Large tummy in four year old any advice please

[mandmsmummy]

Ok so history is my dd1(4) has had what I think a pot belly since the day she was born. Some days it's a normal pot belly some days it's bigger. I've seen the GP with this lots of times who doesn't seem worried. She had three episodes of blood in her poo over eight months so she was referred for advice. She had blood tests (all fine) and the consultant felt her tummy and said its more likely constipation. Possibly a wheat intolerance and see how she goes. She has movicol to help things along as she does do quite big poos. She is fit and healthy in herself with occasional tummy aches but nothing to stop her doing what she's doing.

Now the rational thought is...she's had this tummy since birth so anything sinister can be ruled out as she would be worse now and a wheat intolerance couldn't have been their from day one as she wouldn't have wheat then. Unless passed through me??

My irrational thought is there is something really serious wrong and I should be taking her back. I am a worrier but I don't want her to be suffering.

Can anyone tell me your thoughts please? Any experience of this?
Some days I struggle to be rational about it, today is one of those days.
Thanks all
Xx

Have you considered it could be celiac disease? The classic symptoms of coeliac disease in children include:

• failure to thrive
• diarrhoea
• muscle wasting
• poor appetite
• abdominal distension
• lethargy
• change of mood and emotional distress.

We think my dd may have had it since she was a toddler, but was not picked up until she was 18 as she was actually symptomless. May be worth mentioning it to your GP.

I did wonder about that but the only symptom she has from that list is the distension.
X

If she suffers constipation then she will likely have a distended tummy and it will be bigger/smaller on a day to day basis. Plus, it is quite normal for young children to have a bit of a pot belly anyway.

My personal opinion would be that it is unlikely there is something seriously wrong if the distended tummy is the only real symptom she has. Serious illnesses tend to develop fairly quickly in children so if she has been like this since birth without other symptoms then it is unlikely to be serious. I am certainly not an expert though.

What did they say about the blood in the poo? I can quite understand why you would be worried about that.

They think it's due to doing big poos x

Big poos means she is constipated. I am not aware of any other causes. Constipation causes a bloated stomach. Have you tried increasing the movicol dose?

Initially she was having one a day which was too much so we cut it down to one or two a week but maybe I need to up it again.
Thank for the advice, I've always thought of constipation as not going at all. She goes most days now but they are often big x

Try half a sachet every day

Ok will do thanks

Big stools cause anal fissures and hence the bleeding and create a vicious circle of withholding/fear of going due to the pain. Better to have too much movicol so the poos are too soft if she is concerned about pain from large stools at least for a while until you break the cycle. Was she having accidents on one sachet a day?

Tonight it looks big and she says she has tummy ache. I'm so worried x

Don't worry stomach ache is normal with constipation just increase the movicol. Speak to ERIC helpline if you need reassurance as they are usually more help than many GPs

What's the Eric helpline please? Xx

Looked it up thanks will get in touch x

My DS had this and it turned out to be milk related

DD2 also has a bit of a pot belly and is now nearly 4. She has also suffered from constipation and I'm currently in the process of weaning her off Movicol again (she had been off it for 6 months and going regularly every other day but we had another bout of constipation). It can take months for an expanded rectum to reduce back to normal size if she has had chronic constipation, so I would agree with others to up the Movicol and then keep her on a regular maintenance dose for seversl minths before trying to reduce it. DD's tummy has reduced in size and has greater muscle tone so I think she will eventually have a flat tummy like her sister. What is your DD's activity level like?

Thanks for your comments.
notasausage she seems active enough she's on the go a lot. But now you've got me thinking! I will up the movicol as you say. Xx