6 year old with narrow stools and mucas....

Ok, I posted this over in the crohns forum, because I have crohns, but I didn't really get much response, so I was hoping some of you might have something to say.....

My daughter complains of frequent stomach aches.  She will wake up in the night crying with these.  I have taken her temp. during some of these episodes, and she has had a low grade fever with them.   She has had bloodwork, and an upper gi with a small bowel follow thru that was all said to be normal.   In Aug. she had a really bad couple of weeks....narrow stools, lots of mucas, pain, and she will go the bathroom up to 4 times a day.  At times, she will say that her bottom hurts after she has a bowel movement.  Her ped. referred her to a ped. gi at the university of michigan.  They scheduled her with a nurse practioner who talked with a ped. gi. after she talked with us, and she thinks that she is constipated and scripted her 17 grams of miralax a day.  I don't think she is constipated, but I am willing to give this a shot before we do something more invasive....  A comment that the np made was that she didn't think that my daughter had crohns because she doesn't have diarrhea or blood in her stool!!!!!  Seriously?!  I don't have either of those either, but I definitely have crohns!!!!!

So, my question is what would cause the mucas and narrow stools? 

Thanks!

Hi...narrow stools can also be a symptom of IBS and the anus constricting because of stress or a very tight sphincter. But, the fact that your daughter is going many times a day could also be a symptom of IBS. Mucus is also a symptom of IBS.

All of the above could be symptoms of UC or CD that affect the rectum.

Does her bottom hurt during a bm? like she's having the feeling of straining?

I'm not getting why the doctor suggested Maalox. Which one are you giving your daughter?

Check out this site for the ingredients.  I would nix any with aluminum or mannitol or other ingredients that will cause her more discomfort.

http://www.maalox.ca/products.htm

Actually, I think she should be on fibre supplements to bulk up her stool rather than the Maalox.

If it is CD...you at least know that a colonoscopy or at least a sigmoidoscopy would be needed to see what's going on in there if she isn't improving at all.

quincy

Thanks for your responses...I certainly appreciate it!

Quincy---She will complain that her bottom hurts after a bm, not during. It is miralax that was scripted for her, not maalox. The fiber is a good idea, I have been trying to incorporate more in her diet, before I give her a supplement.

Red---Scared?! Yes, that is probably an understatement! I know the stats, she has a 25% of getting crohns because of me........my 2 girls were born precrohns, thus the reason we only have 2 and no more. Yes, she drinks alot of water. Her teacher lets them have a water bottle at school at her desk, so she is constantly drinking water, then she has a CapriSun flavored water at lunch. So, I think she is getting enough liquids. She does go to school....I have sat in class with her last year, and talked to her teacher and we couldn't come up with anything that might be a problem. And also, that wouldn't explain the low grade temps with them.

She also has periodic sores on her gums....I will just continue to pray that it is only constipation, or something that isn't a chronic disease! Thanks again!