At wits' end with DS's tummy aches

[Rainbowbrite82]

He's 8 and has suffered with tummy aches on and off over the years. He is the kind of kid that gets tummy ache when he's worried/nervous but he's at an age now where he can tell me if it's caused by something worrying him and I honestly don't think that's the case on this occasion - he swears nothing is bothering him and he does usually tell me if it is.

Recently, he's been getting them every night causing him to be in and out of bed for hours. I feel bad because I sway between thinking he's trying to get attention and believing he's really in pain. But he's woken in the night with it a few times so I believe the pain is real. He says it sometimes hurts at school too. The other day it started hurting half way through dinner. Most of the time, he is fine, happy, thriving, good weight etc. When it hurts he says he gets what I interpret as reflux coming up his throat and his belly just hurts. No medicines help. He's being tested for celiac as he also has a mild rash on his elbows and he gets leg pains sometimes- I'm not convinced that's it as his symptoms don't seem severe enough. In terms of bowel movements- he goes once-twice a day and it's always soft but he has always been like that.

I dread every evening as he's up and down the stairs constantly and nothing I try seems to help. I'm keeping a food diary but nothing is jumping out. What on earth could it be?

I'm intolerant to (of?) garlic. Makes my tummy hurt and stools soft plus I constantly feel like I need to go, took me years to work out it was garlic. I also have to be careful with leeks and onions.

Just a thought, some kids with hypermobility get crippling stomach pains.

try a soft food/mashed diet for a while and see if that helps.

@PracticingPerson I don't mean to seem dismissive of emotional issues- yes, it could be that. But as I said, when he does have anxiety, he does tell me what it is that's bothering him. I do accept it could be something he can't articulate but I really feel on this occasion it's something physical, particularly given the skin rash too. However, I constantly chat to him about how he's feeling and remind him to tell me if anything is upsetting him as I am aware that emotional issues can cause real physical symptoms.

I do wonder if it's something like garlic or onion that upsets his stomach - it's just really hard to see a pattern in his food diary.

@passthecake30 reflux is definitely one of his symptoms but unfortunately Gaviscon doesn't seem to help.

Really interesting to hear about DCs who've been unexpectedly diagnosed with celiac. Could he have that even if he's growing well - he's fairly tall for his age and is constantly outgrowing clothes and shoes?

@Rainbowbrite82 one of my sons did a trial gluten free diet (I'm coeliac) after he failed to grow when he was six, within a couple of weeks he said his tummy didn't hurt anymore, he hadn't even mentioned it before, antibody tests negative, diagnosed with genetic test and biopsy

Good luck with it. It is very hard when there is something just not right.

I think he needs more bloods doing that just the coeliac test. I’m thinking Addison’s (have a google, although it’s rare it can and does happen in children, he’ll need an early morning cortisol blood test), lupus, anaemia etc etc, essentially a full endocrinology work out - normal blood tests won’t cover it. I was diagnosed with Addison’s at 36 and my main symptoms were stomach pain and running to the toilet. I had similar stomach issues to your son as a child and it was always dismissed as ibs / allergy issues (even though never confirmed as such) and I’m now convinced my autoimmune issues began as a child. (I have Addison’s, lupus, hypothyroidism, asthma and pituitary issues - once you have one autoimmune thing you often have more).

[quote Stoolpigeon21]Could it be an abdominal migraine? There is some information here
www.medicinenet.com/abdominal_migraines_in_children_and_adults/article.htm#what_is_abdominal_migraine[/quote]
I was going to say the same, my son had this as a child. Our gp explained that headaches can manifest in the tummy for children, very painful for your son.

Oh my goodness, I had to double check your op to make sure it wasn't one I had written

My ds is 10 now but has been suffering with his tummy for a couple of years now. We've been referred to a consultant and they have tested for so many different things, all negative. I was tending to think it was anxiety/stress too, but it's been worse recently and I can't pinpoint why.

We did have a private food intolerance test, she said he was intolerant to dairy but cutting that has made little difference (and the medics look at us as though we are bonkers when we mention the tests too).

Things that help us a little with the bedtime part of it:

• propping up his mattress so he's sleeping slightly upright (pillows actually underneath the head end of his mattress)
• a drink of hot water with lemon juice and honey
• a piece of crystallised ginger
• taking a rennie tablet
• going for a short walk to take his mind off it (also helps to release trapped wind!)

I wondered about worms too. Worth trying Ovex for the whole family to see if it helps

My daughter was like this, she was diagnosed with stomach migraines. She would be up all night, sometimes being sick all night. I just felt terrible as sometimes she would go to bed, but not get in it, but retrieved her quilt and pillow, to sleep in the bathroom as she knew she would be sick at some stage and could never make the bathroom in time or missing the bucket as it was so violent. Always thinking about others and never herself. It was stress related. Keep on at the Dr's as we finally got a referral. The medication was alcohol based, elixir or something like that, so would knock her out, but they eventually went. However she is older now and suffers head migraines, so I think it's just moved.

My ds was like this. Various doctors at our practice said there was nothing obviously wrong so put it down to nerves/ schoolitis etc. Once l brought him out of hours and the new doctor checked his tonsils and they were in a horrid way. He never had a sore throat but the poison from his tonsils was going down to his tummy. Had tonsils out within a few weeks and literally never had a tummy ache after that.
Our GP had never looked at his tonsils as it was always his tummy. Out of hour doctor was very cross saying he had been badly neglected with those tonsils.

Oh my goodness, slightly overwhelmed by all the suggestions as to what it could be! It's so awful when you don't know and can't relieve their pain.

I should say yes, he's not only being tested for celiac- the dr said she'll test for everything - liver, kidneys, the lot as well as a stool sample. I really hope we find the cause and it's something we can actually treat/manage.

Definitely shouid be having a stool sample to rule out inflammation Abd a simple blood test can check for gluten intolerance - don't cut it out yet

Hope it goes ok @Cacacoisfarraige

When pps are referring to hypermobility - I don't think he is but helps joints click a lot. Does that mean anything??

Hiya. I came on to say abdominal migraines as my son had that. Someone else has already suggested it though. There isn’t really a way to diagnose them but we started on pizotifen and it cured them completely. I was very anti meds but it was getting too much to cope with in the end.

My 6 year old daughter is the same. I’ve read about worms on here.. She actually had worms a month or so ago, but her bum doesn’t itch anymore could she still have them?

Have you tried gaviscon tablets?? They are for over 12 but we tried one is desperation. It was a flipping magic bullet. The GP can prescribe it for under 12. But not for long term so DS now on Omeprazole thanks to a very wise Mumsnetter!!! DS had stomach pain pretty much daily for four months. Nothing since taking Omeprazole.

Sorry this is really tough. And so many possible causes. But with the reflux you mention, and that this sounds so similar to my DS, I think Omeprazole might at least treat the symptoms. We are waiting for hospital appointment to seek the cause.

P.s when I mentioned gaviscon tablets, we tried liquid equivalent but they didn't do anything. The tablet worked instantly. They are chewable. I remember DS looking up at me in wonder saying "it's worked, mum"

I really hope this helps or you find what will help. Hand hold. I know how soul destroying it is.

@Cacacoisfarraige

We’re back from the doctors They did ultrasound, X-ray, bloods, and MRI

While she’s going to the toilet and pooping her gut is full and sluggish so we’re now on a regime of 6 movicol per day for a week, then 4, 2 and then 1 a day for the summer.

The MRI showed sinusitis which may be responsible for the migraines too.

Great service and very thorough, all tests done with results in 4.5 hours (apart from coeliac) if Sinus doesn’t clear then it’s allergy testing but all treatable !

Just note that allergy testing will not pick up non-ige allergies where symtpoms are stomach reactions. For that all you can do is trial removal, see if symtpoms clear up and then challenge by reintroducing the allergen a few weeks later

Would a wheat bag warmed in the microwave help? It might help him relax if it's a psych issue, and/or ease the pain if it's a physical one.