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View Full Version : Urgent - DD1 complaining of stomach pain for over 24 hours



citymama
09-14-2010, 01:45 AM
TMI alert!

She looks and seems normal to me, a little subdued. Yesterday we were at a street fair where she got a smoothie from Jamba Juice (20:20 hindsight - don't buy your kid a smoothie late in the day at a street fair). On our way home, she kept saying she needed to throw up. She tried and tried but couldn't. She didn't eat dinner and felt asleep early. She woke up in the middle of the night complaining of a tummy ache - her tummy was hard - but she went poop and tummy became soft again and she said she was better. But since then, every time she eats or drinks anything (and she has had an appetite today) she says she needs to throw up - doesn't actually - or go poop. Her teachers called from school today saying she was complaining of a tummy ache and trying to make herself throw up.

She was in a good mood and played all evening, did art, ate a good dinner. Come bedtime - she's again trying to make herself throw up, complaining of a tummy ache (around the belly button). Refuses bedtime milk, which is unheard of - she lives for milk. DH asked her how bad it was, bad enough to need to go to the doctor tonight? and her answer was yes. No fever.

When I probed, she said she was excited to go to the doctor tonight and get an Xray (she is remembering a previous ER visit where she got an Xray and they gave her a stuffed toy). But she also says that her tummy ache actually started on Saturday, when we were at dinner with a friend and that it is worse tonight.

So - potentially 48 + hours of tummy ache, maybe getting worse. Take her in to ER? Wait and watch? Of course, we're worried about appendicitis - nothing else seems ER worthy. Any BTDT advice?

goldenpig
09-14-2010, 01:58 AM
I'm not a pediatrician, but if it were my DD I would probably take her to the ER just to make sure she doesn't have something serious like appendicitis or an intussusception (where part of the bowel telescopes into another part of the bowel--this can cause intermittent pain and nausea/vomiting). :hug: Hope she's OK, that it's nothing serious and that she gets better quickly!

infomama
09-14-2010, 02:02 AM
I would put a call into your Pediatrician on call and have them advise you. I would probably wait of she was asleep but if the pain is keeping her up I would lean towards the ER. 48 hours of watching would be long enough for me.

citymama
09-14-2010, 02:04 AM
Thanks so much goldenpig and infomama. Well, just when I had decided that she fell asleep and we now have two sleeping kids so we figure if she wakes up complaining of pain we'll take her in. We have a bag packed and ready to go - there's a pediatric ER about 20 minutes away. Fingers crossed we won't need to make a trip and she'll be all better in the morning.

infomama
09-14-2010, 02:07 AM
Fingers crossed she gets some good rest and it's just a case of gastroenteritis soon to pass.

elektra
09-14-2010, 02:08 AM
I would do the same if my DD fell asleep. Hoping she feels ok in the morning!

goldenpig
09-14-2010, 02:10 AM
Hope she gets some rest and is all better in the morning! I would call your ped in the morning though to check in.

WatchingThemGrow
09-14-2010, 06:16 AM
ooh. Hoping she wakes up feeling all better. Poor thing.

ThreeofUs
09-14-2010, 09:20 AM
Probably not appendicitis, but you could have that checked. Most probably a light case of food poisoning. Juice stands are notorious for this, esp late in the day.

If she's not feeling better today, call your ped.

hillview
09-14-2010, 09:20 AM
How was the night. Hoping it is all better now!
/hillary

DrSally
09-14-2010, 09:22 AM
Hope she's feeling better and it was just the juice.

goldenpig
09-14-2010, 05:00 PM
How is she? Hope she's feeling better!

citymama
09-14-2010, 05:18 PM
Hi guys,
Sorry to not update sooner. She is a funny one! Yes, she woke up with no complaints, full of energy. But still, no desire for milk - this is a kid who drinks like 8 cups a day, especially first thing in the morning. I asked if her tummy hurt - nope, all good. And then, after a light breakfast (small bowl of cheerios), on her way out to school, again she said she wanted to try to throw up.

I don't know what is going on, and why she keeps trying to make herself puke. She has done this before - made herself cough and cough until she throws up. My DH and I are a little freaked out by it. Anyone else have a kid who does this?

We did a phone consult with her ped and he thinks it might be just constipation/indigestion. We also think she might have a mild lactose intolerance (I'm somewhat LI), but obviously she is not really intolerant given how much milk she drinks on a regular basis!

Thanks for all your support and I am glad there is nothing more serious to report! We will continue to keep a close eye on her.

hillview
09-14-2010, 05:55 PM
Is it possible that school is making her anxious? DS1 has also sorted out that "I feel sick" means he gets to stay home (last year -- he was about 4.5). Not to distract from the medical situation just what I thought of when you posted. Glad she isn't worse!
/hillary