I told myself I'd stay off the internet until my 3 year old's appt Monday, but I cant' help it. I'm going to ask this without searching medical sites, hoping someone has had a situation like this and has input I could use in the appt.
My son has been saying his "legs" (plural) hurt "a little" and limping off an on for months, but very rarely and hard to notice. Whenever I thought of taking him to the doctor, I knew it would be like taking your car to the shop and it doesn't make the "sound" you've been hearing when the mechanic is listening. He has awakened during the night whimpering once or twice with what seemed to definitely be growing pains, but that was a few months ago or more.
Well, it's getting worse, and within the last week, he was limping badly at the park, and later that evening he could barely run with the neighbor kids, his coordination was so bad. It's almost like he's hobbling. I asked him if his legs hurt, and he said, "just a little". I felt very worried and called for an appointment right away and Monday was the soonest I could get. He is also walking strangely around the house now, and today at the grocery store he said his legs "really hurt" and he wanted to go to the car. He's never said that-he loves the store. My husband was home last weekend and said he noticed no limp at all, and it's true, the severe episodes started Tuesday.
OK, so hoping it's some odd form of growing pains. He says it doesn't hurt much and never complains. He has a very good diet and lots of exercise and no past medical issues. Has anyone had this? I'm feeling the doctor may not have much to say (usually doesn't), and if I could ask him about anything in particular it would help. We don't have insurance and the more I can get accomplished in less appointments the better. If there could be some serous problem, I want to bring it to his attention in case he doesn't think of it.
Thank you so much everyone for all your advice and suggestions of possibilities. I'm writing them all down to inquire about and I'm charging my camera battery for videos until Monday. So far he claims it doesnt' hurt much at all (making the big limp scary) and he has no signs of fever. Thanks a lot for chip link-I've been through the run around so many times trying to get all 3 kids covered and I always get temporary coverage and then more forms and rejections and blah, I need to start from scratch on that AGAIN. We almost joke at this point after the countless administrative hours I've spent on it over the years that every kid in PA is covered BUT OURS. But it's not funny. OK thanks everyone!
I don't want ot worry you but if you can have a blood test done for juvenille rheumatoid arthritis have it done. My children did not have this disease but I have rheumatoid arthritis as an adult and some of the symptoms sound familiar.
It is probably not JRA but it is just something to ask the doctor about.
Good Luck and hope all goes well for you !!!
K. I.
Don't look at medical sites - you will needlessly scare yourself to death.
See if the doctor can figure it out before you start researching it yourself. My son had a weird pain syndrome a few years ago and I would put myself into a state of panic by looking online. But I had to, because the doctors were useless.
The only thing I can think of offhand for you to check for initially is Lyme disease. And there's a cure for that, so don't freak out.
And I talked to many people who experienced extreme growing pains, so that is possible.
Does your phone take videos? I would either use my phone or a camcorder to tape him in case he is doing better when you have the appointment. That doesn't sound like growing pains to me just from my experience with our sons gr. pains. I hope you get some answers and he's feeling better soon!!
you need to go with your gut. but please take it serious. if your son is actually having pain and it hurts to walk then i wouldnt wait till monday. 2years ago a family friend had a 4 year old daughter and she started complaing with her legs and saying it hurt to walk. well she took her to the dr and the dr told her that there was nothing wrong and she was just stubborn, the woman takes her daughter home and gives her a bath. while the little girl is in the bath, she goes into a seizure and they call 911. the little girl dies on the way to the hospital, turns out she had meningitis and no one figured it out in time.... not trying to scare you, but just be aware....
I went through exactly what you are describing last Fall with my 4 year old daughter. She kept mentioning that her legs hurt, but it was random and would switch from leg to leg. After 2 months of her saying the same thing, we finally went to see the doctor and at that point I was terrified. My doctor sent us for x-rays and blood work and at the very last minute, threw in a Lymes Disease test. The first round of blood work all came back normal (as did the x-rays - phew!) but the complete Lymes test (with a Western Blot) takes longer and it was positive! I learned after the fact that leg pain is often one of the first signs of Lymes and very common. It is also common for the pain to switch from leg to leg because it is caused by inflamation. After 4 weeks of Ammoxicillin, my daughter was fine.
BTW - I never saw a tick or a bulls-eye rash, so would not have suspected Lymes. It was just luck that my Dr. ran the test. You may want to ask your Dr. to do the same just in case.
Good luck! Hope everything turns out to be fine with your son.
I agree with the others that say this could be growing pains, and with those that say please make sure your doctor doesn't just dismiss this and looks into other causes.
I was having pains in my legs, mostly calves, a few years ago that would bother me during the day and sometimes keep me up at night. One doctor just gave me pain pills and told me to stop running and training in karate (no way!) but later a female PA told me to try increasing my calcium intake. Worked like a charm! Just a suggestion, but along with any other treatments, you might want to make sure he's getting extra calcium.
Does he have a fever during the period of time the pains hurt? I hate saying this cuz I don't want to scare you but it could be a tumor or neuroblastoma. Do research online if you don't have insurance, then when you go to appts, you can ask all the questions you need to ask.
growing pains come and go. sounds like thats whats going on (to me). try a warm bath & massage them before he goes to bed.
I have known 2 families who went through odd leg pain with a child. One was growing pains. One was neuroblastoma. So - it mIght be nothing, or it might be something. I will say a prayer that it's nothing! Don't panic, but definitely take it seriously.
However... Why don't you go right now and check out PA's child health insurance program - it covers ALL children, there are no income limits - it might be wise to see if you can sign him up, today - just in case. I don't know if they have any pre-existing condition clauses, or how that would affect coverage (or not) - even if it's nothing, it still might be wise to have it. It would also allow you to feel more comfortable about getting a second opinion if you don't feel your own doctor checks him thoroughly enough or if it continues or whatever.
http://www.chipcoverspakids.com/
Please let us know what happens!
I don't want to cause you to worry anymore but, I have a friend who's 2.5 year old child was having leg pain and slightly limping. The doctors thought it was a bone infection but after running some more test he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. I would definitely take him to the doctors to get checked out, hopefully it's just some growing pains. Good luck!
My son went through this at age 5 last year. He complained that his leg hurt for 2-3 weeks but was walking fine. I explained about growing pains as I have two older sons as well. Then he suddenly started limping, mildly, and I talked to him and asked if he hurt himself. He said no and that it was still the same leg that was hurting but more so. Suddenly he woke up limping to the point that he could barely walk. He said it was mostly in his hip area so I wondered if he did something but he kept saying it was the same spot and same hurt as before. I had to wait a week to get him into the doctor and gave him Ibuprofen in case there was any swelling in the joints and to help with discomfort. He couldn't run, and barely walk and limping so bad wobbling back and forth we were a bit panicked. Of course, by the time we took him to the doctor the symptoms subsided and you could barely see him limp. The doc checked him over and requested an x-ray which showed nothing wrong. He said it was good that I gave him the Ibuprofen for swelling because he assumed there was som swelling from the joints from aching. Yes, growing pains! He'd seen it many times before but ordered the x-ray to be sure. I would suggest asking your doctor for an x-ray if he doesn't order one to be on the safe side. I know it puts us in panic mode but he will be fine.
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
both of my boys did this. I went to Walmart and bought a hot water bottle, and filled it with the hottest water a little guy can handle. Then sent them to bed with it on their legs. It did the trick, and they soon made sure they took it to bed with them, kind of like a security blanket. The water bottle cost way less than a dr appt would. If that does not work I would suggest going to the dr though.
My son had been getting woken out of a sound sleep with a charley horse. It was happening a lot and turns out he wasn't getting enough potassium. I then started giving him 1 banana each day and (knock-on-wood) it hasn't happened since.
This happened to us recently with our 5 year old! It turns out that the Uggs that someone handed down to us (which were 2 sizes too big!) were causing her mysterious leg pain. She was working so hard to keep them on her feet that she got shin splints, and pain that radiated up and down different legs at different times!!
Her teacher called and said she was in so much pain that she wouldn't play at recess. What?!!! Of course we were very worried and took her to the Dr. Like you, once we were there the pain disappeared! Ugh. Eventually my sister figured it out b/c her daughter had gone through the very same thing a year or two ago! Took the boots away and the pain went away too!
I hope and pray that your situation is as easy as that! Best of luck.
I would definitely follow through with the appointment, but I remember my legs feeling that way (and my back, and my arms) when I was growing really fast. It wasn't all the time, it would come and go. I even developed these lumps under my knees because the ligaments were so abused from being stretched like crazy. My mom used to give me children's aspirin for it and that did help, as did a hot water bottle on my knees. (By the way, I grew from 4'6" to 6' in under 3 years, so I hurt pretty much all the time!)
Is your son hungrier than usual? When my kids are about to start growing, they eat like it's going out of style. Also I have noticed that they tend to get a little thicker around the middle right before they grow, like their bodies are storing the calories in order to grow. If you have noticed any of these signs, then maybe he is just starting to shoot up in a growth spurt right now.
I used to have growing pains for months. Another thing is he may be getting attention that he wants from you guys worrying about it so he is milking it. When I was a kid I took asprin, I know I should be dead. My kids I gave them tylenol and it seemed to help. My oldest was in all kinds of pain for over a month when he was ten and I swear he grew three inches in two months.
It could be something else but it sure sounds like growing pains.
My son had growing pains on and off for about 2 years. Always at nighttime. I used to put an ice pack on the leg and give him children's motrin for the pain.
My son's friend however had the limping problem that you are describing and he ended up having shingles. Does your son have a rash at all?
Well as others have said it could be anything from something simple like growing pains to something as serious as cancer and any myriad of things in between. I would get the health coverage before Monday if possible. You will qualify as others have said, and if it is something like cancer, you may be responsible for all treatment costs if they look on it as a pre-existing condition and so apply today for it. You can apply online. Just make sure once you are approved you send everything in they request. Believe me it is easier than dealing with the cost of medical bills for a seriously ill child. You don't want to have to be dealing with a very sick child and dealing with medical expenses you can't afford as well. You are wise to stay away from medical sites, as there are so very many possibilities of what could be going on. And if you are a worrier it won't help. The video is a great idea. But please apply for the medical coverage today.
