My son who is almost 16 months, sometimes will stare off into space. He will be playing and then he just stops and stares off. We were thinking that it might have to do with his low iron, but we are not sure. Anyone else have this problem with their toddler/child?
This is our first child so we don't know if this is normal.
I figured I better update this with more info since most of you raised some good points- he does have low iron, but he is being treated for it. He has already seen a neurologist when he was around 9 months old because I thought he had a seizure (shaking and out of it) but they found nothing. He does have a heart murmur but it doesn't cause any problems for him and he might outgrow it (it would close up) by the time he is two. There have been times when he hasn't snapped out of it right away, and times when he does. He does it sometimes when we are out walking in a large field behind our house, so I've thought that because it is so big and there is so much to look at that sometimes he gets overwhelmed. He does seem to do it more when he is getting tired. He had met or exceeded all his developmental milestones, but I still worry that it could be something serious. We have not vaccinated him and we probably won't until he is talking more (Autism scare).
I don't know many details about this but my son has a friend who did this and they found out he was having seizures. That's all I know but it might be something to check out.
Oh Dear!! Yes my 10 month old does this every now and then. The worst was about 2 weeks ago. I was driving on the turnpike and he started off only I was screaming his name and nothing. I banged a toy off the dashboard and nothing. I was in histerics crying!!! I thought maybe he was having a seizure or something. I pulled over and opened his door and he snapped out of it. My son's pediatrician just says that they get "hypnotized" by the sound of the road. For example, taking a baby for a car ride to fall asleep. Same principle. Good luck!!!
Cyndi,
As a mom who has spent countless hours in Cinci Children's at the Neurologist's office, it sounds as if son could have absent seizures. If he responds to you or "snaps" out of it when his name is called, fingers are snapped, etc. it's probably just "daydreaming". If he won't respond while doing some of those things and just continues to stare, you may want to mention it to his doctor to be on the safe side. Just thought I'd put my thoughts out there. Good luck - would love to know how it goes, Heather
He could just be intrigued with the sights and sounds around him but it could also be seizures. My daughter had the same kind of seizures when she was an infant and continues to have them now at the age of 12. She had an EEG to diagnose the seizures. A simple painless procedure but it did make her very angry. I would suggest mentioning it to your pediatrician. We were told they are harmless and she did not need any medication. She is now a very bright child. She is a 4.0 student in the gifted classes at school. She does have problems remembering directions sometimes and will say she doesnt know what the teacher said even though she was sitting right there when the instructions were given and that could easily be from having a seizure at the time.
I don't want to dismiss the seizure or get you in a different direction if that is what is happening, but I wanted to let you know that my daughter was doing this and it was found that she had sensory processing disorder (SPD) her brain would get overloaded and it would just take these little time outs. I think the one mom gave good advice on telling the difference...if you can get them to snap out of it then it could be daydreaming or SPD and if you can not it could be the seizures. Most primary care physicians are not up to date on SPD so maybe you could research some articles and take them with you when you talk to the doctor. At either rate, I wish you and your child the very best of luck.
I would get him checked out just to make sure, although I can't help but wonder if he may just be getting a little overwhelmed and sort of "taking a break" by just spacing out.
I don't want to scare you either, but I would talk to your pediatrician and ask for a recommendation to a neurologist.
I have known three children who did this same type of thing and they were all having very tiny, quick seizures. All 3 were treated and while I lost touch with one, the other 2 both have been seizure and medication free for several years now. (They are both in 7th grade). I wish you the best!
I am in no way a medical prof, but I know a man I worked with for several years who had the same thing happen to him. It was a symptom of Epilepsy. Basically, the staring off into space was a seizure. He did not have the violent seizures that people usually associate with epilepsy. This was his seizure.
Hi Cyndi,
Get your son checked out for Epilepsy. All my aunts and uncles had this problem since they were toddlers, and it can progress to become more violent. SPD (Sensory Processing Disfunction) Its like tunnel vision, and would usually be affected by something that would grab his attention, like a television or a flashing light. Also could affect you if your a deep sleeper, you won't recognize the noise around you. Most kids do grow out of this as long as they keep their brain busy. I'm just hoping its nothing serious. I'll keep you and your son in my prayers. (SMILE)
Could be iron or other vitamin/mineral deficiency. Could be that he's more tired than you realize and doesn't have the energy to stay "tuned in".
Could also be early signs of something like Autism. I'd call your pediatrician and have him checked out. They have a list of things they ask at an 18 month apt. to screen for autism, there's no reason they can't go ahead and go through that now.
My boys did that some too and still do occasionally. It would really bother me because I wasn't sure if babies were supposed to stare off into space like adults sometimes do. But they didn't do it enough to want to check into it more. I think it's probably pretty normal - just a way of zoning out maybe when things get a little overwhelming.
I'm not sure that he's experiencing the same thing, but I used to do the same thing quite often as a youth. My family and teachers would tease me and call me spacey Stacee. I found out as an adult that I have low blood pressure. It causes me to lose focus and I daze out. At those times I experience temporary blindness and other times dizziness. It's due to a heart valve prolapse, which is a fancy way of staying my heart valve sometimes stays open too long allowing the blood pressure to drop. There are medicines doctors said they can try, but I just stick to eating a great deal of sodium... about 5 grams a day. Most adults consume about 2 grams a day.
Perhaps he has low blood pressure. Have the doctor listen to his heart and perhaps have him put on an overnight EKG machine, which will track how his heart pumps. Before I had this test the doctors never heard the heart arythmia.
Sometimes children also think faster than they can process information, so they daze out. Most kids grow out of the phase. They kind of get lost in thought.
I would definitely let your doctor know. You should probably see a neurologist and have an EEG done. Sounds like a seizure. Better to be safe than sorry. Hope everything turns out ok.
You didn't mention how long this staring lasts. I remember a girl who did the very same thing and they turned out to be very mild seizures. Not that it's the same thing, but i would want to know. When he is like this, can you talk to him and get him to stop right away?
It could be Autism or Epilepsy. But that is not for sure. They are too young to detect this for sure now. Except for maybe the Epilepsy. They can do scans and EEGs. Good Luck. Perhaps it is nothing. But me myself I would want to know. Good Luck and God Bless
Even though he has already been to see a Neurologist I would see one again. My son is severely disabled and also has Epilepsy. This sounds like seizures that my son had when he was little. Granted I am not a dr, however have they done an EEG or an MRI? Take a look at his eyes when he "spaces out", do they eyes move back and forth or up and down? There are siezures that have eye movement as well as just "spacing out."
Good Luck!
Jenn.......