Urgent medical question: what could this be???

[smschex]

I work in an ER at a children's hospital and have had children with very similar symptoms during each of the last 2 shifts I have worked. The kids have several days of fever, one had even been treated for strep as in your case. They awoke with calf pain so severe they refused to walk, but it gradually improved during the day. Their lab work showed a low white count, low h/h, and low platelets with elevated muscle enzyme levels. With IV fluids both felt much better and we were left with the diagnosis of some sort of virus. Both have recovered well by report. Hope all goes well for your loved one as well.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Hope you get this resolved quickly. Please let us know how he is doing!!

 

[mefordis]

Thank you so much for all of your replies and for sharing your experiences. They are testing for strep and Guiann Barre (sp?) disease. They say the later would be the worst case scenario. I hope they don't have to give him a spinal tap! I tend to believe it is strep, as many of you have shared similar experiences.

I'll let you know what I find out tomorrow!

 

[LisaNJ25]

I work in an ER at a children's hospital and have had children with very similar symptoms during each of the last 2 shifts I have worked. The kids have several days of fever, one had even been treated for strep as in your case. They awoke with calf pain so severe they refused to walk, but it gradually improved during the day. Their lab work showed a low white count, low h/h, and low platelets with elevated muscle enzyme levels. With IV fluids both felt much better and we were left with the diagnosis of some sort of virus. Both have recovered well by report. Hope all goes well for your loved one as well.

Sounds like what my toddlers have been going though since Friday. I had my 3yo in he ER yesterday and he had to have an IV. They have both had leg pain and want to be carried.

OP I hope he gets better soon.

 

[mommasita]

Thank you so much for all of your replies and for sharing your experiences. They are testing for strep and Guiann Barre (sp?) disease. They say the later would be the worst case scenario. I hope they don't have to give him a spinal tap! I tend to believe it is strep, as many of you have shared similar experiences.

I'll let you know what I find out tomorrow!

I wanted to mention Guillian Barre, but I am not a professional by any stretch. I saw my husband's cousin go through this 2 years ago, and he is fine today. He was sick, run down, and it gradually got to the point of him not walking or anything. It attacks the muscles, normally starting at the feet and going up.

He is at the right place, regardless of what it is. Prayers said for him.

 

[corndog]

DW had strep knee once. That was pretty freaky.

 

[smschex]

Something that might be a little reassuring, Guillain Barre usually has weakness not pain. It does begin in the legs and move upward as Mommasita mentioned.

 

[java]

I was in the hospital for an outpatient thing about 2 weeks ago - the result of a cold gone bad. It apparantly infected my lymph nodes and some glands resulting in some disgusting huge swollen neck. -Which led to the hospital after my local doctor said "this is beyond my skill level"
Um thanks.

So perhaps his infection has settled in knee joints? I know that mine was HARD and that's what concerned them but on a very strong antibiotic it got knocked out in about 2 days. If I didn't respond they were going to go in a lance it!

I hope your nephew is ok. They will take care of him.

 

[Tinijocaro]

These were the two main symptoms my 2nd son would get for strep-sever leg apin(to the point of crawling), and a rash. I bet the antibiotic didn't take care of the strep.

 

[Qtips4Mick]

Both my kids have had scarlet fever but they can diagnose that by the spots in the mouth. My totally non professional opinion would be rheumatic fever which is also very treatable! Good luck, I hope he feels better very soon!

 

[Beca]

Not a doctor here.....but, I think Guillian Barre is more often associated with paralysis rather than pain.

I hope they diagnose it, and fix it quickly!!



Hang in there!!

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

Flu, if he hasn't been eating and drinking, possibly he has gotten dehydrated and his potassium has gotten low and causing muscle cramps.

this is what I thought too.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I hope whatever it is they figure it out and it is not serious. I will be saying prayers for your family.

 

[kellyg403]

My oldest ds had step in his knee several years ago. As another said, he had strep throat a few weeks/days diagnosed before and then we ended up in the emergency room because he barely could walk he was in so much pain. A shot and some IV and he was home. A new round of antibiotics went home with us. This same son about 4 months later got a staph infection on his face from a cut on his foot It was an odd thing!

When my then 2 year old and 11 yo dd's got chicken pox, they both ended up with Scarlet Fever on day 3. They both had 103 fevers and along withthe pox had a red rash on their torso's, and diaper area. Another ER visit and both ended up in the hospital in quarantine. For the pox, not the scarlet fever. It was a mess but scarlet fever is really treatable. Both girls had been diagnosed with strep about 10 days before they broke out. Dr said more than likely their immune system was so compromised they got both the pox and the scarlett fever because the antibiotibs were not strong enough.

I hope all is well with your little guy! Many to you and your family!

Kelly

 

[disney kid at heart]

There is a rash too.

Thanks again.

Scarlett fever is a complication of strep which can be cause of rash. Hope he gets better reall soon.

 

[nursetink]

I work in an ER at a children's hospital and have had children with very similar symptoms during each of the last 2 shifts I have worked. The kids have several days of fever, one had even been treated for strep as in your case. They awoke with calf pain so severe they refused to walk, but it gradually improved during the day. Their lab work showed a low white count, low h/h, and low platelets with elevated muscle enzyme levels. With IV fluids both felt much better and we were left with the diagnosis of some sort of virus. Both have recovered well by report. Hope all goes well for your loved one as well.

Becky,

I am thinking my daughter is one of the two you are referring to.
She was seen last Wednesday.

 

[jesseiann]

I had something like that happen around the same age. My doctor said it was rheumatic fever. Mine pain was in the knee though. It can be very dangerous and cause heart problems. Luckily, they caught it early enough for me and I didn't have any lasting effects. Mine was diagnosed through x-rays. Hopefully, his is something minor.

 

[smschex]

Becky,

I am thinking my daughter is one of the two you are referring to.
She was seen last Wednesday.

Could be. We had an almost identical story early this week too. Seeing two of the same thing always makes me feel better about saying things are caused by some unknown virus.

Hope your daughter is doing better, whoever saw her. Nice to see a fellow Arkansan Dis-in'.

 

[mefordis]

Many of you were right in the diagnosis!! It was strep that travelled to the muscles in his legs! He is home and on antibiotics and doing just fine! Thank you so much for your support. It was so helpful in getting my brother through the night at the children's hospital. I emailed him all of your responses and they were so reassuring to him. He had his blackberry with him at the hospital and was able to check his messages through the night.

Thank you again!

 

[smschex]

So happy to hear he is better. Thanks for the update!