After Overheating, 8 Year Old Suffering with Stomach Pains & Headaches

Hey A.,

this may sound really simple, but is he having regular BM's? Since his CT showed lots of stool his stomach pains could be from constipation- it can really be extremely painfull. If that's the case give him lots of fiber (whole grains fruit vegetables) and lots of fluids.

Our family practices homeopathy (not just for a cold or a pain, but lifestyle practice). Homeopathy can be used in areas where conventional medicine is just not well equipped. It is done by taking an account of all symptoms and applying a remedy with a close match. It has hundreds of years of compiled data to match for the right remedy. I have seen it work amazing things in my family. If you are interested in stepping out into a bit of alternative medicine with a little faith, send me a note and I will give our homeopath's name and phone. I know she can help you like she has us. J.

A.,
You mentioned that your son was not having diarrhea, or constipation since the visits to the doctors. Did he have these previously? I think you should immediately start making a record of all of your son's bowl movements (should be daily.) He may not be constipated but he may not be passing enough to give him relief. Remember sometimes children will not use the school restrooms and wait to have bowl movements at home.

And I would keep a record on what your son is eating.
Try increasing his fiber, having him eat slower, maybe even reducing how much he eats. Continue to keep his fluid levels up. Collect this information and take it with you to the specialist visit.

I pray that your current health problems are healed. And do not let your issues cause you to panic about your son.
Take care,
C.

I pray that he is feeling better and I also pray that your surgery went well. My heart went out to you having your son going through this while you are going through so much. I have had two types of cancer and it is tough when you want to be 100% there for your kids and you are dealing with so much yourself. You are in my prayers.

Oh, A., poor little man! It sounds like you did all possile to make sure there is nothing wrong hidden in his body...I would just make sure he empties his bowel and eats very lightly and small meals (try boiled/steamed white rice with a little butter/olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese). it could be that the stools laying in his bowel for a while (since they said he was full) have "poisoned" his system...we forget how harmful can be the waste we hold into our bodies, especially since so many foods have chemicals...can't imagine the reaction they really have in our system when they stay there too long. Rest and a cool place should do too. My opinion is that he was somehow developing the discomfort all along and it broke out with the overheating. I could be wrong of course. Anyway, best of luck to him and to you...punch the "beast" right to its face, on Monday, we'll be rooting for you!

My father had something similar happen to him and it turned out all he needed was some potassium. Bananas are a great source, if your son will eat them. I hope this works for him and that he will be fine soon.

I would talk with him- it could be anxiety- nervous about going to school and seeing his friends who saw him throw up, or going back to football practice etc. He could just be anxious about it happening again. Then you said you have cancer so he is probably dealing with that stress also. I would try to talk to your pastor and maybe have your son talk to him/her also. My prayers are with you- and you seem like a wonderful, concerned parent- we need more parents like you.

I am so sorry to here of all the trouble you have had. You should try and take your son to a natural doctor to see if they can help. I know one in Woodstock. Her name is Dr Jennifer Johnston, her # is ###-###-####. She also has a medical background. The recep name is Lyn, call them today and tell them it is an emerg to get in. Tell them T. gave you the number. Good Luck

A., it sounds like you are doing all you can at this point, even the dr's are. They have ruled out anything life threatening, try the meds they gave and encourage small meals. And things to get his bowels moving, like fruit and fiber. He'll be at the specialist just next week, that's good. If it is his bowels, walking will help, also try some tylenol if you aren't already for his headaches and may help with stomach pains. It is so hard to see our babies in pain. Thoughts are with you.

he honestly may be constipated and in need of cleaning out his bowels as you say they did see an abnormal amount of stool in his system. Severe constipation or build up of stool will cause severe stomach pain, pain to the touch and etc. I have just been through this. Try using an enema (i think that is how you spell it) to get him to use the bathroom. They do make them safe for children and they work rather well. You can also try to get him to eat some fruit and take a stool softener. This can truly help him with the problems that he is having with his stomach.
He also may be extra sensitive since he is trying to play football with all of these problems going on.
I hope this helps.

I have been overheating since I was a very small child. I've never had this kind of stomach problems afterwards. I get red in the face, then start to feel like I'm gonna black out , if I don't sit down and try to cool off immediately I will pass out. Cooling down consists of drinking water and putting a cold pack on the back of my neck.
The tummy stuff may be because he's full. Make sure he's drinking enough water and gatoraid. And getting enough fiber. What about gas , could the pain be gas ? maybe give him a couple of gas-x. Sometimes Drs can over look the simplest answer.

Being a mother of three children myself, your story deeply disturbs me. My husband has ulcerative colitis but even what he goes through is not as severe. Have you considered going to Emory in Atlanta? I work with a man that went there and good thing he did. Here in Columbus they could not do anything else for him. He almost died. Come to find out he was suffering from a deer tick bite. Have the doctors he has seen mentioned anything about a blockage? I really hope you are able to get to the bottom of this. I will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted on his condition. R. A.

The first thing I thought was the bowels. I asked some friends of mine via email and I want to post their replies here. Sounds like they agree (even though I didn't even say what I thought about at first). This certainly couldn't hurt. Here are the replies:

A large amount of stool may be key. Dr Christopher the late Master Herbalist theorized that all (maybe it was most) disease stems from constipation. I know personally that bowel pain can be excruciating, can come and go, give hot flashes, etc. If it was my child I would personally use a cleanse to flush his system. Here is a link to learn more about the idea: http://www.organic-natural-pesticide-free.com/constipatio...
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I second the constipation, but this sounds like constipation due to EXTREME dehydration. You need to get him rehydrated. It isn't just gatorade. I would do green drinks, fruit juice, only liquid food like smoothies, and WATER WATER WATER. That kind of collapse sounds like the body shutting down do to extreme dehydration just prior to death.
Rehydrate out the wazoo (literally)
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Don't be frightened by what the last person said, but I would definitely get him cleaned out. The toxins from the bowels not moving as often and as good as they need to do can make one sick....then add dehydration on to that. A lot of people walk around dehydrated and don't know it...a lot of people aren't drinking regularly all day, like we should be doing. I'd definitely get the proper liquids in his system and leave the gatorade alone. (I can personally tell you about a problem my son had with that stuff..not a good drink to be drinking a lot of anyway.)

Good luck!
D.
Mother to 4

Hi A.,

I think that your little man is dehydrated and that can lead to constipation with is very painful. And children sometimes don't handle pain well. My 8 year-old daughter also suffers from headaches when overheated. Her ped said she should drink 4 (16oz.) bottles of water each day. So I got her a water bottle that has a water intake dial on the top that she can turn each time she refills the bottle so I know how much water she has had each day. I hope he feels better soon. God Bless!

Added: I just noticed something on cnn.com on heatstroke affecting more young football players these days. At the end, they mention that 50 years ago, people were not acclimated to air-conditioning, so their bodies had a higher tolerance for heat, so it seems like the growing number of incidents has made coaches and trainers more aware. Thankfully, your son survived his brush with danger, and hopefully made a lot more people aware.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/21/heat.football.practi...

My heart completely goes out to you. This sounds like heat stroke (or hyperthermia) rather than just overheating. (And it's not the same as fever, so don't feel bad that you couldn't find a thermometer.) I remember reading up on this a few years ago when a pro football player, a promising young athlete, died during summer training. (Hot day, lots of padding, his body just couldn't cool itself fast enough and it came on QUICKLY.) Heat stroke can come on VERY suddenly, it's life-threatening, and warrants a trip to the emergency room. (I don't mean to make you feel bad for not calling an ambulance, you obviously did a WONDERFUL job of caring for him and deserve a lot of credit. But if anyone reading this experiences the same thing, CALL 911!)

If indeed his core body temperature did rise too high, maybe there was some damage to his internal organs that still hasn't finished healing. (I didn't research this too in depth - according the entry for heat stroke on the Mayo clinic and Wikipedia websites,it looks like once you get them past the immediate danger, they do OK.
Wikipedia did say that "After efects may include sensitivity to heat." But they had no further explanation. Try reading everything you can find on hyperthermia and after-effects.)

The Mayo clinic said something about some people being more suseptible to heat stroke for various reasons. (Beth, below, posted something about that.)
Although August heat, padding, and excercise is probably enough for anyone, especially if he wasn't super well-hydrated before starting.

You didn't say whether or not he's still doing football or other sports. I'm assuming he's not feeling up to it, but I'd take him out of all strenuous activities, and not resume anything until several months after all the stomach pains and headaches STOP. (Normally, I wouldn't be this paranoid, but he's STILL feeling bad WEEKS after the incident. And it sounded like it was a very close call.)

You said something about "dealing with the pain and going on with doing activities" - but maybe you just meant activities like regular school stuff. I would talk to his teachers and INSIST that he not be allowed to do strenuous, outdoor activities like P.E. until he's back to 100%. (Yes, I know - maybe I'm a little paranoid.)
Tell them that if he gets very exhausted during the school day, take him to the nurse's clinic make him lie down for a little while.)

Also talk to the school nurse and let her know that he's recovering from a recent episode of heatstoke and to be a little extra vigilant.

If he's exhausted all the time, that's probably the best thing for him. If his body really is still recovering, rest is best. (If he's truly so exhausted that he's willing to stay in bed all day, I might even consider letting him stay home from school, if that's even POSSIBLE with everything else going on in your life. Not skipping school every day, but... you'll have to go with your gut instinct. If he's battling exhaustion and just trying to get through the pain, it's not likely that he's *learning* anything that day.)

It's heart-breaking to see your child in pain. At least it will force him to slow down and not exert himself, though.
Do you give him anything for the headaches? Maybe you can ask the doc if it's OK to at least give him an Over-the-counter pain killer, like excedrin or ibuprofen.
(I'm not a doctor, but I don't think it has anything to do with the added stress of your illness or anxiety or bowels or constipation or chiropractic or whatever. It sounds like he was fine until the episode at football practice, his internal core body temperature got way too high that day, *maybe* doing some damage to his internal organs, and he's still not completely recovered from that.)
Good luck with the specialist - I think that (and LOTS of bedrest) are your best bet.

I can't imagine going through this with your son.All we want is for our kids to be healthy & happy.No suffering please!It stinks that the Dr's haven't determined what the problem is. I would like to suggest that he go to see Dr. Kenneth West in Sandy Springs,Ga. He will take several hours with your son and I'm betting that he can find out what's going on. He's works miracles!
Let them know that Ron & P. Wheat referred you. We've been seeing him for many years.
West Family Chiropractic & Clinical Kinesiologist
###-###-####
6100 Lake Forrest Dr Nw
Suite #320
Atlanta, GA 30328

I just looked up some of the symptoms you explained and ran across something called "Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome", which was referred to as a stomach migraine. It described tingling extremities, severe abdominal pain, and forceful vomiting. It mentions that ultrasounds, bloodwork, etc all comes back normal, but that it is a rare disorder usually found in children (though found in some adults, as well). It says that the child will be healthy in between episodes. Episodes can last from a couple hours up to 10+ days (most commonly 1 to 4 days). Episodes can be brought on by both positive and negative stress factors. It might not be what your son is experiencing, but it might also give you somewhere to look for more information and help lead you to a diagnosis.

This sounds similar to a problem my dad had and his doctor sent him to a specialist who ordered ultrasound and found too that he had a large amount of stool. After numerous trips to the doctor/specialist he was still in pain and was running a low-grade fever constantly. One evening he called me and said he was in pain and when I went to him I immediately took him to emergency room and he was diagnosed with "flu like" symptoms. When he was in the process of being discharged he started "projectile" vomiting. The charge nurse (bless her) told me to make plenty "noise" because if he went home he wouldn't live until morning. The final diagnosis: a portion of his intestine was twisted and "died", thus the large amount of stool in his system. Not sure if this is what is going on with your son, but his symptoms are VERY similar to my father's. Mind you this was over 10 years ago ...
If you know in your heart, and we as moms know when something is not right with our babies, make some noise and keep making noise until you get your son relief ...
Peace, blessings, grace and love to your family.

has he been checked for lymes disease? Very strange things similar to this have happened to several people I know who have had lymes. Lymes comes from tick bites. you might want to check into it. the sooner the better. you will be in my prayers. M.

It sounds like he had some heat stress/exhaustion at the football practice. Or maybe there was the underlying condition and getting overheated at practice really just got the ball rolling so-to-speak. Constipation can hurt -- if that's at least part of the problem, I'd talk to the pediatrician about giving him some miralax for a couple of days to help him to move his bowels. Gatorade is good but don't overdo that either -- electrolytes can be thrown off balance in either direction.

A couple of years ago, my daughter had to see a pediatric GI and I was given a seemingly far away appt. When her problems persisted, I called the ped who called the GI who got me in sooner. It does not hurt to be a squeaky wheel. Make sure your son has not eaten anything he shouldn't have or messed with any of your meds -- I know that's not the most likely thing but it's good to eliminate all possible causes.

I assume someone did a CBC on your son... Why don't you check and ask for it if it hasn't been done? I mean, if this is as simple (ha!) as Salmonella or Hep A, you could start treating it right away.

I really hope you find a solution soon! I also will pray for you to have a good surgery and overcome your own health issues! Good luck!!!

Hi A.,

I am a single mom of 5 wonderful children ages(13,9,8,6,4). I do have some advice for you and would rather speak with you via cell phone. There is too much to write. I do have access to a bio-chemist friend who often advises me about my children and their episodes. We work closely together. I will tell you that the same chemicals that operate the brain, also operate the digestive system. There is much correlation with the two. Many people don't know this. Your son is miserable, as well he should be, judging by your input. His body has been rudely shocked and must be fundamentally brought back into balance. You may call or e-mail me. Oh, by the way, please avoid the suggestion for any enemas and/or pharmaceuticals. Spare his body the crude jolt of any more harsh treatment, however small it may seem.

Sincerely,

L. Hawkins
Stone Soup on Assignment/Community Outreach
###-###-####
____@____.com

His stomach pains may well be stress related. He may be much more worried about losing his Mom. I really don't know what you might say to him to help alleviate his fear. Perhaps a psychologist might help you on this one.V.

It sounds like perhaps he has had this episode of heat exhaustion but has much more than just that to deal with. All tests have indicated nothing, so I'm wondering if 1) he's embarrassed about throwing up in front of his classmates and is using this pain (which actually might be very real to him by now) as a way to avoid going to school, or 2) all the fear, anxiety and uncertainty of your cancer treatments as well as the new school year giving him anxiety induced pains - which also can be very real.

after everything, i would have you an he sit down w/ his school counselor and talk about all the things going on in his life - he might need to figure out a way to handle all this. ppl don't just 'know' how to deal with stress, they have to learn how.

prayers to you and to him!!
jude