Freaked out...4 yo dd leg pain

hsjwmom

New member
I have a 1:45 appointment for her, so this is just a "freaking out" post...

DD has been sick w/ what seems like a nasty cold for nearly 2 weeks.(thick mucousy cough) I wasn't too concerned. Then Friday, she woke dh and I up at 4am with a headache so bad she was crying. I gave her some tylonal and took her to bed with us. She had a headache all day and by evening, had a fever of 102.8 (rectally, because I couldn't find our other thermometers) She had a mild fever the rest of the weekend, but by last night, seemed pretty much better.

This morning though, she came to our room at 4am crying that her legs hurt. She hasn't walked since then, it hurts too much. Here's the weird thing...she is ok when she sits and she can crawl! But when she tries to stand, she can't do it. A nurse at the dr. office said to give her Motrin and let her soak in a warm tub. We did and it doesn't seem to have a made a bit of difference.

Oh great, now she said her stomach hurts and she had a loose bm...not diarrhea, but close.

Anyway, I am puzzled and a bit freaked out here...Hopefully the doc will have a clue!
 
ADS

scatterbunny

New member
Hayley's had all of those at one time or another, but never at the same time. I can see why you'd be worried. ((hugs))

When Hayley had horrible leg pain and couldn't stand to put any weight on them, it turned out to just be growing pains (or so we have figured, since it went away on its own).
 

hsjwmom

New member
Thanks, Jenny... I am really hoping it is just growing pains! I remember having them, but never this bad. A week or two ago, she was eating non-stop...so I've been expecting a growth spurt. I just feel bad for her. She couldn't even get in the tub or on the toilet by herself!
 

scatterbunny

New member
Thanks, Jenny... I am really hoping it is just growing pains! I remember having them, but never this bad. A week or two ago, she was eating non-stop...so I've been expecting a growth spurt. I just feel bad for her. She couldn't even get in the tub or on the toilet by herself!

Yep, eating like a horse a week ago, I'd think they are just growing pains. Mark had them horribly has a child and he said they were bad enough that he'd have to just lay in bed.

I understand being freaked out, though--totally. When your child has all kinds of seemingly unrelated things going on at once, it is scary!
 

hsjwmom

New member
Well, as it turns out, it is a bit more serious.

She has some kind of nerve inflammation that can follow a virus. It starts at the lower extremities and travels upward so there is concern about it going to her chest. She had blood drawn and I need to keep a close eye over night...if her thighs start getting weak, too, I need to take her to Texas Children's.

That being said, she is doing a bit better...she can shuffle around a bit. I may update later...
 

JaRylan

New member
Sorry to hear that, hope you get test results back quickly and that she has a good night. Keep us updated when you can.

<<<<<<hugs>>>>>>>
 

hsjwmom

New member
Thanks for the kind words everybody! The pediatrician called with a couple of the test results... I may need to take her in again tomorrow, depending on a 3rd result.

Her dr. suspects Guillain-Barré Syndrome. I'd never heard of it before, but apparently it can be serious in some cases. It appears that she has a very mild case of it. She's walking around a lot better now! She's still in some pain, but not enough to slow her down a whole lot. She is taking Motrin for the inflammation and pain, so that may be helping her, too.

I'm just really glad I took it seriously and took her in! It is so hard to tell with kids sometimes.
 

scatterbunny

New member
I was just reading about that syndrome a couple days ago, actually reading about a man who poisoned his wife with arsenic, but they suspected this syndrome first because arsenic also deadens the limbs.

My thoughts are with you guys! ((hugs))
 

AdventureMom

Senior Community Member
I'll be thinking of you guys and hope everything is okay ;) It's so scary when our children are sick, isn't it? :(

FYI, My cousin had Guillain-Barré Syndrome when she was about 15 years old - she fully recovered...
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
Thanks for the kind words everybody! The pediatrician called with a couple of the test results... I may need to take her in again tomorrow, depending on a 3rd result.

Her dr. suspects Guillain-Barré Syndrome. I'd never heard of it before, but apparently it can be serious in some cases. It appears that she has a very mild case of it. She's walking around a lot better now! She's still in some pain, but not enough to slow her down a whole lot. She is taking Motrin for the inflammation and pain, so that may be helping her, too.

I'm just really glad I took it seriously and took her in! It is so hard to tell with kids sometimes.

Not to freak you out, especially since she's up and about, but what I've read about it is that it's a fast acting virus that can leave a person almost totally paralyzed, seemingly overnight. The majority recover 100%, others continue to have some weakness/nerve damage. Never heard about it in little ones though - only adults and teens. Hope you get the results back quickly. I'm impressed that your dr. tested for it and didn't pass it off as 'growing pains,' as they are common at that age.
 

hsjwmom

New member
I'm not really freaked out now that we have an idea what it may be. The Dr. was really encouraged that she seemed to be improving so quickly. The funny thing is, out regular doc doesn't work Mondays so we saw one of the other docs in the practice. I was super impressed with her...she didn't pooh-pooh it at all, she immediately tested her leg strength AND her sister's to compare! Then she used the reflex hammer and dd's legs didn't react at all! It was too strange! Then she made dd stand up (wouldn't take no for an answer :)) It was obvious that her legs could barely hold her up... she was shaking. DD is really weird about pain...she doesn't cry when she gets shots, she kinda laughs nervously, but I can tell that it DOES hurt. (she didn't even flinch when they drew blood today) Anyway, I could see that same look on her face when the doc made her stand and try to walk...she said it hurt, but didn't cry or fuss because she didn't want to let down the doc. She tries very hard to please people sometimes. Does that make any sense? :confused:
 

Patriot201

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
Well, as it turns out, it is a bit more serious.

She has some kind of nerve inflammation that can follow a virus. It starts at the lower extremities and travels upward so there is concern about it going to her chest. She had blood drawn and I need to keep a close eye over night...if her thighs start getting weak, too, I need to take her to Texas Children's.

That being said, she is doing a bit better...she can shuffle around a bit. I may update later...

Oh my!!! I am so sorry! I hope she feels better soon!
 

hsjwmom

New member
I think that's it, assuming it doesn't get worse and go to her chest. At that point, they would have to put in a breathing tube. From what I understand, anyway.
 

hsjwmom

New member
She's becoming something of a tirant! She sits on the couch ordering us all to get her x,y, or z! Hopefully this will be short lived!!!
 

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