Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

5 yr old constant tummy ache

23 replies

Shnook · 26/08/2015 23:51

This has been going on for about 18months. DD frequently complains of tummy aches. It can be during the day, the night, after/before school, weekends. It's happened at times when she's been enjoying herself - like at friends' bday parties. Sometimes she can be easily distracted from it, others she cries because it hurts. I can't see any link to food, toilet habits, she doesn't seem to have any worries. And it seems to go away for a few weeks, then come back again for a while.

First time I took her to Dr, she said it is extremely common in young children and they just don't know why it happens. Could be that there are glands in the stomach abs young children are quite susceptible to feeling swollen glands if they're a little under the weather.

I took her to the Dr again when it started interfering with her daily life - there are occasions where, eg, one day she didn't want to go to her usual dance club because of tummy ache; another day her teacher told me she'd been v subdued at school (v unlike her - she loves school)and complaining of tummy pain . They did full blood tests which were all clear. Then the tummy aches stopped. But now a few weeks later, they've come back and shes been crying again. The only thing i would say is she's not v good at drinking a lot of fluids. Could dehydration be the cause? Any experience? It's so upsetting when she's in pain and I don't know why and can't help.

OP posts:

Wearyheadedlady · 27/08/2015 02:16

Is it possible that she gets a tummy ache when she is feeling anxious? That is the only other thing I could think of, and something I suffered as a child.

Original poster

Shnook · 27/08/2015 07:41

Yes, a lot of people have suggested that but she gets them at such random times when - from what I can tell anyway - she doesn't have anything to be anxious about.

OP posts:

Wearyheadedlady · 27/08/2015 13:00

Anxiety is a funny thing and odd times it can be triggered as if out of nowhere.

I know it sounds simplistic, and I'm sure you're very comforting towards her, but I was going to suggest next time it happens, just holding her and giving her a gentle hug and repeating that "everything is ok, everything is going to be alright". When my DC are fraught its the only thing that gets them to take a breath and relax again. Like I say, i'm sure you do this kind of thing. Sometimes its about repeating the simple stuff though, isn't it?

But I hope someone with better medical experience can come along and give you some practical advice, much better than I can.

amarmai · 27/08/2015 19:43

how about weather related? Barometric pressure can cause migraines which can manifest as nausea and tummy aches in children especially.

Original poster

Shnook · 28/08/2015 00:51

Amarmai -really? That's really interesting - would fit with the big gaps between episodes.

Weary - that's good advice. When I think about it, it happens a lot (but not always) when she's v excited about something. Could she just have a sensitive tummy that really reacts to heightened emotions??

OP posts:

amarmai · 28/08/2015 15:43

for sure barometric pressure causes migraines in many sufferers-not all . There are different kinds of migraines. Mine are also tied into hormonal cycles- but your little girl is not at that stage.

Atenco · 28/08/2015 15:51

I would up her intake of liquids and fibre. My older dd cured her gastritis by upping her intake of fibre.

To give her relief, you can use a lit cigarrette and draw circles around her belly with the tip about an inch above her skin.

mumofthemonsters808 · 28/08/2015 16:07

Ds suffered from tummy troubles, after a terrible episode of gastroenteritus he had many episodes of tummy ache, sickness and diarehha, apparently the gastro altered the bacteria in his tummy. For the last six months, he has been taking Actimel and has been symptom free.

Original poster

Shnook · 28/08/2015 20:56

Thanks for all your advice. Um, Atenco, not sure about the lit cigarette idea??!

It's just so horrible. Yesterday she had a dance performance she was so, so excited about. I went to watch her and she started so well but half way through her face changed and I knew instantly she had a tummy ache. As soon as it finished, I went and met her at the stage and she burst into tears saying she was desperate for a wee and her tummy was hurting. Weeing didn't relieve it and she cried most of the way home till she fell asleep in the car. When she woke she was fine.
Then today, we were driving on our way to our holiday. It was a long journey and she started getting bored and then her tummy started again. Tonight at bedtime it's hurting again and she said to me she doesn't know why she keeps getting tummy ache every day. It's horrible to see her in pain. Like I said, sometimes I can distract her from it but quite often I can't and it's so unfair when it ruins the things she enjoys.

OP posts:

Atenco · 29/08/2015 06:05

I also think mumofthemonsters808 might have the answer. I live in Mexico so I don't the remedies in England, though buttermilk is very good for the flora in intestines.

Original poster

Shnook · 30/08/2015 07:40

She was woken from her sleep this morning with another tummy ache. She keeps writhing with pain and just wants to sleep...

OP posts:

ShelaghTurner · 30/08/2015 08:57

Lurking as I have a 7 year old with the same. Dr no help at all. It's also at completely random times, when she's enjoying herself, when she's eating a meal she loves, when she's just at home with us so can't see a link to anxiety although she is an extremely anxious, sensitive worrier so it wouldn't surprise me.

mandala1fromTES · 30/08/2015 11:16

:( I was the same as your daughter when I was that age. I'm 99% sure it was anxiety related. The closest 'diagnosis' I could come up with (when I looked into my symptoms as an adult) was abdominal migraine. It was awful - the pain was completely genuine.

mandala1fromTES · 30/08/2015 11:17

And I don't think it is as simple as 'I'm more anxious than normal and that is when I am going to have a tummy ache' - it doesn't work like that (IMHE).

flamingtoaster · 30/08/2015 11:31

Two things occurred to me.

DS had frequent tummy aches as young child - doctors said possibly grumbling appendix etc. To cut a long story short after 8 years of visiting doctors I asked for the coeliac blood test, it was positive, we went glutenfree and the tummy aches disappeared.

DD had severe tummy aches - usually accompanied by vomiting (she was hospitalized and on a drip for five days three times because of the severity). It was described then as "the periodic syndrome" because, as the Consultant explained, it came and went and they didn't know what it was. Through careful watching I realized she got these when she was overtired, when her blood sugar was low, when she ate chocolate after 4.00 pm (though she was OK at other times), and if she went to bed without either toast or cereal. As DH suffered from migraine I wondered if it was migraine related - however, with making sure we kept her blood sugar up, she didn't get overtired, etc. we got rid of the attacks completely. Now, of course, abdominal migraine is a recognized condition in children.

Hope you find the cause soon, it is horrible watching your child in pain.

Floralnomad · 30/08/2015 11:40

My daughter presented in a similar manner , eventually started fainting , and she was diagnosed with coeliac disease after blood tests and an endoscopy . The important thing to remember is to not go gluten free until after diagnosis as it can seriously skew the results .

mandala1fromTES · 30/08/2015 11:42

Hmmm - my adult migraines (and a whole host of other symptoms) stopped after I went gluten free.

Original poster

Shnook · 30/08/2015 16:27

Thank you all again. When we had the blood tests, they were supposed to do a coeliac test but didn't, due to an administrative error - so you're all making me wonder about that. Would there be other symptoms though- like weight loss, diarrhoea etc? Because she has none - just the pain. Also would there be these gaps of weeks between the attacks? It's odd that the tummy aches are around for a while then disappear for ages. Flaming - was that your experience?

The point about blood sugar is interesting. She said she was hungry last night before bed - but she hadn't eaten all her dinner (she still had pudding) so I didn't let her have anything else ( i wasnt being mean - just don't want her getting into the habit of not eating dinner then expecting to be able to snack before bed). She didn't make a fuss though and went to bed fine. Could hunger have caused the 'attack' this morning? While she was experiencing the pain, she got in bed with us and was in and out of sleep - the bad tummy aches tend to really wipe her out. When she woke she was still in a bit of pain and v lethargic but still wanted breakfast. In fact she was ravenous and had 2 breakfasts then a snack, then an apple. The tummy aches never affect her appetite. She really perked up and has been fine so far.

OP posts:

AngelBlue12 · 30/08/2015 16:44

My 3 year old was the same - we've also gone gluten free, tummy ache gone and so many other problems sorted too!

flamingtoaster · 30/08/2015 16:47

shnook You can be what is called a "silent coeliac" and have no symptoms at all - or only one symptom e.g. tummy ache. Having said that I realized by DS had more tummy aches when he had, for example, eaten pasta so while keeping him on gluten I did watch how much he ate. When his coeliac blood test was done the antibodies were lower than they expected but the Consultant said understandable as I'd reduced the level he ate (and given how long it had taken to get a diagnosis he didn't blame me at all). If you daughter is going to have the coeliac blood test then make sure she has had plenty of gluten in the run up to it.

As to my DD we did have breaks between attacks (thank goodness!) we often got 4.00 am attacks before I realized what was going on and ensured she ate something just before going to bed. This stopped the 4.00 am attacks. She used to go very white if an attack was about to come on and I found if I spotted that and gave her something like a sweet biscuit we could sometimes head off the attack. DD also was very lethargic after an attack.

Glad your DD is feeling better now.

Roonerspism · 30/08/2015 16:52

Get the coeliac test re-done now, before you alter her diet

My DD had this (and coeliac test was negative). Is your DD's tummy very distended at night? My DD's was.

GP suggested to take her off gluten anyway (despite negative coeliac test). Problem went away. She can now have a little wheat stuff but not over do it.

FrancesOldhamKelseyRIP · 30/08/2015 16:53

DD had similar symptoms. We never got an answer from various doctors, including an A&E paediatrician for one particularly bad attack, but we thought it was probably mesenteric adenitis (probably spelled that wrongly). She grew out of it eventually. I'm sure it's not coeliac though.

chelle792 · 30/08/2015 17:05

As a child I suffered from stomach aches. Doc said they were childhood migraines. Also lethargy, congestion, dark circles around the eyes. Mum tried excluding milk and all milk products. It was cured. Then did the usual dietician bits to check for balance, etc

Flip