What can cause tummy pain in the night in a 3 year old?

[bumbleweed]

This has been going on for a year on and off. Dd wakes in the night saying 'ow' over and over and often screaming in pain holding her tummy.

She always refuses a drink. Cant say what is wrong in the night or even confirm whether her tummy aches (even tho in the day she is very good talker).

Last week she had 'hurting wee' and GP gave antibiotics but sample came back clear. She is having lots of water to drink.

This morning she said she had an ache and pointed just below her naval.

If its trapped wind, what causes this?

Any other ideas?

eating too late at night for HER digestive system to cope? certain foods can be hard to digest and so as the digestive system slows overnight, the food could be fermenting and causing wind and it may be that she has a ''kink'' in her bowel which can lead to the wind being trapped till the morning when she starts moving around. a vast majority of people have a kink of some kind in thier bowels, some is on the upward stretch (ascending colon) and some on the downward bit (descending colon). at the navel it sounds like if it is this then it is the transverse section. if its not too painful to do, try gently massaging the area in the direction of the descending bowel, up on the right, down on the left so run your fingers right to left, very gently. also try not letting he reat anything for up to 4 hours before bed if that is at all possible?????
it may also be a sign of an under developed digestive system. at 3 years old, some kids can still not have a good range of freindly bacteria and enzyme production to cope with the processed foods we all now eat. try giving her non processed foods, ie food from scratch you cook yourself to see if that helps. or you can get a child friendly bacteria product to help (not adult based yakults or similar yog drinks) solgar ABCdopholis is good for that age.
do not stop going to the GP though if nothing changes within a day or 2 or if it gets worse, but you know that already (but I have to say it!!)

misi thank you for your reply and the detailed information.

I have wondered about some kind of 'digestion' issue for a while. We even got referred to the consultant dietician to look at possible food sensitivities. We eliminated dairy for a while and cut down on wheat. But if I'm honest with myself, the wheat has crept back up as sandwiches and toast are the easiest things when dealing with tired 3 year old and very fussy baby as well.

Will get probiotic.

Thanks again for the advice.

you are not neccessarily intolerant to something if you cannot digest it if that makes sense?

some foods take time to digest and as when we go to sleep, our digestive system slows down and enzyme production falls. if there is food left in the gut that has not been fully digested and it is one that takes a big effort to break down, you can find that the ever present unfriendly bugs and fungi get to ''come out and play'' and so the food can basically ferment, not causing an immune response as the food does not go outside the gut walls but the fermenting does cause gas which can sit in awkward places when you are laying down.
certainly the pro biotic will be good but as I say to everyone with digestive symptoms, keep a diary, list all food eaten and when, list any and all reactions etc and when, and every time you will learn something new. it is a great tool and can also help if you go back to the GP as you have a record of what and when and will often realise what triggers the worst times and what doesn't.
protiens and complex carbs and fat should be avoided within 2-4 hours of bed, simple carbs can be consumed nearer to bed if need be is the general rule.

okay

this is v interesting about timing of meals as I actually have never heard that before. strange that neither GP not consultant dietician bothered to mention.

but how can I give dd her tea? she goes upstairs to start bedtime at 5.30pm routine as needs to be asleep by 6pm. Have been giving tea at 4.30pm - should it be earlier?

Are you a nutritionist or medical person?

medical herbalist and nutritionist. most dieticians are not exoerienced in digestion if that makes sense, they can tell you what food to eat or not to eat but thats about it. on other threads on here, many have said about the inadequacies of NHS dieticians, never experienced them myself, but there is a world of difference between a nutritionist and a dietician, they look just at the food, we look at the whole process from mouth to bum!!!!!
that will be difficult then, so what you would need to look at is the type of food you give her not so much the timing. can you change her routine a bit and change her diet and timing?

may be best to alter her meal plans by adding more protiens and starchy complex carbs to earlier in the day and leaving the evening meal for simple carbs and simple protiens. I am in a big rush at the moment but will sort out some sites/info for foods over the weekend if that will be a help?

thanks so much for this info - this is the most helpful anyone has been so far, and it has been going on for well over a year and I have even been in tears on the phone to NHS direct in the middle of the night on one occasion!

yes please I like to read up on things so some links would be really helpful

also if you could clarify which are simple carbs and proteins? and also is bread an issue or not?

as I struggle with simple meals which can be prepared with fussing baby in arms which dont involve bread (egg and toast, beans on toast, cheese sarnie etc etc).

simple carbs are sugars that are converted to glucose in the gut within a few chemical steps (if any at all as glucose needs no chemical conversion). so sucrose (sugar) needs about 2 stages so is a simple carb, as is fructose. complex carbs are those that require quite a few processes like starches. oats are a complex carb source and thier energy through their starches is released over a longer period of time as it takes around 8 processes to change oat carbs into glucose.
bread has simple and mostly complex carbs but the main worry here is the wheat protien that can take quite some time to break down if at all.
baked beans are complex carbs mostly apart from the sugar that are in most canned varieties.

had a quick google just now and came up with these

www.weightlossforall.com/simple-carbs.htm

www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/nutrition/carbs/qas/0,,249_156580,00.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate

www.weightlossforall.com/complex-carbs.htm

www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/gi_diet/glycaemic_index_tables.htm

this last link is for the glycaemic index of foods which tells you the sugar content of many foods and can be quite useful.

have a read, any more questions feel free to ask