
August 14, 2000
Aches and Pains
Question from Georgia, USA:
I have a 12 year old son who has had diabetes for four years. For about the past month, he has been getting an upset stomach after dinner. It causes him to vomit about twice a week. Do you know what might cause this?
Answer:
There are many conditions that can cause the symptoms your son is experiencing. One possibility is celiac disease, which is a chronic irritation of the small bowel and affects about 4% of children with diabetes. The typical symptoms are chronic diarrhea or constipation, abdominal distention and pain, vomiting and gas. It is easily treated by eliminating various grains from the diet that cause the symptoms. I would recommend bringing these symptoms to the attention of your diabetes team and pediatrician.
MSB