Have your kids ever had toxic synovitis?

[lyzziesmom]

My DD3 woke up this morning complaining that her leg hurt. Like any good mom would, I wrote it off as yet another ploy to stay in bed longer after a hectic weekend and dragged her butt out of bed and off to Grammy's house.

Fast forward to 2pm and a call from my mother: "Can you leave work and meet us at the hospital?" Oh crap. Emma still wouldn't so much as stand on her feet, and screamed bloody murder any time her leg was touched. She also complained that her tummy and butt hurt.

8pm: We're leaving the hospital with a diagnosis of toxic synovitis. Apparently a virus (in her case, an unidentified rash last week) or an immunization (flu shot given at the time of said rash's dr. visit) can cause swelling and pain in the hip, sort of a temporary arthritis. This explains her butt pain - it was actually her hip.

It was awful to see her in such pain. I'm talking screaming, gagging, shy child yelling at the nurses kind of pain. They gave her meds via IV which helped a lot, but the IV process itself was horrible for both of us.

Who else's kids have had toxic synovitis? I looked it up online and read several reassuring articles (and some slightly scarier ones) but it's nothing like hearing from real people who have experienced it. How bad was your child's pain? How long did it last? Did the reccommended treatment of Motrin help at all? Did the infection return later? The doctor we saw said it's not uncommon, but she also said she sees it once every couple of months, which is only about 6 times a year.

I'm so glad she's ok. There for a while when we didn't know what it was, I had a flash of what my life would be like without her. I can't even imagine. She was so brave and strong - my little baby became a big girl today.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

My 9 yo had this when he was 4 yo. It was Palm Sunday and we were at my in laws. He could not even walk. Me and Dh were so scared. We took him to his Ped. who told us it was a virus in the bone. It lasted at least a week and my mom was getting very nervous, thinking it was something serious. We took my son for xrays which showed nothing abnormal and the next day, he was better.The whole thing was strange, how it just came n and then just left. Hope your DD is doing better. m

 

[lyzziesmom]

Thanks, that sounds very much like what's happening with Emma. Just woke up and couldn't walk, and I didn't know why. I'm a little hypochondriac, so I keep thinking "maybe they missed something, maybe it's really something awful and they just don't know about it." Good to hear of someone else's experience that was so similar. I agree, it's very strange and I can't believe I've never heard of this before!

 

[YourMajesty]

hey lyzziemsoms...did she need antibiotics? I sure hope she gets better quickly.

ETA...my DS kept his leg bent at the knee...they said that was a very common position to keep it in when the hip hurts.

 

[MNmom]

Wow!! I haven't heard of that in over 20 years!! Actually, I had this in college!! I had been sick with flu like symptoms for a few days and then got better. A few days later I couldn't get out of bed. My knees and hips hurt so bad that I couldn't stand-up. I was crying in bed for two days before a few friends carried me to the clinic. They told me it was an infection in the synovial fluid which surrounds your joints. Hips and knees are some of the largest joints so the swelling was worse there. I was so relieved that I knew what was wrong and they did give me antiobiotics (20 years ago!!) and some pain pills. I never had the problem again!!

Good luck to your daughter!!

 

[lyzziesmom]

They did not give her antibiotics, they said since it's viral we pretty much have to just wait it out. They did give her some pain meds and advised us to keep her loaded up with a double dose of Motrin.

She is still sore today and won't walk, but is boasting to her sister about all the attention she got at the hospital yesterday and basically milking the whole sick thing for all it's worth.

 

[Buckalew11]

I had this after a high fever almost 20 years ago! All I knew was that hurt in my wrists and my ankles. I was at work in high heels and could not stand there anymore. I could not use the curling iron or anything because my wrists hurt so badly!

I went to the chiropractor that afternoon and told him I was really hurting in those 2 places and he asked me if I had had a fever recently and I said yes, days before. He said,"You should be hurting in all your joints and he touched my knees, hips, shoulders etc and I did hurt everywhere!

He worked on me and said something about toxins settling in my joints or some such thing and I walked out of that office painfree and I kid you not!

It was one of my chiropractic experiences that made me realize there was something to all of this!

Best wishes to your DD. I know the pain she is feeling.