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Nov
5
Okay, I could use some advice. Let’s say you have a four-year-old who has always been relatively healthy, aside from the usual childhoold viral suspects, and about six weeks ago he and his brother had a tandem night of Fever and Barf, the details of which you are still trying to suppress.
About a week after that, he had another barfing episode, this one even more dramatic in that it very nearly happened in your own bed and involved a truly horrific skidding-through-another-person’s-barf-in-bare-feet incident which, again, you’re really trying to forget except that sometimes when you least expect it you can still feel it. ON THE SOLES OF YOUR FEET.
Anyway! Then every week after that it seemed like someone was sick, your basic snot-nosed October crud that comes and goes and leaves snail-trails across every piece of furniture in the house. But the one thing that the four-year-old keeps complaining about, every week or two, is a headache and stomachache.
So a couple weeks ago you finally drag him to the pediatrician where she examines him and thinks maybe he’s got some leftover tummy irritation, either from the stomach virus stuff or the fever-quelling Motrin, and she prescribes Tums and Zantac. He leaves the doctor’s office seeming perfectly fine, then gets a fever that night which lasts for 48 mysterious hours.
Meanwhile, the toddler gets a fever, then a cold, then a cough—the lovely midnight barf-triggering kind—then seems fine, aside from the torrential mucus downpour erupting nonstop from both nostrils.
And THEN, tonight, the night when you and your husband have tickets to see Louis C.K., which you have been looking forward to all week with the fervent bulgy-eyed gaze of a donkey following a carrot, the four-year-old comes home from school complaining of a headache and stomachache. He collapses on the couch, looking pale and wan, and refuses food.
You cancel the babysitter and mentally kiss the date night and the $65 tickets goodbye. You would like very much to be left alone in a room filled with precious ceramic figurines and a large metal hammer.
Two hours later, the child has devoured a peanut butter sandwich, a glass of chocolate milk, a muffin, and a bowl of applesauce. He is chasing his brother around the room, screeching happily, and chattering about dinosaurs and skateboards. He goes to bed rosy-cheeked and seemingly full of robust health.
SO. My questions are:
• What the HELL? No, seriously: WHAT THE HELL?
• Okay, that wasn’t really a question. How about: should I go back to the pediatrician and just refuse to leave until she/he tells me what the fuck is going on, or what?
• Have any of you dealt with a comes-and-goes kid tummy Thing? Did anything help?
• What’s better for soothing an extremely bitter case of C.K.-related disappointment—ice cream, or salt and vinegar chips? OR BOTH?
Comments
93 Responses to “Diagnosis: mystery”
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I am not a doctor, nor have I played one on television, but we kind of had a similar thing go on last year with our 3 year old. Turned out it was our house. Had the ducts super duper cleaned, and it got better. Mold, carpet, all kinds of crap can do it.
Or maybe (judging by the fact that he got you to stay home tonight) he’s a diabolical control freak.
Either way, best of luck!
When I was six or seven I had a weird stomach problem, that no one knew what it was. I was just nauseous and throwing up a lot, so my mom took me the to the pediatrician, and they had no clue after tons of tests and exams and medicines. Eventually they put me on a VERY restricted diet, which was basically Toast and All Things Toast Related. Long, stupid, still-leaving-me-bitter (seems like everything my parents ate during that time frame was something I adored- this could have been a toast induced haze, though) story short, they never figured out what was wrong, and eventually I could eat food again.
I would maybe try to push the pediatrician a little more. Anything to do with kids and prolonged illness is scary and suspect- I know my mom did not have a fun time with all of that.
Here’s my take: I think he’s fighting something bacterial, and the high intensity of the day drags his immune system down. Once he gets home and can get a rest from the bombardment, he is able to function. I would up his intake of sodium ascorbate, along with D3. I would limit dairy (it’s mucous producing), and up his intake of whole, UNprocessed foods, dark and vibrant colored veggies.
Sleep and stress play an important role in healing, but so does the mixture we put into our systems (food and drink, plus supplements).
Garlic does wonders, too. You can even make a garlic oil for ear infections.
I hope they feel better, Linda!
My first thought – constipation. I once thought my oldest was getting appendicitis, he had a fever and his stomach hurt for days. Took him in, they xrayed him and the poor child was backed up into his throat, practically. Ugh. That was not a pretty xray.
Second thought — a few months ago I really did think my teenager had appendicitis, it was in the right place and the pain was enough to keep him up at night. They did a CAT scan on him, and said the lymph nodes around his stomach were inflamed, and the only cure was to wait it out. It went away after about a month.
Third idea — food allergies? Like gluten or something? You could do some eliminating on your own and see if anything helps.
P.S.
Ice cream, but the coconut variety (stay away from dairy, remember?).
I can only answer the last question: BOTH obviously. Has he had an eye test? Bad vision could cause comes-and-goes nausia and headaches, couldn’t it? Good luck at any rate…
Does he take a probiotic daily? If not I’d start one asap. Good for everyone in the house actually.
I don’t know
Won’t do any good
Anxiety?
Both
Our doctor told my mom, when my brother was a in kindergarten, that small children can’t distinguish pain as well as adults. Sometimes a tummy hurting actually means a throat hurting. Turns out, all my brother’s mysterious stomach ails were actually his tonsils. Which were way fucked up and he had to have them removed.
He had been sick with chicken pox, flu, mono, and pneumonia that year. If your kid seems to be getting sick way too much, I’d have his tonsils checked for serious. My brother’s almost exploded.
Gah. What a nightmare. For your sanity AND Riley’s I would suggest going back to the pediatrician and being a giant, festering balloon knot until they figure this out.
Have you tried dipping the salt and vinegar chips INTO the ice cream? Because I’ve been known to dip fries in a chocolate frosty when under particularly stressful situations.
I have a fabulous pediatrician. My 18 mo old was suffering from the exact same damn thing for pretty much the entire month of October. Her prescription: 1/2 tablet of Gaviscon for the tummy ache (it’s like Malox but it tastes like a fizzy pistachio so the kid likes it AND it’s over the counter) and 1/2 tsp benadryl for the stuffy head. Then wait an hour and double up with the Tylenol and Children’s Motrin (which is to say Tylenol first wait another hour and then Motrin and re-medicate as needed following the waiting between each dose as indicated on the label).
In terms of why/what is happening, she kind of shrugged and said that it’s just Fall and he’s just a kid. Drop a Lysol bomb on your house and keep plenty of Klenex handy.
Good luck!
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A ‘healthy’ way to relieve tension. Unfortunatley, I live in Canada so I do the next best thing- take my glass recycling into the depot and chuck it into the bin. >sigh< Makes me feel lighter just thinking about it :)
Maybe it’s anxiety. Something at school, or perhaps the daily transition of school to home and back again? Or maybe he was legitimately sick the first time, but since then has developed a fear of still being sick, but that doesn’t manifest itself until he is home with Mom & Dad, in a comfortable & familiar place, where his body (much like the headache you get AFTER your work day, when you are actually finally able to relax) finally says, ahhh, comfortable? Familiar? THAT’S MY CUE!
My anxiety as a child manifested itself in tummy aches…to this day, I don’t know why my parents ever allowed me to sleep with a bucket next to my bed for TWO YEARS. Did I ever once throw up during that time? No. As an adult, certain things still trigger that same manifestation of anxiety…and my body has very graciously given in to IBS. It’s all kinds of effed-up the way the human body responds to stress & anxiety. So..perhaps he’s having a hard time at school? Being picked on? Just a thought…
Sounds like a sinus infection to me, drainage making him nauseated, headache from pressure and infection, and since like someone else said too, he’s fighting off the bacteria, after he gets a little rest he’s back up rockin. The drainage is also making him cough, and throw up.
He needs a round of antibiotics, a humidifier at night, and decongestants. Trust me on this. Also chicken soup with garlic for the steam, and it won’t hurt if you could get him to drink some juniper berry tea. It has more vitamin C than anything, and tastes sweet.
Just call me Dr. Donna. (Leave out the “thedead” part.)
Trust me on this, and the tea would be good for the whole family. Massive amounts of vitamin c.
I’ll bet you 10 bucks that that is what it is. And all your readers are my witnesses.
I’m sorry about the babies. I have no help there, just commiseration about missing Louis CK. I lurvve him sand was so sad that Lucky Louie only lasted one season. The first time I saw the c*nt episode, I was in a firehouse (I used to be an EMT) with a bunch of dudes. It was, um, uncomfortable.
I agree with Donna on this being possibly, a sinus infection issue. Or allergies that backed up and became a sinus infection. My kiddo and I both battle these same symptoms, though his is much worse. Good luck, and by all means park in the pediatrician’s office, and do NOT wear undereye concealer when you do. Ya gotta prove your point man! You might even push for a quick sinus CT scan if you aren’t getting answers.
Both. Salt & vinegar chips first, then dive headfirst into the tub o’ice cream.
It sounds like the kids are trapped on a virus-plagued cruise ship with no land in sight. And you guys are their wait staff. Ugh.
Your plan to camp out at the doc’s with an AK-47 until he/she fixes this toddler version of legionnaire’s disease sounds promising. Seriously, that is HORRIBLE.
Re Louis CK Night, I have to ask. Did Riley know you had plans to go out? (I feel sheepish asking, but am wondering if he wanted mom and dad to stay home and has already done the math on the impact of being ill.)
OMG, how the hell can you ever really know with a 4-yr old?! They are so vague about “what hurts”, etc.
You know him best – ignore all other advice and go with your gut. Wait it out, dose him up, camp at the dr. – all are good choices. As people have already suggested I’d be inclined to think allergy or tonsils/adenoids (can cause tummy aches too).
GOOD LUCK – I have totally been there with a 4-yr old and IT IS CRAZY MAKING!
oh, also I vote for dipping the chips into the ice cream.
Maybe make it a little less appealing to be home sick? Not saying he’s faking, but when I was a kid, I did. And my mom combatted it by enforcing serious rules — can’t get out of bed, no TV, no playing, and the only food I could have was water, toast, and chicken broth. After a couple of rounds of that, I magically felt well enough to stay in school all day, every day.
Now, if you think it really is something physical, by all means, woman, beat down the doors of every pediatrician in town until you get an answer. I have never bought into the whole “Kids just get sick” line of BS (nor do I agree with medicating the bejeebus out of a 4-year-old’s symptoms unless you know for sure what’s causing those symptoms). There IS an answer to this, whether it’s diet, or sinuses, or mold in your vents, or whatever.
I have been going through this with my 7 year old and the diagnosis was constipation. Her doctor put her on a very small dose of miralax and it has helped.
Did he know you guys were going out and that he was gonna have a sitter?? Yeah, I doubt he’s faking it but MANNN I was good at laying it on thick when I knew the folks were leaving and I didn’t want to have a sitter. I’d been sick before, so I KNEW Exactly what it took to pull of a convincing performance, so much so that I actually made myself sick for reals. Not to make you paranoid or anything…
Oh Linda, I am so sorry you are going through this shit!
I could also feel the barf on the soles of my feet. Eric has only gotten a 24 hour stomach bug and it usually happens once a year, with the projectile vomiting. Right now he has a horrible cough, but the school nurse said as long as he isn’t running a fever or has diarrhea he is good to go.
I would go to the Dr. again and tell them how awful this has been, and that it is NOT going away!
As for the C.K. related disappointment, frozen Kit Kats.
Could be that the two are really just passing the original illness back and forth to one another. It happened in our house–sickness and barfing went on for a month! I thought it would never end…..
OMG, coconut ice cream STAT. It’s amazing.
Also – I only have anecdotes to go by, but it seriously could be food allergies. I know that brightens your day more than the sun itself, with the robust eaters in your home, but it might be worth bringing up with the pediatrician.
My son just had his appendix removed on Tuesday and he’d had a series of tummy aches, occasional loss of appetite and frequent headaches. Have you checked to see if he’s more tender in that area? Drop me a line if you want more details. Suffice it to say, his symptoms were so sporadic and inconsistent I wasn’t sure we’d find an inflamed appendix but we did after all.
Both, obviously.
And I think I’d go to the doctor again. And if the doctor said, “Hm, nothing,” I would say in my mousy, tentative way, “Are there any, like, TESTS or anything….?” and trail off like that, hoping the doctor would then have to tell me about the Secret Tests That Diagnose Everything, which they only offer to people who ask.
We went through that last spring for several weeks. The dr. eventually did a thorough blood test but everything was normal. In the end their best guess was a string of viruses.
Sometimes strep manifests itself with tummy aches and not so much throat-ness in little kids….but my first thought was also constipation, (with a dehydration headache) especially if he’s been at school and doesn’t wanna poop there. Maybe he needs a Gatorade and a bran muffin about 2 every afternoon.
I was thinking maybe sinus infection too? If I were you, I’d at least call the pediatrician and tell them what’s going on and see if they want him to come back in.
YES! My daughter had something very similar in winter 2005/2006. Her daycare (and subsequently our doctor) called it a rotovirus, and it came and went and came and went and came again, over a three month period. It seemed to be able to sense when my husband was away and I was on my own, the classic case being a night where he was working late, and the fever, diarrhea and barfing began at 10:00, and we ran out of pull-ups at midnight. I have suppressed memories of a lake of vomit covering our bathroom floor – it was a night I never thought I’d get through.
Sorry, no advice, just sympathy.
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Maybe he just needs more food during the day. That description of him coming home looking wan and collapsing–that’s me after work having a low blood sugar moment. Some fat and protein and a vigorous workout later, and I am in robust good health.
Man, you guys are just in the weeds, aren’t you? Sucks. I’m so sorry.
I think you’ve got some good leads here. Re: sinuses — my girl had those troubles (snot-nose, cough) for 3 weeks, and doc put her on an antibiotic saying to wait another 3 weeks before expecting her to really get better. Sigh. And I know drainage will cause some kids to throw up. :(
When I was about Riley’s age, I also had stomach aches that constantly came and went. My mom wondered if I could be lactose intolerant, and she stopped making me drink milk. As if by magic, my stomach aches went away!
More recently, in my adult life, I was having mysterious, persistent stomach aches, so I started keeping track of what I was eating, and looking for a connection between my diet and the stomach aches. After about three weeks, I realized that it was soy that was setting me off.
An idea might be to keep track of what he’s eating, and when, and to look for any correlations?
I hope you all are able to catch a break soon!
The barf? On the soles of your feet? OMG, am HORRIFIED! Almost as bad as the time my nephew had the flu and my SIL had stripped him down to give him a cool bath, kid had to barf, so he leaned over the toilet and she rubbed his back. As he was barfing, he shit. All. Over. Her.
Excuse me, I have to go vomit now.
Also, my answers:
A) More like: WHAT. THE. FUCK?!?!?!
B) I would haul ass to the doctor. Maybe leave the children with her for a week so she can see how nasty it is, then you and JB get lots of date nights.
C) No, no I haven’t. KNOCKONFUCKINGWOOD!
and, 4) Dude, dip those chips in the ice cream. Stat.
Sounds like maybe a food intolerance? Whenever I eat more than a few bites of avocado I am miserable. It’s not a full blown allergy, but it definitely bothers me.
I have three thoughts.
1)sinus infection with post-nasal drip
2)allergies with post-nasal drip
3)anxiety
We’ve had various scenarios involving all three at my house over the past several years.
Hope you all feel better soon!
My 16 month old just went through something similar. He had a fever, coughing was lethargic for a few days, then fine for a week then sick again then fine then sick. From what I’ve heard it’s some weird thing going around (meaning, the pediatricians have no clue) that all the little ones are getting and they can’t do anything for.
So, basically I’m of no help but just know that I’ve been there too!
Maybe this is a dumb question, but. . . when I don’t eat, *I* get a stomacheache and headache, and am listless and lethargic. Food perks me right up.
Is it possible that he’s skipping lunch at school?
Sorry that you’re going through this — and that it’s happening during cold/flu season, which makes it even rougher to untangle.
No good advice (I’m lame like that) but I just wanted to say that I frickin’ LOVE L.C.K.! I have always wondered if you loved him, too — and now I know. And I didn’t even have to be all stalker-y about it and actually ASK you or anything. Woot! Good day for me. :)
Good luck with Riley. Poor kid (and parents)!
I also am not a doctor but a mother so here are my thoughts, take them or leave them:
1. I will second the constipation idea. My daughter was off an on nauseous for about 2 weeks and she got an xray and was totally backed up. Miralax fixed her right up.
2. Again with the food allergies, but you probably already thought of that one.
3. Does he get migraines? Could be that, my daughter gets quite nauseous with her migraines. There is also rare-ish problem called abdominal migraines, usually in children who also have migraines and they are cyclical bouts of intense abdominal pain and typical migraine meds will help relieve them.
Whatever it is, good luck, I hope it is all better soon. And BTW, thanks for the visual of you sliding across the floor in barf. It is too early in the morning for that.
There are a lot of good, reasonable suggestions here! I don’t have kids so I don’t have anything more to suggest beyond what has already been said. But I will say that you definitely deserve better answers from your doctor. If they’re just saying “nothing’s seriously wrong” and not helping you understand WHY or WHAT THE HELL TO DO ABOUT IT then I would consider finding a doctor that does. I hate having an uppity-ass doctor that talks to me like I’m stupid – I’m sure it’s doubly frustrating with kids!
Have you had his eyes checked? When I was having eye problems (needed glasses) it would lead to headaches AND stomach aches, which would come and go depending on what I needed to be concentrating on/looking at.
Ok I don’t have children but I have nieces and nephews. My sisterinlaw is one of those organic mother goddess all natural people and basically what she would say is it is his diet. What is he eating, maybe without you knowing? One of the things about all the runny noses and while it works with her kids I don’t know if it will work for yours but at the first sign of one at her house she cuts sugar intake like a mad woman and it usually clears up the snotties within a day or two. Just some randomness~
When I was a kid (according to my mom) my allergies made me sick all of the time. I would throw up snot (lovely) and run a fever and then miraculously be well and happy the next. That might also explain why he didn’t want to eat; he’s got a belly full of snot. This might not be the deal with your kids, but you might want to see if it’s a sinus infection or fall allergies.
barfing aside, this sounds similar to what we went through with TheGirl the winter before last. we went through months of this before I switched peds and finlly got some answers. turned out thegirl was allergic to basically EVERYTHING IN OUR HOUSE. dust, mold, dander, THE DOGS.
So we took apart our duct work, scrubbed it clean (luckily SO LUCKILY my husband has a general contractor friend and he and two other friends were able to do this in a weekend for us and put it back together) we pulled up carpets and basically scrubbed the house from top to bottom and made a few dietary changes for her…nothing processed, limiting dairy and wheat. I had to do a shit-ton of daily maintence as well, but that was more because we made the choice to keep our dogs.
By Spring things had really turned around, and now two years later she’s basically a healthy kid again with a regualr diet, no resrictions. we just do a super cleaning of the house a few times a year and I vacuum the duct work weekly (I shove the hose with the brush attachment as far down the duct as I can and swirl it around) when she satrts to get stuffy we do saline nasl rinses and she she gets a dose Zyrtec at night.
I’m not sure if that could be the case for you guys since the boys seems to pass it back and forth, but you can always ask to have Riley allergy tested. I wont lie, it’s a total suck-fest with the pricking and poking, but it really changed and improved my kid’s quality of life.
I feel for you, Linda. I really hope you get the answers you’re looking for.
My god, that is simply maddening! I just… I have no idea what I would do. I’d probably be waffling about the doctor: when he was pale and sick-looking I’d be all “this kid is going IN” and then when he was running around I’d be all “well, they probably won’t do anything anyway”.
I do know that my twins barfed quite easily, at any kind of sickness and it also drove me NUTS.
I hope you figure it out. Or that he becomes suddenly and permanently BETTER. Whichev.
Has he had a strep test? When we were on vacation this summer, my 5 year old was up all night w/ stomach pain. We found a local ped who said that it was probably viral. He would be kind of like Riley is, complain of pain for a day or so, then be fine, no appetite, etc. Two weeks later when it was still going on, I took him to our ped. He said that strep throat can sometimes cause stomach pains. The rapid strep test came back negative, but the 24 hour one was positive. He had never even complained of a sore throat or anything. Then of course I had the guilt that he had had it for 2 weeks and I was blowing it off as viral/anxiety.
My grandson had a long stretch of stomach aches when he was four. His personality changed, teachers at his school were concerned, he lost weight. Turns out he has celiac disease. With the change in his diet, he is back to his old self again!
I agree with those who mentioned strep. My three year old had a fever and tummyache for 3 days, but no sore throat. I remembered hearing something about a tummyache being a symptom of strep in kids. I took her to the doctor and asked for a strep test – sure enough, it was positive.
Good luck!
I would take him back to the pediatrician. Just by going back you are giving her more information–that this is ongoing, and that you are concerned, which may help her figure out what is going on.
I’m writing this without reading all of the other comments so I apologize if a repeat. My oldest is quite a puker in general and it takes him FOREVER to get over stomach crap. I highly recommend a probiotic – in my pediatrician’s words, they help “reset” the system. Probiotics are the only things that get him over stomach bugs. I buy Culturelle caplets in the CVS vitamin section and open them and pour the stuff into/onto whatever he’s eating – or in his water. We have had similar experiences to what you describe – everything seems find and then for no apparent reason he pukes again. He doesn’t, however, ever complain of a headache, so poor kiddo could have something else. In either case, probiotics won’t hurt him, so you might give it a try:) Good luck!
Headaches that accompany puking always make me nervous. I’d definitely be back at the pediatricians office.
I really don’t know, but you have totally convinced me our plan to move to another continent to be near family is a good one, if only to have family nearby so we can make them babysit if our kids are sick and we have plans.
I have read the comments, and while some sound great…well – anxiety doesn’t cause fever. Neither do allergies unless they lead to infection. Also – a 4 year old isn’t going to be able to fake puking and fever…it would be highly unlikely. Especially in the middle of the night when all is well.
It is bacterial or viral. And you know what? There are drugs for BOTH. There are antivirals that move a virus along in a quick little manner when they are too stubborn to move along all on their own. There are drugs for bacteria that kill it. I would camp out at the doctor with my chips and ice cream until they at least prove something – saying “well, I don’t know…could be a virus” isn’t a diagnosis. Don’t pretend it is…make that damn doctor work for their money.
That sucks and I totally feel your pain. My son went through something similar last year and the pediatrician told us that sometimes with certain tummy viruses kids can develop sort of a fleeting dairy allergy that can continue for 4-6 weeks after the initial illness. We laid off dairy and everything was fine, after about 4 weeks we reintroduced it and all was fine. No idea if that’s the problem but may be something to try.
I love the lactose intolerance suggestion, as I had tummy issues thorugh college and once I got rid of dairy it was all good. They can appear at any time.
I was a very anxious child and could literally make myself sick at the drop of a hat with worry. I ruined two oriental rugs from puking on them since I was convinced my mom (who had a COLD) was going to die and I’d be all alone. So I worked myself up so much that I threw up all over the place. Once I got my brain calmed down I felt fine. Now, you know Riley, and I obviously came from different circumstances (my dad was killed when I was three, so anxiety = explained!) but it’s amazing what the brain can trigger.
Regardless, I hope things simmer down soon and you get to the bottom of it.
Also, maybe a GI Specialist?
Headaches and stomach aches together a lot of the time mean migraines. Ask him where his head hurts. If it’s only on one side, then it very easily could be a migraine.
Go to the ped. Stat. Even if it is something someone mentioned in the comments (here I’ll summarize for you constipation, allergies – season and dietary, sinus infection, anxiety, strep, migraines, viral something or other), all are viable illnesses that would benefit from treatment from an MD.
Also, I don’t buy the whole idea of “Oh the kids are just passing it back and forth.” I could be wrong but from what I remember from science class, if you’ve been exposed to a particular virus/bacteria and your body fights it off, you shouldn’t be felled by it again two weeks later (unless of course it mutated or something but still).
But I’m not an MD, so go to one and if they don’t give you answers, go to a different one.
Migraine? I started getting them pretty young – headaches and throwing up :(
Oh man, so frustrating.
Did the doctor do a strep test?
My five year old gets a headache and super snot with strep, and never complains of a sore throat.
Hope you’re ALL feeling better soon.
Chips and ice cream, fo sho.
I say both but definitel more S&V chips because yum and see also my downfall in life ;)
I had a friend who has a four year old and she went through this last year and nothing ever came of it. Meaning her daughter would barf like one every week or two and seem sickly at the moment and then it would go away. And the vomiting was violent and she was worried but then her daughter was fine. They never knew what it was. Not sure if that helps but at least you know there is another case like this in the world?!
I haven’t read the other comments so I may be the sixty-fourth person to say this, but the situation with Riley makes me think anxiety. He’s always been, from what I’ve gathered as a reader of your blog who’s never actually met your child, kind of a serious kid, right? I wonder if school is stressing him out in some way. For a lot of kids, that kind of stress has physical manifestations. Just a thought.
God I have no idea and no kids but whatever it is I hope they get over it stat and you are all magically healthy forever and ever amen. Seriously though, good luck!
I eat gluten free and I was reading a book for my own purposes and when I read the part about kids it totally made me think about you (well more Dylan). Basically it said that kids who have celiacs or gluten sensitivity often react by throwing up when they eat something they can’t handle and generally become shit heads. That’s my interpretation, obvi.
BOTH. Oh, and you forgot to throw in the tequila.
I don’t have any suggestions other than the many that people have made here. I will say that several years ago I got a nasty sinus infection, but for months my doctor kept saying it was just a cold blah blah. Finally I basically told the doctor I wasn’t leaving the office until I got either antibiotics or a scan. Surprise, the scan revealed a huge sinus infection. So irritated I didn’t insist on finding out sooner.
ANYWAY, also wanted to relate that the dairy causes increased mucus has been proven incorrect. So at least you don’t need to worry about that. http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/abstract/24/suppl_6/547S
I feel your pain – we are going through a similar thing in our house with both kids. I think everyone has great ideas so I will be repeating stuff.
Four year old: swine flu with concurrent allergies which lead to post-nasal drip which then goes to sinus infection (headache, vomiting from so much mucous, not wanting to eat becomes listless then starving then eating a lot then stomach ache). Rinse and repeat.
One year old: swine flu and allergies and lactose intolerant (you mentioned he drank chocolate milk)
I would definitely go back to pediatrician and demand testing. The allergy testing is awful but it would be worth it if it solves his problem.
The constipation thing is also a possibilty concurrent with the allergy thing. I get migraines with constipation, break out in fever and chills then sweating, take a laxative and feel much better. I also suffer from allergies and sinus infections – unfortunately probably genetic.
I would keep a chart of foods and bowel movements besides another doctor appointment.
I know it sucks – this has been the longest 2 months of my life. The answer is out there- just keep demanding help or switch doctors. Good luck!
You might want to ask your doc. about Chrones disease or IBS, I know that it can hit young kids, and they complain of stomach aches and pains, then it seems to go away, with no warning. I knew of one young boy who complained for years before he finally got diagnosed and treated. Just something to bring up to your doc, since you asked.
Firstly, I feel your Louis C.K. pain. I once missed the Dixie Chicks because of a wee child. I’m still bitter.
But with my oldest, I have found this. Right before she was to have a HUGE growth spurt, she would get random fevers, and complain of feeling ‘off’. Next day, she was totally fine, and a full foot taller. (I’m not exagerating…she’s 12 and 5 feet 9 inches tall. Seriously)
Sometimes, kids will do these weird things. I do my best to ignore them.
;)
It’s been said, but food allergies? Dairy intolerance?
When my son was a little over one, he would go through a pattern every few months of not keeping anything down, looked lathargic, not feverish every time. Took him to ER, they were concerned with the off and on puking, to the point they gave him a spinal tap to see if it was VIRAL menengitus. It came back nega-tory.. bu he stayed over night at the hospital and the doc said LITERALY SAID: “my team and I have gone over it, and over it. It was a mystery virus.”
God. Honestly, request everything possible. Blood test, gi scan, anything. Better safe than sorry, some HCProf are too busy to look into each case w/o a swift kick in the rear froma parent. IMHO.
My son went through something like this when he was Riley’s age. Turned out to be migraines. I’d look into that.
So, I have a wicked case of IBS (and I think I’ve had it nearly my whole life, honest to god). I can remember going to the pediatrician with tummy aches I couldn’t explain, etc. Elimination diets didn’t help. And gosh, could it be that? I don’t puke, but it does get worse when I’m busy or stressed out, and my doc told me that if you get a really bad virus you can basically clear your guts of all the good flora in there that keeps you healthy and keeps them functioning the way they should. And it comes and goes on a whim, and can make me feel like the world’s gonna end when it’s bad.
The doc recommends for that: lots of fiber (fruits, veggies, citrucel drinks, etc.) and probiotics (align, but I don’t know if that’s OK for kids) or activia or some such to put good flora back in the system and keep everything regulated (and keep you off the diarrhea/constipation vicious cycle).
If not, I’m going with the sinus infection. Those can lay a person out.
That’s scary. I’m sorry. I hope he feels better soon. I don’t doubt for a second he’s pretty miserable, whether it’s virus or anxiety or what.
Sounds like a classic sinus infection. Hard to diagnose in kids because it presents differently than in adults. But returning fever, snots, headache are all indicators, and the vomit is more typical with kids because vast quantities of mucus are draining into their tummies rather than being blown out the nose. I’d barf too if I had a belly full of snot.
That said, abdominal migraines are worth reading up on (I suggest mayoclinic.com) to see if the symptoms match up.
I think using the words “chronic” and “affecting daily activities on a long-term basis” and “HAI, I’M MISSING WAY TOO MUCH WORK”could prod your pediatrician towards taking it more seriously.
Good luck!
Sounds like a sinus infection to me. I also would suggest probiotics, I buy chewable kids ones from vitacost.com and they are super cheap. Pehaps the tummy bug he had has screwed up his stomach a bit and he needs some balance restored in there.
I’m not reading all the comments and I realize I’m late to the party (as you mentioned you were going to the pediatrician today)…but. I’ll chime in anyway.
I don’t think your kids are faking it at all (they are boys who love to play and get plenty of attention), I think the idea is ridiculous. But that’s me. (Ok, so I read a few comments.)
Most of the people I know who have had sick kids this fall have had this exact same round-robin of fevers/headaches/runs/throwing up – getting better, getting sick again. I think it is the flu – or something like it.
My oldest daughter would get the runs/stomach problems from certain medications (some just gave her a yeast infection: fun!). It’s possible if either of them have been on antibiotics that some of their symptoms are related to reactions to that in addition to symptoms related to the illness. (we have to avoid anything erythomycin related…and I don’t know that I spelled that right)
Also – one of my kids had strep that turned into scarlet fever and the doctors kept saying things like “likely she masturbates and that is why her privates are red and swollen” – thanks: where did you get that MD?
Actually, I was going to talk about her frequent ear infections that kept getting better with medication and then returning the minute the medicine stopped – it took awhile for them to put it all together…
Hopefully your boys will be all well soon…
kim
p.s. as far as Riley coming home really sick and then perking up – it’s amazing what a little Motrin or Tylenol will do for the little ones – they go from being so lethargic you are considering 9-1-1 to up and playing within about 30 minutes after the medicine…
I don’t have kids but I am getting some great advice for later on when I do have them! When I was a kid I used to get stomach aches all the time, just from the stress of going to school (the kids at my school were jerks). Is there maybe a bully at his school that is giving him a hard time and stressing him out?
first of all, BOTH. sweet, savory…nothing better.
does there seem to be any correlation b/t what he eats and the stomachaches/headhaches? maybe he’s allergic to something – wheat, gluten, i dont know how all that works.
Have the children been tested for strep? It can cause some weird symptoms in children. It’s easy to diagnose and easy to treat, but sometimes overlooked.
I think stomach bugs can linger for awhile. With my kids, the second they are feeling better, it’s like they were never sick, full energy, full appetite. So, when the sick returns, it usually catches us by surprise. Seems to happen when they’re tired – after a school day, bedtime. With multiple kids, it can feel like someone in the house is sick all the time!
There is nothing I like more than diagnosing OTHER PEOPLE.
Actually I have no diagnosis for you. But I had tons of comes-and-goes stomach things as a kid, and my dad told me that cream soda fixes stomach aches by helping you burp, and so we always kept a few cans in the fridge and that worked wonders for me. 7up/sprite works, too, and comes in the nice half-can size. Really anything with carbonation.
My oldest son has had issues with his stomach since 2nd grade. I completely blame it on the induced stress his 2nd grade witch of a teacher, but I digress. If it keeps up, I’d check with a G.I. doctor to see if there’s an issue causing the stomach upset. We have my son’s condition mostly under control now. He has issues when he gets a bug, but other than that he’s doing well. Good luck! Your family will be in my prayers.
It might not answer the What? but taking your child to the doctor is a sure fire way for them to be cured, five minutes before they are seen. It’s like taking your car to the mechanic for a noise.
Second, perhaps he likes the attention when he gets sick so every little pang is getting vocalized?
Third, I swear kids this age are just sick from October through March every year. I just went back in time on my blog and the same shit was happening every year at the same time. As the kids’ doctor just so helpfully told me, “ride it out”.
Oh Geeezus. I am twitching over here with PTSD from just READING about all the hideous barfing incidents. And I’m even more confused after reading all this stuff. What the HELL? Parenting really just sucks the big one. Especially when there is barf involved.
Rotavirus. Sucks big time. Daughter and I had it two years ago. It comes and goes and comes and goes (hence the rota). It eventually does leave, but hells bells I’ve never hated any illness more. We both actually had to be hospitalized at one point with one of the bouts because of dehydration issues. It is a nasty thing, but does at some point end. Good luck!!
I LOVE LOUIS C.K.!!! And I hope your little man feels better soon!
Sounds like stress to me…
I haven’t read the 90 or so comments but here’s my 2 cents: There is something going around that are basically headache and nausea. It lasts a few days and comes and goes. This cold and flu season has been freaky to say the least. Hope everyone is healthy and snot-free soon.
My kids went through Two Winters of Barf in 05-06 and again in 06-07. It was awwwwwful. After that whole thing, I was in barf shock for years. Well, I still carry an emergency barf bag in the glove compartment of the car, but in the heyday of Barf Shock, I carried a whole bucket in the car. And thrust it at anyone who even dared to cough. I also insisted on placing a bucket next to anyone who didn’t want a snack at the moment or who looked a little “funny.” Yes, I was totally paranoid and expecting it at any moment. But seriously, when you’ve cleaned up/been splashed in that much puke, you get a little shell-shocked.
Highly recommend the Pedialyte frozen ice pops. Easy to keep on hand, nice small doses that they have to take slowly and they really help the nausea (I’ve used them myself quite a bit).
Oh, and I just looked over some of the comments and I agree that the stress of school causes tummy aches sometimes. We went through a whole year of that, too. Older son had frequent stomach aches, headaches, reflux and heartburn all though K and grade 1. Also, yes, I’ve seen strep cause the weird symptoms (incl. barfing) and I know kids frequently barf/feel nauseous when they have sinus infections and the post-nasal drip from allergies.
My daughter had cough, fever, and throwing up, then it just moved to a cough and then it started to go away. Then she had a stomach ache that wouldn’t go away, fatigue and a fever.
Turns out it was walking pneumonia.
I have a 3 day rule. If the fever or illness doesn’t go away in 3 days, take them back to the doctor.