Worried about my niece

[chrisnsteph1022]

My niece is almost 7 years old. She's been seeing a pediatric GI for 6 months and done multiple tests and x-rays trying to figure out what's wrong. She has to take an adult dose laxative every day and pops gas pills like they're candy. She has discomfort, but no major pain. I know she tested negative for Celiac's.

Of course, I'm worried that it's IBD. It can present with constipation, right? I've never had that particular problem, but I've read stories on here about it. The GI told them yesterday that she needs a colonoscopy/endoscopy to see if they can find anything wrong that's not showing up on other tests. I'm the only one in my family history with IBD that we know of, but it can run in families, so I'm worried about that. Can IBD cause chronic constipation?

 

[vness1208]

well Im srry to hear about your niece & the answer is yes it can cause chronic constipation. my 13yr old daughter was constipated for almost a year before being diagnosed with crohns disease. she was doing enemas & suppositories for a very long time & was still constipated & major pain when she went to the bathroom. they will be able to see if its crohns by colonscopy/endoscopy. I hope she gets better soon. Good luck.

 

[DustyKat]

Hi Stephanie,

vness is right hun, it can cause constipation. Sarah tended toward constipation as well in the lead up to her diagnosis because of inflammation and narrowing in the terminal ileum. Neither of my children suffered with diarrhoea as a symptom.

I hope all goes well for your niece and it is nothing serious. Please let us know how she gets on.

Sending loads of love, luck and healing thoughts her way! :hug:

Dusty. xxx

 

[AndiGirl]

I can relate to your worry and concern. I am still up in the air with my two babies. Crohn's sadly, seems to be a very inheritable disease. In my family, it looks as though it doesn't skip a generation and both sexes are affected. I was even more troubled when I recently visited my brother at his house. I noticed a metal coffee can lined with a plastic shopping bag near my nephew's bunk bed. When I asked Randy about it, he said that he keeps it there all the time because my nephew gets frequent nausea, will throw up unexpectedly, and needs to use the restroom a lot. We're both worried about him.

I am hoping that it's nothing in relation to your niece. I know you are a loving aunt and sister, who will be terrific when it comes to support and information. Hang in there sweetie!

 

[Dexky]

I hope she doesn't have IBD Steph but I also hope they can find what's wrong so they can take the correct actions. Let us know how she gets on!!

 

[dragonfly]

hi Stephanie
does she have any other symtoms? my daughter is almost 5 and has a very hard time going to the bathroom as well, sometimes her belly hurts so bad she cries because it is literally full of poop, the pain is always on the right side. i have crohns and freaked out thinking oh my gosh she has it too....but our family dr said not to worry at all she has none of the "classic: symtoms of crohns at all he recommended she take maralax everyday which she has been doing for almost 2 yrs now. i stopped giving it her after about 9 months because things seemed to be moving along so to speak just fine and also the fear she is young only a child and i was concerned for her to become immune to this med and therefore not be able to go without it, but after only 2 weeks of stopping the problems started again so her dr said keep giving it and not to worry about becoming immune. sometimes when she has a bellyache she lays down for awhile and ands up passing alot of gas, which then relieves the bellyache. i give her childrens tums sometimes as well. her dr said we need to change her diet alittle more...shes not a big fruit & veggies eating girl and i blame myself for that because i am so restricted as to what i can and cant eat. i truly hope that this is nothing serious serious for your neice.

 

[vness1208]

dragonfly that sounds like my daughter.. she had the same issues and doctors kept prescribing miralax, suppositories and enemas and said she needed to change her diet but this went on for years & I couldnt stand to see her in pain anymore and took her to the er. They set her up with a specialist and it wasnt until then she was diagnosed.. sometimes doctors can be wrong because they practice general medicine and if you feel like something is wrong you should probably see a specialist just to make sure she is not suffering and it really is normal.. I wish I wouldve followed my gut instinct sooner instead of listening to her primary doctor because I would have saved my daughter from so much pain..