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9 year old with chronic gastritis

Hi all, my daughter is 9 & suffers from chronic gastritis for a few years now but is currently experiencing her worst flare with last 2 months. OGD last year showed chronic G of no know cause, all biopsies were clear & bloods ok I was told. She is on losec 20mg & is progressively getting worse, constantly burping, which can be regurgitation of food also, burning discomfort & abdo pain. She would generally have constipation that is well controlled. Until 2 weeks ago the reflux issues only affected her in car or if she is jumping dancing etc but used to fine when sitting it’s now constantly affecting her, my gp sent private referral to dr Quinn in tallaght but god knows how long that will take. Her dad, his brother & mother all have crohn’s with her dads being microscopic & hard to detect. She doesn’t have any issues with bowels all upper gastrointestinal. My heart is broken to see her so sick, it is even disturbing her sleep. Have any of u any advice or experience of this?!
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
Constipation can be a main sign of crohns
Was for my kiddo
Especially in little kids
He was dx at 7
Has she had a fecal caloprotectin done ?

My kiddo also had chronic gastris when his crohns wasn’t controlled but
Big but biopsies showed inflammation in his stomach and duodenum
As well as small intestine rectum etc..
 
Constipation can be a main sign of crohns
Was for my kiddo
Especially in little kids
He was dx at 7
Has she had a fecal caloprotectin done ?

My kiddo also had chronic gastris when his crohns wasn’t controlled but
Big but biopsies showed inflammation in his stomach and duodenum
As well as small intestine rectum etc..
Hi thanks for reply, she has caloprotectin also done last sept with ogd, my head is telling my that she has crohns but it’s getting to see a pead gastro to investigate & give a diagnosis. Cuh suggested I take her to a&e in Dublin if she isn’t seen in next week, Iam worried about how much damage is being done internally at the moment with how bad she is, she is only just managing school for few hrs if at all last 2 weeks
 
Constipation can be a main sign of crohns
Was for my kiddo
Especially in little kids
He was dx at 7
Has she had a fecal caloprotectin done ?

My kiddo also had chronic gastris when his crohns wasn’t controlled but
Big but biopsies showed inflammation in his stomach and duodenum
As well as small intestine rectum etc..
Can I ask were the biopsies from Ogd or from colonoscopy? Her results were inflammation in antral area? Also bloods showed low eosinophils but they made nothing of it
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
Inflammation in duodenum (upper scope ) abd inflammation on colonoscopy at TI ,sigmoid and rectum (lower scope )
Eosinophilic disease is typically when the EOS are high in numbers ;)
 
Inflammation in duodenum (upper scope ) abd inflammation on colonoscopy at TI ,sigmoid and rectum (lower scope )
Eosinophilic disease is typically when the EOS are high in numbers ;)
Hi again,
So Maria is still suffering so much in past week she is getting pains in her lower back, & sides. Her back hurts even if she is bend down for short time, I have e-mailed any & every consultant I could find a contact for out of desperation. I feel at this stage I need to take her to dublin a&e & beg them for help.
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
I don’t have experience with gastritis type symptoms but if you are this distraught and she is that uncomfortable I don’t think an A&E visit is unreasonable. Plenty of people are on a long road to diagnosis of many different diseases and only finally get an answer once they present to A&E or ER her in the US.

You mentioned she had a calprotecton test. Do you know that number?

Is she having bowel movements now?
 
I don’t have experience with gastritis type symptoms but if you are this distraught and she is that uncomfortable I don’t think an A&E visit is unreasonable. Plenty of people are on a long road to diagnosis of many different diseases and only finally get an answer once they present to A&E or ER her in the US.

You mentioned she had a calprotecton test. Do you know that number?

Is she having bowel movements now?
Hi, no I was not given any reports s
I don’t have experience with gastritis type symptoms but if you are this distraught and she is that uncomfortable I don’t think an A&E visit is unreasonable. Plenty of people are on a long road to diagnosis of many different diseases and only finally get an answer once they present to A&E or ER her in the US.

You mentioned she had a calprotecton test. Do you know that number?

Is she having bowel movements now?
hi thank you for reply, her calp was 15, 9 months ago when test was done. Yes it’s looking like a long drive to a&e in Dublin is needed. Here is Ireland if you need a gastroenterologist for kids u have to go to dublin which for me in north cork if 2 & 1/2 hr drive. It’s shameful that we don’t have more through out the country
 

crohnsinct

Well-known member
15 is a very low number and not indicative of IBD but that test was some time ago.

I am sorry you are having to drive so far to get your girl the attention she needs. How is she doing now?
 
She suffers mostly from well controlled constipation since birth f
15 is a very low number and not indicative of IBD but that test was some time ago.

I am sorry you are having to drive so far to get your girl the attention she needs. How is she doing now?
yes in Ireland 🇮🇪 there is no paediatric gastroenterologist near us, Dublin seems to be only place they are located. She is still the same, constantly burping especially after eating, gnawing pain in stomach & gurgling lots. Eating plain foods little & often. Complaining of discomfort across shoulders & in lower back, these are new symptoms last week approx. Still getting bouts of reflux & hiccups. There seems to be no ease in this flare. Her scope results from 9 months ago said mild gastritis in antral area, nothing mild about what she is going through.
 

Maya142

Moderator
Staff member
Has she ever been tested for motility issues? Some of her symptoms remind me of Gastroparesis - delayed gastric emptying. Reflux and Gastroparesis go hand in hand - and severe reflux can cause chronic gastritis. My daughter has Gastroparesis and she also has chronic gastritis, which we do not think is from her Crohn's necessarily. It comes and goes - sometimes it's really bad and other times it doesn't bother her. She often has rib pain which is actually due to her gastritis. And pain that radiates to her back (her mid-back). She has also dealt with constipation for much of her life - another common symptom that goes along with Gastroparesis.

The other thing you said - her back pain. Has she ever had other joint pain? Any swelling or red, warm joints? Any stiffness? There are subtypes of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) that are associated with Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. My daughter has Enthesitis Related Arthritis, which is a subtype of JIA that often goes hand in hand with IBD. It is also the subtype of JIA that commonly has back pain - typically the sacroiliac joints are affected first - symptoms are lower back or butt pain, pain that get worse with rest (such as sitting through class or through a movie, or sleeping) and morning stiffness. I do know it's very hard to get to a pediatric rheumatologist in Ireland, so if she does have any joint swelling or stiffness or persistent lower back pain, I'd ask your pediatrician or GP to refer her to one.

If your daughter is really struggling and you can't get into to see a pediatric GI, it may be worth going to the ER/ A&E and having them evaluate her, particularly if her pain is really bad. Besides a PPI like Losec, they can prescribe Sulcralfate which is used for gastritis and stomach ulcers. My daughter always takes it when her gastritis is bad and it really helps her.
 
Hi Maya142 thanks for reply, no I don’t think she has been tested for motility, in regards to joint pains no history of pains like she is currently having, she would have complained of tired muscles after her Irish dancing classes but normally because she hadn’t warmed up!! Currently the pains in back are coming & going, she had really bad shoulder pain yesterday & I checked her urine & she had ketones in it? Very strange as she is not diabetic.
we finally got an appointment with gastro next Wednesday 5th may & have appointment with gp today as I am worried she may have serious infection with all her current symptoms & getting worse by the day, I slept with her last night & was burping a lot during the night & stomach gurgling mad, she woke loads poor doll.
 
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Maya142

Moderator
Staff member
I'm so glad you got an appointment so soon!!!

In terms of motility issues, does she have trouble eating? Does she get full after just a few bites? Is she unable to tolerate a lot of foods - particularly those that are high fat or high fiber (veggies for example, especially uncooked ones - like salad)? Does she complain of nausea or fullness or bloating after meals? Has she lost weight recently?
 
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