Whats wrong with my boy.... doubled in pain for the past few nights.

[Toothache]

My poor ds (4) had a tummy bug about 10 days ago..... just the runs (sorry!) rather than being sick. He didn't lose his appetite or anything. Quite a mild bug to be honest.

After about 3 or 4 days the diarrhea stopped and we thought he was back to normal.

However, for the past few nights he's been getting up through the night complaining of a sore tummy. Last night DH and I got 2 hrs sleep coz he was up everyhalf an hour rubbing his tummy, hitting his tummy shouting "Go away sore tummy!!". He would sit on the loo shouting "Oh the poo is going away again Mummy".... the whole time writhing in pain. This went on from midnigth to 4.30am this morning. He did a perfectly normal poo at about 2am.... but it all still carried on.

Whats wrong with my baby? He was begging me to give him some medicine to make it go away last night, I just wanted to burst into tears.

What could be causing him so much pain, why is it only at night and what can I do to make him feel better?

Bump, anyone?

What are the symptoms of worms? He kept saying last night that he had worms in his tummy.

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Could he be constipated? I know a build up can cause bad stomach ache, or IBS? best bet is it ask you gp? meanwhile give him lots of fluid ans fruit to keep him regular

Worms don't cause abdominal pain toothache. It may be he has an inflamed bowel after having had a bug. I would take him to GP - there are anti spasmodic medicined that can help if that is what the problem is.

Thanks folks. I'll try to get an appointment at my GP, but its really difficult. We will probably have to wait a few days to see a Doctor.

We actually thought he might be eating too much fruit and cereal etc?

His wee face last night showed he was in so much pain. I kept having to say there was nothing I could do. He was really thumping himself in the tummy.

Aimsmum - Yes his appetite has been fine the whole time. He drinks lots of fluids (too much sometimes).

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On the phone to the GP now.... you are not going to BELIEEEEEEEEEEVE this! Well... you probably will.... but hey...

Receptionist: Sorry, nothing today.
Me: Er... my son is 4 and is so much pain he is sweating!

(well okay... he isn't at the moment, but she didn't need to know that).

Receptionist: Is this something that has just happened to him.

Me: No, he was through the night, it went away and now its back again.

Receptionish: Well you should've phoned at 8.30am.

Me: He was fine at 8.30am.... listen, he is so bad I think I'm going to take him to A&E.

Receptionist: >sigh< Hold the line.......
...... okay, Bring him up at 4.15pm, but you'll be waiting a while.

Me: Thats unacceptable.

Receptionist: If you want to phone NHS 24 then go ahead, but you have been offered a reasonable solution.

Me: No I haven't, I'll keep the appointment, but will phone NHS24 for a better service.... and probably take him to A&E.

Receptionist: FINE! >slammed phone down<

LIVID!!!!!

Peppermint or chamomile tea should also help if it's cramping.

If you can't get to the dcotor - try a pharmacy for advice. Maybe something like good old Milk of Magnesia.

Poor little sausage - it's horrible when you can't help them. My DS ran across the garden last week in bare feet and stood on a bee. He cried for an hour - even with medicine the pain was bad. I felt SO useless.

Horrible receptionist. After all this has resolved (your poor ds) have you thought about complaining to the Senior Partner?

Are you taking him to A&E?

How horrible. I would def complain. I realise that it's not the receptionist's fault if there are no appointments but she def needs some customer service lessons.

Our surgery used to ask pointedly if it was an emergency. If not I'd say so but was told later on the quiet that they can usually give emergency appointments if you say it's an emergency.

Just spoke to DH and he says ds is fine at the moment. I'm jsut about to phone NHS24.
TBTW the 4.15pm appointment is an emergency appointment. Hmmm.... really??

Toothache - I would go to appointment and see GP. I would then ask for the complaints procedure and complain about the receptionists attitude which is bang out of order.

Having lodged a formal complaint about Dad's care recently it makes you feel a lot better when you know poor care givers are being tackled. They are duty bound to respond to your complaint.

If eh is fine at the moment then I would wait till this afternoon's appointment. I would not take him to A&E because you are more likely to have a long wait there.

True Mears. I'm on the hold on NHS24 at the mo. DH is going to take him to the GP at 4.15pm.

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Toothache, it may be that the bug he had has disrupted the balance of bacteria in his gut. Have you tried giving him live yoghurt or some of those Yakult things? May help, and not likely to do any harm...

Toothache
I'd launch a formal complaint. Sorry, but that's unacceptable behaviour on the part of a receptionist. Childrens' illnesses should be taken seriously and given top priority.

I agree about ringing NHS24, though. I had a good experience w/them when I was 13 weeks along and got gastroenteritis so badly I was retching blood and had a fever. They booked me an after-hours appointment -at midnight, w/a nurse practitioner in the Royal Infirmary's clinic. From there I was immediately admitted - well, after I filled a basin w/blood.

But at least they didn't blow me off b/c I was seriously dehydrated.

Hope your boy gets seen to quickly!

Just off the phone.... and the Nurse seems to think it could be a food intolerance (I have a few!!). So her advice was just to keep the GP appointment unless he has another bad episode, and to push for the GP to perhaps organise sensitivity tests to find out what could be causing it.

Thanks for all your advice. I'll let you know what happens.

Toothache - your poor ds and what a crap attitude from the receptionist!!!!!

If it's a child in pain, our surgery will always fit in an emergency appt asap.

I know that our local hospital see children pretty fast in A&E - if you feel you can't wait, might be worth going.

It's quite common for food intolerances to rear their heads after a bug. Go and buy some live yoghurt and give him a fairly bland diet for a few days!

ALas Tissy, I've tried him with live yoghurt and he was less than impressed! I'll get some Yakult or something.... he might like those better.

Thanks you all again.