Abdominal Pain-Can't Stand Up Straight

[elbenn]

DS1, 9, has mild abdominal pain today. He ate breakfast fine but is walking hunched over and said he couldn't sleep with a pillow because it hurt his stomach. I asked him to jump to see if it hurt, and he did so easily and said it didn't hurt. Because he can jump, does that mean it's not appendicitis? Or does that mean it could still be early signs of appendicitis?

Anyway, he says when he is hunched over it is fine, but when he stands up straight, it hurts. Any ideas what is causing it?

[PZMommy]

I'd take him to rule out appendicitis. I have a friend a couple of months ago who had some pain in her right side. Not too severe, but it was bothering her and she couldn't sleep well. Thankfully she got it checked out and she was taken by ambulance from her doctors office to the hospital and in surgery within an hours time because it was her appendix. She still had an appetite, wasn't nauseous, no fever, nothing. Just pain that wouldn't go away.

[trentsmom]

I'd get him checked for appendicitis. When DS1 had it a few years ago, I remember his stomach hurting starting at bedtime. It was still hurting the next morning, but he didn't have a fever and wasn't nauseated. I checked on him several times during the day asking if his stomach still hurt, and he would sit up straighter and say, "yes." That afternoon we were talking, and I asked him if he needed to go see a doctor. He didn't then, but around dinnertime he said he didn't think he'd feel better until he'd seen a doctor. We went to Patient First, and they did blood work, an x-ray, physical examination, etc. When they asked him to jump, I knew what the diagnosis was going to be. He was able to jump for them, but I don't think he enjoyed it. By that time, he was only running a very slight temperature. They sent us to the ER with the results from the blood work, and the ER took us right back. They did an ultrasound, and the appendix was inflamed enough that they could see it, so no other scan needed. The admitted him, gave him IVs of antibiotics, and did surgery the next day. He was back home by dinnertime and felt well enough that he wanted to resume all of his normal activities!

[Indianamom2]

I think I'd take him in if he can't stand up straight. Something's off. Hope you get the all-clear, but better safe than sorry.

[KpbS]

Appendicitis. I'd call now to have him be seen.

[mikala]

Another vote for appendicitis. The jumping diagnosis isn't true for everyone.

[elbenn]

He is at school now. I told him to go to the nurse if he feels really bad, but he said he felt fine when he is hunched over. I made an appointment for after school. Do you think this is soon enough? If the school nurse calls, of course I will go pick him up.

[BunnyBee]

He is at school now. I told him to go to the nurse if he feels really bad, but he said he felt fine when he is hunched over. I made an appointment for after school. Do you think this is soon enough? If the school nurse calls, of course I will go pick him up.

He's going to be hunched over all day in school? Even if it's not appendicitis, that doesn't sound conducive to learning. Did the ped's office say it was no big deal? There's a nurse who sets sick appointments for ours who does sort of triage on the phone.

[California]

This is not something to mess around with. If he's hunched over, take him into the ER and see if they can do an ultrasound to check his appendix. If it isn't, great! If it is, and you've caught it before it's burst, depending on your local protocol they may do surgery, which with an unburst appendix has a very quick recovery, or they may put him on IV antibiotics.

If you wait, and it turns out to be his appendix and it bursts, then you everything gets much more serious with a higher rate of complications and a longer recovery.

[elbenn]

He's going to be hunched over all day in school? Even if it's not appendicitis, that doesn't sound conducive to learning. Did the ped's office say it was no big deal? There's a nurse who sets sick appointments for ours who does sort of triage on the phone.

By hunched over, it's a slump--definitely hurts him when he stands or sits up straight, but when seated, you probably wouldn't even notice. He didn't even ask to stay home from school and said he felt fine but just that his stomach hurt when he stood up straight. Like I said, I had him jump, and when he said it was fine, I sent him off to school. I told him to go to nurse if it bugs him at all or gets worse. Since nurse hasn't called, I don't know if I'm over-reacting to go get him or whether I should just wait until his appointment. Maybe I should contact his teacher to see how he is doing?