Can you help me with my son's stomach issues?? *Update*

[TXmom]

Hi Everybody...

My 6 year old son has been complaining a lot about his stomach hurting. He's 6, so it's hard to get him to explain exactly what is going on, but this is not a stomach virus or anything like that...more of a long term issue. I have a doctor appointment set up for him already, but I was hoping someone here could give me ideas of what it might be...even anything I can tell the doctor to help with diagnosis/treatment.

He complains after he eats...he never eats very much, and it doesn't matter what he eats. He'll complain after eating just fruit, or any regular meal...doesn't seem to make a difference. He also holds his stomach and complains when he gets upset, mad, frustrated, in trouble, or stressed.

Several family members have milk problems (allergies and lactose intolerance) so I took him completely off dairy for more than a week. I checked every label and did a pretty decent job, except I know he had cheese at school a couple of times. Anyways, this did nothing for his stomach...same exact complaints after more than a week.

Do you think it's some kind of food allergy or sensitivity, maybe Celiac? Or maybe IBS? Just give me your thoughts and opinions that I can research. Like I said, he's already going to see a doc, I just want to be prepared for questions and stuff. Thanks for your help!

 

[redhen]

aww! sorry about your babies sick tummy!

i wonder about an ulcer...i know he is young..but... maybe...does he have problems going #2? could be something in that area also....let us know what the doctor says...

 

[TXmom]

Good points Redhen...I thought about maybe an ulcer too...I don't know if kids have that problem or not.

As for #2, I asked him questions about it and, without being too graphic, it sounds normal...sometimes soft so I don't *think* he has constipation issues.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Is he having any problems at school, or anywhere else, that you know of? Sometimes tummy troubles are stress issues with kids. Hope that it gets resolved quickly, whatever the cause of it. Poor little kid...

for him.

 

[TXmom]

I've been leaning toward food issues, but my husband thinks it is more stress related. Any time he gets upset (including when I'm "correcting" him...putting him in tim-out or whatever) he immediately starts holding his stomach. At first, I thought he was just trying to get attention or sympathy or something, but now I really do believe it's legit. He's kind of high-strung...very active, but easily gets his feeling hurt. Could be part of the problem...but I don't really think that explains everything...I dunno...

 

[NancyDz]

My boyfriend's son had a similar problem and he ended up having celiac disease.
But there are a lot of other things it could be, glad you have the appt so they
can figure it out. I would say an allergy panel should definitely be done.


Good luck! Hope he feels better soon!

Nancy

 

[AngelzFyre]

Sad to say but in this day and time even at 6 kids do get ulcers. They also can have reflux and other gastric diseases that used to be only found in adults.
Stress can greatly contribute, as can environmental and food allergies.
We are firm believers in probiotics. I use them in all our animals and we take the Probiotic Pearls at least 3 times a week with our other supplements. Sometimes more if we've had to eat on the run.
Hopefully you'll find out soon what's wrong and I'll be keeping your son in thought and prayer.

 

[CountryMom]

Gosh I know how hard it is when one of your little ones has tummy issues. My oldest is lactose intolerant. And my middle daughter has issues and needs fiber pills to keep her regular. I haven't had much help from Docs so I have adjusted diets until I figured it out. I also have a friend who has two children with celiac (sp?) and they cannot have any wheat or gluten products period. I would see if that is causing him issues since once the stomach is affected it can be upset by about anything until you stop him from eating that one ingrediant that does the damage. It also maybe an issue of both lactose and gluten.

Sad to say that my oldest had headache issues while in school also when she was 6 and 7. Stress can be a hard thing on a young kid.

Good Luck!

 

[Judy]

My guess is there are almost undoubtedly some food allergies going on here. Celiac disease or milk intolerance are distinct possibilities. Celiac disease is basically an allergy to wheat, not that uncommon, and often misdiagnosed. Responses to food allergens can take two or three days, despite his upset right after eating. What makes it even trickier is that there are often several allergies present.

This sort of problem is not something most MD's have much knowledge of; their basic nutritional training is pathetic. You will probably have to research more naturopathic approaches to get a handle on this. For example, an approach that has helped many is to remove most common allergens from the diet, then if symptoms abate, reintroduce one at a time. Obviously, a food diary is essential. If he eats school food, they would have to cooperate.

The possible stress factor could be quite a complication. If things are not great at home, that could certainly affect this.

The MD may want to do some tests, which is fine, but in the end I suspect you will find yourself researching and managing this yourself.

 

[Cackel]

Sounds to me like he has what is called nervious stomach, my son had that when he was a little boy.At meal time everything had to be really quiet or he would complain about his stomach hurting.I started letting him eat in front of the tv whie watching cartoons and he was better .The Dr.gave him some meds. also to help him clam down some and he got better .He has always been a nervious child ,But he is grown now and doing just fine, Just can,t handly alot of stress even now.