Worry over daughter with constant bowel movements after food

[emma16]

I'm starting to become increasingly concerned about my 6 year old daughter who is going to the toilet for a poo after every time she eat's a meal.
She's always had a habit of going after tea around 5pm but over the past 4 months or so i've noticed she's started increasing from one bowel movement at tea time to also another time during the day, but now she is going for a poo after every meal, and some times in between if she has just a snack of an apple or a cereal bar etc.
I've noticed that she's also eating less complaining of feeling full or sick. My husband wondered if it's because she's scared of eating for then having to go for a poo but i don't think that's the case as she's always loved her food (and still does) and certainly show's no fear when it's put in front of her or when she starts eating.
It seems to be after so many mouthfuls that she quickly starts to 'feel full/sick'.
She often complains of her tummy 'hurting', feeling sick, looking peaky & tired. She has a good bedtime routine & is in bed by 7.30pm. Sometimes she can still be awake when we might pop upstairs to the toilet around 8pm time but most importantly she's rested in bed & she's happy to be there.
I know some people will be thinking just take her to the doctors & I am planning on doing so, however i know the first thing they will say is to keep a food diary along with toilet habits so that's what i'm doing at the moment & have about 5 days worth.
I just wondered in the meantime if anyone else has had any experience or knowledge of something similar.

How is her poo do you know? DD is much younger but I notice that she poos after every meal/snack when she is constipated (hard dry poo). Wonder if that might be an issue here?

It's very loose 90% of the time, it's never hard or constipated. She looks 'poorly' quite a lot & i've noticed a little red around under the eye's. It's tricky because i know kids can swing from one way to another, she's tired a lot of the time also & just seems to be exhausted. Which to be honest if she's pooing every time she eats she's probably not getting the nutrition from food & wearing her out!

Well I have knowledge of a couple of children who sound similar but one seems to have nothing wrong with them (has had extensive tests) and the other has possible absorption problems. I am indeed going to say you need a trip to the GP and I would make the appointment now rather than wait as you have started to keep a food diary bit already have enough to be concerned about.

Could be nothing at all but you're clearly worried so why not get the ball rolling asap?

First of all, she is not pooing out the food she had just eaten.

Any family history of coeliac disease or serious bowel conditions? I think you need to take your Dd to the GP and discuss her fatigue, bowel movements and any other health issues... And specifically ask about coeliac, if only to rule it out.

Your probably right, i just always feel instantly guilty if i need to request a doctors appointment!
I do think they would probably say to keep a food diary just to see if it links to anything specific, that's why i've started off doing it, but yes it is starting to play on my mind.
I just wondered if anyone had had experience with similar or suggest something to try, but thanks for the response's.

Oh i know she's not pooing out instantly what she eats, sorry i should have worded it better. But basically within half an hour of eating she is going to the toilet feeling sick with a sore tummy & then pooing.

No there's no history of anything like that in either our family's thankfully, although i'll have to google Coeliac as i've never heard of it! I will specifically ask about that too thanks.

Defiantly worth a referral to a paediatric gastroenterologist. My child has a severe intolerance of all food( I'm not suggesting its that) but there are similarities.

Hope you get a simple answer

You should not feel guilt for using a public service! And yes, they might ask you to keep a food diary but equally, they might want to take bloods and you won't know until the GP actually sees your daughter.

I agree with those who said coeliac. The symptoms are very reminiscent of coeliac and I immediately thought coeliac commonly combined with lactose intolerance.

It could be other things like fructose intolerance as you mentioned fruit and cereal bars which contain fructose.

Your child is unwell - the Drs are there to help her! No need for guilt, you pay for those services after all through your taxes (direct or indirectly)

Sorry to bother you, i know its been a long time since you posted but i just wondered what the outcome of the above post was?

I currently have a 6 year old daughter with the exact same complaints and i just worried if your daughter grew out of this or ever got a diagnosis?

Thank you.

My almost 5 year old is going through this currently. She had a LOT of antibiotics for recurring tonsillitis and I had put it down to that initially but it's been 2 months now. GP is not helpful at all and keeps saying give her probiotics which I always do anyway. Any joy for your daughter?

No its still happening. She seems so well in herself. Im wondering if its a bit of an anxiety thing. Like is she overthinking about something and then having a nervous poo? Oh i dont know.

But when i see comments from other mums like you, it fully makes me think maybe its just an age thing, like a phase they maybe go through?

I’ll certainly let you know if i get any answers.

Thanks for replying. Yeah I don't know whats going on. She had like 3 normal days (1 poo a day) about a week ago but I hadn't made any dietary changes and I thought it had sorted itself out but nope back to 3-4 times a day again! I've tried cutting out gluten because I read antibiotic overuse can cause coeliac disease but haven't seen any improvement really. I'm a huge worrier, I will get to the bottom of this - no pun intended I will also update you if anything to report.

Oh im a huge worrier too!

Like you ive tried watching her diet to see if certain foods set her off but it seems to be everyday regardless of what i feed her.

She looks so well. We have seen a paediatrician in the past because she used to vomit quite often in the middle of the night. They commented on how healthy her hair and skin were. They gave her a good once over and even sent her for a barium meal to see if something was wrong with her for intestines and all they found is that she has a very delayed gastric emptying, so it takes a long time for her food to digest. So they said a heavy tummy may be causing her to vomit at night so we now cant feed her after 5pm so she eats early. And we also make her portions smaller so she doesnt get over full on a meal.

But now this constant need to use the bathroom is just epic. She sits there for 30 mins sometimes saying she feels like she needs to poo but nothing is coming. I try to logically say well then you dont need to go but for some reason she feels like she does.

Ive also noticed in this period that she is burping a lot after food, not something she has ever done before. Not sure if its related.

I put a call into the paediatrician before the new year and they said they would get her to call me in jan to follow up on my concerns, as she was too busy over xmas to take my call.

So im hoping she tells me its all normal for this age and its just their changing digestion or something and not to worry. Well here is hoping 🤞

I am learning that worrying about it doesnt change the outcome so im trying to chill out a bit more.

Lets hope they settle down. Maybe its just all the rubbish they have eaten over xmas (although she didnt have much of an appetite in the first week or 2 running up to xmas then this started so who knows whats going on?!)

Dd has coeliac disease and this is very similar to how she was. The initial test is a blood test so I’d ask for one. They’ll probably also want a poo sample.

Hello, I hope you don’t mind me butting in here to say, if you suspect coeliac disease, DO NOT CUT OUT GLUTEN until you have a diagnosis. The reason for this is that when they do the blood test, they need a high level of antibodies to be able to diagnose and if your child hasn’t been eating gluten then the test might come back negative, even if coeliac is present.

I think the child is OK now, these posts are from 2014

@sashh

I think the child is OK now, these posts are from 2014

Yeah just realised the Op is. Though there do seem to be other more recent ones who have posted on here as wel.. 🤷‍♀️

I’m replying to the two recent posters who have obviously searched and resurrected a zombie thread because they have concerns about their children’s health.

Good morning! I just wanted to update you as I think (dare I say) she's turned a corner. I tried gluten free made no difference at all. I tried every probiotic yogurt, she's always taken gummy probiotics and they obviously were not helping at all. I asked the gp to do a stool test. While we were awaiting the results I found amazing reviews on amazon for 'Optibac' sachet probiotics. So I thought I'll give them a try and just like magic the pooing went back to once a day THE NEXT DAY! The stool sample did come back as raised (don't know what was raised) but she said these levels could indicate viral infection it's not alarming numbers. Since starting the optibac sachets she's been toilet at most twice a day on a couple of days. She's complained of tummy ache twice in the last 2 weeks compared to several times daily. Praying I haven't spoken too soon but if you haven't already tried the optibac sachets they're worth a shot! X

Sorry just to add I asked for a stool test as she was having LOTS of mucus when I was wiping her butt and it got me worried. That has also stopped x

@Twighlightsparkle

Defiantly worth a referral to a paediatric gastroenterologist. My child has a severe intolerance of all food( I'm not suggesting its that) but there are similarities.

Hope you get a simple answer

NOthing to be defiant about--it's reasonable to be worried, but a simple blood test for coeliac can be done by the GP practice.

Oh wow!!! Im looking these up right now! Thank you so much.

I have over the last month suspected that its anxiety though. She had covid last week and was home with me all week and she was pretty much normal. Then back to school and swimming etc and its back to everytime I suggest its time to leave the house she needs a poo 🤷‍♀️

But think ill give these a go too. Cant hurt.

Thanks so much for the update. glad things are better.

@Gemsyb4

Oh wow!!! Im looking these up right now! Thank you so much.

I have over the last month suspected that its anxiety though. She had covid last week and was home with me all week and she was pretty much normal. Then back to school and swimming etc and its back to everytime I suggest its time to leave the house she needs a poo 🤷‍♀️

But think ill give these a go too. Cant hurt.

Thanks so much for the update. glad things are better.

Oh bless her, I hope they help even if just a little. Not right that they can have anxiety at such a young age is it. My dd worries so much about everything too! Everything crossed for you xx