Child unwell - possibly from anxiety?

[Idk]

Gone anon here as we're mid assessment for our 10 year old and trying to keep that private for now.

They've been sick pretty much all summer. Ongoing issues with headache, belly ache, sore eyes, indigestion type symptoms, chest pain and racing heart, so pale and really low energy.

The summer has been pretty relaxed without too much going on, no childcare and only one camp which they were fully on board with and enjoyed. There have been significant anxiety and stress issues with school for the past couple of years. We've never had physical symptoms like this before although they do suffer from migraine.

We've been to the GP but they immediately jumped to the physical symptoms being caused by anxiety (not our regular GP but they'll have seen notes about assessment etc). I'm just really worried this is not anxiety... How the hell are you supposed to tell? The child does not believe it is and is pretty open about worries and concerns usually. They also have a very high tolerance for pain which is making me worry even more in this case.

I asked for bloods but there is a 6 week wait minimum for a GP bloods app in any of the Dublin hospitals and no walk in service.

[Rita]

We had similar and I insisted she be checked in the assessment unit they have in the bons. We were right..it wasn’t anxiety.

I did have it with an older child who has anxiety and it wasn’t anxiety that was the issue but created anxiety as so sick . Unfortunately it was dismissed for a long time.

They shouldn’t assume anxiety but unfortunately they do

I think I would go back to the gp yourself and tell them you feel it’s more so can they refer them to a paediatrician. Mind you I am not sure how long that takes

[TCR]

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[purple star]

Anxiety might cause headache and tummy pain,
racing heart but pale and no energy etc.... Maybe not so much. I'd go get a second opinion. Hopefully they will listen, you know your child best and tbh a healthy10 yr old should be full of energy.

[Unnamed Poster 8]

Post Deleted

[CocoRose]

I'd get bloods done. I don't know much about anxiety but that seems a lot to write off, particularly if your child is having a good phase besides.

[monet]

6 weeks is absolutely terrible, many GP’s will do bloods themselves ( i know both ours do)
A full blood check might give some answers but I would see if you can get it done sooner than 6 weeks even if it involves moving doctors

[Apple]

Obviously no doctor but wouldn’t the anxiety symptoms normally subside during the holidays and reappear closer to school time? I can’t believe how long it takes for blood! I wouldn’t be happy with that assessment..

[glittermama]

I'd book in for bloods any way and keep checking incase of a cancellation. I just booked bloods for my dd and closest I could get was 6th October. Its absolutely ridiculous that GP'S can't do bloods on a child.

[Idk]

Thank you all so much for the responses. I've booked bloods but will see if we can get them done privately faster. I'm going to get a follow up appointment with our own GP and go from there.

[SarahBC]

Not sure where you’re based idk but you could ask for a referral to the Vhi paediatric clinic. they do bloods etc there and have specialists available. No wait when I attended with dd about 2 years ago.

[CLBG]

I think you have to trust your gut on this. For ages our last GP fobbed dd off by saying her tummy aches, diarrhoea, headaches, dizziness etc were down to anxiety, and it didn't feel right to me. Dd was anxious, but like you I was worried that there was more. I pushed for her to see a Paediatrician and it turned out she had a major intolerance to wheat. We've since established that she also has IBS.

Maybe while you're waiting for an appt you could try her for a week off wheat or dairy.. she could have an intolerance to something like that. After about a week off wheat, dd was seeing a noticeable difference in how she was feeling.

Hope you get sorted soon.

[Rita]

That’s a good point clgb. Dd was quite sick this summer and realised she is probably lactose intolerant. Now she hasn’t been tested but her sister is and it was similar. In the winter she tends to drink soya milk but for the summer she was having ice creams, smoothies etc never thinking of the connection!
Also we used have lots of non dairy food here but dd2 moved out.
It made dd2 very sick .

[Shining]

Being honest those symptoms do not sound like anxiety to me, particularly during a time when your child is more relaxed? Also (and forgive me for my basic reasoning); if I'm suffering mentally I KNOW it: I can feel it in my emotions, thoughts. At 11 I would think your child would have a similar level of awareness.

[barneyrubble]

Could be something like coeliac disease. All the symptoms would be potential symptoms of coeliac.

Def get bloods and a referral on to rule out things.
Don't alter what they eat before any tests are done