4 Year Old Daughter Complaining of Random Stomach Pain

Updated on January 12, 2011
S.K. asks from Castle Rock, CO
11 answers

for the past 2 weeks my daughter has been randomly complaining of tummy pain. Usually in the middle of a meal or near the end and sometimes just out of the blue she says her tummy hurts cringes and then goes running around. She has no food allergies that we know of she has regular bowel movements. She does have a sinus infection and got put on meds yesterday can drainage cause the pain as she describes? Has anyone had occasional pains in the gut from a virus that lasts a few weeks?

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So What Happened?

Alright so my situation just changed.... She just vomited which she also did one time 8 days ago a few days after the tummy pain started. The first time we went swimming and I just attributed it to swallowing too much pool water. Didnt throw up again until about 20 minutes ago. When she does vomit it doesnt seem like her "dinner" is coming up just water, mucous and a few other chunks that i haven't really wanted to look that far into. She has had this cold for a while now which is why she went to the dr and got on antibiotics. Can a tummy bug resemble this come and go cramps with vomiting once a week or is it more likely drainage. She had just got done coughing when she threw up? No fever.......

Featured Answers

B.C.

answers from Dallas on

She could have IBS. I have it and sometimes I get terrible gas pains and they usually hit around the time I'm eating or shortly there after.

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V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Describe "regular bowel movements".
I say that only because my daughter, at 3 1/2 years old, also had regular bowel movements. She never had accidents (pee or poo) and was potty trained at age 2. BUT. Even though she had regular bowel movements, she didn't fully eliminate. She went enough to stop the urge, then she was done. Only I didn't realize that is what was happening. She would wake an hour after going to bed, randomly for MONTHS SCREAMING in pain. We made I don't know how many trips to various doctors, all of whom were either basically stumped or thought we didn't know what we were talking about, or tried to say it was a yeast infection or bladder infection and gave antibiotics.

Eventually, I got a referral (from MY OB's office) to Nemour's children's hospital to get her checked out. Turns out she had impacted feces from constipation. Dr. saw it ALL THE TIME. We had to re-train her to fully eliminate after completely emptying out her bowels. Which we accomplished by a weekend of not leaving home, and pushing lots of Milk of Magnesia (I'm talking an adult dose 2x a day for 3 days, per the doctor). It worked. It was messy... but we have had no more problems since. She is now 9 years old.

Is there ANY CHANCE AT ALL that she is not fully emptying?

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

Tummy aches can signal many things.
My son always had a "tummy ache" when he was upset about something.
I'm not sure how much her tummy actually hurts if she complains and then goes running around.
If it usually occurs during a meal or near the end, maybe that's her way of signalling she's done and doesn't want to eat anymore?
If she only started the meds yesterday and this has been going on for two weeks, I wouldn't blame the meds.
Maybe she just hasn't been feeling that well and her tummy is upset and that's how she reacts to it.
Little kids can behave so strangely sometimes.
By that, I'm not saying your daughter is strange, by any means.

Run it past the pediatrician.
Maybe try giving her several little light things to eat as opposed to full meals. You might want to do that anyway as she's taking meds for a sinus infection.

I was really sick not long ago and I started vomitting, etc, every day. They changed my antibiotic and it stopped. I was able to eat much better.

The tummy thing has been going on for a while so I'd run it past the doctor who just gave her medicine to see what they say.

Best wishes.

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B.D.

answers from Boise on

I would get the good bugs back in her, Acidophiles and others! Also may be having trouble with bowel movements after this and it causes stomach upset. Get it checked out.

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C.H.

answers from Denver on

My daughter (4 1/2) complains that her stomach hurts during meals sometimes too, mostly breakfast. I think it's her way of trying to get out of a meal that she doesn't like or isn't interested in (she'd rather be playing). If she really complains a lot I make her go lay down by herself while the rest of us finish. Usually she's running around shortly after though so I'm not worried about it.

I just read your update - I know that my stomach is very sensitive to drainage so I'd be willing to bet that is it, especially if she vomited right after coughing. Hang in there and hopefully the antibiotics will knock it out.

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

Yes the mucus can cause stomach pain

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B.M.

answers from Chicago on

It absolutely could be anything that the mom's said below. Tummy pain could be lots of different things....

I do know also that before I was diagnosed with allergies my tummy hurt - which my Dr attributed to drainage (YUCK). Once I was on allergy meds - MUCH better. So, if she's had post nasal drip for a couple weeks or so that just morphed into an infection that might be the reason.

Ok - so I don't know anything about you and your family.... but I just wanted to share that my daughter had tummy pain right around 4 yrs old, that was actually due to anxiety. IMHO should be taken just as seriously - has she had any big changes in her world? Any major differences in routine? When her tummy hurt I just started talking to her about drinking water and breathing regularly. She also had special "crackers" that were for tummy pain (saltines).

I won't say that this was my daughter's way of getting attention - it's not that simple and clear cut. However, it definitely did illustrate that I needed to work with her on some coping strategies.

Hope the meds help!

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S.D.

answers from Dothan on

Tummy ache after antibiotics is common. It kills everything in your digestive system. even the good germs!
Best to call doc and figure it out, not mommies.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

My daughter gets like that when:
she has gas
or
she has to poop.
Usually occurs when she eats... or after.

Or, yes, it could be her medicine.
See what the instructions are for the medicine.... and IF she has to eat first, before taking it....

But you said she's had random tummy pain for 2 weeks and the medicine was only gotten yesterday.

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C.P.

answers from Provo on

Probiotics are really great for the digestive system. Sinus drainage can do this also. I get my son chewable probiotics from the health food store.

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J.M.

answers from Denver on

My daughter threw up last Friday night, had stomach pains and a little diarrhea on Saturday, absolutely no appetite all weekend. By Sunday night she had yellow goo oozing out her eyes. We called Children's Hospital since it was after hours and the nurse said to go see her doc in the a.m. Turns out to be a sinus infection too, and her doctor said that the stomach pains and vomiting are all related. Likely that's what's happening HOWEVER like what Natalie says, call your doctor - don't just get advice here. When it comes to the health of your kiddos, the folks here are not the right ones to consult. Good luck!

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