Stomach pain and hard poo

[sista]

Every so often my 6 yo daughter complains that the upper right side of her belly, just under her rib hurts when she does her poo. The poo is also hard. What organ is under the rib? Is it the gall bladder?

She drinks lots of water and loves her fruit so fibre isn't really an issue. This has started up in the past 3 weeks, can anyone shed light on this please?

thanks

[Miss K]

Hey sista it sounds like gallbladder problems i would really get it checked out she may have a stone?? Do Gallbladder problems run in your family?

[DANNIIM]

Maybe also see a Naturopath or a Kinesiologist after seeing a DR first....they often have rememdies that can help before it gets to the operation stage.

Hope it all works out fine.

[sista]

Hey sista it sounds like gallbladder problems i would really get it checked out she may have a stone?? Do Gallbladder problems run in your family?

My mum had them but no one else. She doesn't have it all the time, just occasionally - and if I give her more fruit or water the day before she seems to be okay.

But she complains of that stomach problem while she is doing her poo, no other time.

I've been meaning to take her to a naturopath for some time.

Are gall bladder problems serious in young children?

[Lulu]

TBH I thought 6 would be far, far to young for a stone. Maybe irritable bowel - although her diet sounds good.

Just up the water even more I suppose...

[sista]

Hi Lulu, I just got back from the doc. She said exactly the same thing - that she was far too young for stones. Anyways she checked her up and said she was was quite bloated and very gassy. She prescribed her ducolax(sp?) and said that should do the trick. If it doesn't she has to go to hospital and they'll do something there to get the bowels moving, I pray that that doesn't happen

It was a small tablet and she couldn't swallow it poor thing so it left her with an awful taste in her mouth!

[DANNIIM]

I would think that 6yrs is to young for Irratable Bowel or IBS! I have this but it is generally caused by a more serious illnesses deep down, like long term bowel disturbances and non balance. If she is on a good diet it probably isn't. I am going to start my nearly 6yr old on the inliven just to help with any balances that may be out and general health before anything takes hold. Prevention is better than cure!!

I hope all goes well with your daughter!!

[Lulu]

Actually the doc I took my DD to (when she was about 10) said he sees sooooooo much of it in younger kids - sugary cereals, soft drink yada yada yada.

I think my dd has uummmm fragile guts. Lots of my family have tummy trouble. She has a good diet but she knows if she is lacking in fibre cos she pays big time! She is 15 now though, so most of it is up to her...

[sista]

Thanks Dani thanks Lulu - I'm quite healthy and sweets, junk foods are rare in the house, cakes etc I just don't make anymore because I know how hard it is to keep your weight in line, and I was making them AND eating them, no one would want them. I keep as much organic or at least non processed food in the fridge as possible, in particular I just don't spend too much time in the supermarket even. I'm not complaining, I'm glad my kids like their healthy food but its all the more reason why it bothers me that she ended up with something like this....

My husband has IBS and I know how serious it can be! IBS is also stress related, that's for sure.

[sista]

well after doing two very runny poo's the problem isn't over.....with the second one, it was little more solid than the first and it still hurt her a little when she did it.

I'm not sure what will happen when I take her to the hospital, has anyone else had this happen and what were your experiences?

I'm so worried now

[Lulu]

I found dd did both - one minute hard and she felt awful, then it might be very runny.

Could it be dairy? I'd try eliminating that.

[sista]

Yeah I might do that actually - a bit worried about the hospital stay and what's going to happen there though?

[Lulu]

You better ring and ask, they should have explained it to you properly at the time. I'm sure it won't be anything too invasive.

Get some Psyllium Husks from the Health Food Shop (it's Metamucil without the flavouring and 1/5 of the price), it looks like breadcrumbs. Mix a teaspoonful in a small glass of OJ and down the hatch.

The best thing about this stuff is it binds you if you have the runs, and clears blockages if you have hard poos/constipation. Sprinkle some on dds cereal in the mornings, it's very gentle.

Get rid of the dairy - I find it is the WORST!

[sista]

Yeah I used to have LSA on my cereals and used to give the psyillim husk for hubby, I've got an appointment with another doc at the same medical centre so I'll take her with me and get a second opinon.....thanks Lulu

[paradise lost]

I was reading a website yesterday of a man who's 11 year old daughter suffered with anorexia (in the literal sense - lost appetite, although they diagnosed anorexia nervosa which is self-induced loss of appetite and starvation) for 3 years before they realised it was because her gallbladder was so bad. She was 68lbs (aged 13) by the time they took her gall bladder out, as sadly even though they saw the stones on x-ray, the person who had originally diagnosed anorexia nervosa refused to reverse the diagnosis and insisted it was "all in her head".

This girl ended up hardly eating because her gallbladder didn't work right - bile lubricates the gut so you can poo easier and breaks down fat - she felt full really quickly and over time stopped eating fatty or sugary foods as it hurt her too much afterwards. Does your DD have a normal appetite? Does she enjoy food or is she a picky eater? I'd definately see someone else. You know thinking about it i have had odd abdominal pains before (not where you describe but not low down where you'd expect it to be with constipation either) and it was a pulled muscle. Like between my ribs or part of my abs, it was very painful too, though obviously not serious. A few days of softer poo i didn't have to strain to do let it heal and all was fine after that. Did the doctor feel her tummy to see if she had pain when you pressed? If she didn't it's more likely to be a pulled muscle as sore gallbladders hurt all the time.

Bx