DD(13) getting sick at night ...any ideas?

[Disneyglobegirl]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate everyones input - while I am definately not trying to self diagnose my DD - I am happy to see so many of you posting different things that it could be - it gives me alot of info to bring up to the Dr while trying to figure this out.

I have thought about anxiety issues and also the endometriosis and I think we will look into those if reflux/gerd is ruled out. Her appt is still a couple weeks away - I will update when we find out what is going on.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It sounds like she may have something wrong with either food digestion (enzymes like others said) or the sphincter muscles that lead from her stomach to her throat. But when there is an enzyme problem there are usually pretty severe troubles that go along with that because the person is not getting nutrients he/she needs. As a result enzyme deficiencies tend to lead to all sorts of muscle deterioration & nerve degeneration which lead to functional troubles.

I mentioned enzyme deficiency. What's concerning to me is her weight. It's low to begin with, but she's had an additional 6 lb recent weight loss on top of that - down to 81 lbs! One would have to question a nutritional deficiency, whether it's self imposed (ie eating disorder) or a medical problem of some kind (physiological). I don't know that occasional nighttime vomiting *alone* would cause a large weight loss like that. I agree there can be more severe problems with enzyme deficiency, unless it was something that recently started. There are many different types, and all of them do something a little different. It really takes a specialist to figure it out. My guess is that she'll probably end up with a GERD diagnosis.

OP, in addition to seeing a (hopefully Pediatric) Gastroenterologist, I would also make an appointment to see a Pediatric Nutrition Specialist. Together, they should be able to fully investigate all possible causes. I wish you luck. It's tough to see our children sick.

 

[TaraPA]

We go through this as well. DS12 has had reflux since he was an infant & vomits about once a month, during the night, about 1-2 hours after going to sleep. Fun fun!

While seeing an allergist last year he also confirmed that kids with reflux and allergies tend to vomit even more since their sinuses can drain into their stomachs at night, and combined with the reflux, double whammy. My son sleeps in a top bunk & we actually keep a small plastic bowl up there, since many, many (MANY) times he has not been able to make it out of the bed before he gets sick. My friends make fun of me - but that bowl has saved me many a long night of stripping the bed & doing wash at 1am! We even take the bowl on overnight family trips. We also elevate his pillow a bit as recommended by his doctor.

DS12 was on Prilosec but we didn't notice any difference, so we stopped. We do try to limit his food intake after 8pm & no carbonated beverages after 4pm per the doctor (not so easy with a 12-yr old!). We have noticed if he over-eats after dinner, or eats junk or soda before bed, it usually comes back up.

We do have a barium swallow test scheduled, not looking forward to that at all. Good luck to you & your daughter. This thread has actually been nice to read, not that so many kids are suffering from this, but to know that other moms are in the same boat is reassuring. Next time I'm cleaning vomit out of the bed at 2am I'll wonder which one of you is up doing the same thing!

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

Does she cough at all? Reflux can present as coughing as the acid bubbles up. There are many OTC meds now including generic prilosec and prevacid. I would try one of those while you are waiting to see a doc. They can take a few days to kick in but they work very well.

My DD would go through coughing fits that ended with her vomiting. I researched it online and mentioned her adenoids to her Ped and they took an xray and they saw they were enlarged. Once she had them removed, she hasn't had the coughing/vomiting episodes anymore.

Does your DD have problems with her sinuses or maybe post-nasal drip?

 

[wdhinn89]

Sounds like GERD to me too but I would have the Gastro check her for Celiacs also.


Is she taking any oral acne medications or any other oral medication? Some of them say you must sit upright for at least 1/2 an hour to avoid esophagus problems.

Can the weight loss be attributed to anything else. My daughter lost weight when she got her braces.

Just trying to throw a few things out there for you

 

[minkydog]

i was wondering about an anxiety disorder. my son went to a pediatric gatro when he was very young for all his "stomach problems". turns out there was no stomach problem. it was anxiety.
at first i was offended when his pediatrician suggested counseling. i was concerned because of frequent belly aches, etc. she explained that anxiety made those symptoms (headaches, upset stomach, vomiting, etc) real. it's not that he was lying, but we just didn't understand what the root cause was.
if this is the cause for you daughter getting sick, she may not even realize it herself. night time is especially difficult for people with anxiety issues, causing things that you might not even imagine could be caused by anxiety.

This is a great post! Anxiety and depression are well known to produce physical symptoms and they're not "all in your head." They're in your neck, your chest,your stomach, your back, your legs, your throat,etc. It's real pain, they're not faking it. Kids can have anxiety but are rarely able to articulate it well, and indeed may not really know why they're feeling what they're feeling.

OP,I think you're on the right track with the GI doctor, but don't discount the possibility of underlying anxiety as well.