9 year old dd sick nearly every night

[IcklePickle8]

She doesn’t dramatically vomit but she is sick nearly every evening before bed. Over the years it’s come and gone and there will be weeks and months where it doesn’t happen and then it will start again. At the moment we are on week 4 of being sick approx 5 out of 7 nights a week. She will just come downstairs and say she needs a bowl takes it up-to her room and is then sick, with no fuss or need for reassurance. It’s almost like reflux. GP has prescribed antacids but they haven’t helped and she says they actually make being sick more painful. GP doesn’t know what the problem could be but the next step would be more invasive investigations. It is worrying and I just wondered if anyone had experience of this? Thanks

Has the GP explored the possibility that it could be anxiety related? I definitely suffered from this as a child.

Obviously this isn't normal and will start to corrode her throat and teeth. Push for more investigations. Could there be a psychiatric component?

Maybe sleep sitting up propped on pillow. But yeah sounds like anxiety

Check the other end. My 3yr old does this and movicol helps, ask to be referred to a paediatrician.

Sorry to hear your DD is experiencing this. My DS is 7 and has anxiety (related to his autism) and he began panic attacks at the age of 5. They seem to go in cycles and then abate for some time. Initially they were very obviously linked to stressors eg new class, trip away from home. But over time the physical symptoms have shifted and it has become a more generalised thing with less obvious triggers. For a few months now his main physical symptom has been sharp stomach pain and he describes feeling "half nauseous, half not".

All this to say, I think anxiety is a powerful thing and if the physical examinations come back clear, then it could well be worth trying to see a paediatric psychologist. I was fairly sure my DS's pain was caused by anxiety, but at times it was very severe, so I asked for paediatrician to refer him for usual scans etc just to be sure it wasn't physically based.

Do hope you find a way forward soon.

Agreed. Regular matters.

Hi,

Could it be rumination syndrome? I have this but it is also common in children and adolescents.

Ask your GP for referral to a paediatrician or paediatric gastroenterologist. Lots of people go straight to anxiety when kids have gastro issues but there are many causes and you need to get this checked out properly.

I did this at the same age but it was usually on the way to school or during school. I was having a really hard time with a teacher who really didn't like me but this was in the 70s so obviously I was seen as the problem back then but looking back on it she was the one bullying a 9yo kid. From your perspective maybe your dd is having issues with another kid.

My child (14) had this - referred to paeds after a while. Was reflux, had meds, weaned off all fine. But weird though. Would just go vomit out the blue in the evening.