Could my baby have Crohn's?!

[tinkerbella]

Hi there,

I'm worried about my baby son who has just turned 13months. He's been passing dark hard pellets for several (3) months now, at first I thought it was because he's not drinking enough fluids and I have been trying to get as much down him as possible, but although he's weeing more it's made no change to his bowels. I tried him with weetabix this morning and he passed a pellet followed by diarreah. That's not the effect I would expect it to have at all, and he had red in his pellet yesterday, but I can't account for that in anything that he'd eaten over the previous 2 days. He's mobile and crawls around and I try to give him a balanced diet with plenty of fibre. He does tend to wake in the night very upset and drawing his knees up to his tummy, so tummy ache, but not every night. He seems to be growing ok, but I'm going to get him checked with the health visitor, but my concern is the persistent constipation as I have constipating Crohn's.

I'm currently really ill with my disease and am I just being paranoid or is it the right thing to get him checked out? Is he too young to devlop it?

thanks,
Angela

 

[Johnnysmom]

I have not heard of a child that age with the disease. I know that red things can show up in the stool and it does not end up being blood. He is also growing which is a good sign. I know that my whole family tends to have constipation but only my son has crohn's. I think it is worth talking to the Dr. about if it is concerning to you. I would also ask about giving him an extra Vitamin D supplement. They have found a link between low levels of Vit D and autoimmune disorders. I have my non crohn's child taking it. I know it won't prevent crohns and nothing has been proven but in my mind it can't hurt and it might help your little one not to get this disease. You are not being paranoid, you are being a good mom. Let us know how your little one gets along!

Tiffany

 

[dodie74]

Hi, ohhh its so difficult when they are so small. my 9 year old was diagnosed over a year ago but as a baby i treated him for colic as he would scream and draw his knees up also. He would get very constipated and wouldnt want to go when he was a toddler. Looking back i think he had the crohns back then but at that point we knew nothing about my husband havin crohns as he was just diagnosed about 6 years ago and he had the diarrhoea problem and not the constipation. I would do exactly what you are doing and tell your concerns to the health visitor . I hope it all turns out well. take care. xx

 

[Devynnsmom]

I would talk to your doctor if you are worried. My 10 year old was *unofficially* diagnosed in Dec 2009 at 8 years old. She suffered with all kinds of symptoms from the time she was approx 18 mos old, maybe a bit younger. I think it must have always been there. From the time she was showing symptoms, I had NO clue what was wrong. The family dr told me it was viruses, normal childhood illness, growing pains, etc etc.

 

[DustyKat]

Hi Angela and :welcome:

I'm so sorry to hear about your little one, bless him...:hug:

Although my children were diagnosed at a much older age I have read of others here that have had children diagnosed at a very young age, like your son, and of members here that believe they have IBD since birth.

You have very valid concerns and reasons so I think you are perfectly right to have him checked over. If it turns out to be nought then you can put your mind to ease, if on the other hand something is found then it can be dealt with.

I have to say that he sounds as if he has something going on, hopefully it may turn out to be simple constipation and easily dealt with. Good luck hun, I have everything crossed for you that it is indeed nothing, if not just know you are not alone and we are here for you. :heart:

:hang: in there Mum and go with your gut feeling, it is never wrong to have our babies checked out.

Dusty. xxx

 

[Dexky]

Any problem that persists that long should be checked out. You don't want to look back years from now and say "I should have". Good luck mom! I hope it's nothing

 

[LilyRose]

Hello Angela,

I have a little boy with crohn's he was diagnosed at age 5 - now 6. I think if you are concerned that it was be great to talk with your doctor about the symptoms. And I think they can do a test to see if the red stuff is blood. It may be something minor and you will be then be able to relax.

No-one in our family has crohn's, but I can imagine if i had it that it would be really natural to worry about your children. So don't be hard on yourself. You sound like a great Mum. Do you have a good GP? Let us know how you go.

take care,
LilyRose

 

[tinkerbella]

Thanks so much everyone!

It's reassuring to know that I'm not overreacting. I'm getting his statistics (height, weight, growth etc) checked with the health visitor on Friday and I will definitely now take him to the GP to get his stools checked, and ask for a gluten intolerance blood test to rule that one out.

I have a 5 year old with a lactose intolerance, which he's had since birth but got horrendously bad when I weaned him, to the point where he was sent to a peadiatrician and they were telling me it could be Crohn's! I was the one who said don't be ridiculous and thankfully it was just an intolerance. I think I'm just worrying about my little one because his symptoms have been similar to mine.

I'll let you know how he goes x

 

[polly13]

My daughter lucy was diagnosed at two and a half and she was displaying symptoms from about 12 - 13 months and possibly earlier ( she was diagnosed as having hand foot and mouth virus at 9 months but I am suspicious knowing what I know now that the mouth ulcers were actually related to the chrons. )

I suppose my experience is that constipation is the obvious answer and that is what they will go for and poor Lucy had to get really bad before they even went to ' complications associated with constipation' so my advice is to follow your gut instinct and see a paediatric GI and get his tested. If he is experiencing symptoms of crohns they should be able to identify it through colonoscopy and biopsy if they are experienced enough.

Good luck and I hope you get the answers you need.
Polly

 

[tinkerbella]

We saw the health visitor on Firday who said he's on the low percentiles but is growing ok. She has colitis and made the point that if it was associated with disease there would be mucus in the nappy, which there isn't (phew!), which was reassuring. That said though, she said in light of family history I should get him checked, so I am going to do exactly that x

 

[Crohn's Mom]

Hi Tinkerbella

I'm glad to hear that you were reassured a bit Friday, and I am equally glad to hear that you are going to have his symptoms further investigated
Best of luck to you, and I truly hope there is no evidence of disease found!