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Stomach pain in 7 year old and panicking

12 replies

Anxiousmummy1187 · 29/12/2022 23:54

My dd is almost 8 and for last year every so often she complains of stomach ache. Sometimes it’s a little and more to do with school, then sometimes she gets into a panic and starts running around saying my stomach hurts and tries to curl in a ball or wants to be left alone and sits on toilet. This has happened a couple times where she’s done this she gets into a flap and starts shouting as she can’t handle the pain I think. She goes and sits down on toilet sometimes she goes to the toilet for a poop or just sits there and then she’s fine.

weve been to doctors about it and they just said kids get stomach ache. They felt her stomach and spleen etc and all was fine I’m just wondering if she’s getting ibs or what I’m anxious mummy so I keep going to is it something more serious or what or is it trapped wind idk it’s beginning to send me down the Google hole.

she has a fear of being sick so this panics her too when she has tummy ache so idk if it’s just all causes it more as she said she was too hot earlier when it happened and I got her water and opened window as was like she was having a panic attack. She isn’t hunched over when it happens either so I don’t think it’s that painful she just runs round like a headless chicken panicking

OP posts:
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justasking111 · 29/12/2022 23:58

I was the stomach ache kid at this age. I remember the pain, sitting on the loo, didn't help it wasn't gas. Looking back I think it was muscular. Over exercise on my bike, roller skating, etc would bring it on. Doctor called it growing pains in those days

FannyFifer · 30/12/2022 00:02

DD used to get like this around the same age.
She used to panic in case she needed a poo at school, I honestly think she couldn't tell the difference if she had wind, felt sick or needed the loo. Used to be crying & rolling around, was horrendous.
She just grew out of it, got her period when she was 10 & that seemed to sort out all the dramatics & she could tell what the different feelings were.

Oodlesofdoodlescockapoodles · 30/12/2022 00:11

Has she recently had a cold or other illness? My 7 year old had mesenteric adenitis recently, which id never heard of but he was doubled over with the pain.

Mariposista · 30/12/2022 00:18

If it is trapped wind, it’s so painful…

Sounds like the kid is also very anxious, and nerves/anxiety can cause stomach pain.

mulberrybag5 · 31/12/2022 19:25

Is it constipation and Is there any connection to foods she’s eating?

Jellycats4life · 31/12/2022 19:33

When she poops, is it normal or explosive?

My son is lactose intolerant and, before we had it figured out, would occasionally suffer sudden onset abdominal cramps in the evening and would say things like “how can I survive?!” (sounds dramatic but he’s autistic and prone to funny turns of phrase). And I don’t blame him, because it’s really distressing to experience.

My experience with lactose intolerance is it’s tricky to pin down because the reaction is more cumulative than instant. So he could have dairy and not have an immediate reaction, but it was like his digestive system would eventually hit its limit and then he would have sudden diarrhoea.

If I were you I’d see if I could find a pattern with these tummy aches and what she’s been eating.

Spudina · 31/12/2022 19:40

Look up functional stomach pain OP. My DD1 has this. Repeatedly complains of stomach pain for weeks. The usual course is for a GP to do a blood test to rule out gluten issues. Anxiety in children often presents this way. My DDs is at its worse before swimming , school mornings and on Sunday’s.

Thismonkeysgonetodevon · 01/01/2023 00:48

Has she had any blood tests eg for coeliac disease, and also stool samples checked? There is a calprotectin test that checks for inflammation indicative of IBD.

I understand how frustrating and worrying it is when doctors confidently diagnose functional tummy pain with no solutions or any actual investigation.

My DD has had crippling abdo pain since catching covid earlier in the year. It was initially intermittent but following a vomiting virus a few months later the pain became constant and she’d often drop to her knees in pain even when having fun with friends on holiday so I found it difficult being fobbed off with the “anxiety” card.. Though it’s made me bloody anxious seeing her in pain all the time and not getting answers.

One specialist mentioned stomach migraines and suggested cutting out dairy, gluten, chocolate and citrus to see if that helped. He also recommended the name of medication to try. (He wasn’t my doctor, just offered advice over phone).

Another suggested cutting out eggs, dairy, soya, and gluten.

A gastro specialist thinks it’s very severe IBS, constant spasms triggered by Covid. He prescribed the meds the first doctor recommended. She’s only been on them a few weeks so can’t say if they are working yet.

A naturopath who I’ve also seen said lots of children that are constipated go undiagnosed and it will only be picked up on an X-ray. So we are also giving natural remedies for this. She also said most of us are lactose intolerant and suggested dairy free.

It’s also worth worming her (and the whole family) as that can also cause severe tummy pain.

We aren’t actually any further forward yet, despite all of the above, but it might give you some ideas! Good luck. And don’t be fobbed off if you are concerned x

Thismonkeysgonetodevon · 01/01/2023 00:55

The naturopath also suggested cutting out soya alongside the dairy as common to be intolerant to both.

Might be worth keeping a good diary?

ACCx · 01/01/2023 00:58

This might be really silly but have you tried giving her probiotics to see if they ease symptoms?

CarolDunne · 01/01/2023 01:00

My 8 year old is always complaining of tummy aches
It's just anxiety, tiredness or some random emotion he can't explain

We chat about what is happening in life and it usually disappears

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