arthiris in children with CP.

[mieow]

I took DS to the docs on friday as he has been complaining of pain in his left knee (his worse affected leg) He has been waking at night screaming in pain and crying. On friday he fell down and couldn't get up because of the pain. The doctors said it might be arthiris and has given him Calpofen to ease the pain, but its if not any better in 3 weeks I have to take him back and he will arrange a x-ray.
Now is this common in children with CP? and could the way he walks have caused this?

[lou33]

Ds2 had exactly this a couple of weeks ago. He couldn't do his weight bearing physio because the pain was making him cry, and the night times, he was having lots of pain and clonus. We got an emergency appointment to see the paed, and had x rays done, which came up all clear, so we think it was because his baclofen (muscle relaxant) was not a hig enough dose. It's been doubled now, and he seems to be ok. The physio also thought it could have been a bursitis (housemaids knee), although there was no swelling. Is the knee swollen, hot or red?

[mieow]

He isn't on Baclofen, though I did ask about it. I have managed to get a appointment in 3 weeks with his Paed, and have also phoned GOS Locomotor clinic, she will be phoning me tomorrow, DS has an appointment on wednesday for recasting of his splints so will talk to them too. HIs knee is slightly swollen.
Beeninto school today and asked them to give him the meds at lunchtime, and for him not to do PE till we find out what is going on (which made him happy as he hates PE!!

[lou33]

Does he spend a lot of time on the floor? Ds2 is only 3, but he crawls everywhere, which is why they thought he had housemaids knee originally. No redness or heat is a good thing.

[mieow]

Hi Lou, he doesn't spend that much time on the floor as he is walking and when he sits down he has a Heathfield chair at home and school. In carpet time at school he sits on a small stool, as he isn't allowed to sit on the floor as he W-sits.
He still is having pain, especially first thing
in the morning, and he is on Calpofen three times a day. The school have a bottle and give him the 5mls at lunchtime and have told me that should he get bad after then they will phone me to pick him up. He is very happy that he doesn't have to do PE

[lou33]

I bet he is . Iirc signs of arthritis are redness, heat, swelling. Can you ask the gp to give you some xray forms for the hospital and get them done while you are waiting for the other appt to come through?