Sickness problem

[Guest]

Does anyone know of an identified illness regarding sickness (i.e. vomit)? :blink:

I have a little boy at nursery who is sick whenever he sees something 'unpleasant' or if he has difficulty swallowing e.g. a piece of apple or carrot. Last term he walked into the toilet area; one of the children had dropped poo onto the floor from her knickers as she pulled them down. He saw the poo on the floor and was immediately, and quite violently, sick. This has also happened when he has put his empty yoghurt pot into the bin and saw something he didn't like the look of (e.g. a badly bruised and squashed banana). He is also apparently like this at home and when he is out with his parents - perhaps if his younger sister is sick or when noticing dog mess on the ground. The first time it happened at nursery we called for his parents to collect him - they were very good about it and kept him off nursery for 48 hrs (although they had warned me that this happens) - it clearly wasn't a tummy bug. After he has been sick, he looks as white as a sheet for 5-10 mins; after that he is fine again. I have never come across this before - has anyone else? And is it a recognised 'illness'? Is there anything that can be done to help?

 

[HappyMaz]

As a parent I think I would be going to have a chat with my GP if one of my children was doing this. It does seem like a very extreme emotional reaction to seeing something unpleasant. I've no experience of anything like this, but I think it seems likely that this little chap has some kind of underlying issue that has a physical manifestation, and I wonder if he'll grow out of it, or if this response has become so automatic that he'll need support to deal with it in a different way.

 

Children are fascinating, I just wish I had the knowledge to understand what is going on in their heads sometimes!

 

Good luck with supporting him - this must be a very difficult thing for you to manage within a setting.

[Guest]

We had a little one like this although it wasn't as severe as yours seems to be. I can't for the life of me picture who it was now in my head now.... Anyway we never had a diagnosis just a back up from the doctors that s/he wasn't 'ill' as such. The child in question did seem to improve over time and it became less of an issue, but then again it wasn't as bad to start with.

[sunnyday]

This not helpful really.........but my younger brother was like that........he's a grown (some might say old) man now and he is still 'sensitive' to 'unpleasant sights/smells'

 

This is terrible - but I used to delight in making him sick when we were both 'little' I could just 'talk him into it'

 

Anyway enough of my confessions - a terribly difficult thing for you to deal with - sorry for not being of more help........

[Rea]

This not helpful really.........but my younger brother was like that........he's a grown (some might say old) man now and he is still 'sensitive' to 'unpleasant sights/smells'

 

This is terrible - but I used to delight in making him sick when we were both 'little' I could just 'talk him into it'

 

Anyway enough of my confessions - a terribly difficult thing for you to deal with - sorry for not being of more help........

 

Sunnyday!!!

 

My hubbys like that, I used to tell the lads to show daddy if they picked their nose

[Rea]

Sorry Devonmaid, I've never come across anything so extreme. Is it a learnt response from family?

[Panders]

When I read your post, i immediately thought - needs a de-sensitizing programme of some sort, but then remembered something Upsy Daisy mentioned some while back could Sensory Disorders. Anyway, there is a fear, of being sick - which isn't really what ishappening here and it has a long medical name, but are there any other indicators as to his behaviour or is it just the vomitting?

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/children-sensory-issues_n_1506341.html?view=print&comm_ref=false

 

this may be a false trail, but felt it was interesting article anyway. I have a little chap who some of this could apply to - but haven't mentioned anything to parents yet.

[Fredbear]

Poor thing, certainly sounds like a food phobic condition. Your little one may need support to help him overcome this by some kind of behavioural therapy.

I would definitely suggest a visit to their GP.

Reminds me of myself when I was little, when certain smells triggered me to vomit. No known reason for it and thankfully i grew out of it.

[SueJ]

My son was born (we found out some four years later after much harrying of the medical profession) with a problem that meant that his stomach didn't keep food in and he had v. severe gastro esophagal reflux (think of baby choking to death at least once a day on vomit). Because this wasn't diagnosed for so long he developed a severe food phobia and was hypersensitive to smell, touch, texture, taste etc. He would vomit for example if he touched bread, smelled an apple (used to park him in the trolley by the cans of baked beans when supermarket shopping when he was smaller). As a toddler and growing child this was an absolute nightmare and meal times were somewhat challenging to say the least. Desensitising him to these things was v. challenging and could only be done with everyone involved (all family members including extended family, friends (some of whom weren't overly sympathetic suggesting it was faddy eating!!!), preschools and schools. Well meaning individuals who didn't understand or worse wouldn't understand would try to get him to pick something up/eat something only to end up clearing up piles of vomit as one of his teachers did when she tried to make him eat a cake at the Xmas party. At a friends one day she sat next to him with her meal and he promptly upchucked.

 

It took years for him to eat anything with any lumpy type of texture (I used to batch cook and liquidise all his meals at home) and it took him until he was as Uni to try a pizza. Once we finally got a diagnosis when he was 4 (spent lots of time being treated as an over anxious first time mother by GPs and HVs) it was suggested that some sort of psychological counselling might help when he was a bit older and more able to benefit from the programme - however when he reached about 8 he decided that this was something he did not want to do preferring to self-manage the situation.

He is now 24 and still eats no vegetable matter of any description and absolutely no fruit. Now that he is so much older he is able to explain how the textures and tastes make him feel and it wasn't until his early teens that he felt able to try different things in a v. controlled fashion. To this day for example he will eat mashed potato (his hypersensitivity means he knows when the mash isn't made from Maris Piper spuds!) and cannot bring himself to eat a roast potato (Maris Piper or otherwise) because of the textural change. He has never eaten sweets either preferring to eat only certain brands of milk chocolate.

 

 

Having said that he is slim (not skin and bone), trim, works out at the gym and is in good health. Obviously this 5 a day stuff is nonsense

 

It may be worth speaking to the child's parents to get a better understanding of when the condition started etc. and what sort of support they are receiving so that you get a better idea of how to support him in the context of your setting.

[Stargrower]

We also had a little boy who had a similar if less extreme reaction and from what people have said above it doesn't seem that uncommon in various degrees. Our chap went white as a sheet and would gag if he saw runny noses or a 'productive' sneeze! He is now a healthy 8 year old with a much stronger constitution. It does seem to be something children grow out of but I would definitely visit the GP to check there's nothing underlying if it were my child.

 

Sunnyday...you are a very naughty girl!! :1b

[finleysmaid]

yep i too have had children who chuck up with little reason! I had a girl a couple of years ago (asd diagnosis) who was very sensitive to smells...one day boy in toilet had a 'funny tummy' :blink: on smelling it she prompltly threw up ...all over the back of my trousers! another one who chucks up with smells like shaving foam! and a third who could make himself sick at any available opportunity....including at every dinner time !!

Does he get distressed at being sick? and are his parents concerned? i guess if the answer to each of these questions is yes then a referral to doctors and possibly CAMHS is the way to go...sounds like it has become habitual so may need intervention (When of course any medical issues have been ruled out)

[Cait]

My sister would be sick if she got onion in her mouth and school asked if she could be taken home for dinner instead of staying for school meals. If we had shepherds pie she would methodically sift through it all until all the bits of onion were round her plate and then she would eat the (now cold) meal. My Nan once insisted that she ate it properly, and she upchucked over the whole table!

 

I think, as others have suggested, you need to find out more from the family. Have they got HV on board or anything?

 

Does distraction work? How is he with handling things like clay and playdough?

[redjayne]

My brother has a very sensitive sense of smell - and he would vomit if he smelt things that had a strong aroma - ie vomit, poo, strong foods - and to a certain extent my daughter is the same - she isn't often actually sick just gags a lot. If this child has an acute sense of smell that might explain the vomiting - my brother and daughter have both grown out of it now, it does seem to be something that over time can be more controlled. :1b

[HoneyPancakes]

I know this post isn't really about reflux, but I've seen this from the Reflux Infants Support Association, just been on Facebook these past two days. Thought I'd share.

 

Top 20 things not to say to a reflux parent:

1. All babies cry you know
2. All babies vomit you know
3. Is this your first?
4. He’s feeding off your stress
5. But she seems so happy
6. Oh my baby used to vomit all the time too
7. But he’s a healthy weight?
8. Don’t worry, they grow out of it
9. You need to stop breastfeeding / have you tried formula
10. He’s just got colic
11. She’ll eat if she’s hungry
12. He doesn’t vomit so it can’t be reflux
13. Sleep when baby sleeps (not helpful when baby doesn’t sleep)
14. Don’t let your child rule your life – they need to fit into your schedule
15. Send him to me, I’ll sort him out.
16. Stop spoiling her.
17. You’re over-reacting, just relax
18. He just needs more cuddles
19. He doesn’t look sick
20. Screaming is good for their lungs

 

things a reflux parent would like to hear... (and don't forget, any offer of actual help is what we really need - the groceries, the washing, holding the baby while we have a shower...) But in terms of things to say...

1. I believe you.

2. It’s not your fault.

3. You are doing a great job – parenting a reflux baby is hard work.

4. You can’t spoil a reflux baby.

5. This is not normal infant behaviour.

6. You are not a paranoid mother: what you are feeling is normal in the circumstances.

7. With the right support you will get through this.

8. Let’s put together a plan to help your baby and you get through this.

9. It is not ok for a baby to be in pain, even if they may grow out of it in due course.

10. The rules don't apply to reflux children so do what you need to do to survive; eating, sleeping and settling can be taught or modified after the pain is managed.

11. A referral to RISA for support; or

12. I don’t know but I can give you a referral to someone who does.

 

Honey