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this is sooo stressing me out, don't know if he's faking

12 replies

cheeryface · 04/01/2007 20:40

o.k, this is the story, please advise if you can

since xmas day ds2 (7) has been slightly off his food, still eating just not as much.

last thursday dh took him to the pictures and had to bring him out as he said he had tummyache. dh was suspicious as it had come on very suddenly and was gone when we got home.
but, that night at bedtime it was back and i laid in bed with him until he fell asleep.

from then on, he has slept fine everynight and been playing fine each morning/day but after i have said goodnight and come downstairs he's back down crying his tummy hurts.

at first i thought it was just a very good act to get me to stay upstairs with him but he has got really really convincingly upset and a couple of nights it's come on earlier, like while we are all watching tv together.

he said he also gets chest pains, but thats been whilst at school before xmas. he says its hurting up to his throat.
i asked why only in the evening and he said it hurt earlier but he doesn't like to tell me ???????? he is like that actually, probably because we have had a few scary hospital admissions.

i went to the doctor, she couldn't see anything wrong and suggested seeing the asthma nurse about the chest pains, actually she was really crap and just wanted rid of us.

i don't know what to think.

OP posts:
colditz · 04/01/2007 20:42

That sounds like anxiety, to be honest. It's the sort of grumbles and niggles I get when I'm het up about something. Is he worrying about something maybe?

brandy7 · 04/01/2007 20:44

hi cheeryface,

has something happenend at school/home/friends to upset your boy?could be that his tummyache is due to anxiety praps

Skribble · 04/01/2007 20:48

Family time watching TV and trip to the cinema don't sound like things a child fakes sore tummy to get out of. Does he normaly enjoy things like this?

I had sore stomaches on and off throughout childhood, they put it down to grumbling apendix and never really found anything wrong, looking back I suspect it was more likely IBS due to the complete lack of roughage in my diet.

It could be purely panic attacks or panicing at the re-ocurring sore stomach. Dh as stress induced IBS and gets terrible pains then is fine later on.

If he has had scary hospital trips before it could all be worrying him. Go back to docs and get further investigations and if nes a second opinion.

cheeryface · 04/01/2007 20:48

as far as i can tell he has been enjoying he past week and half playing with his brother with all his new xmas toys!
he was laughing tonight at the story i was reading to him, then smiling as i kissed him goodnight and then a few minutes later he comes back down saying he has a really bad pain, his throat hurts and please come look after him as he can't bear it!

OP posts:
Glassofwine · 04/01/2007 20:51

I have a 7 year old and I have to say it does sound like he's genuine. How about giving NHS Direct a call - I know you've been to the GP, but I think I'd want to get another opinion.

brandy7 · 04/01/2007 20:52

aw bless him.why dont you take a trip to the docs and get his throat/ears/belly checked.thats what i do if ds is off colour but im not sure why, 9 times out of 10 hes actually got something wrong. could be constipated ?

cheeryface · 04/01/2007 20:57

the doctor looked in his throat and he's not constipated which is what she suggested in the end (i have checked)

OP posts:
3littlefrogs · 04/01/2007 21:01

Could he have an intolerance or allergy to something he is eating or drinking? That might come and go intermittently and you might not be putting 2 and 2 together IYSWIM?
Maybe a food diary/symptom diary would be a good idea - sometimes you can see a pattern when you read a couple of week's worth in retrospect.

Also, it could be stress / anxiety. It is worth trying to find out if anything is worrying him.

My 8 yr old has been really stressed about going back to school and we have had tummyache/ sore throat/leg-ache/you name it.

Otherwise consider diet, constipation etc.
HTH. Hope all settles down soon.

3littlefrogs · 04/01/2007 21:02

sorry - X posts

Bluebear · 04/01/2007 21:03

Asthma does get described as tummy ache by small children. I found this out when looking into after my ds was diagnosed with asthma ( I had no idea he was asthmatic but looking back on it, and with all the information I found, I realised that he was).
So not a bad suggestion to see the asthma nurse.

My ds gets very bad 'panic' tummy aches normally lasting for a week or so before they go back to school, and for the first few days of school - he had one for the last couple of days and today...but I am sure that it is anxiety.

brandy7 · 04/01/2007 21:03

heartburn?acid reflux? if its a pain going up his throat.

could keep an eye on exactly what he is eating ie: very strictly written food diary and see if anything coincides with his pains

brandy7 · 04/01/2007 21:04

ooops 3littlefrogs suggested food diary already

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