Emotionally induced symptoms

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Per our Gi stress ( or extreme emotion)
Can cause a "normal" Gi tract to go off balance - brain/gut
Thing
Add in an already barely functioning on a good day Gi tract and
Yep things will go down hill.
So work on stress reduction techniques
And if your child is older over 12
Then cognitive behavioral therapy to deal with stress
 
Immunizations, dental visits, band concerts, the first time trying something new... all set off symptoms here. Anxiety doesn't usually lead to a flare, but can aggravate one if he's already in one. I can see where experiencing stressors daily would though so we are very careful about managing activities and schedules. I don't schedule orthodontist appointments in the same week as a band concert and I play dumb on immunizations. I let the doctor tell him 10 seconds before it happens otherwise it gives him too much time to get worked up about it and run to the bathroom. Probably not the best way to handle it but...?

We've looked into behavior therapy a little bit, but haven't pursued anything yet. Our school psychologist has offered suggestions like putting things in perspective (will this matter in 5 years?), distraction (iPod video games) and visualization. As he gets older, things are getting a little easier. He understands the gut/brain connection now and manages better than he used to.
 
I haven't noticed it with Matt but Sarah is different. She doesn't flare as such but she certainly loses her appetite and then of course her weight then takes a nose dive.

As for me, I don't have IBD but if I am stressed the toilet and I become very well acquainted! :eek2:

Dusty. xxx
 
Stress is definitely a trigger. Junior high was overwhelming for her and she had daily symptoms. Now that she is out of that scene, even something as simple as getting talked to about inappropriate behavior will send her down to her bed with stomach aches... worse stressors cause more symptoms.
 
I'm not sure with Grace. She's four.:smile:
But if you go more than a day without saying she's pretty, she assumes she's done something wrong.:yfaint:
 
Thanks everyone! Starting 6th grade this last end of August started a big flare (and we got thru it) but then he has flared more often since then and now well, major inflammation and now the Prednisone of course.
 
Yes, my son is a worrier and will hold it all in. I take him to a therapist so he can talk stuff out. But he has a very hard time falling asleep and does not want to be alone :(
 
Difficult math homework, conflicts with friends are just 2 of the many things guaranteed to have her clutching her tum in pain. She gets some stress management tnerapy from hospital but not really sure if it is enough.
 
I definitely notice that Gab's symptoms get worse with stress !
Especially during big exam times at school. :ybatty:
 
It's discussions like this that make me grateful for this forum! All the kids (not just mine, really??) seem to have their stressors, so now the question is, what do you do to alleviate or minimize them?
 
WINE! Oh wait you mean minimize them for the kids?

O is an exercizer. Nothing relieves tension like two hours back staring at the bottom of a pool...the endorphins help too I am sure. She is also a runner... She has told me she wrote a whole history paper while running a 10K.
 
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Yes i agree. Struggling to get son back in school, feels poorly all week and in pain, come Saturday he picks up, then Sunday falls ill again!! He has some great friends at school, teachers have been great, think they are going to keep him back a year which i do worry about for him. We are about to start working with the hospital to get him back into school and how to manage his pain, some strategies. He must be fed up being at home with me all the time, he says he wants to go to school, sure he does but think he gets worked up as hasnt been for so long and doesnt like keep being asked where he has been.

Have also noticed some other situations, whenever we fly he spends alot of time in the toilet! Meeting new people, social events he suddenly feels poorly. He says he isnt worried but i think something is going on and causing the upsets!!

Tricky one for us all this one!
 
Yes absolutely. Noticed right before a big game there are stomach pains, week of End of Course tests = stomach pains. Behind on homework = stomach pains
 
YES! My son has symptoms any time he is very stressed. He has All State Band tryouts and the next day...BAM! Symptoms! They lasted about 2 days then leveled out. He had blood for a week or so prior due to the nervousness.

I have debated anxiety medications just to level out the stress. He is a highly anxious child anyway. Our GI said they have many patients on antidepressants or anxiety meds that do very well. I am just debating adding another med to our regimen.

It makes things very difficult. We always have to worry about talking to him about things that make him upset or pushing him to study, etc...It's hard balancing parenting and not wanting to cause a flare. As long as he doesn't take advantage of that, I am okay. But he's a teen, so at some point he may realize he could use it to his advantage. He's very honest about his symptoms so far. ::):
 
Drum line competition and she was curled up in fetal position with belly pain and couldn't perform. Poor coping skills.Wasn't like this at all until high school. Peer pressure and fast paced curriculum have been detrimental.
 
Thx everyone....starting middle school definitely put him in his worst flare so far...thinking I should take him out if honors classes. All his teachers have been great though except a little trouble with one.
 
No sense in stressing him out with honor's classes in middle school. One idea is to leave him in honors classes in his best subjects but change the ones he struggles with.

The other side of this is that sometimes being in honors classes separates him from some of the students that are more likely to be goofing off and bullying...(not that there arent smart bullies, but...)
 
This is so true for Caitlyn the least stress seems to make her flare. When we moved and she started a new school it was a disaster. She flared up for over a month. Homeschooling has been so much better. So much less stress!
 
So many of the situations you mention are familiar. N dropped out of band this year (junior)and no longer participates in any UIL competitions or ANYTHING that requires out of town trips or early mornings. Also,when he was younger and had only JRA his joint pain always got much worse when we were traveling even for short family trips(we now keep traveling to a minimum). Lack of sleep is another trigger and he frequently has trouble with falling asleep. He was, thankfully, given a med that helps him with sleep (actually it's clonidine which just takes the edge off)on an as needed basis. Just knowing it's available has brought down the stress level tremendously. Like you said, it's a balancing act with knowing how much to push and how much to lay off....it's hard to know sometimes if the decision comes of laziness or self preservation, but I am tending to trust him more in determining how much he can handle, and I do think it has helped keep his symptoms more manageable.
 
I'm hoping you have a Section 504 plan...if you have difficulties with teachers issues are easier to address with one in place.
DD stresses terribly, and it affects her symptoms as well. I started a thread about it a while back and got some great responses...:)
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=47451
and (((HUGS))). Parenting is tough enough without walking on eggshells to not stress your kiddo out~
 
My eldest son was a HUGE worrier as a child. Be would often cry and complain of tummy cramps.. He doesn't have any medical problems and I always thought he did it to avoid situations, especially school. I think now it was very real to him :eek:

J now is the same!! With any stressful situation is doubled over in pain.
 

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