Liver - son aged 10

[DontPetTheSweatyStuff]

I took my son to the Drs for blood tests and stool sample as I thought he may have food allergies/intolerances. He is always bloated, uncomfortable and unable to eat normal sized meals without discomfort.

We went back for the results last week and the Dr said all food related tests came back fine but one blood test indicated an inflamed liver. He now has an appointment for a scan in 2 weeks time.

I was just wondering if anyone else has had similar and whether an inflamed liver can ever be something not too serious, or if it is something I need to prepare myself for before we get the results?

There is a degree of uncertainty without the tests themselves but I think it's reassuring that whoever's seeing him is happy to watch and wait rather than rushing him in for things.

Liver inflammation is detected with blood tests for certain markers. These can be elevated for non-specific reasons. Even if the levels are particularly high with "true" inflammation this is often from run-of-the-mill viral infections and will resolve on its own. The liver is quite a resilient organ and continues to do its job effectively even if there is lots of inflammation.

Liver inflammation can be from other underlying causes and your doctor will be trying to understand whether this is the case based on the history, any tests and (importantly) what happens over time. It sounds as if they're still gathering pieces of the puzzle. Hopefully there will be clearer answers by the next consultantion.

Thank you for replying. I did have a quick look on Google to find out reasons why blood tests would show inflammation, but it didn't come up with anything other than what I would consider worse case scenarios.

I'm glad to know it could be something as simple as his body fighting off an infection.