Stomachache or appendicitis?

[melrose7]

DS complained of stomach pain overnight Saturday. He slept from 9-midnight then was up the rest of the night with stomach pain. Wide awake and talking. No fever no diarrhea. He was just uncomfortable but not in terrible pain. We skipped church because I didn't know what was wrong. He was hungry, ate a good breakfast and was playing normal and even rough housing by afternoon. He pooped once, loose but not diarrhea. Would say his tummy hurt but nothing other that that. He was asleep by 7:00 Sunday night but up around 1:00 with more tummy pains. Got him back to sleep by 3:00 and I was going to let him sleep in but he woke at 7:00, usual wake up time, ate breakfast, not much but some. Sent him to school and told him I could pick him up if needed. He said he went to the nurse once, at recess time, pooped 4 times. Said it was diarrhea but who knows for sure. He was sluggish but ate some snacks after school, not much dinner and 4 glasses of Powerade. Went to bed at 8:00 crying because it hurt so much and by 10:00 up crying again. Just moving around his whole bed like he can't get comfortable and in lots of pain. Just keeps saying it hurts so much. It's midnight now and after he was up at 10:00 he went potty, back to sleep at 10:30 up at 11:00. Again potty at 11:45 and just fell asleep again just before midnight. He points to his belly hurting and DH pushed on the right and left sides and says it hurts on the right not the left.
Of course DD2 had stomach pains Thursday and came home from school early so I feel like it's the same virus but if he is in so much pain and is having trouble sleeping it could totally be his appendix.
Should I take him in first thing if he is still in pain? What if he wakes up ok in the morning like he has the last 2 mornings?
No fever and he is 6.

[azzeps]

I would call the nurse line at the pediatrician's office in the morning. That said, I don't know anything about appendicitis. I'd google that and see what it says.

[elephantmeg]

I would absolutely take him. But I might just take him to the ED and skip the MD. There is nothing the MD can do except send you to the ED for an ultrasound or CT. If he were mine I'd take him tonight. (and I'm a peds nurse). Appendicitis can be chronic for a while and then turn acute.

[wendibird22]

DD2 once had on/off stomach pain that had her complaining and like your son, unable to get comfortable. I was worried about appendicitis and it turned out to be strep.

DD1 actually had appendicitis this summer. We knew it was more than just a viral stomach ache or strep (which she actually diagnosed with earlier the same day) when she was walking hunched over and on her tippy toes. It wasn't just that her stomach hurt or was crampy. It hurt her to move.

[melrose7]

He slept on and off all night. He would wake up in pain eventually pee and then go back to sleep for an hour or 2. He has an appointment in an hour.

[melrose7]

X-ray showed no blockage of constipation and ultrasound showed no problem with appendix. Some stomach virus they are thinking

[mackmama]

X-ray showed no blockage of constipation and ultrasound showed no problem with appendix. Some stomach virus they are thinking

Hoping he feels better soon, and glad you got those tests done. Just curious - does your pedi office have an ultrasound, or did you go to the ER?

[melrose7]

Hoping he feels better soon, and glad you got those tests done. Just curious - does your pedi office have an ultrasound, or did you go to the ER?

At our Doctor office we have children's hospital screening on different floors. So we just had to go upstairs for the tests.

[elephantmeg]

glad it turned out OK!

[citymama]

Hope he's all better now! Those stomach aches are always so worrying.

[bisous]

We just went through this. We saw a NP and she couldn't tell if it was anything serious and sent us on the ER. Turns out it was just constipation. It is so hard to tell--even for professionals! I think the answer is almost always "let's run some tests".