these symptoms at home?! A friend suggested indigestion remedies based on her own experience as a child