headache with loss of speech

[madlentileater]

ds (13) was taken to hospital by school yesterday- i met him there. Complaining of very bad headache, but had been at school unable to speak- could think of words in his head, but not make the sounds, was having to communicate by gesture. This was wearing off by the time i arrived, but not fully OK for about 90 mins. Also felt sick, pins and needles in one hand. Wierdest of all and most alarming to me, pupils different sizes.
Long, long wait in A & E, referred to peadiatric assessment unit, eventually discharged but to be referred to an eye person
Opinions, anyone? Is completely fine today but I have been watching him like a hawk.

[MadameCastafiore]

It sounds like hyperdysphasia (sp?)- I get it when I have a migraine - it is scarey not only for the person having the migraine but also the people around them. You think you are speaking normally but complete crap is coming out or you are trying to say something but forget certain words and then blab whilst trying to remember them.

I have been admitted to hospital with suspected strokes just from people seeing me struggling to speak whilst a migraine is coming on.

It really does sound like that is all it is.

Hope you get a proper answer though.

[madlentileater]

thank you, I had been wondering this since dd told me she once couldn't read whilst having a migraine (ie couldn't decode the print, not due to visual disturbance)
I've looked at a few migraine ws but only one reference to such severe speech problems. Trying hard not to look any further incase I freak myself out. Do your pupils go funny?

[DottyDot]

Hi - not sure if this will help but about 3 years ago I was admitted to hospital with suspected stroke/brain tumour because I'd had a bad headache and then got paralysis down one arm and across my mouth so I couldn't talk. I got this on and off for 2 - 3 days and then was eventually admitted. I also found it hard when I was having the episodes to figures things out like Soduko (was obsessed at the time!) and I couldn't touch type, even though I'm normally 90+ wpm.

It was really weird but after many tests and scans was put down to an atypical migraine.

It's terrifying, but fingers crossed it's nothing 'worse' than a migraine and I haven't had anything like it for the last 3 years (although have started to get visual migraines where my eyes go a bit funny).

Hope you get some answers soon.

[Boco]

My pupils used to do that when I had migraines as a child. I got them frequently for about 3 years when I was about 11 - 14, i'd get one pupil larger than the other, couldnt' think or speak properly, couldn't see properly and would be sick. I seemed to then grow out of them for years, and then have them occasionally again now.

[madlentileater]

this is reassuring thank you

[BCNS]

hope it's just a migrain issue for you.. as others have said it does happen, I too have suffered from this first time was when I was 12.
Have been sent to hospital because of suspected stroke and menangitis(sp) many a time.. always just a migrain. so fingers crossed for you.

[BCNS]

oh just want to add.. half of my mouth goes numb and pins and needles down my left side.. it's not so scary after the first time

[DottyDot]

Just to say I know this wasn't the point at all, but I'm also reassured by this thread! I always felt like a diagnosis of atypical migraine was a bit woolly - it's reassuring to hear others have really similar symptoms.

Anyway, fingers crossed madlentileater all's well with your ds.

[Mummyfor3]

Yep, sound like focal migraine.
He should be checked out further though to make sure that is what it is.

You might find this a useful not too scary link.

HTH.

[Mummyfor3]

Sorry, "sounds", of course

[madlentileater]

thanks.
what bothers me is that it was so much worse than 'speech problems'- he really couldn't speak like Boco and Dotty said.
Wierd that the drs didn't mention migraine. They did mention stroke, otoh. He will be checked out, but I can see if we start with an eye consultant because of the pupils we may be going round in circles for some time.
Fortunately being only 13 all the worst case options didn't occur to him so it was just me (and later dp) smiling bravely and saying 'well, we'll just have to wait till the doctors have had another look at you...'
they also seemed to suspect his food/drink might have been spiked, kept asking exactly what he'd had and had it been left anywhere.

[Mummyfor3]

My DH gets migraines with unequal pupils. Focal migrain often mimics stroke so being "dysphasic" (could understand but not form words) and even more pronounced paralysis of limbs can happen. V v scary, I know.
Of course you will be worried until he has been check out. In my opion, he needs to see a paediatric doctor or neurologist rather than an eye specialist.
Has he had migraines before?

[madlentileater]

No, but other dcs have, his brother esp at same kind of age- v debilitating but not with this dysphasia. I'll ring DS1 later and ask what he remembers.
Thanks for all this, I'm normally v laid back but this freaked me out (and his TA who kindly brought him to hospital...he has dyspraxia also, does anyone think that could be related?- he was trying to write what he wanted to say, but of course his writing is usually illegible anyway!)
Anyway he is now fine just frustrated because I haven't let him play football today.

[cory]

Dd had a similar situation with the speech when she had her last migraine attack a few weeks ago. She could bring out some sounds, but not complete words. She could remember that she is bilingual and kept trying to switch languages to see if she could do better in the other one, but couldn't remember whole words. Finally threw up over everything and started recovering.

[DesperateHousewifeToo]

I had these symptoms with a migraine when going through puberty too.

Soooooo long ago though that I cannot remember the details.

Only happened a few times and even though I have had a few migraine type headaches over the years, I have not had such extreme symtoms again.

I would imagine it could be strangely comforting that the medics are checking for the more serious causes first as these could have longer term consequences if not diagnosed early on, ifswim.

Good luck. Hope it was a one off.