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I have been diagnosed with Crohn's for 15 years. I have a 6 yr old daughter who for the past 6 months has frequently been complaining of stomach pain and loss of appetite some days and increased appetite other days. With in the past month I have been called by her school nurse numerous times stating that she has been not feeling well at school and complaining about the stomach pain and throwing up at school. She has been constipated a lot lately. She also tends to eat small amounts frequently through out the day instead of larger meals. My husband and I are starting to become concerned that she might have Crohn's or another IBD like I do. can anyone tell me what were the signs and symptoms their child exhibited in the beginning before diagnosi?. How can I know if it is to the point of her needing to see a specialist without scaring her and putting her through a battery of tests?

 Reply posted for sighwren.

I am happy to report that we have taken my daughter to the doctor and have found no signs of any IBD. Just some chronic constipation. With diet changes and some meds she is doing much better. Thank you all for your support and advice. 

 Reply posted for sighwren.

I suffered from UC for 3 1/2 and then started researching online. My husband was my donor and it has now been almost 4 months of being back to normal, having normal bowel movements - no gas, no cramps, no urgency, no blood, etc.  I am back to eating anything I want after 6 months on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I have even been eating some things that are considered illegal on SCD, but with no problems.

If you would like to read my story and see links to other articles, email me.

Just don't give up thinking it is hopeless - there is another way. I am not on any drugs and completely symptom free.

These digestive issues are caused by a imbalance in the bacteria in your gut, most likely from antibiotic use or sometimes food poisoning.

Just google Fecal Transplant and you will find how it is being used to heal digestive issues - I had UC and it healed me.

Email me for a link to my blog - kwi_sky@yahoo.com

Teri

 Reply posted for sighwren.

I hope you haven't discovered that it is Crohn's. However, what would be more damaging to your daughter is if you avoided the situation and did not investigate why she is having these issues, later to find out that her disease has progressed. She needs to be seen by a pediatric GI without a doubt. This does not mean she has Crohn's. There are a number of things that could be causing all her discomfort. Celiac's, lactose intolerance, allergies, etc. Let us know what comes of this situation. Take care.

 Reply posted for sighwren.

It was 4 months from the first time we noticed a symptom until we were diagnosed. MY
husband was diagnosed with Chrones at age 19. Our daughter was 13. Here were some of her symptoms:
pale, sleepy , nauseous. She would throw up and then feel fine and want to eat. Sometimes
she would throw up once a day, sometimes two or three. Sometimes she would go days or a week without throwing up.
a while later I noticed that she was having more frequent bowel movements with a fowl smell. She was very private about the bathroom and never looked at her own stool. We wouldn't find out for months that she was severely anemic and had been losing blood. It's never too early to be referred to a specialist. Find a pediatric GI specialist though. We drive 2 1/2 hours to Jackson, ms for ours. He is wonderful. Ask your pediatritian to do a simple blood test called a CBC and check her hemoglobin. The hemoglobin tells how much red blood cells are in your body. If u are losing blood in the stool ( even small amounts that u cannot see) her number will be low. A normal range is around 11-14. Our daughter was down to a 5 which was close to needing a blood transfusion and she wasn't even complaining of symptoms. It was me who was concerned about her being pale and sleepy and going to the bathroom more than normal. She had gotten used to it, since it snuck up gradually. We have been hospitalized for a flare twice since the diagnosis last spring and have learned so much.

So to recap my ramblings: our first symptoms were nausea and signs of being anemic ( tired, pale, hair loss, ) . Excessive gas was present for two years prior to that

 Reply posted for sighwren.

Hello! My son has Crohns.  He is 11 and was diagnosed 4 years ago at the age of 7.  He also experienced stomach upset, loss of appetite, and constipation.  He lost alot of weight.  He also had fevers and loss of energy.  Unlike yourself, we do not have a family history.  I know you do not want to put her through all of the tests and such but I think that if she does have Crohns you want to get her medical attention before she gets too sick and its harder to get under control.  Maybe the pediatrician can start with blood tests to see if any of her inflammatory markers are elevated or is she is deficient in vitamins and is anemic which was the case with my son.  I hope this helps you.  Take care.