I'm scared - lump in abdomen

[gnarlington]

Hi, my DS is 4 and he has always been an irregular poo'er. It's never seemed to bother him, he just doesn't go for a few days, then has one or two a day for a few days, then goes back to not having them for a few days.
A couple of weeks ago he really struggled to get a couple out to the point he was crying and sweating. Once he got a couple of really hard ones out he went back to his usual.
Now he is having one every few days and has seemed ok with it, but today I have noticed his tummy looks huge and I have just had a feel while he is sleeping and he has quite a big lump just below his ribs.
I googled (stupid) and one of the common things coming up is Neuroblastoma, so of course I'm panicking.
Anyone have any experience?
Oh, and I promise I am not a poo troll

OK, I've no knowledge about this specifically but honestly Google is utter shit for medical issues. Cancer will always come up for everything. Everything.

I would have thought that you can feel his food in transit, particularly if he only goes every few days. Sounds like he's blocked up. Isn't that what doctors are looking for when they press kids' tummies? Compacted poo not cancer?

Sounds like he has poo issues, like loads of kids.

Much more likely to be impacted faeces (so a big ball of stuck poo!) or even a hernia. Obviously take him to a GP ASAP to put your mind at rest and because the constipation itself might need treating (I have a DS with similar issues). Really. Don’t panic. With his irregular bowel movements it is overwhelmingly likely to be related to that.

Thanks, needed to hear that. If I can still feel it tomorrow I'll probably take him to the walk in clinic near us

Where abouts is the lump? Could it be a hernia from the straining?

DD is a rubbish pooer and has a epigastric hernia from constipation

It's on the left hand side just below the ribs

I was going to say hernia or something related to the constipation/straining.
Step away from google - it'll scare the bejesus out of you.

SOunds like a her ia, maybe the bearing down for pooping made it pop out more than usual. Definitely take him to the doctor as it will need looking at this week

Thanks I will get him looked at ASAP!

Get him checked out. With any luck, he just needs his constipation treating properly (which would doubtless involve lots of movicol/laxido), but needs checking out just in case. But by far the commonest lump found in children's abdomens is from a poo backlog.

So the lump has gone, must have been poo. He's done a little poo today and just now did a wee on his potty (still likes to use it when downstairs ) and some tiny bits of poo came out, looked like mucus. Do I need to take him to get cleared out? His tummy is still protruding but he's not complained about it at all (so far) so I don't want to make a big deal out of it!
He will only do poos in a nappy and so I'm worried about using any laxative as it means he would probably need to go in school. This would completely freak him out!!

I’d take him to the gp tomorrow and ask

Well, the other alternative is ignoring his constipation whilst it gets worse, until he starts having poo accidents anyway...

Seriously, with childhood constipation the earlier treatment is started, the easier it is to treat, and the shorter the time period of needing laxatives. If he's reached the point of bloating, and visible lumps, he's probably very constipated.

Yep, he has started soiling today so docs tomorrrow! Xx

Oh dear, poor chap.

I suspect he's going to need a disimpaction regime (clear out dosage) of movicol/laxido, and then a lower dose for a while to let his guts recover.

You might find www.eric.org.uk/what-is-constipation a useful website.

Phew, he's done it. It was massive but didn't cause him much bother. Brought him out for a run around and that usually helps!

Swollen tummy all gone and no more lumps. I expect more poo later but I think he has the bulk out

Seriously. He needs treatment. In order to be able to produce that massive a poo, his rectum (last part of the gut, meant to sit empty until you're ready for a poo) must have been stretched out by the backlog of poo sitting in there. Once that happens, the gut is rubbish at pushing poo out, the gut can't feel when is a good time to push poo out, and there's a big baggy area just waiting to fill with more poo.

Constipation is incredibly easy to treat when caught early. And a nightmare to treat when let linger on for months and years. Still get him seen.

As someone who has struggled with this for years, please get him to the GP and discuss preventatives. Something like lactulose or
Movicol could prevent him ever having another issue, and it’s awful and painful and makes you feel absolutely terrible. I also always keep some glycerine suppositories in the house in case of urgent situations, they are excellent for softening what’s there and making it easier to pass.

Ok, I'll pop him to the docs tomorrow. Thanks

Did you go to the Drs, OP? Hope he was ok

Yes I did. They couldn't feel any block up, but have given me movicol in case we need it. Thanks

He really does need to go onto a regular programme of treatment with Movicol- as another poster said, now his bowel is stretched he will be chronically constipated- he will need to stay on movicol every day for months until his rectum has returned to normal size and he is doing normal sized poos every single day with no soiling. GP's aren't very good at managing constipation- this info came from my daughter's paediatrician

Ok. Maybe I should go back and asked to be referred?

Get lactulose too for times when not using movicol - it's a stool softener- my dd gets blocked up sometimes and gets overflow (pop overflowing past the constipation) - she often does the most enormous poop I feel for her - lactulose is not as strong as mivicol and is very good

Ask GP if they have a continence nurse