Does anyone have a tummy ache child?

Discussion in 'Childhood and Beyond (4+)' started by Babies4Susan, Aug 10, 2011.

  1. Babies4Susan

    Babies4Susan Well-Known Member

    Lily has been complaining about tummy aches off and on since March. At first I thought it was just to get attention because Grace had surgery in March (adnoids/tonsils/tubes) and was getting a lot of attention. It went away for a while, then came back and I decided to take her to ped. They had us try no dairy to see if it was lactose intolerance, and that didn't really seem to make a difference. They prescribed something for reflux, which I have yet to fill. We just give her a children's tums when she needs it.

    The thing is, I think she's working herself up and getting a nervous stomach. It can be weeks where it doesn't come up, then when she seems to be in a whiny mood, the complaining about it starts. I've watched to see if certain foods tend to bring it on and come up with nothing. I just don't know if I should put her on the reflux meds or not since I'm not so sure it's not a mental thing for her.

    Just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this? I think she's starting to get nervous about kindergarten, which in turns makes her moody, whiny, and complaining about her tummy. But on the other hand, as a baby she threw up all the time. It never seemed to cause her any pain or affect her growth, she was just a happy spitter. So it could technically be reflux. I'm so torn on what to do!
     
  2. jenn-

    jenn- Well-Known Member

    My "happy spitter" baby has more tummy issues than the rest of them. Too much drainage, he throws up. Slight fever, he throws up. Too much to eat, he throws up. You get the point. He will usually have a weak stomach after a throw up session for about a week. I will give him a chewable kids Pepto when he complains to see if it helps. If he feels better within minutes, it was probably psychological to begin with.

    Your daughter seems to be having something more long term going on. How long were you guys dairy free, and were you 100% dairy free (not just drinking milk)? It takes being 100% dairy free for about a month before all the proteins are out of the body and you can tell if it is working.
     
  3. Babies4Susan

    Babies4Susan Well-Known Member

    We went dairy free for about a week, per the pedi. But we were pretty good about no dairy. Maybe we need to try it for longer.
     
  4. rissakaye

    rissakaye Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Do you think it could be mild constipation that comes and goes? Timothy gets mildly constipated once in a while and complains about his stomach hurting. I just give him about 2 spoons full of plain old corn syrup and by the end of the next day, things take care of themselves. He also tends towards heartburn when he eats too much spicy. We give him Tums for that.

    My daughter was actually our reflux/pukey baby and now she's not had a stomach problem ever except when she got some bad kidney infections and was spiking fevers over 104.

    Marissa
     
  5. KCMichigan

    KCMichigan Well-Known Member

    THat is what I thought....


    Or does she have asthma?

    My DD1 with true GI issues complains of stomach pain, but sadly-- she is so used to it unless she is as white as a sheet or bent over in pain- often says little. She has reflux, constipation, digestive disorder, etc.... so she gets hoarse from bad reflux and will just say her throat hurts a little bit!

    My other DD2 complains in phases (will do so for weeks and then nothing for along time) of stomach and chest pain....she is lactose intolerant so gets no dairy. After some testing-- Dr decided it was her asthma! Chest pain to kiddos can feel like stomach or 'heart' when it is lung in nature. She also will occasionally get constipated and will complain of it. Sometimes I think it is anxiety related (which flares asthama too). Dr has checked her out head to toe--- so mostly when she complains we do comfort measure and make sure she is using her inhaler.


    Could it be hunger pains? DD2 will sometimes get so hungry during a growth spurt her stomach hurts and makes all sorts of 'hungry' noises. That comes and goes as well.

    I would pursue the constipation, asthma, or anxiety route. Consult your Pedi-- they may have you try TUMS or something over the counter.
     
  6. AmynTony

    AmynTony Well-Known Member

    Abby just pulled this the other day on me...

    I was studying and the kids were running around like freaks...so I asked if they could go outside and run around...Abby decided she didn't "want" to go outside - it was too hot blah blah blah...so Ian then asked to take his bike out (she has one also but hates it - not sure why) anyway she suddenly "didn't feel good" and had a belly ache...so I dead pan told her "fine then go puke" - she went in the bathroom and made a big show of gagging, burping and retching noises and then came out in tears and said she needed a "nap" (mind you 2 minutes earlier she was running around and giggling)...so she went and laid on the couch...10 minutes later Ian comes in and yells - "mommy me and daddy are going to the park" She popped off the couch, declared herself cured and went to put her shoes on to go to the park...

    moral of the story - is there something she doesn't want to do? could be the answer...
     
  7. Babies4Susan

    Babies4Susan Well-Known Member

    We've been doing Children's Tums over the counter. She's a very regular child, and it does not seem to be associated with needing to have a BM. No asthma either.

    It really seems to be related mostly to when she is bored, upset, or not getting her way. The thing is she complains all day at daycare camp about it, so the teachers are really concerned. That happened yesterday, yet the minute we got home she wanted to go outside and play with her sister and the neighbor. Magical disappearing tummy ache! I made her stay inside and I did not let her play.

    Now this morning she's complaining about it again, and I can't send her if she's going to do that all day with the teachers. What I fear is this is just nerves over kindergarten (which she was having a bad dream about the other night). I can't keep her home all the time, especially if this is just a nerves thing.
     
  8. Minette

    Minette Well-Known Member

    Sarah tends to have a hurty tummy, but it got somewhat better when she stopped drinking milk (even though she still eats cheese, yogurt, and ice cream). I don't think she is actually lactose intolerant, but there seems to be something about straight milk that bothers her.

    It also helped a lot when we started giving her Miralax every day to address her chronic constipation. We did that mostly to try to improve her bladder irritation (constant sense of having to pee; no UTI), but a side effect seems to be that her tummy doesn't "hurt" as much.

    That said, there is definitely an anxiety component too. Her tummy has a remarkable tendency to hurt when she's worried about something or trying to get out of doing something unpleasant. I don't think she's making it up (at least not usually), that's just how her body expresses stress.
     
  9. eagleswings216

    eagleswings216 Well-Known Member

    My niece has had this problem for the last year or two (she is 6.5). My SIL thought it was anxiety, trying to get her way, etc., but finally tried the meds, and it really helped, and no more complaining.

    I have reflux myself, and I know some days my stomach really, really hurts, and other days it doesn't bother me at all, and it seems to have little to do with what I eat. Anxiety could also be a piece of the puzzle, too - I also have a mild anxiety disorder and when I am more anxious or stressed, my stomach definitely hurts more. But without my meds, I would be a total mess. I would say it would be at least worth a try to see if the meds help.
     
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