Should my 2yr old stomach look like this?

[ImJustOneGrumpyMare]

I just don't understand why or how it gets so big like this? He's been way off his food for about 3 weeks now, just won't touch anything I give him, throws it on the floor or just nibbles little bits. But would happily chew on shite all day till his teeth go black. -which he doesn't- he's usually very healthy and happy. He's still his normal self except not eating. Although he is super crazy hyperactive. He has an attention span of about 10 seconds.

Is this normal? :)

Keep a food diary and note down what makes him sick or particular blah aged. My son has food intolerances and it sped things up when I could say what made him particularly sick/ill.
If you suspect gluten, don't give it up until he's had a blood test or he'll get a negative.

That is absolutely NOT normal. It makes me very angry that doctors still don't know how to properly diagnose coeliac disease and often dismiss mothers' concerns. This is what happened to me with DD1. I knew there was something not quite right from quite early on (she was about 7 months old) but I was dismissed as a paranoid first time mum and just told she was a fussy eater. Even MIL, who used to be a paediatric nurse, just brushed my concerns aside.

By the time she was diagnosed at nearly 3, she hadn't gained any weight in nearly a year, her complexion was grey and she was vomiting every 2-3 days, with bouts of constipation or diarrhoea all the time. She slept 12-13 hours a night and 2-3 hours every day - she was just exhausted the whole time. Within 2 weeks of diagnosis and going on a gluten free diet, she was a changed child, enjoying her food and running around like a normal toddler.

Sorry for the rant - this was more than 10 years ago, and I had hoped that things had improved now. Can you phone and ask to speak to a different doctor? Definitely take the appointment in 2 weeks' time (I hope it's with a different GP) and perhaps print off the symptoms from the coeliac website to take along with you.

It may not be coeliac disease (although it does sound incredibly like it), but your DS should definitely at the very least have a blood test to rule it out.

My immediate reaction before reading about all his other symptoms is that coeliac would be high on my list of differentials. As soon as I saw vomiting and other gastro signs, it moved higher.
Is he small for age too?
Children I have known with coeliac disease have also suffered from mood swings (probably related to the discomfort which they can't properly articulate) and getting over tired very quickly from insufficient nutrient absorption. Once on a GF diet, they have been completely different temperamentally and had massive growth spurts because their bodies were suddenly able to absorb food.

Keep pushing your GP for an appointment and good luck.

My daughter is 8 and has had the pot belly growing as the day progresses since she was a baby. She often has a sore tummy. When getting an ultrasound for hemangioma(sp?) at 4/5months the dr was concerned about her distended stomach but only wanted to see her feed on ultrasound which was fine. She also gets sore knees & ankles a lot and sweaty at night. I’ve been concerned about her weight gain over the years and we’re constantly told we’re feeding her too much (but we’re really not). Gp agreed to blood test for coeliacs and thyroid but my daughter has a fear of needles and wouldn’t let the dr try. We were referred to paeds but they wouldn’t even consider coeliac (because she’s gaining not losing weight) or blood tests and referred us to dietitians for dietary advice (again). We were discharged from dietitians after two visits and still my daughter has the bloating over the day. There is nowhere else for us to go to find out why she’s so plump, why she gets stomach pain a lot, her terrible wind and loose stools.

@Viser No he isn't small for his age, he's a very big boy and really chunky and rock solid. He is also sleepy all the time. He goes to bed at 8pm, sleeps until 7-8 AM and he's shattered and yawning again by 10am. But it's a constant battle trying to keep him dry through the night.

He isn't constipated at all. He's still in nappys atm, we are potty training but his poo is really like diarrhoea and very sloppy. He can.poo up to 5-6 times a day.

I did take the appointment for 2 weeks time but I think I'm going to take him to the WIC tomorrow. can't go today 3month old has his visit

I couldn't believe the doctor assessed him as being absloutley fine when he hadn't even seen him, all because I said he's well in himself except not eating anything and his big belly.

It's so frustrating, Sorry to all the other mum's that have been through this!! How long did it take until you finally got to the bottom of things?

@TK yep I understand what you mean it's so frustrating. I feel the same as you, everyone including myself said when ds1 was a baby he was intolerant to something because he was a fussy eater then. Throwing up constantly and always in pain and his poos never stayed the same then. Even with milk he was really fussy, but like you got brushed off with excuses, and got told I was a paranoid first time mother

My Auntie, who's a nurse said it sounds like it could be diabetes???

He Will eat but sweet things. We've just had cheese and broccoli he wouldn't eat that, But would eat a yoghurt. And asked for sweets afterwards. I try not to give him a yoghurt or juice until after he's eaten something but if I did that he would literally go all day without anything :S

Dies it sound like diabetes or is she batshit crazy

Unless he's drinking copious amounts of fluids everyday I wouldn't of thought diabetes. I've never known a distended stomach be from diabetes personally.

I would still think this is an intolerance to something.

I've actually booked my daughter in after seeing this thread!

My dd suffered with excess bloating. She has a lactose intolerance so we had to change to lactofree milk and other products.cut out dairy products for a week and see what happens. My dd's stomach returned to normal within 3 days.

Yes he drinks absloutley loads of fluids throughout the day.

He's going to WIC tomorrow. I rang the doctors and asked to speak to another doctor. They put me on hold for 15 minutes, returned back and told me that the doctor is busy and to hold for 5 minutes. 25 minutes later he comes back on the phone to tell me the doctor has already spoken to me and is unable to soeak to me again

I would registering with another GP by now, that's not on!

Sloppy frequent poo can go along with constipation especially an impaction.
May need x ray to confirm
Keep a foid poo vomit diary and ask for coeliac test