My daughter has been having stomachaches for the last two weeks. I finally took her to the doctor and was told, after an x-ray, that her bowels had a little more than they should have. We were given a treatment plan and then told, if there were no improvement in two weeks, she should come back. Also, they indicated that it MIGHT be (won’t know until further testing) a diabetic complication that happens in children, being that sometimes their stomachs take longer to digest food than normal, gastroparesis? I’m astounded because I thought I knew all the possible complications and this is totally new to me. Can you tell me about this complication or where I can get more information?

Gastroparesis is very rare in kids, but more common in older teens and adults. It is a type of neurological complication associated with damage to the autonomic nervous system control of bowel motility. Your description is exactly right: slow movement of food through the stomach and/or intestines. Sometimes it can produce faster movement and diarrhea; more often, slower movement and stomach fullness, vomiting and even slow absorption of foods. It is difficult to diagnose since standards for gastric and intestinal emptying times are not so well established. It is more important to look for more treatable causes: thyroid and/or adrenal abnormalities, celiac disease, gastroesophageal reflux etc. You should discuss these possibilities with your diabetes team.

SB