Stomachaches

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I am at middle school it seems like lately I have been getting a lot of stomachaches right after lunch usually in the afternoon after 1pm. I mean a lot of them!! I am debating if I should send out a email to teachers to try and keep kids in class and offer restroom instead. Really I cant do much for a stomachache anyways. What do you do??

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Specializes in Pediatrics, school nursing.

I take their temp, offer them to use the restroom, and give them a peppermint. I tell them there is nothing I can do for them unless they vomit, and do not allow students to lie down in the clinic unless it seems severe. They can "rest and digest" in their desks in the classroom!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I pretty much do the same as iggywench. If no fever you use the restroom, maybe rest for 10 minutes and then go back to class. Like you say, nothing we can really do.

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yeah that is pretty much all I do, it just seems like teachers are sending a lot kids after lunch for upset stomachs lately.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, school nursing.

I do feel like I am seeing more students after lunch. The cafeteria seems to be serving more and more spicy foods, and students bring things like Takis or Hot Cheetos for lunch. Of course, their stomachs are going to hurt after eating those!

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It sounds like the cafeteria food may be the problem. I do like the others said and I give them a cup of water. It sounds bad but if they are gonna throw up they usually will right after they drink the water. Then I know they are really sick. Ive been getting a lot of stomachaches and headaches and I contribute it to just not wanting to be at school and looking for a way to get out of class so they get sent back pretty quick.

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That was my thought about lunch room food. Today is pizza so I am sure I will start to see kids here soon with upset stomachs!

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Middle schoolers are also notorious for challenges - hot sauce challenge, hot cheetos challenge. I had a student vomit after the hot sauce challenge - he was quite disappointed to just get crackers and milk instead of heading home.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I've sent out a lovely "stomachaches after lunch are sometimes just digestion" information email to staff to educate them that stomachaches are not 100% an indicator of vomiting. I was surprised by how many teachers were surprised at this fancy new information.

I'm at elementary, though

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Kinder's lunch got pushed back by 20 minutes because of a "cafeteria emergency" (no idea what it was?!) so they were all ravenous little beasts by the time they got to eat. I had to explain to a grown adult that sometimes when you're really hungry and you smell food, your tummy growls and kinda hurts because you're hungry not because you're sick. Sub sent me 6 kids from the lunch line!

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Kinder's lunch got pushed back by 20 minutes because of a "cafeteria emergency" (no idea what it was?!) so they were all ravenous little beasts by the time they got to eat. I had to explain to a grown adult that sometimes when you're really hungry and you smell food, your tummy growls and kinda hurts because you're hungry not because you're sick. Sub sent me 6 kids from the lunch line!

This is how I know there's a sub in my lower grades! They all come down right before (I'm talking MINUTES!) lunch with stomachaches...

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Some of our Jr High kids have had table parties at lunch where they all bring in junk food to share. I had a kid come in with a stomach ache once and I asked him what he had for lunch and it was something like "1/2 a bag of doritos, 3 cupcakes, cookies, and a liter bottle of mountain dew. I sent him back to class and told him that I hoped he learned his lesson.

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