Chronic abdominal pain in a 5yo?

[Marci Kelley]

Hi, My five year old daughter has many health problems, including JRA, epilepsy, horseshoe kidney with hyrdonephrosis, FTT, GERD, and after a gastric emptying study we found out her stomach does not empty as quickly as it should. She constantly complains of abdominal pain whenever she eats, often the pain is so bad that she has to lay down. She also complains of abdominal pain with each bowel movement. The doctors have tried many GI meds such as Zantac and Prevacid although they help the GERD, they have no impact on the abdominal pain. For the past few weeks every stool she has had has been a very light green and extremely loose. She has had no change in her diet, she is a very poor eater with FTT as a result. She will not eat much of anything. What could be the possible causes? Should I be concerned?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

This Forum focuses on issues of childhood and adolescent social, emotional and behavioral issues, so I cannot reply to your question. It might be useful to address it to the Gastroenterology Forum.