Is frequent vomiting and slowed growth due to a GI issue?

Question

Hi doctor,

My son is five years old. He has been having severe vomiting after meals since he was an infant. At about one year of age, the vomiting slowed to about three times a week, which is how frequent he vomits now. He is in the third percentile for height 39 inches at five years and weighs 27 pounds. He has been seen by an endocrinologist, and all blood work came back fine. GI did a stool sample, and that was normal. But, he is always vomiting when he tries to eat a reasonable portion of food. He often refuses to eat with the fear of vomiting. His doctor recommended rice on bottle and it did not help. The doctor just wants to do bone scans of his hand repeatedly, but I think it is a GI issue causing the vomiting and slowed growth. He has no other health problems outside of the delayed growth and vomiting. Please help. I have three other kids that are at the 97th percentile height and at least 50 percentile weight.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

It is very sad to see your child in such a situation.

I understand that your child is chronically malnourished. Vomiting since such a long duration needs thorough evaluation. You can go for imaging of the abdomen and endoscopy with or without biopsy if needed. Please consult your nearby pediatric gastroenterologist, child clinical nutritionist and if required pediatric nephrologist for ruling out any chronic kidney disorder. Simple rice on a bottle for a five year old child is not sufficient at all. Your child requires thorough evaluation and rehabilitation nutritionally. Hope your child recovers very soon.

For further information consult a pediatrician online.