Digestion is big. You realize this when you're dealing with the pain.

 10 years ago, I wouldn't have given digestion another thought. 

You eat. 

You get the energy you need. 

You get rid of what you don't need. 

You head on.  Right?  

But then this system starts to fail on my child, and I was left wondering what to do. 

Blood was there and I was scared. We went to the doctor.  They tested for parasites. We wait and my child didn't get better. 

Losing weight and unable to walk a small distance without hanging onto you - when normally you couldn't keep up with him.

The test comes back negative. 

What?!? That's it. What are we doing next? 

We don't know what's going on??  

I learned from moments I had in the Intensive care unit I had to go with my Mama Instincts.  I asked for a Paediatrician that day but the only way I could get this doctor was to wait in the emergency hospital which was 45 minutes from our home. 

We were not waiting another day. 

We waited 7 hours in the emergency room.  People came in and left. 

Was I doing the right thing?, I thought.  I looked down at him as he laid his head on my lap and I knew I was.  There was something very wrong. 

Finally, the Dr was there.  Within a very short period of time, he was admitted to the hospital and would be transferred to Children's Hospital in London the next day. 

This was my first experience with digestive issues.

But the issues continued and the resources around digestive concerns seemed patchy.  What could he eat?  What about school?  His ability to cope with the pain inside of him?  The ability to cope with the demands of school and his activities?   

All these answers we had to come up with on our own.  And when we last attended a visit to the Children's Hospital they asked us what we had been doing to help him as he was doing so well. 

I thought the digestive issues were resolved and I was so happy to see my son grow into the big guy that he is today -- but last year it showed up again -- but this time with my other two children. 

I was aware of the symptoms this time but the road didn't seem any easier.  Her blood work was not typical but no answers about why. We continue to resolve the digestive concerns still.

Digestive issues are big. 

Digestive issues are related to so many other concerns -- and school is one of them.  There is a physical and emotional aspect of digestive health.  Your child is healing physically and emotionally when the digestive system is in need of repair.  

So if your child is complaining about tummy aches -- I ask you to listen to this and find out more through the experts that understand these connections between the brain and the gut. 

And join us at the Digestive and Your Child's Health workshop that will be coming this Jan 20th.  So you will have some answers  to your questions.   So you will understand what steps to take to support your child's health -- but physical and emotional. 

Susan