"My tummy hurts" - how to find out if it's real? (2 year old)

[Sanne Panne]

My 2y4m old tells me about once a day that her tummy hurts. She's very good with language but it's still hard to get her to give real answers, e.g. if you ask her "did you go to the playground today?" she'll usually answer yes because she likes the playground.

She seems perfectly happy and healthy (no constipation, nothing) and I think it may just be part of her way to get a conversation going - she's into the Saturday splurge page of the hungry caterpillar at the moment (his tummy hurts at the end) and when her baby sister cries I often say she cries because she's tired, hungry or... because her tummy hurts.

What questions can I ask a toddler to get a better idea of whether her tummy actually hurts?

[Pickle]

It's a hard one... my daughter (2 years 5 months) often tells me she has a sore tummy. These days I find the way to get more information is to ask her what would make it better. Often the answer is (in true Hungry Caterpillar addict style) "a nice green leaf", but other times she will say food - so I've worked out that often when she says it's sore she means she's hungry! If she answers medicine, or that she needs a sleep I take it more seriously.

P x

[pebbles]

i agree with Pickle - i ask my son (3yrs, 1month) what would make him feel better and his normal response is food but occasionally he'll say medicine which is when the sympathy starts flowing :) so difficult isn't it?

[Sanne Panne]

Great idea, thanks!

[Vagueman]

We have been having this with our son who is 2yrs 8 months. I find it can be a number of things - being hungry, needing to go to the loo, wind, and not to mention the wife being 8 and a half months pregnant with no2 (lots of chat about babies in tummies etc). It is really hard to know if it really is a tummy ache and I will definitely try the "what will make it better?" approach. I often think that it is a sign of him becoming more aware of his body and certain functions. Maybe linked to toilet training?

[Sanne Panne]

Yes vagueman, she's toilet training (done for wees, just waiting for the poo confidence to build up although she doesn't mention the tummy around the time she needs to go). So that could definitely have to do with it!

[ryedalema]

Hmmm - trouble is our dd is a budding 'House' (her favourite toy is her doctor's kit) so she thinks medicine is 'dead cool' and wants it regardless of what is wrong.

Could it be growing pains? DD #1 regulaly talks about pains in her legs (holding out the dressing gown cord 'bandages') but I don't know enough to know whether it's a plea for a doctors and nurses game, or whether something is actually wrong.

Anyone know anything about growing pains at all??

[BB100]

Lots of children do complain of a stomach ache when they want to poo so it's worth suggesting the loo each time. However, it may also be helpful to ask her to point to where it hurts and ask if its inside or outside. There is always a chance she has a rumbling appendix - unlikely but still a possibility. It maybe worth keeping a diary to see if you can spot a trend.

[Bumpkin]

I've been wondering about growing pains; my 2yr & 10 month old quite often complains of back / leg ache, but it's obviously not a bad pain as he just mentions it in passing and is happy to carry on what he's doing (whereas all hell can break loose for a hurt finger...). Wasn't sure if they suffered at this age and if it was anything to worry about (presume not if not much fuss made..).

Re the stomach ache - again a regular complaint just preceeding a poo.