6 year old farting in school - teacher opinions

[Sunnydaysarethebestdays]

My 6 year old is really struggling with school at the moment. She gets really upset every morning and is difficult to get into class, and says she feels sick.
It transpires after chatting to her this afternoon that she farts a lot when they are sat on the carpet in class and everyone looks at her.
She thinks her teacher is cross with her about it too.
She has started asking to go to the toilet when she feels she needs to fart but her teacher refuses to let her go after so many times which makes it worse.
I can’t help thinking that it’s quite common at their age for this to happen but also asking for any advice at all as is becoming quite an issue for her.

First speak to the teacher and find out whether there is a genuine problem here. Everyone farts and if you don't notice a problem at home this may well be an anxiety issue rather than a physical one.

Also in my DS's class she would be a hero and a legend if she is in fact farting excessively.

Celiac can also be triggered by oats that are cross contaminated or just because they are oats (they have a similar protein). It can also cause lactose intolerance through damage to the particular part of the gut where lactase is produced.

She could be having oats - triggering, dairy - triggering, toast and butter - triggering, then snack, then lunch (and I've never seen a school menu that doesn't contain dairy and/or wheat).

Swallowing lots of air maybe? It must be bad jf it’s making her anxious. I hope you work out what it is and perhaps changing breakfast might help.

Teacher shouldn’t be highlighting who farted or if it smells. Just ignore and let you know if they find it concerning child is farting a lot

Sounds like anxiety to me.

However, my son used to "feel sick" before going to school at her age (and fart a bit more than normal too), and turns out he's autistic.
Autism is often linked to GI symptoms. And can cause anxiety about social situations such as school. But may not become obvious until a child gets a bit older. So, something to keep an eye out for.

Definitely have a chat with your GP, and consider talking to the school SENCO too (and/or the pastoral care officer)

Try her with just porridge not toast and see how that works. It could just be a bout of anxiety and this has been focused on this fear of needing to fart. After dinner a couple of nights, have her sit in the floor to play a game or do a jigsaw and just notice yourself if there is farting.
Also, you can give her some control by saying 'whereabouts on the carpet do you sit? Do you want to sit in a different spot', that you can arrange that with the teacher. Maybe sitting at the wall or something might help to make her feel secure when they have to sit on the floor.

Teacher shouldn’t be highlighting who farted or if it smells. Just ignore and let you know if they find it concerning child is farting a lot

There is no indication that the teacher is even aware of the matter - she is just not letting the OP's daughter go to the bathroom endlessly. She may have no idea why the child keeps asking.

I sincerely doubt the teacher is annoyed! Or if so, it would be at other children making a fuss about a smell and being rude about something that is perfectly normal. We have occasional perfect storm of everyone eating something for lunch that gives them wind but it's not common. As others have said, if not a new medication or something, could well be an intolerance and exacerbated by anxiety over it. Poor wee thing.

Most likely an intolerance. Go 2 weeks with no dairy and then 2 weeks with no gluten - that's probably what the GP will suggest !

Thank you all of the replies.
It’s difficult to get the complete story and actually establish how often etc.
It could well be that it’s happened once or twice and now she’s worrying about it.
The teacher has never made a thing of it, just gives her a funny look (apparently) and stopped her going to the toilet after a while.
I’m also conscious of wasting a gp appointment especially at the moment when they are difficult to get at the moment but I’ll see how she is over half term and discreetly closely monitor her and go from there.

I am lactose intolerant - digesting milk makes me fart constantly. To see if this is the culprit, cut out dairy milk for 3 weeks and see if things improve.

My guess it's happened a couple of times and it's just her perception that's out.

I was going to suggest anxiety given you don't notice it at home. Presumably she has dairy etc at the weekend and doesn't say she feels sick or farts a lot?
I wonder whether on the carpet she's conscious the other children will hear the farts so she gets anxious which then does make her fart, a bit of a viscous cycle.

Have you spoken to the teacher about it?

@Sunnydaysarethebestdays
Coeliac disease often results in a lot of farting and can be diagnosed by a simple blood test.

Oh wow I am surprised my all of these replies. My 5 and 6 year old are always farting!! I assumed it was normal. School Have never mentioned it to me, but they do fart a lot. Is it not normal?
OP I would have said 6 year olds do fart a lot, but it seems I'm in the minority and therefore watching the replies with interest!

No teacher should be refusing a six year old access to the toilet! Will make the issue worse for her.

My dd was/ is very windy. She’s 7. She does have IBS though I think as struggles a lot but also is very picky and not wonderful eater so her diet could be a lot better.

Ex-primary school teacher, it's probably something in the school dinner. I remember certain days being particularly bad due to the amount of wind emitted after lunch. Especially in KS1 when more children had school dinners

It is the carpet that seems to be the trigger and the fact other children look at her.
I think now sees been refused the toilet it’s made her more anxious about it.
I haven’t approached the school as yet.

Could be the porridge. But I would mention it to the teacher. I'm sure they will be very sympathetic.

Given that she has named a specific time she needs to fart (when they are sat on the carpet) AND that she feels sick before school it is far more likely this is anxiety. It’s become a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy, she’s worried about wind at a certain time, so the worry upsets her tummy and makes her more windy. Just reassure her that it’s a normal function

If you suspect an issue with gluten don't cut it out without seeing a dr first. Coeliac tests must be carried out when the person is on a gluten containing diet as they measure the body reacting to the gluten. Loads of wind was one of my symptoms pre diagnosis.

Don't start excluding foods before you see GP/get any testing done. Otherwise it can affect the results.

My 16 year old DS has always had a bad stomach when he's anxious. Stomach cramps and wind, needing to go etc. even last summer when he started his first job he was still the same and it hadn't happened for ages at this point. Like a pp or op said though probably a vicious cycle now too 😞

My eldest is 6 and she farts loads, she has jacket potato with beans at least 3 times a week though she loves a good fart although some of the smells she produces are horrific!