Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Houston, We Have a Problem

OK, I'll just say it.  A pooping problem.  I don't know what's up, but K. has some sort of gastrointestinal funkiness going on, really on and off since he was born now that I sit back and put the pieces together, and we are finally going to get to the bottom of it.  We're scheduled to see a pediatric GI specialist next Thursday, and I am so thankful.

The problem is multitudinous (is that a word?) pooping for long stretches at a time (3 to 4 to 5 or even 6 days).  The substance is very strange, not solid, but not diarrheal either.  It's like little splats at a time, but it goes on all day long.  On a really bad day, we end up having to change him a dozen times in as many hours.  And many times (but not all), he'll double over and whimper, announcing that his belly hurts.  That's the worst part of it all.

I've gone nutso trying to link these episodes to what he's been eating.  We did get an allergy skin prick test last summer (as you faithful readers will remember) and the only dietary allergies that showed were tomato and milk -- although the level was so low that our allergist said he wouldn't change K's diet as a result of it.  And he drinks milk EVERY DAY, so my pedi confirmed that it couldn't be a lactose issue, or else the problem would be constant (rather than frequent-but-not-every-single-day).

For a while I thought it was the high fiber, grainy cereals that K. likes so much in the mornings, because after all, lots of fiber can wreak havoc on one's digestive system (not mine so much, but it really does it to my husband ... and I'll bet he really appreciates me announcing that here!).  I consequently took out any heavily fiber-ous cereals from K's diet and for a few days it was better, so I thought we'd solved the mystery.  Then, the mysterious pooping returned with a vengeance.

I have been noting the days it happened since February 1st.  The result?  He's had these symptoms for 5 out of the last 6 weeks, pretty much.  We finally went to the pedi on Monday and she promptly referred us to a specialist.  So, we're gearing up for the visit next week.  I hope we'll get some answers once and for all.  It's hard to see little K. miserable like this, and so often.

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About Me

Arlington, VA, United States
Maestro and mom to a wee virtuoso

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