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Children's health

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Original poster

4 yr old with poo problems- loads of wind etc etc TMI!

23 replies

pootalk · 10/02/2009 21:27

Can anyone shed any light on what is happening with DS' poos?! For the last 2 months or so, when he goes for a poo he has an incredible amount of wind! Sometimes his poos are pretty good, well formed etc but other times it's diarroeah and have also seen an oily film on the water. Really tmi I know! He is going at least twice a day at the moment. Is this likely to be an intolerance to something? As a newborn he was cow milk intolerant as he had blood in his poos but milk was re-introduced at 12 months and everything was perfectly normal. I keep hoping it is a virus or something but seems to have gone on a long time. He currently has a cold and looks pretty tired.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

minkersmum · 10/02/2009 21:49

I have ds also 4 and he is also full of wind. He often goes 2 or three times a day and then not for a day or 2. His diet affects his poo's as very varied and often lots of veg and sometimes spicy, lots of pulses sometimes which really gives him wind. But also he won't poo at nursery or in friends houses etc so holds it in and then can be explosive when he goes.

TotalChaos · 10/02/2009 21:53

I'ld be tempted to scale back on the cow's milk, see if that makes a diference.

gigglewitch · 10/02/2009 21:55

same as TotalChaos

Original poster

pootalk · 10/02/2009 21:57

Hmm really- that's what DH says. He has a pretty good varied diet btw but does have probably at least 200mls of yoghurt a day plus sometimes a drink of cows milk.

OP posts:

nannynick · 10/02/2009 21:57

Does his tummy swell? Is he eating a lot of wheat products?
His cold probably doesn't help matters, but if you notice the same thing when he is fully well, then it could be diet related. I get similar symptoms and find that by reducing my wheat intake things improve. I'm 30 years older mind!
Keep a food diary for the next week. Note on it what you notice poo wise, any tummy swelling, lack of urination (or lots of). Then see your GP and see if with the help of the food/poo diary they can spot any possible cause.

gigglewitch · 10/02/2009 22:03

if the whole immune system thing has kicked off again it will completely exhaust his system - ds1 had a permanent 'cold' which is an allergy response (think hayfever?) and it will take all his energy to just digest some food and 'fight' with the rest.
What sort of milk did he have for his first year? can you go back to that?

gigglewitch · 10/02/2009 22:06

is this any use?

Original poster

pootalk · 10/02/2009 22:09

No his tummy doesn't swell really unless he's eaten A LOT of lunch or tea!! I have thought of doing a food diary but maybe I should make myself actually do it! I really hope he doesn't have an intolerance

OP posts:

gigglewitch · 10/02/2009 22:11

this one's better

gigglewitch · 10/02/2009 22:12

yes - food diary is definitely the way to go. Just keep a notebook and pen on the kitchen worktop, it doesn't need to be anything elaborate. I used to keep some food packaging (sections of ingredients cut out etc) if we thought that it had caused a reaction.

Original poster

pootalk · 10/02/2009 22:15

gigglewitch-he has some of those symptoms but unfortunately I don't really know how he is generally feeling at the moment as he is not very good at articulating it. He is doing a lot of moping around, being whingy one minute and then tearing around and laughing the next...
He had Nutramigen for 1st year- I don't think he would contemplate even sipping that now and I couldn't blame him. I guess he would be fine with NO milk now but just a shame as he likes it. Off to look at your 2nd link .

OP posts:

Original poster

pootalk · 10/02/2009 22:19

He has been tested for all common 'allergies' as a baby and all negative. However, I don't know if this changes over time and obviously an intolerance is different and can't be tested for afaik.

OP posts:

gigglewitch · 10/02/2009 22:20

perhaps the thing would be as TC said, reduce it a bit but don't exclued?
I could get shot down for this - but my dc have Alpro soya yogurts, they are lovely and fruity and i occasionally steal the odd one for myself. Another idea might be to test out rice milk, soya milk, goats milk (we use all of them at some time or other, we have 3 df children - you should see our fridge!!) and see if he rates any of those.
good luck.
Plenty of support and ideas on here - this lot are fantastic.

gigglewitch · 10/02/2009 22:21

you're right - no intolerance tests afaik apart from exclusion diet and then "challenges" to see what the reaction is.
My dses were tested too (blood tests) in infancy and like your came up negative.

TotalChaos · 10/02/2009 22:24

could also be the yoghurt affecting him too, DS's problem foods are milk and yoghurt.

nannynick · 10/02/2009 22:26

The second link says immediately after the symptoms list: "The milk allergy symptoms are not only restricted to people suffering from milk allergy. Many other people can show these symptoms to basically any other immune reaction."
So I don't think that list is very helpful, as those symptoms can occur for ANY immune reaction.

If your DS likes milk, don't take it way. It contains so many Minerals, Vitamins etc. Details here of what is in Milk
If you feel he is having a lot of milk, then certainly try reducing it (while using a food diary to record any changes you notice) to see if it makes any noticeable difference.

Original poster

pootalk · 10/02/2009 22:31

Yes I think you're all right- I will cut down on the yoghurts and the other thing I'm going to do for the next week is let him have total control over how much he eats. We tend to bribe him with things to eat all his tea etc. as he is fairly slim but I sometimes think his tummy can't handle too much at once- does that sound likely? Maybe it will slow his tummy down too!

OP posts:

nannynick · 10/02/2009 22:43

Children can't eat that much... I deliberately use small plates when feeding children - so there is more chance they can clear that plate. After all, if they are still hungry, they can have seconds.
Slowing down the digestive system sounds like a good idea, though keep an eye out for constipation.
Do try keeping some kind of a food diary, at least then if things are still the same in a couple of weeks, you can show your GP what you have tried so far.

nannynick · 10/02/2009 22:48

Your sons stomach is about the size of his closed fist - so isn't that big.

gigglewitch · 10/02/2009 22:55

NN has said it all. Just to add a little bit to it, apparently a 'portion' is the amount that you could fit in the child's cupped hand, as a guideline.
I do find that ds1 who has the worst intolerances, gets a very 'full' feeling quite quickly and has to have his meals with a break in the middle. As long as he either eats slowly all the way or takes a short 'break' at some point, he is fine.
we don't tend to let them have drinks with their meals.

Original poster

pootalk · 10/02/2009 23:02

OK, point taken. I will definitely take this tack from breakfast tomorrow . For breakfast, he usually has a slice of brown toast and a small banana or half an apple. He usually has a cup of milk or a small yoghurt too. Does that sound too much?

OP posts:

Original poster

pootalk · 10/02/2009 23:03

He was four last month btw.

OP posts:

gigglewitch · 10/02/2009 23:29

it's an individual thing ... but i have to say i'd be ditching the yogurt or choosing between the yogurt(DF version) and fruit .
Y'see, I've got an eight year old and five year old who each eat their body weight and always have, and a three year old who would rather eat a reasonable meal at mid-day and otherwise eat all the rest of the day's food in bits - a yogurt here, fruit there, toast another time, rasins, bla bla. So I think you just might have to give it a go and do what you said earlier, let him give you the lead. My lot are hopeless with breakfast too so in truth I'm no use to you whatsoever

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