What could this be?

[jesslambo88]

Hi everyone so 2 weeks ago our little boy who's 20 months old had bacterial tonsillitis and was prescribed antibiotics which he finished last Friday. Sunday evening he started screaming and was sick phelm twice and seemed to have a tummy ache all night. He was up most of the night crying and wouldn't keep still and was raising his legs. Monday he wasn't himself but seemed better. Tuesday he woke up fine then after breakfast went poorly and was on our laps all day crying raising his legs and was uncomfortable. As we arnt able to see the doctor we spent most of the day on to 111 who eventually said he needed to see someone as he had a fever. Saw a doctor who said his tonsillitis was back and gave him more antibiotics. Could his tummy ache be due to being unwell with tonsillitis or could he have a milk allergy/lactose?? Thanks

Can't diagnose over the internet. One possibility might be patient.info/digestive-health/mesenteric-adenitis

My Mum always said that she knew my sister had tonsillitis when she complained of a sore tummy. It was her first symptom every time.

My 3 year old suffers from recurrent bacterial tonsillitis. Tummy pains are always the first sign it’s coming and she behaves exactly as you’ve described with your DS, we know when she starts conplaining of tummy ache to keep an eye on her tonsils, and sure enough, within 24-48 hours the white spots appear. I’ve been told that it’s because there are lymph nodes in the tummy (as well as the obvious ones in the neck/groin etc) that swell up when the body is fighting infection (especially in children) and cause considerable pain xx

@VividImagination @Hartleyhare1206 that's so reassuring it's normal...makes it worse having to guess what's wrong as he can't talk...Thank u xx

@jesslambo88 it’s horrible to see them in distress, isn’t it? It took us a few “episodes” of it, for us to twig it was linked to the tonsils but once we did it felt like an early warning system for us. The pains usually last for around 4-5 days when the antibiotics start, and are usually worse in the night but calpol or Ibuprofen do help. Interestingly, when she has tonsillitis and I ask her where it hurts, she always says her tummy, and never mentions her mouth at all! I even say “and does your mouth hurt? Does it hurt when you swallow?” And she just shouts at me “no mummy I’ve told you, it’s just my tummy!” Yet her tonsils are the size of golf balls and oozing puss....kids are weird!!! 😂😂

@Hartleyhare1206 thanks so much for ur message...me and my husband feel reassured by ur message as that's exactly the same as our ds...he's a bit up and down during the day but at night his tummy is definitely worse...ye we've been alternating calpol and nurofen and they do help...today is day 3 of his antibiotics so hoping they start to kick in soon...we're finding it really hard to give any medicine now thou 😐xxx

@jesslambo88 glad to have helped a little xx always find a chocolate button bribe helps
With antibiotic taking... xx
I think they find it worse at night because there are no distractions to take their mind off it. Oh, also, we find she gets a lot of trapped wind when she is ill too as she doesn’t eat much and that doesn’t help with the tummy ache...plenty of warm baths and bicycle legs used to help “get it out” when she was smaller xx

@Hartleyhare1206 ye he gets exactly the same with his wind...thanks so much...just hope it doesn't come back again and hoping for better nights sleep soon xx

Honestly, it’s my pleasure, I’m glad to be able to help In some way. I always feel so helpless when DD is poorly, and very despondent when it goes on for a few days and I’m knackered from unbroken sleep! We are on our 12th bout of it at the moment and in our experience days 4/5 are when she “turns a corner” and starts to pick up. Sending big hugs; you’re doing a great job and sound like a lovely mummy wanting to help him as much as possible. Let me know if I can try to reassure you with any other concerns I’d be happy to try xxx

@jesslambo88 how’s he doing now? Better I hope? Xx

@Hartleyhare1206 he's doing much better thank u...the last 2/3 days he's turned a corner and is back sleeping through which always helps...thank u for ur lovely comment I try my best xxx

@Hartleyhare1206 hi Hun we've noticed the past 2 nights since our little boy has stopped taking his antibiotics he's waking up in the night still with tummy ache...as soon as we give pain relief and it kicks in he's ok...does this happen to ur little one xx

The tummy ache certainly seems to hang about with us for a while...she usually has ten days of antibiotics (not sure how long your LO was on them for?) and whilst the tummy ache doesn’t last the full ten days I’d say it must be a good 7 days as that’s usually how many nights she wakes for before settling down.
Not sure if that helps or not really? Xx

The first time he had tonsillitis the start of March he had a 10 day course and then 2 days after stopping them it came back so was given another 5 day course...he's been off them for 3 days now...he's fine in himself in the day and completely back to normal but at night he's waking up once with tummy ache and we have to give some calpol and once that's kicked in he's fine xxx

It’s a tricky one to know the answer to...it could easily be from the tonsils still based on the timeframes we get tummy ache for, and the fact that calpol helps seems to suggest it is that...is he eating and drinking normally? Could he be windy and crampy whilst his digestive system gets back to normal? I’m sorry I’m clutching at straws for you, I wish I could say something more definitive to make you feel better xxx

Ye I'm thinking the same...it's a hard one and a guessing game...we were wondering if it was his milk and maybe lactose intolerant but he's been fine it's only been since he's stopped the antibiotics and his poos are hard like pebbles...will give him some more time and see...thanks for ur advice thou xx

Ok, should have thought to mention this sooner but mine gets constipated on antibiotics...when she is on antibiotics I give her a sachet if movicol each day for a few days. I never thought to mention it previously as I just start doing it automatically on the day the antibiotics start to “keep things moving” as it were...maybe up the fluids and fruit etc to see if you can help soften his stools? It sounds like that won’t be helping his tummy troubles 😢😢

@Hartleyhare1206 ohhhh ok Hun...he's just done a poo and it was looser so maybe he's a bit constipated...do u get those sachets from the pharmacy xxx

Yes. We have them on prescription so maybe you could ask your GP to do that? Or you can buy them over the counter. You can also get a liquid syrup medicine to help too if you prefer but I found it irritated my DDs tummy more so we use the powders xx

@Hartleyhare1206 thanks so much xxx