My 7 yr old son has had dizzy spells for a few yrs on and off. Sometimes he is totally fine, then he is a mess. He went through a spell when he could not walk through a gymnasium, tennis bubble, etc without freaking out. He said those spaces made him so dizzy he could not walk. When it is hot out especially he can not play sports, ride a bike etc without a spell. He is a very good athlete and right now cannot play more than a minute or 2 at a time of soccer. He sits and then wants to play but can not. It is very frustrating. He has seen 2 neurologists, an ENT, a vestibular specialist, a psychologist and his pediatrician. He does have abnormal EEG and ENG but we have not seen any seizures. The conclussion by all has been BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) or migraine variant. They say this is all due to a type of migraine, but the episodes come and go so fast, Can anyone help me ?
I believe what Lisa T is referring to is called The Epley Maneuver. You can google it and ask your doctor about doing it. Also, O. thing that came to my mind was could it be anxiety or a possible panic attack? Although he seems to want to do the stuff that causes it.... Just a thought. Good luck to you and your son.
I have 2 suggestions but would ask that you speak to one of the doctors about them first. The first is to maybe give him dramamine as needed. I had vertigo last summer. It lasted a month, with the worst part of it lasting 7-10 days. I had never had it before or since. The doctor gave me dramamine. It worked for me. The second suggestion is that the doctor told me if the dramamamine didn't work, to call my PCP and ask her to do the "maneuver" to realign the hairs in my ears. Apparently when they are out of place, vertigo can occur. I don't know if that comes into play with your son's vertigo so I don't know if it will help. Though I didn't need to try it, she explained to me that the "maneuver" is something like tilting your head/body in certain positions to get the hairs to realign. Good luck to you!
I don't have experience with this, but I was doing research for a friend for something else & I came across a lot of sites and people's personal postings that said increasing magnesium (I could not find a recommended amount) reduced migraines & seizures. Since he has an abnormal EEG & they think his dizziness is migraine related, it might be worth a try. Good luck.
There are a range of treatments. Has your doctor taught you to do the Epley and Semont Maneuvers?
BPPV is a very annoying condition, and for a child can really cause significant distress. There are surgical options that may be available-- keep pushing for the best outcome for your son.
There is physical therapy available for adults with vertigo and balance issuse, these may help your son, especially if the vestibular system is involved. You could have him adjusted by a Chiropractor as well. This can help his central nervous system (brain, spinal cord) communicate with his body better so it has better control over his balance. Can't hurt, may help. I could recommend someone to you, if I knew where you live. I used to practice in Bucks County and know a few DC's there and in the Paoli area (I now practice in N. E. PA). Another suggestion - has he seen a pediatric neurologist? CHoP and Geisinger Hospital are good resources. They may know of a diagnosis/treatment a neurologist that normally treats adults is not aware of.
good luck, this must be very frustrating for your son.
I have a friend who just had this problem. She had to get an adjustment to the "stones" in the ear, by an ENT. It was quick and painless, and then she was advised to sleep upright for two nights, and avoid doing yoga (lots of upsidedown moves there) for a week. It fixed her up. Apparently there are stones in your ears that help with balance and they can get out of alignment. I hope this is it, b/c it really seemed quite simple to fix once she figured it out. Before the solution, she was the same--sick, couldn't walk or drive, taking Dramamine, etc. Good luck!
I had the same issues as a child/teen and the good news is that now I don't! I know how frustrating it is, I used to have a friend walk with me to my classes in case I started to fall - but hopefully it will take care of itself. Does he have headaches afterward? That was my only clue that it was migraine related. They weren't really bad headaches, but... There might be migraine medicine that would help.
Good luck!
