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Question regarding my six year old daughter
My poor child has been going through hell and I can't get any answers from anywhere... She has been dealing with stomach aches for the last at least 3 years... It actually started when she was about a year old and at that time she had loose stool alot... We had stool cultures done at that time and nothing. Then she started with the stomach aches.. Always by her belly button area. We did food logs (thinking she was lactose intolerant), we gave her pepcid, metamucil (thinking constipation was a problem), more stool cultures, saw 2 GI specialists, one did an endoscopy (biopsies showed chronic gastritis...but no answer why), other doctor did blood work (pancreatic function, liver, electrolytes) and everything normal. Can't get an answer for anything. I don't think that she is making it up cuz her father gets the same thing and says that he has to ball up in a fetal position till it goes away. We are not together so for me to have him go to the doctor is not going to happen. I just don't know what to do anymore.. He reg. physician won't touch it anymore since it was referred but how much more should i be putting my daughter through. She is home today with a stomach ache. I talked to her teacher and she said it happens almost on a daily basis. Can anyone give me suggestions? Please email me at ***@**** you!!!
Once again..thank you to those that have posted a message..just an update on my daughter...we have been doing the experimental food change and so far so good. She has only had one small stomach ache and nothing major..doing ok...will continue and see what happens. We are at about 1 1/2 weeks on this experiment. As far as the last posting about stool being left in the colon. She has had problems with stool for years now. Either she has diarrhea or she gets constipated. This past summer I had her at the hospital (for high fever) and they took an abdominal xray at that time (she was complaining that her stomach hurt so bad). We also were giving her the metamucil wafers (recommendation of a GI specialist) and it didn't help with the stomach aches. But we do monitor closely for daily bowel movements. Again thank you to everyone and will keep you posted.
Once again..thank you to those that have posted a message..just an update on my daughter...we have been doing the experimental food change and so far so good. She has only had one small stomach ache and nothing major..doing ok...will continue and see what happens. We are at about 1 1/2 weeks on this experiment. As far as the last posting about stool being left in the colon. She has had problems with stool for years now. Either she has diarrhea or she gets constipated. This past summer I had her at the hospital (for high fever) and they took an abdominal xray at that time (she was complaining that her stomach hurt so bad). We also were giving her the metamucil wafers (recommendation of a GI specialist) and it didn't help with the stomach aches. But we do monitor closely for daily bowel movements. Again thank you to everyone and will keep you posted.
My niece and my friends daughter have had similar pains for about 5 years now, and although my niece was never diagnosed, they told my friend that her daughter's colon was full all the time. She has regular bowel movements, but a lot of stool remains in the colon. To relieve the symptoms, she can not have any dairy, and lay off the sugar. This has helped her immensely, and I hope it will help your daughter, too. They can tell by an x-ray if her colon is full, and if it is, you might want to consider incorporating more fiber and less dairy into her diet, and ask the doctor about the abdominal x-ray. I hope this helps, and I hope she feels better soon.
Dear Mom of the child,
Good for you, for lessening MILK, SUGARS, AND GLUTENOUS FOODS in your daughter's diet.
I have to tell you, that, in my opinion, THIS kind of experimenting is GREAT, and there is NO HARM in removing potentially harmful food products!!!!!!!!!
Also, I used to be a nurse, and have learned that even in the regular medical profession, trial and error (experimenting, and seeing what happens) is a very old, and respected and NECESSARY kind of medicine, when tests may be inconclusive, or when you want to avoid invasive testing, etc.!
I agree partly with Wilson, about how SOME Celiac Patients need months to see results of a gluten-free diet. But, everybody is unique.
We have a friend who has Celiac Disease, and he DID SEE POSITIVE RESULTS starting about a week after he went on a strictly non-glutenous diet! He is now well, AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T EAT GLUTEN! He was advised to TRY a gluten-free diet, by a doctor who never did blood tests, never did small intestinal biopsy, but who believed in the EMPIRICAL METHOD (trial and error), if the patient is agreeable, and wants to avoid invasive tests!!!
Repair of the small intestine may take longer than a week (usually does), but THE SYMPTOMS of Celiac Disease, in SOME patients, CAN BE REDUCED, AND ARE REDUCED in a matter of days!
So, my advise is for you to follow the lead of the other person who TRIED removing potential problem foods, and SEE IF IT HELPS!
Good luck!!!! Keep us posted!
Glutenous foods include: Wheat, rye, oats, barley, and buckwheat. Read labels carefully, for "hidden" gluten.
A safe gluten-free grain is organic BROWN RICE.
Sincerely, Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com
***@****
Good for you, for lessening MILK, SUGARS, AND GLUTENOUS FOODS in your daughter's diet.
I have to tell you, that, in my opinion, THIS kind of experimenting is GREAT, and there is NO HARM in removing potentially harmful food products!!!!!!!!!
Also, I used to be a nurse, and have learned that even in the regular medical profession, trial and error (experimenting, and seeing what happens) is a very old, and respected and NECESSARY kind of medicine, when tests may be inconclusive, or when you want to avoid invasive testing, etc.!
I agree partly with Wilson, about how SOME Celiac Patients need months to see results of a gluten-free diet. But, everybody is unique.
We have a friend who has Celiac Disease, and he DID SEE POSITIVE RESULTS starting about a week after he went on a strictly non-glutenous diet! He is now well, AS LONG AS HE DOESN'T EAT GLUTEN! He was advised to TRY a gluten-free diet, by a doctor who never did blood tests, never did small intestinal biopsy, but who believed in the EMPIRICAL METHOD (trial and error), if the patient is agreeable, and wants to avoid invasive tests!!!
Repair of the small intestine may take longer than a week (usually does), but THE SYMPTOMS of Celiac Disease, in SOME patients, CAN BE REDUCED, AND ARE REDUCED in a matter of days!
So, my advise is for you to follow the lead of the other person who TRIED removing potential problem foods, and SEE IF IT HELPS!
Good luck!!!! Keep us posted!
Glutenous foods include: Wheat, rye, oats, barley, and buckwheat. Read labels carefully, for "hidden" gluten.
A safe gluten-free grain is organic BROWN RICE.
Sincerely, Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com
***@****
Thank you everyone for all of you suggestions. I greatly appreciate it. Let me start by saying that she has had bloodwork done (cbc, pancreatic enzymes, liver function) and everything has been normal. She also had an endoscopy done with biopsies and they came back with chronic gastritis but no reason why. We have tried pepcid, metamucil (constipation), food logs, taking lactose out of the diet, etc... yes she has been to pediatric specialists. Two of them actually. I don't think it's anxiety cuz her dad gets the same thing and notices his when he eats alot of chocolate. She doesn't eat alot of chocolate but hey it's worth a shot. She has been having problems with her stool since she was a little younger than a year old and we started with stool cultures at that time. So I find it hard to blame it on anxiety. But it has been considered. I just took her back to the doctor (reg. physician) yesterday and we are doing another diet change. Trying to reduce her milk intake and sugars. Also having her drink more water. Don't ask what this is going to do but it's worth a try. Otherwise he is talking barium enemas and colonoscopy. I just don't know that I want to put her through anymore tests. There hasn't been any food allergy testing that has been done and don't know if that would be something to consider. A friend at work told me that her nephew went through the same thing... Her sister got very frustrated with the doctors cuz she felt like no one would listen and that it was being made up>>(which is where I am at) and she started experimenting on her own (not that it is recommended) and found that when she took wheat and gluten out of his diet, he was fine. I will need to talk to the doctor about that. SO>>>thank you very much again and by all means if anyone else has any other suggestions or experiences that they have had, please feel free to comment. I would love to hear from you. THANK YOU!!!!
This suggestion of why your six year old has pain may seem silly, but my daughter has had the same pain her entire life and she is now 11. She has an anxiety problem (not diagnosed, but runs in our family). She gets very nervous about everything from going to a families birthday party to going to catch the bus in the morning. Her stomach hurts terribly. She has never told me this because all she knew is that her tummy really hurt bad. I had this, so I know.
She is working herself up by saying things to herself such as,
" your going to be late for the bus", or, "a lot of kids are on that bus".
Ask yourself these questions:
does your daughter seem to have this pain before going out?
Does she go to the bathroom a lot before she goes out feeling like she needs to pass stool, but is unable?
Does she seem anxious before a big event?
If you'd like to know more about this or how to help your child through this e-mail me at gleeson_lisa***@****
She is working herself up by saying things to herself such as,
" your going to be late for the bus", or, "a lot of kids are on that bus".
Ask yourself these questions:
does your daughter seem to have this pain before going out?
Does she go to the bathroom a lot before she goes out feeling like she needs to pass stool, but is unable?
Does she seem anxious before a big event?
If you'd like to know more about this or how to help your child through this e-mail me at gleeson_lisa***@****
I am so sorry your daughter has been suffering with these problems.
Have you tried a GLUTEN-FREE DIET for a week, to see if there is improvement, in case your daughter (and husband) have CELIAC DISEASE???
To eat gluten-free foods, AVOID the following "glutenous" foods: WHEAT, RYE, BARLEY, OATS, BUCKWHEAT. Read labels carefully. Avoid soy sauce that contains wheat, etc. Avoid gravies, etc. that you didn't make yourself.
Brown rice is GLUTEN-FREE, but sometimes it's good to avoid all grains for a while, and then, later on, you can use brown rice.
Corn is gluten-free, but many people are allergic to corn, so avoid it. Millet may or may not agree with "Celiac" patients.
Celiac patients have had damage done to the little "villi" in their small intestines, and the damage is caused by an "allergy" to gluten. The "villi" normally secrete some digestive enzymes, including LACTASE, which breaks down lactose (milk sugar).
Until the "villi" grow back, (if your daughter has Celiac Disease), avoid all milk products.
A soothing, healing "food" is BIFIDO-BACTERIA (beneficial bacteria called "pro-biotics"). Did your daughter ever take ANTI-BIOTICS? If so, she probably needs to eat these beneficial bacteria (the BIFIDUS/BIFIDO-BACTERIA), which were destroyed by the antibiotics.
WHAT HAPPENED when she was one year old? Did she react badly to a vaccination? Did she have an infection of any kind? Was she exposed to any toxic chemicals, like HERBICIDES, INSECTICIDES, FUNGICIDES (the 3 types of PESTICIDES)? Did you have a pet that used a FLEA COLLAR, OR FLEA POWDER, OR FLEA OINTMENT? These contain dangerous insecticides!
Did you have your house treated for ants, termites, etc.?
Might there be a harmful MOLD in the walls?
Has your daughter been exposed to the harmful fumes that "outgass" from NEW BUILDING MATERIALS, like NEW CARPET, NEW INSULATION, NEW PARTICLEBOARD, SPRAYS, GERM KILLING LIQUIDS, NEW MATTRESSES?
What did she eat and drink, from one year old to the present? Might there be a problem with your drinking water?
Was she on any medications that could have irritated her stomach?
Does she eat anything that might contain NUTRASWEET (Equal/Aspartame), and/or MSG (Mono-Sodium Glutamate/"accent"), and/or FAKE FATS (like OLEAN, OLESTRA, etc.)?
These artificial additives are VERY DAMAGING to the digestive (and neurological) systems! READ LABELS CAREFULLY!
Also, too much sugar can cause diarrhea, and can cause the growth of YEAST (Candida) infections! Avoid overly sugary foods!
AVOID SODA POP and JUNK FOODS, like the plague!!! The BIFIDO-BACTERIA can help get rid of a yeast infection. Use a gluten-free and milk free form of BIFIDO-BACTERIA, that you can get from a health food store.
I also think it is worth looking for BETTER DOCTORS who can think "outside the box", and who will be like Sherlock Holmes, to WORK WITH YOU, to figure out what's wrong!
Also, you could go to a health food store, and look at books there, and speak to knowledgable workers there, and even to other customers there. This could give you some food for thought.
I hope your daughter gets better fast, and feels better soon! I hope others give you their thoughts, too!
Sincerely, Concerned lady
***@****
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com
Have you tried a GLUTEN-FREE DIET for a week, to see if there is improvement, in case your daughter (and husband) have CELIAC DISEASE???
To eat gluten-free foods, AVOID the following "glutenous" foods: WHEAT, RYE, BARLEY, OATS, BUCKWHEAT. Read labels carefully. Avoid soy sauce that contains wheat, etc. Avoid gravies, etc. that you didn't make yourself.
Brown rice is GLUTEN-FREE, but sometimes it's good to avoid all grains for a while, and then, later on, you can use brown rice.
Corn is gluten-free, but many people are allergic to corn, so avoid it. Millet may or may not agree with "Celiac" patients.
Celiac patients have had damage done to the little "villi" in their small intestines, and the damage is caused by an "allergy" to gluten. The "villi" normally secrete some digestive enzymes, including LACTASE, which breaks down lactose (milk sugar).
Until the "villi" grow back, (if your daughter has Celiac Disease), avoid all milk products.
A soothing, healing "food" is BIFIDO-BACTERIA (beneficial bacteria called "pro-biotics"). Did your daughter ever take ANTI-BIOTICS? If so, she probably needs to eat these beneficial bacteria (the BIFIDUS/BIFIDO-BACTERIA), which were destroyed by the antibiotics.
WHAT HAPPENED when she was one year old? Did she react badly to a vaccination? Did she have an infection of any kind? Was she exposed to any toxic chemicals, like HERBICIDES, INSECTICIDES, FUNGICIDES (the 3 types of PESTICIDES)? Did you have a pet that used a FLEA COLLAR, OR FLEA POWDER, OR FLEA OINTMENT? These contain dangerous insecticides!
Did you have your house treated for ants, termites, etc.?
Might there be a harmful MOLD in the walls?
Has your daughter been exposed to the harmful fumes that "outgass" from NEW BUILDING MATERIALS, like NEW CARPET, NEW INSULATION, NEW PARTICLEBOARD, SPRAYS, GERM KILLING LIQUIDS, NEW MATTRESSES?
What did she eat and drink, from one year old to the present? Might there be a problem with your drinking water?
Was she on any medications that could have irritated her stomach?
Does she eat anything that might contain NUTRASWEET (Equal/Aspartame), and/or MSG (Mono-Sodium Glutamate/"accent"), and/or FAKE FATS (like OLEAN, OLESTRA, etc.)?
These artificial additives are VERY DAMAGING to the digestive (and neurological) systems! READ LABELS CAREFULLY!
Also, too much sugar can cause diarrhea, and can cause the growth of YEAST (Candida) infections! Avoid overly sugary foods!
AVOID SODA POP and JUNK FOODS, like the plague!!! The BIFIDO-BACTERIA can help get rid of a yeast infection. Use a gluten-free and milk free form of BIFIDO-BACTERIA, that you can get from a health food store.
I also think it is worth looking for BETTER DOCTORS who can think "outside the box", and who will be like Sherlock Holmes, to WORK WITH YOU, to figure out what's wrong!
Also, you could go to a health food store, and look at books there, and speak to knowledgable workers there, and even to other customers there. This could give you some food for thought.
I hope your daughter gets better fast, and feels better soon! I hope others give you their thoughts, too!
Sincerely, Concerned lady
***@****
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com
Sorry your daughter is in so much pain. As the others have suggested, I would take a closer look at the possibility of food allergies, celiac disease, candida(eating too much sugar), and anxiety. I would be willing to bet she's dealing with one or more of these conditions. Sometimes these things can all interact and cause alot of problems. The gastritis could be a clue to allergies, and there may be inflammation in the small intestine as well. Were the referrals to a PEDIATRIC gastroenterologist? It seems you need an expert who specializes in problems of little people.
On the possibility of celiac disease, I hate to disagree with Concerned lady but I believe the celiac diet can take several weeks or more to produce symptomatic relief. I know it can take 6 months to a year before the lining of the small intestine is completely healed. I should mention there is a blood antibody test to detect celiac disease, and you DO NOT want to try the diet until AFTER the blood test, if you intend to take it. In fact you may want to increase your daughter's gluten intake (wheat, oats, barley, etc.) before the test to give it the best chance to react positively.
Good luck to you and your daughter.
On the possibility of celiac disease, I hate to disagree with Concerned lady but I believe the celiac diet can take several weeks or more to produce symptomatic relief. I know it can take 6 months to a year before the lining of the small intestine is completely healed. I should mention there is a blood antibody test to detect celiac disease, and you DO NOT want to try the diet until AFTER the blood test, if you intend to take it. In fact you may want to increase your daughter's gluten intake (wheat, oats, barley, etc.) before the test to give it the best chance to react positively.
Good luck to you and your daughter.
Sorry to hear your daughter is having problems. I thought I might suggest having her checked for appendicitis. If she has had any blood tests that show if her white blood cell count is high then this could be an indication of an inflamed appendix. I did have a friend whose child went through terrible bouts of stomach pain almost on a daily basis and after about a year the docs found the inflamed appendix and did an immediate appendectomy. She has had no further stomach pains since that time.
Hope this helps.
Susan
Hope this helps.
Susan
Hi I dont know if this will help but the area around the belly button might be her colon?? Has she been tested for colon problems...I know young kids can have IBS.....my sister in law suffers from stomach pain alot right around her belly button and she has inflammation of the small intestine walls......the walls in her small intestine are thick and it causes her alot of pain.....they have told her it doesnt work like it should.....maybe your daughter should have her small intestine looked at .......my sister in law has stomach aches all of the time too......just a thought....if the pain is that low I cant imagine it being Gerd......might have the GI check her colon (colonoscopy) and check her small intestine....hope she gets to feeling better....
IM SORRY THAT YOUR DAUGHTER IS IN SO MUCH PAIN.IM 19 AND IVE GOTTEN STOMACH ACHES FOR 4 YEARS NOW AND NOBODY WILL TELL ME ANYTHING BUT-YOU'VE GOT GERD.NO I DONT BECAUSE I DONT GET HEARTBURN.WELL MAYBE YOUR DAUGTER HAS A UTI.(URINARY TRACT INFECTION)WAS SHE EVER TESTED FOR THAT?DOES SHE HAVE AN ULCER?ANYWAYS I HOPE SHE FEELS BETTER.
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