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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/15/2007 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
My 6 year old complains of stomach aches.  She wakes up at night crying with them.  I have taken her temp. during some of her stomach aches, and she has had low grade temps.  Back in April they did blood work, which was normal, and an upper gi with a small bowel follow thru that was normal.  She also has mucas in her stool at times, and then this Aug. she had a really bad week which included narrow stools with lots of mucas, she also had lots of pain.   Sometimes after bowel movements, she will say that her bottom hurts....and when she says this, her stool has not been hard.......Periodically, she will have sores on her gums.

Fast forward to this week, her ped. referred her to a pediatric gi at the University of Michigan.  She saw a nurse practioner there who conferred with a peds. gi.  After talking with me and examing her, she thinks that she is constipated.....even though she goes basically every day.  The np looked at me and said, do I think she has crohns...No, because she doesn't have diarrhea or blood in her stool.  Well, I was shocked to say the least, that a crohns patient is sterotyped like that.....she of all people should know that everyone presents differently.  I have crohns, and I have never had diarrhea or blood in my stool!!!!  She put her on 17 gr. of miralax a day.  She wants her stools to be like applesauce.  I am willing to give this a try, and I really am hoping that this is the problem, and that it is nothing else! 

So, what do you all think of this?

Post Edited (chroniemomx2) : 9/15/2007 12:06:14 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/15/2007 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
I am very sorry to hear that your daughter is sick. When I was reading her symptoms, I wanted to reply because I had very similar ones when I was diagnosed with Crohn's. My small bowel/upper gi test was completely normal; however I had the stomach pain, mucous, and sore bottom that your daughter mentioned. I also had a good bit of blood (you said she doesn not have this though). Lastly, when I would get really sick, I would develop ulcers in my mouth along my gums--the doctor's said it was Crohn's in the mouth.

Now, obviously, I am not qualified to give any medical advice, and I am not saying I think that your daughter definitely has Crohn's. I just wanted to let you know that I have had Crohn's for awhile, and they found it hard to diagnose me at first because I did not exhibit the "typical" case symptoms.

I hope she feels better soon...!

PS When they did her blood work, did they check her c-reactive protein levels? This is an indirect measurement of the level of inflammation inside the body. Mine was always high as my colon was always inflamed...
Posted 9/16/2007 7:58 PM (GMT 0)
bump
Posted 9/17/2007 7:25 AM (GMT 0)

Hi, I understand your concern, I also have two daughters 11 and 7 years old.  Our pediatrician here in Athens always told me that a child could have a bm everyday and still be constipated, if their stool is hard and their bottom hurt afterwards.  My youngest daughter complained from time to time that her stomach aches, but as soon as she has a bm the pain is gone.  My oldest daughter was admitted twice to the hospital when she was younger, because we thought it was her appendix, but turned out to be  bad constipation.  The doctor knows I have Crohns, so he always keeps it in mind when he sees my children, but for now he told me that all these symptoms are not Crohns related, and we should be a little more careful about their diet.  They have both improved so much, just by drinking more water during the day, and eating a lot more raw vegetables and fruit.  The good thing is that although their are still young, they are very well educated as to what is healthy to eat and what is not, for example they know that they are only allowed to eat potato chips and drink soda if they are going to a party.  I think that because they have seen me suffer from time to time with stomach problems, they understand how important a healthy diet is.  Everyday at school they take with them a home-made sandwich instead of buying chips or chocolate from school.  I know that as they grow older, they will start asking for more "junk" food, but I will deal with that when the time comes!

My advise would be that you should check on their diet, which I'm sure you are already doing, and always keep an eye on them due to your condition.  I know that just the thought of our children having CD is frustrating, but there is nothing else we can do....

Greek hugs,

Christina

Posted 9/17/2007 1:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi You didn't say that she had a scope for her large bowel so wondering how they can confirm that nothing was there. IBS can give aperson mucus in the stool mine was white and I used to have lots of pain and temps at times. I had D though most of the 27 years before CD, DX Why the applesauce form of stool and how long is she supposed to have that? I am hoping it works for her and at least you will know if that is the problem. lol gail
Posted 9/17/2007 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your replies.....no, she hasn't had a scope of her lg. bowel. She wants it to be like applesauce I guess, so that way we know her stool wouldn't be causing pain??? It is just so frustating....when it is your child!

Anyone want to comment on the narrow stools???
Posted 9/18/2007 12:30 PM (GMT 0)
When my stools get too narrow or I am not going to bathroom I make sure I eat soft well cooked carrots and potatoes.Eating carrots cooked like this keeps things going for me and adds the bulk.I know it is hard when it is your child my teen has some issues with pain and stuff. You just have to keep going and see how things go let us know how she is doing and we are here for you.Have you lowered the hard roughage stuff like nuts and popcorn and seeds? lol gail
Posted 9/18/2007 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
but why do they get narrow????
Posted 9/18/2007 2:08 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting post. I'm not sure why stools get narrow. That's a good question. Funny enough, I've been having narrow stools all week and I've wondered the same thing. I hope someone has a good answer for that!

Like ConsideringABag, I wanted to comment on the symptoms you mentioned as each symptom you described is exactly what I dealt with during the year before I was diagnosed with CD. It all started when I was waking up in the middle of the night with very sharp pains in my stomach. When I FINALLY consulted a doctor, I was put on Nexium and that particular pain went away.

But my bowel habits were becoming more frequent by this time, too. Major diarrhea. I began going over 10 times a day. I couldn't put a grape in my mouth without having to go. And my bottom always hurt. There was always a "pressure" there, even if I didn't have to go. I had lots of mucus, NO blood, and very painful mouth sores.

I went though a couple of barium swallows and an Upper GI with small bowel follow through. Each normal. I also had a CT scan of my abdomen where a slight inflammation was picked up. Due to that, they then scheduled me for a colonoscopy which is where I was finally diagnosed with CD. My lower intestine is lined with ulcers - not something that could have been known without the colonoscopy.

I think my symptoms of the mucousy-stool, mouth sores and waking up in the middle of the night is what got me sent to a GI doctor. I think since my GI mostly treats CD & Colitis patients, he put me through all the normal intestinal tests to see if anything "unusual" popped up first.

I hate to hear your daughter is going through this, whether it is CD or not. I think it's strange that a NP would ask you if YOU thought it was CD that was affecting your daughter. She's the one that suppose to be handing out the Dx...not asking you for it! :) I hope you and your daughter get the answers you're looking for very soon.
Posted 9/18/2007 3:27 PM (GMT 0)
I certainly don't want my daughter to have this awful disease, but it just seems to me that there is more to it than constipation with the mucas and narrow stools.....

Kittikat....the np, didn't ask me that....it was like a question she said out loud and then she answered herself...The np said, "Do I (meaning the np) think she has crohns?" Then the np answered her own ? with " No, I don't because she doesn't have d. or blood in her stool." Sorry, confusing the way I wrote it! :)

I am going to call her ped. and see what he has to say about all of this. She went 3 times on Sat.....don't really think that is constipation....
Posted 9/18/2007 8:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sometimes my stools are thin and not sure why I could guess and say not eating enough veggies, or maybe inflamation because it swells the intestine,but I did have a blockage in Jan. thank goodness I still am having BM's and doing pretty good. If the stool softener doesn't work then headback to the GI what was her comment on her Temp. you said she runs a temp. I would keep a record of her temp. too so you will have something to show her DR. and a record of her Bm's and when she has pains. Keep in touch lol gail
Posted 9/20/2007 8:12 PM (GMT 0)
I thought narrow stools indicated narrowing of the bowel. This happens with inflammation and I believe when the intestine heals and scar tissue forms.
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