Stomach Pain in 4 Year Old

Updated on March 11, 2009
D.R. asks from Saint Louis, MO
14 answers

My 4 year old daughter has been having pain behind her navel for a week and a half now. She has daily bowel movements due to her high fiber diet and lots of water. But lately they are green. It has gradually gotten worse, and we actually took her to the ER Sunday night. They ran tests for kidney and bladder infections-negative. They also took x-rays which showed some stool, mainly gas. (I'm an x-ray tech and they let me look at the films.) The ER doctor claimed she was constipated, so they gave her an enema. They claimed to solve the problem, and told us to follow up with her ped and to give her miralax once a day. They ignored my concerns about her appendix and a family history of bowel obstructions in children in our family. We saw her ped
yesterday afternoon. He had not seen the x-rays, but agreed with me that he did not believe she was constipated. He definitely did not feel that it was a virus. But he said to start with the miralax, and basically keep a journal of when she complains of pain. She has had a great loss of appetite, because everytime she eats, she says her stomach hurts. Her ped said that we need to keep track so that he gets a better idea of what could possibly be wrong. Has anyone else had anything like this happen to their child? I'm really concerned. She's sleeping a lot the last couple of days because she does not feel well, and she is normally a very active child. Thank you in advance!

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So What Happened?

Thanks to everyone for all your advice. We finally got referred to a GI specialist who immediately tested her for everthing she could possibly think of. Jenna even had an upper GI/ small bowel series done. Everything came up negative, so now the specialist has her on pepcid to see if maybe her reflux (from infancy) is back. She's still having the stocmach pain, but hopefully the medicine with help. Thank you all again!

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D.L.

answers from Kansas City on

Did they do a Strep test? It can cause a lot of stomach pain and is really going around right now. This is how my daughter acts when she gets it (no sore throat at all, just stomach pain and no appetite and tired).

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T.A.

answers from Kansas City on

We have had the same issues. I finally just gave up on my Ped. He was absolutely no help at all. I made my son an appt at Childrens Mercy with a Gastro doctor. They have diagnosed my son with severe reflux and prescribed a higher dosage of Zantac twice a day for him. The pain and stomach problem are completely gone. He is a totally different child. I would certainly consider this, as I would have never thought reflux was causing my sons pains. I hope this helps.

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S.D.

answers from Topeka on

I feel your pain my son had episodes that were frightful when his tummy hurt due to pottytraing and not wanting to poop in the potty our ped assured us that nothing is wrong except constipation and he hurt also behind the belly button and collasped in pain a few times because it hurt so badly.WE have used and works wonders Mineral oil in his juices 1-1/2 tbs in it and voila he pooped generally 30 min later.This was Dr recomended.And it wasn't for long term use.I have also read in a magazine to rule out appendix to jump up and down and if that can't be accomplished then it may be.

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S.M.

answers from Kansas City on

Wow thats not Good.Hey try checking her by putting your hand on her appendix .Right side ond push in amd ask her if it hurts then or when you pull away.You have to push kinda firmly .If it hurts when pulled away its her appendix.I believe she needs Blood work for white count.Best of luck and Gods Love to her.

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R.F.

answers from Kansas City on

Hi D., my 4 yr old daughter has been doing the same on and off for about two months my mother, who raised 7 kids told me to chill out because all of us did the same. Remember kids sleep more when they hit growth spurts, and it may just be growing pains.

I am a massage therapist and you can find videos online that show a stroke called the "I Love You" stroke. It is great for belly and bowel pain, even helps to move along gas!! And my daughter just loves it, especially when she is not feeling well. She will say "Mommy, do my belly"

Feel free to email me @ ____@____.com if you can't find it, and I will try to type out the instuctions.
Good Luck momma, and relax, you are doing all the right things.

R. :)

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G.N.

answers from St. Louis on

I would keep a record of the foods she eats as well as keeping the record of when she feels the pain. When I was a child I would get that same pain it wasnt serious it only happened when I ate Hot dogs and beans. So it could be a specific food causing the pain that you are unaware of. I remember the doctor giving me medicine for it I was taking a small pill everyday for the pain, but cant remember what it was but it seemed to help the pain, plus I stopped eating hot dogs and beans.

Good Luck
Hope your daughter starts to feel better soon and free of the pain she feels.

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B.S.

answers from Joplin on

That's the age my daughter started doing the same thing (and worse) and it turned out to be a milk allergy. Try removing all milk and milk products (be a label reader !) from her diet for a week or two and see what happens. There are things to look for on labels besides milk, look for lactose, as well as something called casein (I am probably spelling that wrong, but it is close enough that you will recognize it when you see it on a label.)
This is a milk ALLERGY and not an intolerance that I am talking about. It is different and you cannot just give her acidophiles with her milk to make it all better. If this is the problem, milk (as well as cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream and all products made with milk) must be avoided altogether.

I really hope you find the real problem soon, and your daughter can be comfortable again.

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M.L.

answers from St. Louis on

Sometimes we have tp tell them what we want done. I would call him and tell him you are not satisfied with the opinion and send her for a second, you do not need to tell him if you do not want to. I would not wait I feel mothers feelings are better soemtimes than a dr.

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C.W.

answers from Columbia on

my son's having a similar problem, let us know how it turns out/what it was.

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S.S.

answers from Lawrence on

Make sure they check her gallbladder thoroughly! Don't give up!

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L.C.

answers from St. Louis on

You may want to consider celiac disease, which is genetic. With a family history of bowel obstructions (are there other GI problems?), constipation, loss of appetite, stomach pain, and being tired are all symptoms we see at our house, as well as others. Two of my five children are diagnosed with CD and I wouldn't be surprised if there were more in my family who aren't diagnosed yet. Ask your doctor about it and look it up online.

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D.D.

answers from Springfield on

Hi my name is D. im 54 year old grandmother,and I was reading your article about your daughter,well my grandson who is now 9,was having those same simtoms at the age of 4,he wouldn't eat and when he did he would throw up,then be in really bad pain,my son and his step mom took him to I don't know how many doctors,the ER and they would tell them,what the doctors told you,but after months and months of this going on,they had taken Colby back to the ER,and a lady doctor finally asked if they ever done an exray for his appendix,well they hadn't because they said it is very uncommon for kids there age to have trouble with there appendix,well she had told my son well lets do it any way,so they did an sure enough that is what it was,said if they hadn't caught it then,that his appendix was ready to burst and he could have died,as soon as he had surgery he was up an around,hungry,actually wanting something to eat,he has gained weight,is stomach doesn't hurt every time he eats now,or doesn't throw up.I also worked with a young girl who had a 4 year old daughter,she told me about what her daughter was doing and acting,so I told her about my grandson,she also had taken her to many different doctors,and ER's told her oh it was something she ate she wasn't getting any better,her husband was telling her the same thing the doctors said,I keep telling her to have them check for her appendix they didn't want to,but finally one did and sure enough it was her appendix also,she also is doing better she is 5 now,so my advice if they keep having the same simptons,make the doctors check for there appendix even if they dont want to.Thanks D.

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M.L.

answers from Wichita on

I don't know about the rest but green poop can come from eating blue food. Is she eating blue fruit roll ups, cereal (trix, froot loops), blue drinks or candy?

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T.W.

answers from Kansas City on

Did they draw blood for lab work to make sure it was not her appendix????

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