My 10 year old has been complaining for months about a sicky tummy, she wakes up with it nearly every day (except weekends) and says she has it at school after she eats. I havent really done anything about it because she still eats, is normal weight and continues in activities. She doesnt really show any outward signs of being ill. No temperature. She promises me she is not pretending. I am thinking maybe its constipation. One day on the way home she said her tummy was really sore and she was whimpering, when she got home she went to the toilet and felt better. This has only happened once. Her father has Crohns and IBS so I am cautious. Any ideas?

Have you reviewed when and what she eats at school? If she's overly hungry then has to wolf down a typical fatty, high carb school cafeteria lunch, her stomach might react. Does she need any nutritious snacks to tide her over between meals?

Except for the timing - another possibility is premenstrual mid-cycle cramps due to ovulation. BTW, many auto-immune conditions emerge coincident with changes in hormonal development/status esp. among females.

Is it possible that she could be suffering from some kind of stress at school? I think it is suspicious that this only happens during the weekdays. Is someone or something bothering her? Maybe you could pry just a little further and try to get some more information. Does she have good social skills and fit in well? Could you talk to her teacher? Just a few ideas...

Take her in to the doc and have this checked out. Since her father has IBS and crohns she too may have some of these problems especially since you have already noticed that some of it is relieved by using the toilet.