Ileus in a preschooler. Any experience? Kind of Long.

[lilycat88]

Let me preface by saying I'm not generally an alarmist at all and I do know better than to rely on Dr. Google for entirely practical information...especially about medical issues.

That being said, DD (she's 3 1/2) was diagnosed with Ileus this afternoon and I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with the whole thing based on what I've read online. We saw one of her regular ped's partners. I don't doubt her competence but it seems like we usually come out with a very "it's no big deal" opinion from her.

DD has been complaining of her stomach hurting on and off for about 3 weeks. Nothing major and usually only 1-2 times a day. She has had fairly minor constipation issues in the past that we keep under control with a 1/2 (the usual) dose of Miralax daily. Every once in a while we have to boost it up for a few days. She was having regular BMs and no other symptoms and was acting normally so I really didn't think much of it. Last Wednesday, she vomited 4 times between 4-10 pm. No fever or loose stools. She was puny the next day until about noon then perked up. I kept her home from school. I found out that a 24 hour virus had swept through her class and by Friday, only 50% of the kids were there. All of the other kids had a high fever and diarrhea in addition to the vomiting. She refused all food on Friday night...even junk food "treats". Other than that, she seemed fine until Saturday when she had one episode of diarrhea. She was still complaining of her stomach hurting and her appetite has dwindled. She'll take a few bites and announce she is full and her stomach hurts. She complained of not being able to push the poop out when she was trying to have a BM. So, I called the doctor today and took her in. I knew her belly was slightly distended and hard and the ped confirmed her belly was "full". She ordered an x-ray that showed a gut full of gas. There was a little fecal matter but mostly gas. She wasn't constipated. This evening she still complained of her belly hurting but did have a BM that was soft...although it took her 3 trips to the bathroom to finally get it out...and she did pass some gas. I'm sure she had the virus that the other kids had but the belly pain predated the virus.

So, I'm not really sure what the question is...or if there is a question. Any BTDT? I hate to see my kid hurting but I didn't leave the doctor's office with much concrete in the way to help with this.

Thanks,
J

[caheinz]

I would wait a little while to see how things clear up post-virus, but after that, if the pain persists, I would try to find a pediatric gastroenterologist.

Peds and GPs are really not trained to recognize everything that could be going on in the digestive tract, and an x-ray is going to miss a lot of information (like whether any inflammation is present).

It might take something more invasive like an endoscopy to see what's really going on, but getting a good diagnosis is imperative to getting good treatment on the digestive tract (just like anywhere else -- it's just harder to see the GI tract any other way!).

Another thought would be something simple like lactose intolerance. Maybe try restricting her dairy for a few days, if it isn't already?

[Snugglibumkins]

My son had an ileus last year when he was just over a year old. Somehow it was related to the fact that he had 5ths disease as the same time.

We were instructed to report to a specialist if the pain and bloating did not go away, same as what the above poster mentioned. After some suppositories it was about 24 hours and we could see a clear difference.

[lilycat88]

Thanks for the replies. How long should I ride it out? She didn't complain of belly pain at all yesterday...but 2 sets of grandparents were here AND she's got a cold so she was plenty distracted. As things got calmer today and the cold less miserable, we started getting complaints again tonight. She's having BMs and passing a little gas but no startling amount.

Thanks again,
J

[gatorsmom]

If she was already having stomach problems for the past 3 weeks, then this virus might have simply aggravated a problem that already existed. This last episode would be the final push to make the appointment just to see if we could get the mystery cleared up for good. It might be simply that the specialist can give you some helpful ways to deal not only with the constipation problem but also the gas and bloating she's dealing with now.

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[chlobo]

My daugther complains of stomach pain whenever she has to poop & sometimes even when she doesn't. She is also the gassiest kid on the planet and her tummy is definitely distended.

We recently had a stool test done on her & it turns out she is gluten & dairy sensitive. I'm pretty sure that's what's causing the gas & bloating. We haven't implemented the new diet yet but plan to in the next few days.

So if I were you, I'd follow up with a gastro person or at least make the appointnment. Most likely the appointment will be a ways out and if the problem resolves, you can alway cancel. If not, then you can go and hopefully put your mind at ease. It might be nothing but then again, it might be something.

[caheinz]

I'll agree with Carren and Lisa that you should go ahead and call for an appointment.

It might take a while to get in, depending on your area and the number of docs. Definitely look for a pediatric gastroenterologist (they have training in both pediatrics and gastroenterology), and get a recommendation if you can. But it could be a week or two or more before you get in anyways... so go ahead and call now.