Flu ????

Never wait when there are possible problems with the "gut". There are a few things that can start going wrong very quickly - blocked instetines, etc.

Call your son's doctor and ask if they are qualified to deal with the situation you are describing. If they are, then tell them you are bringing him in today (be insistant on this.) If they don't know how to deal with it, ask them where you should bring him. Either way, DON'T let them put you off with an appointment "in a few days".

Hi, you can never be too cautious with the young and old. take him to the doctor again and write down your questions and concerns as the time passes so you don't get nervous and forget something, remember no question is silly. good luck....

Hi S.. My son and husband had the same symptoms when they had stomach flu about 2-3 weeks ago. Our whole entire city had that flu.. it was really bad!! Both of them had bloated and hard stomachs afterward and they both made up for not eating by eating a lot after they felt better!! If you get salmonella you are really sick for a long time!!! Good luck but I think he's ok. Good luck!

Sometimes after a stomach virus or illness, the intestines can shut down to heal. My 3 year old nephew had to be hospitalized a couple of weeks ago because his intestines had shut down after a stomach virus, and he kept throwing up, so he stopped eating. He got dehydrated, so they gave him fluids at the hospital, and they also put a tube in to release the gas from his belly that had built up because his gut wasn't letting it out (he was really bloated too). It sounds like your son is doing much better than what my nephew had, but it could be a milder case of the same problem. Just an idea. I hope he gets better soon.

S., don't worry that you're being paranoid. There are so many strange flu bugs going around this year, and we are constantly being exposed to bacteria that can cause similar symptoms. My daughter has recently recovered from being exposed to the 0157 E Coli, the bad one known as the hamburger disease. I understand your fear. When I saw blood in her stool I went with my instincts and called the doctor. I'm not usually one to run to the doctor for every little thing, but that caught my attention. If you know your child has eaten tomatoes and you and now he's sick, and if your instincts are telling you it just might not be the flu, then I say get him checked. Call your doctor to check, but you should just have to take in a stool sample. They can tell if it's bacteria or not, but not if it's salmonella at that point. They'll send it to a lab to verify what type of bacteria. If it is Salmonella, the state you're in really needs that information so it can help determine where the source of the bacteria is coming from. So you may want to make a list of everything he's eaten within the last two weeks.

To me the way you say his tummy is bloated and hard, and he's always hungry tells me it may be parasites. I know this sounds awful, but it's pretty common. We have livestock so I'm conscious of that possibility. It's very easy for parasites to transfer from pets to kids, and from meat and fish to people. A stool sample should tell if that is the problem as well.
Good luck and I hope he feels well soon.

if it was food poisening it would only last 24 hours, it is the flu. Now that he feels better he is probably starving!!! I wouldn't worry about it too much. Being really sick for a week wreaks havoc on your body! If he doesnt start feeling better I might take him back in. Good luck

Was he checked for the Salmonella? The flu can do it too. You can never be too paranoid when it comes to your childs health. Take him to the Dr again.

Does he seem to be breathing a little faster than usual? My son has type 1 diabetes (was diagnosed a week before his 2nd birthday), which was brought on by a stomach flu. Some of the symptoms are increased urination, increased appetite and thirst and it it generally brought on by a virus first since it is an autoimmune disease. It's an easy thing to check for in the doctor's office. They just need a urine sample. I'd take him in and just ask for them to check his urine for sugar. Doctors often miss this diagnosis until kids are really sick like my son was. Just a thought... I asked about his breathing because when my son was sick, he was breathing faster because of the diabetic acidosis and that will cause bloating because they're swallowing a lot of air. Anyhow, he's probably fine, but I would think it's worth a urine test just to be safe.

I would get him in to your pediactrician as soon as possible. I was told if my son's belly was ever hard that I should bring him in. Also, being constantly thirsty is not a good thing. Make sure that he is drinking lots of water. NO SODA because that will make him even more thirsty in the long run. Have you had him tested for diabetes? Not to say that he is, but that is one sign of diabetes.

I'm not sure about the bloating problem but please have him tested for diabetes right away. A simple little poke on a finger is all it takes to see what his blood sugar is and could explain the hunger and thirst. It could save his life to find this soon. My daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 12 and we know she had symptoms for 2 years before and we didnt realize it. It can be triggered by a virus which he may have just had. Our daughter had what we thought was a stomach flu for a week and then the symptoms started and we had no clue. We wish you the best, and pray it isnt diabetes but if it is, it is manageble and you'll all be ok. Our daughter is 25 now and has a beautiful healthy baby so we know life can go on with diabetes! God Bless you. (o:

Please take him to the doctor.