Stiff neck?

[sunlver]

My 8 yr old woke up crying from a horrible stiff neck last night.Apparently it was the first time it has happened to her. My husband went in there and massaged her neck and I gave her some Tylenol. I know Motrin is better but we didnt have any. It took her an hour to calm down and go back to sleep. I wake her up for school she said she felt ok. I told her to get dressed, after 20 minutes she came into my room and was crying said her neck still hurt bad and she couldnt get dressed. She loves to go to school, and didnt want to today. I wasnt sure if a dr visit was needed. I went to Walgreens and got her some Children's motrin and it seemed to do the trick. Within an hour, she was feeling better and could move her neck without pain. Within 2 hrs she had full range of motion, could move her head side to side, up and down etc...She had no other symptoms of anything else.

I posted this on another Mommy type message board, and right away all these ladies said "It could be Mennigitis?

Would you all assume because my 8 yr old daughter woke up crying with a stiff neck at 3:30am and still had it at 8am it was Mennigitis? I was on the verge of calling the dr, until the Motrin kicked in. She has been resting all day and taking it easy. Now at almost 4:30 she seesm almost back to normal, is sitting there doing homework.

These other ladies on the other board must think I am slack at being a mother because I didnt rush her to the dr thinking it could be mennigits.

Would you take your child to the dr for a stiff neck???

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I would probably Google the symptoms of meningitis and if she wasn't exhibiting any other symptom, I wouldn't even think about going to the doctor. (Disclaimer: I'm not sure if there ARE any other symptoms...there may not be for all I know. I didn't look it up. ). I always assume that waking up with a stiff neck just means you slept in an awkward position. Especially if it felt better that quickly.

 

[JunieJay]

I doubt its meningitis but I'd take her to the pediatricians just for peace of mind.

 

[themarquis]

ummm... wow ... well if you listen to some moms, everyone should be running off to the doctor 24/7

I'm assuming your kid has no fever, no flu-like symptoms, no nothing? Is acting normal, doesn't seem sick?

I suppose it's theoretically possible to have meningitis and have ZERO symptoms of illness. But give me a break! When does that happen? I mess up my neck all the time, and so does pretty much everyone else in the universe... running off to the doctor seems pretty rediculous to me. This is all completely IMO of course!

 

[sunlver]

But my question is... why does a stiff neck correlate to meningitis? She has no fever, no headache, no rash. She has ate fine all day long. She claims nothing else hurts her. She is up and moving around and not complaining., not crying.
I have woken up with stiff necks from sleeping with too many pillows or just at an odd angle. I have woken up with my arm being asleep from sleeping on my side.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

A stiff neck is one of the symptoms...and children are more prone to meningitis than adults (I think?). They're just being cautious.

 

[Pirate Me]

At 8 years old, I would take her to the Dr. just to be safe.

 

[freckles and boo]

My five-year-old came home from school not 15 minutes ago with this note in her backpack...

Dear Parent/Guardian,

There has been a case of viral meningitis reported at C School. This is not the same as bacterial meningitis which is much more serious. Much like a cold, viral menigitis is spread by contact with the droplets from the nose and mouth. etc etc.

It goes on to list the symptoms, including stiff neck. So, yes, I might call a doctor, but I would have a legitimate reason to.

 

[Parkhopper]

Trust your own instincts. When my DS was 6, he had a stiff neck that didn't seem to bother him, but we noticed that he was turning his entire body instead of just turning his head. Of course everything always happens on the weekend and by Sunday night I was worried enough to take him to the After Care Clinic to have a Doctor look at him. They asked if he could touch his chin to his chest and said, "Well, he doesn't have meningitis. Just take him home."

The next day he still was unable to move his head so DH took him to his Pediatrician who IMMEDIATELY ordered a consult with the Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor downstairs in the building. Several X-Rays later, DS was admitted to the hospital because he had a very serious infection in the soft tissue of his throat.

I'm not trying to alarm you, just...if it doesn't sit right with you, have it checked out. DS had no fever (he almost NEVER runs a fever) and had no other symptoms other than his neck feeling stiff. I would feel better knowing that I had it checked out.

I hope your child feels much better soon!

Suzi

 

[Crankyshank]

DH had menigitis. this time of year is when viral menigitis seems to be the most prevalent. His symptoms were flu-like with the worst migraine of his life that eventually traveled to his neck.
If she only has a stiff neck and no other problems, it's more likely she slept on it wrong, but if she runs a temp or starts exhibiting other symptoms I would call the Dr.

 

[talulabelle]

Two of my boys woke up about a year ago and both had stiff necks. (One was stuck to the left and one to the right - so they couldn't look at each other ) I freaked and thought it must be meningitis or else they wouldn't BOTH have it, it couldn't just be a coincidence that they both had one at the same time) I took them to the Dr. and he said that although stiff neck is a symptom of meningitis, it is usually the LAST thing a kid will complain about if they have meningitis, a kid with meningitis is SO sick that they often don't even realize their neck is stiff because they don't even want to move or get out of bed. They would be complaining of all the other flu like illness symtoms first. So if your child is fine in every other way, it is probably not meningitis, but just a stiff neck. The doctor said that my boys had contracted a virus that was causing it and it was nothing to worry about. One of them had passed the virus to the other, and that is why they both had the stiff neck at the same time.

 

[CathrynRose]

But my question is... why does a stiff neck correlate to meningitis? She has no fever, no headache, no rash. She has ate fine all day long. She claims nothing else hurts her. She is up and moving around and not complaining., not crying.
I have woken up with stiff necks from sleeping with too many pillows or just at an odd angle. I have woken up with my arm being asleep from sleeping on my side.

My son's friend had meningitis this summer.

He was in PAIN. Not just a stiff neck. He was a miserable mess - a ridiculous bad headache, vomiting, fever, lethargic - all sorts of fun stuff - and all within a few hours. It progressed crazy quick. Enough so, that his single father with no insurance rushed him to the emergency room, late night.

So no - I dont think your daughter has meningitis. I think she has a stiff neck.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

If you are concerned enough to ask about it on a message board, I would suggest taking her to a doctor just to be safe.

 

[CathrynRose]

My five-year-old came home from school not 15 minutes ago with this note in her backpack...

Dear Parent/Guardian,

There has been a case of viral meningitis reported at C School. This is not the same as bacterial meningitis which is much more serious. Much like a cold, viral menigitis is spread by contact with the droplets from the nose and mouth. etc etc.

It goes on to list the symptoms, including stiff neck. So, yes, I might call a doctor, but I would have a legitimate reason to.

Yeah - BUT, but, but, but.... there's no 'cure' for viral meningitis. No med's either... it's IS pretty much a cold in your brain.

So, when my son started getting sick, I immediately went to the DR and he told me that the only way to test for it, is to drain Spinal Fluid. And even after youve been tested, even if you come back positive, it just has to run it's course.

My son didnt get it. But I also said 'no thanks' to the spinal fluid draining.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Yeah - BUT, but, but, but.... there's no 'cure' for viral meningitis. No med's either... it's IS pretty much a cold in your brain.

So, when my son started getting sick, I immediately went to the DR and he told me that the only way to test for it, is to drain Spinal Fluid. And even after youve been tested, even if you come back positive, it just has to run it's course.

My son didnt get it. But I also said 'no thanks' to the spinal fluid draining.

First of all, they can treat it and do...with bed rest, fluids, and analgesics to treat the fever and reduce pain. Also, for serious cases (usually with children) they will administer antiviral drugs. I think what you meant is that it isn't treated by antibiotics. Not only that but it's CONTAGIOUS! That's why it's important to be diagnosed so that you can be kept in isolation and not spread it to other people, especially vulnerable people who could die from it. Any doctor who suspects meningitis and just sends a child home is not a good doctor in my opinion.

 

[CathrynRose]

First of all, they can treat it

Any doctor who suspects meningitis and just sends a child home is not a good doctor in my opinion.

Relax Smith Family....

Considering his only 'complaint' was a mild headache, I consider it being a 'good doctor' to not drain spinal fluid beacause someone has a headache.

And viral meningitis is NOT airborne contagious. So, unless you lick everything you come in contact with, you dont need to be 'quarantined'

 

[campinggal]

Wow- what a coincidence...this is the first day in over a week where I haven't had a stiff neck!

I had no other symptoms other than a stiff neck so I figured it was some sort of virus that just had to run its course for at least 7 to 10 days. It if persisted longer, I was going to call the Dr but since I had no other symptoms, I was going to wait it out. Sure enough, on day 9, today, it has gone away.

You're the Mom- if it makes you feel more comfortable to check in with the Dr- go for it.

 

[tinkryansmom]

Gosh I guess I am in the minority but if I have a stiff neck - I go to the chiropractor. And would certainly not hesitate to take my DD if she woke up in the middle of the night with these complaints.

Go ahead - flame away.

But I guess that is what makes us all different. I agree with OP - if you are concerned call the Dr.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Relax Smith Family....

Considering his only 'complaint' was a mild headache, I consider it being a 'good doctor' to not drain spinal fluid beacause someone has a headache.

And viral meningitis is NOT airborne contagious. So, unless you lick everything you come in contact with, you dont need to be 'quarantined'

I'm sorry but you are misinformed. I have had to deal with viral meningitis both on a personal level and at the professional level. While most people do recover, it does have to be treated immediately.

In your initial post you said "when your son started to get sick". I assumed you had reason to take him to the doctor beyond a mild headache. You also said that you were told that there was nothing that could be done about viral meningitis and that it just had to run its course. I thought it was important to pick up on that because, like I said, this is plain wrong.

I don't know how much you researched this but it's pretty easy to find out the viral meningitis is spread through person-to-person contact or through insects and even sometimes through stool, depending on the virus. The grand majority of the time (if not always) people with meningitis are put into isolation at the hospital.

I'm not saying that the OP has any reason to suspect meningitis. This is definitely a related tangent but that is a serious issue. Not to pick on you, Cathryn Rose, but it seemed like you were playing it off as no big deal.

 

[miss missy]

#1 question a DR asks is can they "touch his chin to his chest"?

I wouldn't worry if he can, unless he has other symptoms