Stomach Pain

 I have a three year old and thank heavens he has been pretty healthy!  Except for the occasional cold and stomach flu, which I always seem to contract from him, he has been a salubrious toddler!  About two weeks ago he had stomach pain, for the first time in his whole 3.5 years of life he crossed his arms around his waist,  bowed over and cried out in pain. It began subtly early that afternoon and by 8pm it had advanced to him crying out in pain. The previous day he had vomited all day so I was still under the assumption it was apart of that stomach/enteritis sickness.  Like any good Google mom I looked up appendicitis in toddlers, in which some of the symptoms were present but most were not, though it still worried me. Hence do not play Google Dr. Mom. He could not get comfortable that night tossing and turning when finally at 4am He cried out “Belly Hurt” and I was up getting ready for an ER trip.  My husband and I were at the Arroyo Grande Hospital ER from 4am till 7:30am. The Dr. gave him a physical and quickly informed us that she did not believe the appendix was involved due to lack of symptoms and the behavior of present ones. She informed us that cramping and gas can play apart in enteritis. She offered a quick Ultrasound just to ease our minds.  I would not have settled for anything less needing that diagnostic relief. The Ultrasound found nothing abnormal and we went home.  

     Quick Tip:What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Appendicitis?

The first signs of appendicitis are often a mild fever and pain around the belly button. It might seem like just a stomachache. But with appendicitis, the pain usually gets worse and moves to the lower right side of the belly.If your child has belly pain, be on the lookout for these signs of appendicitis: 1)strong pain, mainly around the belly button or in the lower right part of the belly (the pain might come and go at first, then grow steady and intense) 2)low-grade fever 3)loss of appetite 4)nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (throwing up) 5)diarrhea (especially small amounts, with mucus) 6)swollen belly.  If pain spreads across the belly, it may mean the appendix has burst. Doctors call this ruptured appendicitis, and it’s serious. A high fever reaching 104°F (40°C) is another sign of a burst appendix.  Call your doctor right away if you think your child has appendicitis. The sooner it’s caught, the easier it will be to treat.  Reviewed by: Ryan J. Brogan, DO Date reviewed: July 2018

     I was so relieved that I was not dealing with a surgical procedure!:)  But I did deal with a child who did not poop for the next two days after that whole incident and looking back he had not pooped since the vomiting day.  Low and behold we had gassy stomach constipation, and that’s not coming from Google Dr. Mom, I called his pediatrician and consulted with a nurse. Got great advice to do a high fiber diet and to call or come in if not better in a couple of days.  I made Tristan oatmeal with peanut butter, honey and bananas that morning, researched children fiber juices and blended one together. I put together 3 pears, 2 lemons, 3 celery ribs, and 2 apples. I drank more of it than Tristan did, Hehehe.  My precious child pooped that day and the next. I am happy to report he is back to normal and according to the nurse and research it is pretty normal for toddlers to experience a little constipation. It can become a serious issue if prolonged and should be medically dealt with if needed.

    Quick Tip:  Is My Toddler Constipated?  The average toddler (if there is such a thing) makes a bowel movement once a day. Usually, a child who has a bowel movement fewer than three times a week (or less often than he typically does), and whose stools are hard and difficult to pass, is constipated. Also, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, any child with stools that are large, hard, dry, and accompanied by painful bowel movements, soiling between bowel movements, or blood on the outside of the stool may have constipation.  Don’t be worried if your child has a bout of constipation — it’s perfectly normal once in awhile. But if your toddler’s constipation lasts for two weeks or more it’s called chronic constipation, and you should see your pediatrician.Your doctor may ask you to keep track of your child’s bowel movements — how often they occur, how big and hard they are, and if there is any blood in your toddler’s stool. You should also look for other symptoms that can occur along with constipation, such as: 1) Stomachache 2) Bloating 3) Nausea 4) Loss of appetite 5) General crankiness 6) Crying or screaming during bowel movements 7) Avoiding the toilet (signs that your child is doing this include clenching the buttocks, crossing the legs, turning red, sweating, or crying) 8) Smears or bits of liquid stool in the diaper or underwear (soiling) © 2005 – 2019 WebMD LLC. All rights reserved.WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

     Thank You For Reading

     Heidi Parker