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Original poster

12yo DS constant diarrhoea - do I take him to A&E today?

52 replies

MrsCrumpets · 23/04/2025 14:57

Sorry it’s a long one, just don’t know what to do anymore.

My DS (12) has had diarrhoea on and off for months now. Some days it’s just once or twice, other days he’s back and forth to the loo all day. GP keeps saying it’s probably anxiety but he doesn’t seem anxious at all – he’s fine in himself most the time, goes to school, eats alright, seems his normal self. School have been great with it. He’s had all the basic tests – bloods, stool sample etc – all came back normal.

GP also told us to try changing his diet which we did, tried cutting out dairy and all sorts but it didn’t help at all. He’s just fed up now and I’m starting to worry more.

This morning is the first time he’s said his stomach actually hurts when he woke up. He’s already been to the toilet a few times and said the pain got worse after the last time. Now he’s lying on the sofa with a hot water bottle, says he’s tired. I gave him paracetamol. No vomiting, just diarrhoea, sore stomach and tired.

We’ve taken him to A&E before on a bad day and they just gave him fluids and sent us home. I don’t wanna waste their time or sit there for hours again if they’re not gonna do anything, but I also don’t wanna ignore it if it could be something more serious.

Would you go? Or wait and see how he is later? Not sure what to do anymore tbh.

OP posts:
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notatinydancer · 23/04/2025 18:54

You need a referral to medics rather than A&E. Chase with the GP

Giddykiddy · 23/04/2025 19:31

I wouldn't go to A&E TBH - give him fluids and meds- try Alforex daily probiotic - it has changed my life which was severely curtailed due to IBS

YourTruthorMine · 23/04/2025 19:50

Is it first day back to school today? as an neurodivergent person I have had bouts of this and stomach pain, all stemming from anxiety

Mountainfrog · 23/04/2025 20:01

Crohns?

Mmhmmn · 23/04/2025 20:06

ilovemyfriends · 23/04/2025 15:59

Back to GP and insist on referral to gastro paeds . Has he been tested for coeliac ?

This. I’d want someone to very specifically check that it isn’t IBD. It is probably some sort of food intolerance but he needs some sort of diagnosis either way.

Ellinor · 23/04/2025 20:22

Actually I would take him to A&E. In an ideal world this is a GP matter, but this is not normal and no one should have to live like this. You GP sounds useless like many GPs are. You can often access better doctors if you go to A&E and I have personal experience of this. Sad but true. I would go.
Put your child first. We are too conditioned to not “bother the NHS”…..

Original poster
MrsCrumpets · 23/04/2025 21:42

He was still in a lot of pain even after giving him more paracetamol, and just looked so wiped out I couldn’t leave it any longer, so I took him to A&E. I don’t think it’s appendicitis as the pain isn’t in the usual place – he’s pointing more to the middle/upper part of his tummy rather than lower right.

He’s been triaged – they were lovely and didn’t make us feel like we were wasting time. They agreed he looks exhausted and said they’ll get him seen properly soon. Said it was the right call bringing him in, especially with the ongoing issues and now the stomach pain and dizziness.

He still seems so tired – keeps saying he just wants to sleep. Hoping we don’t have to wait too long and that we finally get some proper answers this time.

OP posts:
NewAgeNewMe · 23/04/2025 21:45

Good luck 💐💐

MumofCrohnie · 23/04/2025 22:30

Ask about fecal calprotectin. My DD's GP did coeliac and infection stool tests but not the calprotectin which would have indicated probable inflammatory bowel disease.

Her symptoms were constant diarrhea (just a couple of times a day) not gaining weight, pale, and tired. It was Crohn's disease.

ApolloandDaphne · 23/04/2025 22:31

Poor soul. I hope they can help him quickly,

Justwingingit2005 · 23/04/2025 22:34

I hope he gets some answers.
Sounds like crohnes or inflammatory bowel disease.

Poonu · 23/04/2025 22:52

Check for coeliac

Gretnaglebe · 24/04/2025 07:14

Glad you took him. Any update?

Mischance · 24/04/2025 07:24

Can you afford a private consultant appointment? A&E is probably not appropriate if he is taking in liquids. And GP is not progressing things at all.

The strongest possibility is that it is Irritable Bowel, but other things need excluding. My GD has Crohns and this needs excluding. Please note that I have not said JUST irritable bowel - I get very fed up when people say this - they have not tried living with it!

Mischance · 24/04/2025 07:25

Sorry - missed that he is in A&E - hope you get some answers soon.

sugarandplum · 24/04/2025 07:33

My daughter had diarrhoea and poo accidents all the time and we realised in October it was gluten.

Have you cut out one thing?
dairy and soya (you have to do soya too as it’s v similar in composition).
gluten

These are the two most common I think

We were told to cut dairy / soya first as this is the most common. Once we did this the food diary obviously showed gluten as an allergen.

It was explained to us like the body being a barrel and it can often tolerate some of the foods containing the alllergen / intolerance. Once the barrel is full though it’s symptom central until the barrel empties again.

We saw this on our recent holiday where my DD couldn’t avoid gluten.

It’s a slow process but worth doing for a period of time. We saw an immediate improvement through limiting gluten.

GL

Lbet · 24/04/2025 20:47

MumofCrohnie · 23/04/2025 22:30

Ask about fecal calprotectin. My DD's GP did coeliac and infection stool tests but not the calprotectin which would have indicated probable inflammatory bowel disease.

Her symptoms were constant diarrhea (just a couple of times a day) not gaining weight, pale, and tired. It was Crohn's disease.

Have to agree with this as this was the same case with my 12 year old daughter. Unfortunately most GP’s have no knowledge of IBD and usually put symptoms down to IBS.
Hopefully your son will be having new blood test and a stool sample test ( calprotectin).
Hope you get answers soon:

PragmaticIsh · 24/04/2025 21:14

sugarandplum · 24/04/2025 07:33

My daughter had diarrhoea and poo accidents all the time and we realised in October it was gluten.

Have you cut out one thing?
dairy and soya (you have to do soya too as it’s v similar in composition).
gluten

These are the two most common I think

We were told to cut dairy / soya first as this is the most common. Once we did this the food diary obviously showed gluten as an allergen.

It was explained to us like the body being a barrel and it can often tolerate some of the foods containing the alllergen / intolerance. Once the barrel is full though it’s symptom central until the barrel empties again.

We saw this on our recent holiday where my DD couldn’t avoid gluten.

It’s a slow process but worth doing for a period of time. We saw an immediate improvement through limiting gluten.

GL

It's not recommended to cut out gluten, even if you think it is causing issues, until you've had full blood/biopsy testing for coeliac. If you aren't consuming gluten then any tests won't be accurate.

sugarandplum · 25/04/2025 07:55

PragmaticIsh · 24/04/2025 21:14

It's not recommended to cut out gluten, even if you think it is causing issues, until you've had full blood/biopsy testing for coeliac. If you aren't consuming gluten then any tests won't be accurate.

Show quote history

My daughter has had all of the allergy tests. Thankfully she isn’t coeliac but we can see that gluten aggravates her system so it must be an intolerance.

My DD does still have gluten, which is why I mentioned we limit it rather than cut it out completely as advised by the paediatrician. The problem is, if she eats gluten freely she poos her pants 4/5 times per day. It’s very embarrassing for the kids and cripples their confidence to have no control over their bowel movements.

I only mentioned gluten as a potential issue as the OP doesn’t seem to be getting any traction with the doctors. This isn’t a medical board so professional advice should obviously be sought.

OP - your doctor may be hesitant to run the coeliac test but it may be worth having an allergy test (for other allergens too) just to discount. If your GP won’t do it, a private paediatrician will do it immediately but obviously it costs money. It was the best thing we ever did.

I hope your son is feeling better. It’s very frustrating when you can see they are unwell and you struggle to obtain the right help for them!

PragmaticIsh · 25/04/2025 13:53

sugarandplum · 25/04/2025 07:55

My daughter has had all of the allergy tests. Thankfully she isn’t coeliac but we can see that gluten aggravates her system so it must be an intolerance.

My DD does still have gluten, which is why I mentioned we limit it rather than cut it out completely as advised by the paediatrician. The problem is, if she eats gluten freely she poos her pants 4/5 times per day. It’s very embarrassing for the kids and cripples their confidence to have no control over their bowel movements.

I only mentioned gluten as a potential issue as the OP doesn’t seem to be getting any traction with the doctors. This isn’t a medical board so professional advice should obviously be sought.

OP - your doctor may be hesitant to run the coeliac test but it may be worth having an allergy test (for other allergens too) just to discount. If your GP won’t do it, a private paediatrician will do it immediately but obviously it costs money. It was the best thing we ever did.

I hope your son is feeling better. It’s very frustrating when you can see they are unwell and you struggle to obtain the right help for them!

Show quote history

I'm glad your DD is feeling better. There is non-coeliac gluten intolerance but coeliac tests should be run first.

The coeliac blood test is completely separate to allergy blood tests. In case OP or anyone else reading might need the info, the coeliac screening blood test can be ordered by your GP and is different to allergy tests as coeliac isn't an allergy.

For the coeliac tests you need to be eating lots of gluten. Cutting it out of your diet and then needing to reintroduce it can cause more painful symptoms so it's not advised.

The coeliac organisation have useful info on their website.
https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/getting-diagnosed/blood-tests-and-biospy/

Coeliac disease blood tests and biopsy

The two main methods of testing for coeliac disease are blood tests and biopsy. Your GP will arrange for a blood test:

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/getting-diagnosed/blood-tests-and-biospy/

NewAgeNewMe · 29/04/2025 07:30

How is your ds @MrsCrumpets

Lbet · 19/06/2025 06:10

Hi,

any update on your son? Really hope you got a diagnosis and treatment.,

Om83 · 19/06/2025 07:05

Sometimes the coeliac test can be a false negative- did they test his overall IgA levels as well as his TTG? This is essential to do as some people have an IgA deficiency which brings the TTG down, but coeliac disease still there. Also must be eating lots of gluten for 6 weeks before testing for it to be valid so if you were eliminating foods they might not be accurate due to that.

My daughter was told her symptoms were anxiety (just nauseous/tired/some sloppy poo but not often) but turned out to be coeliac disease. Go back to GP and request referral to paediatric gastroenterologist, and ask to see a cope of blood test results so you can see what was done/ ask for retesting if in doubt.

tripleginandtonic · 19/06/2025 07:28

A and E can't help, unfortunately it sounds as though he's suffering with IBS and as there's very little they seem to be able to do with it , it's a case of learning to live with it.

Lbet · 19/06/2025 19:42

tripleginandtonic · 19/06/2025 07:28

A and E can't help, unfortunately it sounds as though he's suffering with IBS and as there's very little they seem to be able to do with it , it's a case of learning to live with it.

I don’t think the poster should just go with it being IBs, especially as IBs symptoms can be the same as IBD.

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