kids health...advise???? I'm stumped!

[mykidsand_i]

OK, my DD6 has had REALLY WEIRD 'health issues' this past year. We can't seem to get it figured out. I don't know if I should be worried, or if it's just something that will pass as she gets older.

Since the time she was born she's struggled with her immune system not being very great. I'm not the parent to 'over sanitize' just because of that, and the Dr. has told us several times that it's good to allow her to have contact with germs (it builds up her immune system) and not be overly worried about it.

Since January all of a sudden she's getting these HIGH fevers like once every other week. She feels just fine one day, then she'll wake up the next being EXTREMELY IRRITABLE...to the point where she'll yell at everyone and everything and start to cry CONSTANTLY!!! My DD8 is almost scared to be around her!!!

The ''irritable crazies'' is what my DD8 calls it. And that's how we know she's starting to be sick...It happens every single time, like clockwork!!

So, after she starts getting crabby, crying and furious with everyone I'll usually ask her what's wrong, and she'll say "nothing"...but because I know her, I know better.

With in a few hours after she starts getting like this, she developes high fevers. It has been happening WAAAAYYYYYY too much!

Well, this morning she woke up craby. We had a lot planned today, because it was our school's spring carnival. I asked her if she wanted to stay home and she said "no, I feel good. Let's go"...she didn't have a fever and she was better (happier), so we decided to go.

When we were done with the carnival (we just went to play games and have fun)...we went out for lunch and that's where she had her MELT DOWN, started Crying for NO REASON and we couldn't understand a word she was saying!

We got home, she was sent to her room because she was so mad at everyone...she didn't have a fever then. Well, I took her temp before dinner tonight and it was 104.3 she didn't eat ANYTHING, hasn't eaten since lunch.

I gave her tylenol...waited for a while and re-took her temp. It had only gone down to 103.4. Put her in a luke warm tub and she just had another melt down.

I've asked her "where do you hurt?" "what do you feel like?" and it's the same old answer i always get from her "I feel fine"...even though she looks like she's very sick- red cheeks, droopy eyes, high fever, major chills, super mad, VERY tired out.

I am lost. I've spoken to her Dr. about it and he just says "bring her in as soon as you see it to start happening." Of course, it starts on a weekend now, so he's not even in the office. If we go to the ER they'd send us home with med.s she probably doesn't even need- which is an entirely different issue!

I have NO CLUE what is going on and it's driving my husband and I crazy! Any other parents go through this? Any Dr.s out there that have any ideas? Tips? What can we do to figure this out????

 

[PixieTopaz]

Try taking ALL dairy away from her

Just getting my (at the time) 5 year old to stop drinking milk stopped a lot of craziness-esp restless sleeping-and sleepwalking

 

[mykidsand_i]

I'm thinking that I need to get her into a specialist- but before I do so, I want to make sure I can make the most of that visit. I've been tracking her diet, and when she has these 'flare ups'...But I DO NOT want to go to the Dr. AGAIN to have them tell me
"Oh, well there's really nothing we can do unless she's currently experiancing symptoms..." I've gone twice already and heard that! How FRUSTRATING!!!

 

[rie'smom]

Change doctors if he doesn't have more to say than that or else demand a full blood workup as a start.

 

[nephthys43]

Are you in an area that is a high risk for Lyme's? It sounds like inflammation flare ups. Do you only give her tylenol or have you tried ibuprofen too? She needs a full run of bloodwork.

 

[mykidsand_i]

Yeah, he's done bloodwork on her twice now. Nothing was showing up that wasn't 'normal'. That's why he told me to bring her in when it starts- when her fever starts. BUT, I refuse to go to this WORTHLESS ER that we have in our town, they'd cause more problems than help!

Yeah, I've been doing Tylenol, then waiting 2 hours then ibup....constantly everytime she gets these fevers. I'm sure it'll be a long night tonight. She sleeps with me when she's sick, because I like to know what's going on with her. And, if she doesn't sleep with me, we both get even LESS sleep, because she's up crying more...

lyme's? I hadn't heard much about that in this area, but that doesn't mean it's not a possibility. Would it have FOR SURE shown up in her bloodwork even if she wasn't experiancing symptoms at the time?

 

[mykidsand_i]

It's scary to read some of the stuff about health that's on the internet. I've been to WebMD and a few 'children's health' type of places and Boy, reading stuff like that really gets a person nervous. At times it's good to have the access to all this info. At other times it makes a parent worry more than they *maybe* need to!

 

[RitaZ.]

Yeah, he's done bloodwork on her twice now. Nothing was showing up that wasn't 'normal'. That's why he told me to bring her in when it starts- when her fever starts. BUT, I refuse to go to this WORTHLESS ER that we have in our town, they'd cause more problems than help!

Does your doctor have privileges at that hospital? If so, call him and tell him that you're taking your DD in. Ask him to meet you there.

I hope the doctors find what's causing her symptoms.

 

[Tiana]

.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

This is going to sound absolutely crazy, and totally out of left field, but could she be starting her puberty early? It's rare but not unheard of.

I think you should definitely try a new Dr. if you're not getting anywhere with her current one.

 

[tinkerbell198530]

 

[JessicaR]

When the fever hits does it progress into anything else? Does she get a cold/virus or any other symptoms? Just the fever?

When my son was younger he was very ill with many odd ailments. He also used to get bizarre high fevers that we could predict based on his behavior too. He is asthmatic and also has lots of allergies mostly to drugs. We went through a period of a few years of him being so sick most days. Hospitalized often and no definitive diagnosis. Interestingly at age 12 he has his tonsils and adenoids removed and his health increased drastically. His immune system was shot for many years and this was a major contributor. He was also on oral steroids for years and that keeps the immune system compromised.

I just wanted to say that I was very worried and believed there was something severely wrong that he would eventually be diagnosed with but that wasn't the case. He outgrew lots of things and strengthened his immune system and now he is rarely sick!

Blood work is a good place to start. Also have a Urinalysis done. Lyme antibody tests that was suggested is a good idea too. You are right on track with keeping a diary! That can be SO helpful to the doctors.

I hope you get to the bottom of it and she starts feeling better! Keep us posted please.

 

[mykidsand_i]

Yeah, my DD8 was sick A LOT durring kinder. too, but not like THIS. Once she got her tonsils out, she's not been sick more than once or twice since (that was almost two years ago now!)...I was thinking of asking the Dr. about the tonsils on her next visit- but I don't know if it would help her like it helped my DD8...for all I know it's completely different- who knows.

I've read some posts other places- health sites that have a few parents who are going through the same thing and 1/2 of them have been doing it for years with out finding the answer. It's really frustrating to not know! I can't imagine the stress of the parents who go through this longer than DH and I already have.

 

[Feralpeg]

OP, have you had her to the dentist recently? When my sister was young, she went through something similar. Our doctor was stumped. It got to the point that he thought maybe she had a brain tumor. He told my parents to take her to the Mayo Clinic. It turned out that she had an abscessed tooth. It caused her no pain. She just had high fevers and would be incredibly irritable. Sometimes, she would cry all night. I slept in the same room and it was horrible. Once the dentist pulled the abscessed baby tooth, she was fine. No further problems.

 

[buckler]

Did they check her thyroid?

 

[MEK]

FUO - fever of unknown origin. So this fever occurs about twice a month ....or is it more frequent? It sounds like there are no other accompanying symptoms other than irritability. It's logical that the behavior changes occur because of the ever, not in addition to. At least that's what I am hearing.

Having routine blood work come back normal is a good thing. Do you have any pediatric hospitals near your home? Talk to your primary and suggest an infectious disease specialist who handles pediatric cases. I don't think its normal for a child to spike a fever 2 - 3 X a month for 3 months. I think that requires further investigation. I am certainly not saying that to scare you. I am saying it because further investigation may uncover the cause of the fever. Certainly, outgrowing the fever might be a possibility.

Call your doctor first thing Monday morning and report the latest fever. Give details regarding duration, actual temperatures, and any accompanying symptoms. Then suggest a referral. Good luck!

 

[mykidsand_i]

I do believe that they did a thyroid check- it was one of the 'full bloodwork' tests that they did on her about 4 weeks ago. she's been sick twice since then, but the first time we were out of town (in a much smaller town with the closest Dr. being 30 minutes away...) and this second time now is obviously on a weekend.

He wanted to get more tests run as soon as she showed symptoms-or at least while she had symptoms...so, I'm actually hoping that she stays sick through Monday, because I'll take her in first thing Monday morning.

She was just at the dentist and had x-rays last week (it was a normal check up and cleaning)...all showed to be great with her teeth and gums. I would assume that an absess would show up on the X-Rays, so I would think that there's no absess. Good idea though! My brother had one and was MISERABLE!!!

 

[JessicaR]

Another suggestion that helped us greatly. Aside from keeping a health journal get copies of all tests including blood work and keep it in a folder. Bring this folder with you to all doctor appointments.

 

[Myothername]

This is going to sound absolutely crazy, and totally out of left field, but could she be starting her puberty early? It's rare but not unheard of.

I think you should definitely try a new Dr. if you're not getting anywhere with her current one.

I was thinking the exact same thing. One of my assistants has 3 daughters, 8, 6 and 5. The 6 year old has some of these symptoms, the irritability mostly but has others as well. As far as I know her daughter does not have the fevers but not for sure. If nothing else shows up you may want them to check for this. Her daughter has been through batteries of tests and is supposed to be getting an implant in her arm to halt the progression. It would be worth checking this out.

 

[mykidsand_i]

FUO - fever of unknown origin. So this fever occurs about twice a month ....or is it more frequent? It sounds like there are no other accompanying symptoms other than irritability. It's logical that the behavior changes occur because of the ever, not in addition to. At least that's what I am hearing.

Having routine blood work come back normal is a good thing. Do you have any pediatric hospitals near your home? Talk to your primary and suggest an infectious disease specialist who handles pediatric cases. I don't think its normal for a child to spike a fever 2 - 3 X a month for 3 months. I think that requires further investigation. I am certainly not saying that to scare you. I am saying it because further investigation may uncover the cause of the fever. Certainly, outgrowing the fever might be a possibility.

Call your doctor first thing Monday morning and report the latest fever. Give details regarding duration, actual temperatures, and any accompanying symptoms. Then suggest a referral. Good luck!

Yeah, it's about 2 times a month. Last month it was 3 times, but average is twice a month. We have a ped. hospital 60 miles away, which she's been seen at before and I have nothing but great things to say about it. I'm thinking that's where we'll be sent next time I talk to the Dr.

No- I know you're not trying to scare me. I'm certainly greatful for any thoughts and comments- no matter how broad the range is! i'm out of ideas on how to deal with this, other than to bring her elsewhere, but I don't want to have a 'wasted appointment' with ANY Dr...we're hoping to get this taken care of NOW- so any advise helps!

Thanks!