Question:

My five-year-old son has stomach pains and he has pale-coloured stools (like pale clay). He has also had a persistent cough for the last seven weeks and has been on three lots of antibiotics and the problem is still there. Are you able to offer any advice? Should I go and see someone apart from doctors because they have done ultrasound, X-rays blood tests and found nothing?

Answer:

If this were an adult with these symptoms I would be thinking of the gallbladder. Bile is what provides the brown colour in the stool. If by chance your family is vegetarian that could explain the pale-coloured stools.

Have you thought of having him tested for food allergies and intolerances? You could start with taking him off all dairy and wheat to see if this improves matters. Tummy pains are symptoms of both lactose and wheat intolerances.

Anxious children often present with tummy pains, that is something else you could explore.

If you can find a homeopath near you I would recommend you take your little boy along for a consultation. It works wonders with kids.

For more information please visit Alison Johnson’s website.