Mainly lower-right sided stomach ache in 9 year old . . .?

[BalloonSlayer]

DS1 had a sudden stomach ache come on this morning. Did a big poo, but it still hurts.

Pressing his tummy, it hurts a bit on the left side, more round the belly button and a lot more on the lower right side.

He hasn't got a temperature and is eating normally but clutches his stomach all the time.

The right hand side bit has made me worry about appendicitis, obviously he is not too ill . . . but I thought I'd ask NHS direct and they are too busy with Swine Flu to answer any calls unless they are urgent. !

Any ideas?

Take him to the GP if it persists but be prepared for the fact that appendicitis is often not diagnosed by GPs until it's too late - know several people who have been told it's a pulled muscle/something else minor and then had it rupture...

Could be what they used to refer to as a grumbling appendix. I had this as a 10 yr old and then had the full-blown appendicitis within a years and had to have it removed.

If you press on right side does it hurt more when pressing or just after you release?

"The abdominal pain usually

occurs suddenly, often causing a person to wake up at night
occurs before other symptoms
begins near the belly button and then moves lower and to the right
is new and unlike any pain felt before
gets worse in a matter of hours
gets worse when moving around, taking deep breaths, coughing, or sneezing

Other symptoms of appendicitis may include

loss of appetite
nausea
vomiting
constipation or diarrhea
inability to pass gas
a low-grade fever that follows other symptoms
abdominal swelling
the feeling that passing stool will relieve discomfort

Symptoms vary and can mimic other sources of abdominal pain, including

intestinal obstruction
inflammatory bowel disease
pelvic inflammatory disease and other gynecological disorders
intestinal adhesions
constipation "

Thanks all.

ComeOVeneer I will try the pressing thing you mentioned, to check for delayed pain, soon.

I will look out for the symptom "inability to pass gas." That would be very unusual in him and I would know something was up immediately .