Day before yesterday, my son read for 30 minutes before bed. He woke up yesterday with a headache and didn't eat much breakfast. I sent him to school and told him to go to the nurse if he felt worse. He seemed fine for the rest of the day, complained of a stomach ache once but no headache. That afternoon he read for 45 minutes because he was trying to avoid his math homework. Before bed he had finished the math worksheet and was watching TV, reading, and drinking juice. My husband came in with french fries for a bedtime snack. My son got up to get the fries, but then didn't feel so good and ran to the bathroom. He threw up once. Five minutes later he felt fine, ate half the french fries, then went to bed.
This morning, I let him sleep late and I was planning to keep him home from school. But he said he felt fine and really wanted to go to school. He wanted to make sure his homework got turned in and worried that he wouldn't get good behavior tickets if he stayed home. He got dressed with no arguing, handed me his lunch bag and asked me to pack it, and asked to take his ADHD med before breakfast so it would start working on time. He ate breakfast and wanted to start reading again. I took him to school, and we stopped to talk to the nurse to make sure it was OK. She said as long as he didn't have a fever and didn't throw up more than once, he can be at school.
I am pleasantly surprised that he WANTS to go to school and wants to read a lot. But I don't know how to tell whether he's coming down with a stomach virus, is having problems with his new glasses, or just drank too much juice(mix of white grape and pomegranate) at once? I'm waiting to see if I get a call from the school halfway through the day. If it doesn't seem like a virus, should I tell him that he can't read as much?
He was fine at school, everything seemed normal. No further symptoms, didn't seem like a virus.
About headaches- I often get headaches from reading too much. If I read for more than 4 hours in a row, I get a headache.Or I'll read for a couple of hours and then wake up the next morning with a headache. (Probably the closest I'll ever get to having a hangover). My son does not usually read for more than 20 minutes at a time, and does not get headaches very often.
About nausea- I forgot to mention that my son does get car sick sometimes. We don't let him read in the car. Maybe this could have something to do with it.....
About stress- usually he chooses watching tv or toys such as legos as a soothing activity. I think in this case it's nothing deeper than reading homework is "easier" than math, and he really likes the books- Mr. Popper's Penguins, and The Giant Joke book.
About hydration- I do really worry that he doesn't drink enough at school. His water bottle and juice box for lunch often come back untouched, and he has no appetite anyway from the ADHD meds.
I don't think it has to do with reading... probably more to do with adjusting to new glasses and drinking strong juice. Call his eye doctor and see if he is wearing them too much or if maybe they need to be adjusted! Try watering down his juice too- it will cut the sugar in half as a bonus!
There could be so many possibilities. My son is 8 and takes medication for ADHD as well (Straterra). He also has a lazy eye, not crossed, just not responsive to the brain as well as the other eye, and has proven to be a very intelligent child. This has made him challenging at times but he is very sensitive to things that happen around him. If my husband and I are not getting along as well as he expects, not being able to do something as well he wants, etc he will become quiet and read for long periods of time. Sometimes even complain his stomach hurts. I dont know if there are any similarities between your son and mine but you might try just talking with him one on one. I sit Devin down and let him know that I am there for him and that he can talk to me about anything. It has opened him up several times and once he talked about it he was back to his usual self. Of course there are times that he insists there is nothing wrong. I hope you find out whats going on or if it's just a phase. Good luck to you!
I think he's fine and I don't think reading is the problem - let him read as much as he likes!! Think about how you feel if you are truly sick. You don't want to get out of bed or go anywhere. If he's ok enough to suck it up and go to school and it's ok with the nurse - then all is well until you get the call. Maybe an early bed time with a pain reliever for the headache but I think he'll be ok - if he's not you'll be able to tell by his behavior.
Have you had his eyes tested? He could be straining them which would cause headaches. The headache can then affect his stomach. I know, the knee bone is connected to the leg bone!
By 9 my kids could pretty much tell if it was a passing thing or the real "Oh my God I'm dying, I am so sick, " flu.
THey have always been go getters and rarely stay in bed and not do school. We homeschool.
If he says he feels fine, had no fever and wants to go I would let him.
You'll know if he is really sick.
My daughter is in eighth grade (pre AP classes), ADD/ADHD (Adderall XR) and absolutely LOVES to read. She has had a problem with headaches that lead to nausea and finally vomiting since she was in first grade. Some of these incidents happened at school but more often than not, she came home with the headache and then the nausea would hit and finally she would throw up. Afterwords, she felt immediately better and then ate like there was no tomorrow. After several trips to the doctors to rule out virus, bacterial infections and other potential problems, we started to ask her about what she did during the school day (physical activity, what she had for lunch, bathroom habits, water intake, ect.). We finally figured out that her hydration level was the trigger. So for the next several years, we would have to remind her to drink plenty of water throughout the day and even asked her teachers to give a gentle reminder as well.
Now days my daughter is pretty good about staying hydrated throughout the day by stopping at the water fountain between classes (no more reminders from Mom!). But on those days that she forgets and she has that first twinge of a headach, she will grab her water bottle that she keeps filled and in her backpack (they don't use lockers at her school). If she catches it early enough, she can shut down the headache before it gets any worse.
When my kids get strep, they usually get a headache and stomach ache and sometimes vomit, but no fever or sore throat. I always feel a little crazy taking them in because they are usually acting rather normal when I take them to the doctor.
perhaps its just nerves. its the begining of school loads of germs are being passed around as well as first weeks of school nerves. i am missing where you think reading caused him to become sick? do you think he has a migrane?
I doubt that reading is making him sick.
Just keep an eye on him for a few days, sounds like a little stomach bug.
