Dr. Hive....? Diagnose what's up with my son.

[muffinmom]

My ds7 has been having a semi-regular experience that is troubling him (and me). This usually occurs within 30 minutes after eating. He will come to me, pale, and says he doesn't feel good--feels sick to his stomach a bit and "swirly". It passes very quickly, feels better within a minute or less, color comes back to his face, but it is unusual to me and of course I want to know the cause of it.

 

It used to happen primarily after breakfast, but today it happened after lunch. This has gone on probably at least a couple of times a month for several months.

 

I also remember something similar happening when he was probably around 2...he couldn't tell me anything, but he would sort of stop eating, look a bit stressed, and was pale. Again, it would pass quickly.

 

Any thoughts? (BTW, I have a call in to the doctor)

[Quad Shot Academy]

I have this happen when my blood pressure is too low. All the blood rushes to my stomach and makes me dizzy. :grouphug:

[muffinmom]

I have this happen when my blood pressure is too low. All the blood rushes to my stomach and makes me dizzy. :grouphug:

 

What is the cause of your low blood pressure (if you know and don't mind sharing)?

[MyBlueLobsters]

Double post, sorry

Edited March 15, 2010 by MyBlueLobsters

[MyBlueLobsters]

I would get his blood sugar tested. Maybe even his iron levels and thyroid. :grouphug:

[kalanamak]

Vaso-vagal faint. Most common one there is.

 

Does he have constipation? (Eat, stimulates gut, gut cramps around hard stool, sends a "send me more" signal, more cramping around the gut.) Sometimes it happens with diarrhea, too, which can happen with things like lactose intolerance.

 

Is he over eating? Is he running around right after eating?

[Quad Shot Academy]

What is the cause of your low blood pressure (if you know and don't mind sharing)?

 

I remember having issues with low blood pressure starting in early elementary school. It has gotten a lot better since starting a hypo allergenic diet.

 

As another poster suggested it could be low blood sugar too. I am also hypoglycemic and sometimes I feel like if I eat too much, when my blood sugar is low, I think it takes too much sugar to digest my food for a few minutes! My symptoms of low blood pressure and sugar are so similar, sometimes it is difficult to tell them apart. :lol:

[muffinmom]

Vaso-vagal faint. Most common one there is.

 

Does he have constipation? (Eat, stimulates gut, gut cramps around hard stool, sends a "send me more" signal, more cramping around the gut.) Sometimes it happens with diarrhea, too, which can happen with things like lactose intolerance.

 

Is he over eating? Is he running around right after eating?

 

I've noticed lately that he is rarely drinking. Often doesn't drink with meals now and not much in between. So I bet that is part of the issue. He just told me today that he hasn't been pooping as much as he used to.

[Renthead Mommy]

Does he take vitamins? If he's taking them first, and then eating they may be hitting his empty stomach and then settling down after food starts to finaly get in there.

 

The other posts sound more likely, but figured I'd throw it out there too just in case he was on vitamins.

[muffinmom]

Vaso-vagal faint. Most common one there is.

 

Does he have constipation? (Eat, stimulates gut, gut cramps around hard stool, sends a "send me more" signal, more cramping around the gut.) Sometimes it happens with diarrhea, too, which can happen with things like lactose intolerance.

 

Is he over eating? Is he running around right after eating?

 

He might be overeating (though he's slim). I've noticed that when these episodes have happened, he's usually been standing and playing Legos or something. The nurse said he may be the kind of kid that is prone to feeling faint after standing too long without moving around.

 

What is the best way to treat vaso-vagal? Keeping elimination regular?

[Quad Shot Academy]

He might be overeating (though he's slim). I've noticed that when these episodes have happened, he's usually been standing and playing Legos or something. The nurse said he may be the kind of kid that is prone to feeling faint after standing too long without moving around.

 

 

You might look into orthostatic hypotension. It is basically low blood pressure that comes on suddenly due to: dehydration, standing still or standing up quickly.

[Dobela]

I've noticed lately that he is rarely drinking. Often doesn't drink with meals now and not much in between. So I bet that is part of the issue. He just told me today that he hasn't been pooping as much as he used to.

Oh, what is it with poop and kids? My son became extremely constipated at age 7. So much so that he actually lost weight when we thought he was just slim. He often had sick stomach, cramps, and pale face after eating. The body had no where to send the food! When I took my son to the ped, they did an abdominal x-ray and could see the constipation in the colon. I learned more about kids and poop than I ever imagined in the next few months. We had to begin a regimine of increased water intake, increased fiber intake, Miralax, and suppositories under doctor's care. We even had to do a barium x-ray to make sure his colon didn't have any abnormalities. If he is not drinking, this is potentially dangerous. The body will begin pulling water from the poop in the colon to get what it needs. If the water is pulled out of the waste in the colon, it dries out and gets stuck. It can cause toxins to remain in the body, cause it to become enlarged and not move properly, fissures, sluggish colons, and more. If it gets impacted, then it is worse. It took over a year to get my son's colon to work correctly again.

 

I would start making him drink more. Water, juice... The pediatric gastro specialist we saw had my son on koolaid and gateraid for a time. Apparently the sugar from those will help pull water into the colon for rehydration.

[muffinmom]

Oh, what is it with poop and kids? My son became extremely constipated at age 7. So much so that he actually lost weight when we thought he was just slim. He often had sick stomach, cramps, and pale face after eating. The body had no where to send the food! When I took my son to the ped, they did an abdominal x-ray and could see the constipation in the colon. I learned more about kids and poop than I ever imagined in the next few months. We had to begin a regimine of increased water intake, increased fiber intake, Miralax, and suppositories under doctor's care. We even had to do a barium x-ray to make sure his colon didn't have any abnormalities. If he is not drinking, this is potentially dangerous. The body will begin pulling water from the poop in the colon to get what it needs. If the water is pulled out of the waste in the colon, it dries out and gets stuck. It can cause toxins to remain in the body, cause it to become enlarged and not move properly, fissures, sluggish colons, and more. If it gets impacted, then it is worse. It took over a year to get my son's colon to work correctly again.

 

I would start making him drink more. Water, juice... The pediatric gastro specialist we saw had my son on koolaid and gateraid for a time. Apparently the sugar from those will help pull water into the colon for rehydration.

 

Thanks for this.

 

I don't know what's happened to the boy. From the day he was born, he pooped 7-8 times a day. Then he still pooped 5 or 6x as a toddler. Just in the last couple of years, he has had way fewer stools and more formed. I also have supervised his water intake less, since he was older and could presumably do it himself. Obviously, he's not doing it.

 

I've just talked to him today about increasing his water and his fiber. He seemed willing to cooperate and be part of the solution.

[LNC]

Google-

Postprandial hypotension

HTH!

[Mommyof4ks]

Another vote for constipation. Miralax is amazing, and it had no side effects including no cramping for my son. It is available at most stores.

[kalanamak]

I've noticed lately that he is rarely drinking. Often doesn't drink with meals now and not much in between. So I bet that is part of the issue. He just told me today that he hasn't been pooping as much as he used to.

 

Have him finish off breakfast with a hot drink: bullion, ginger tea, etc and then have him go in the jon with book and see if his body will cooperate. Leave him undisturbed for 10 minutes. Or, after a meal, have him lie relaxed in a hot tub and see if this gives him a good urge. Massaging the belly in a clockwise fashion, gently, can do it, too.