"My stomach hurts."

But plenty of empathy for Josie! I hope she feels better soon.
One thing that did pop into my mind is a water-borne bug. Are you on municipal water? Do you treat it in any way? How is everyone else in the family doing, tummy-wise?
Hope it's resolved soon.
Rose

This has been going on, off and on, for more than a year.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

DD10 suffered from severe stomache pains off and on for over a year until I finally took her to the doctor. I was told that even though DD10 was "regular", her bowls never emptied completely, leaving poop way up in her intestines where it trapped gas in little pockets causing those terrible pains. According to the ped, even though DD10 was getting enough fiber, she wasn't getting enough fluids. I have to really watch that she drinks enough (whatever amount that might be...). When she started drinking extra glasses of water, her stomache problems disappeared. If I hadn't seen the x-rays, I would have said that it was all in her head. I had never heard before that lack of fluids causes digestive problems and anyway, DD10 was drinking pretty much the same amounts as the rest of the family. I still can't figure it out.

The initial "treatment" was really harsh. DD10 was put on laxatives until her bowls finally emptied out completely. At one point, she had diarrhea while being constipated at the same time. How much sense does that make?! She has been pain free for almost a year now, though...

I know my chronically constipated kid does much better when I schedule in water breaks. This is a good reminder to start paying more attention to that again. Trouble is, I can't get him to drink more than a sip at a time, so I have to schedule breaks every 15 mins. or so. Not easy to remember every day! Sometimes we set a timer.

Wasn't sure if this was Josie's problem, but the bread sure looks good.

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/armoorefam/46368/

Do her episodes of GI distress seem to relate at all with stress in the household? I was about Josie's age when I first started to develop symptoms of what would later be diagnosed as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome - couldn't they come up with a better name for crying out loud?). As I've gotten better at managing my IBS, I've found that for me, stress management plays as big a role as my dietary changes.

Not to scare you, since it's not the usual cause of these things. But the peds version of both Crohn's and colitis is hard to diagnose and sometimes requires multiple testing.

Well it would! But even so, it's still as well to mention it I suppose, but just remember not to go hunting for zebras until you've ruled out the horses. My daughter also drinks very little, and probably less now it's cold, and she's usually the one to complain of stomach pains and trouble.

On the congee front - I don't think I'd want it with brown rice, but white rice porridge is definitely traditional (Chinese) invalid food, for everything from bloated stomach to ulcers (I've been there on both counts!). My kids actually like it, having been brought up on it, but they prefer it with salty foods like we'll have beansprouts with soy sauce and sesame oil, or chicken in black bean sauce.

The other thing that's good for windy tummies is drinking hot drinks, especially plain hot water. It's a bit difficult with kids, but the warmer she can drink it the better really, and clear liquids are better than something like hot chocolate. This is also a Chinese remedy but it does have links to Western common sense too. Hot water bottles are good for easing any kind of tummy pain, and hot water works as an extension of that in some ways. Also cold water creates air and mucus, which is why it isn't recommended for someone with a cold either.

Ginger's a good choice! I'd say that if you haven't had her seen by a doctor it's probably a good idea to get it checked out since this has been going on a while. I left my stomach problems nearly a year and that was a huge mistake. Meanwhile a combination of basic Mom remedies will probably help ease her discomfort, poor kid. Good luck Lynn, and keep us posted on how she's doing.

Kerri.

That's the doctor's expression. Lots of different things have the same symptoms, in the GI system. That's why digestive problems are hard to pin down for cause and treatment.

I have read that barley is a good ingredient to make a congee, along with brown rice.

The rice porridge seems to help, though she's not fond of it. She's also been drinking hot herbal tea with ginger (I found one she likes), and I've started giving her digestive enzymes. It seems to help.

She has been to the doctor; he said, who knows. There's nothing obviously wrong, and it's not debilitating. He said sometimes kids just have tummy aches and they grow out of it. So I'm basically on my own with this.

We'll have kombucha brewed on Saturday, so that will help too with the probiotics.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

It is very, very, very, very hard to diagnose peds GI problems. If the diet change keeps helping, great-- you've solved whatever the problem was. If not, you may need to ask for a peds GI referral because regular FPs and pediatricians just are not very up on GI disorders, FTMP.

Yes Lynn, you are right about GI problems being difficult. When I was 18, I stayed in constant pain and nausea. It took ELEVEN doctors and three years before they figured out I had gallstones. Why? Because I was young, and young people don't have this problem...sure whatever. They even tried to tell me I was nervous and sent me home with Valium!!!! I tried an all natural diet for awhile but eventually the gallbladder won and I had surgery. But I have heard of children having stomachaches and in their teen years get diagnosed with stones.
Hope Josie is feeling better, and tell her she has a lot of company in the bad tummy department!
Luv,
M

Cracked grains soaked overnight in warm water and two tablespoons of kefir, yogurt, whey, or something?

I did that last night with buckwheat and we had buckwheat porridge this morning. It was yummy and cooked up in about 5 minutes. I added a few raisins to it, butter, and maple syrup.

Although, I want to get a little crock like yours and do that congee too. It seems like a very, very good thing to have breakfast ready like that when you wake up! My crock is gia-nourmous and wouldn't do for just a cup or two of grain.

Or, once the woodstove is installed, I could cook the congee on that, overnight.

Almost forgot...you could have her checked out for food intolerances. You know she's intolerant to wheat, but there may be something else, too. Or a combination of two foods that doesn't work in her tummy.

I had DD tested and she's intolerant of potatoes and of the combination of fruit and sugar. I know I said this a few days ago somewhere else, but I don't remember where.

The homeopath on Fremont that we've been seeing (love her) does this testing with a little bit of drawn blood. DD didn't even feel the prick. Does your homeopath do this? She also tested at the time for mineral deficiencies, found some, and recommended a supplement for DD.

Anhata
www.familynaturally.com
Your Family's General Store, Naturally