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Original poster

DS can't walk after flu - anyone's DC had this?

43 replies

IHeartKingThistle · 31/03/2019 23:32

He's been seen by the hospital but just wondering if anyone has a bit of reassuring experience for me.

DS is 9 and has had a non-specific virus (probably flu) since Wednesday. He's been really quite unwell but yesterday was doing well, temp down etc. He woke up this morning with what we initially thought was cramp in one of his calf muscles but soon realised he couldn't weight bear at all and was in a lot of pain when he tried.

111 told us to go to A and E. He's been thoroughly checked including bloods and C rays and all fine except slightly low white blood cells (from the flu?) which they want to retest in a couple of weeks. They said no problems, post viral, and to give him painkillers and let him rest. Could be a few days apparently.

This is something that can happen after flu apparently but I have never heard of it. Have you? I'd really like to know how long it lasted if it happened to your DC. He's being very good but is so frustrated.

Disclaimer: I tried to get him vaccinated but he's allergic to raw egg and I have asked the GP repeatedly to order him the egg free version with no success Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
IHeartKingThistle · 31/03/2019 23:33

X rays not C rays!

OP posts:
NuffSaidSam · 31/03/2019 23:35

None of mine have had this, but there was a thread about this not that long ago. It was a baby that couldn't walk after a viral infection, lots of people said they/their DC had been similarly affected to it must be quite common!

PersonaNonGarter · 31/03/2019 23:39

My old flat mate had something like this. Took some weeks to fully recover.

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Mner2019 · 31/03/2019 23:42

DS had it approx 2 weeks after having had diarrhoea. The amount of pain he was in was horrific. Ended up in a & e as well. They said it was quite common after a virus. I think it took about a week to get back up to full strength.

Hope your son feels better soon

Muddlingalongalone · 31/03/2019 23:43

Dd had something similar sounding about 18 months ago. We went to emergency gp twice in 4 days and second time they sent us up to hospital for an x-ray rule out anything nasty. It went away by itself, with ibuprofen, about 5 days later.
I can't remember what they called it but it was considered quite common in young children.

Busholive · 31/03/2019 23:51

Post viral fatigue which can also be called chronic fatigue (if it goes in for a while) can come on after a virus. I had this for a few months when I was a kid after a sore throat. I was 11, I've heard it can be more common during puberty.

Have a google if you've never heard of it, just so that you're aware but don't let it scare you too much. I'm not sure if one of the symptoms is pain? I was too exhausted to stand exhausted rather than being in pain.

Though It's so early to start worrying about Chronic fatigue, though I can, of course, see why you were alarmed! Fingers crossed that in another week or two he'll be back to his normal self Flowers

HappyHoppy · 31/03/2019 23:51

My son had this aged 3 - irritable hip syndrome, probably post viral. It cleared up quickly (48 hours?) but he had to have various tests at a&e to rule out more serious issues

Original poster
IHeartKingThistle · 01/04/2019 00:00

OK , MN agrees its a thing! I can't believe I didn't know this could happen. Thanks x

Sounds like it could last a whileSad
He's supposed to be singing in our local schools' talent show on Thursday - guess he might not be now. Poor kid already missed his cup final yesterday. Still, if it's nothing serious it's a big relief.

OP posts:
babyno5 · 01/04/2019 00:13

My youngest daughter had flu when she was 4 and a few days later had severe pain in her legs-couldn't walk. She also had a very strange rash. The rash panicked me for obvious reasons and I rushed to A&E with her. She was diagnosed with Henoch-Schönlein purpura. We had to check her urine for blood twice daily but it cleared up after couple of weeks

FloofenHoofen · 01/04/2019 00:17

My DD when she was 5 had this too. Started out with a cold, ended up with her limping every time she tried to walk. Took to doctors, they said it was viral.

It took about a week to clear up.

frogfacemcgee · 01/04/2019 00:18

My 3 year old DD had post-viral irritable hip. Completely unable to walk for two days, and I was horrified, but the A&E doctors said it was quite common.

Lisette1940 · 01/04/2019 00:19

This happened to me when I was a child. I told my mum that I couldn't walk to the bathroom and she wouldn't believe me. My legs wouldn't work at all. GP said it was a bad dose of flu.

eagleray · 01/04/2019 00:23

This happened to DD a couple of years ago - she had a flu-like illness which really persisted and then one day she got up and fell over, then fell over again. By the end of the day she had lost all feeling in her legs.

To cut a long story short, it turned out she had Guillain Barre syndrome, an autoimmune disease which can be triggered by infection (although is v rare in children). She was in hospital for a long time and had to learn to walk again, and is likely to have a permanent degree of disability.

It's unlikely your son has this, but do get any strange symptoms checked out. I was slightly dismissed as an overanxious mother at the start but once the paralysis took over, they acted very quickly

itswinetime · 01/04/2019 00:23

I haven't seen it but have also heard others tell similar stories so I'm sure it can happen.

My one word of warning would be to keep any eye on it (I'm sure you will be without me saying anything). If it starts spreading or he starts complaining of strange sensations anywhere else go straight back to A&E get him rechecked.

SummerScoop · 01/04/2019 00:24

Ds3 had this after a viral infection, really worrying as I had never heard of it before but he was much better after a few days
.

ThunderStorms · 01/04/2019 00:25

Get Guillan barre ruled out ASAP. The sooner you act to treat this the better and far better to be safe than sorry. It’s scary how many health professionals overlook it.

acatcalledjohn · 01/04/2019 00:29

I was also going to suggest Guillain-Barré as something to mention to the doctor and have ruled out. I know someone (adult) who had it and it took months of physio to get back to normal (but he is back to normal).

It's unlikely it is that given your DS's age, but it can happen and it's something that can be triggered by a viral infection such as the flu.

Original poster
IHeartKingThistle · 01/04/2019 08:42

Oh my goodness! Would the blood tests he had yesterday rule that out? How do they test for it?

He can't stand at all this morning, but it's definitely a sharp pain when he tries, not loss of feeling.

OP posts:
acatcalledjohn · 01/04/2019 11:47

Reading up on it it's a lumbar puncture to test spinal fluid. But as a condition in itself it's rare in kids.

Still, better ruled out than not. I don't know enough about it, just one person I know has had it. But if some symptoms fit there is no harm in bringing it up with your HCP to have it ruled out.

I can't really speak for parents as I'm not one myself, but if it was me I wouldn't expect or accept severe limb pain and an inability to stand after a flu as normal, and I would fight to have anything sinister ruled out.

Sooverthemill · 01/04/2019 11:56

If she has only had the flu since last Wednesday ( somless than a week?) this could just be flu still. There are a few things that could be triggered by a virus or a different from flu virus that she has. But my DD has never got out of bed following 'the flu' 6 and a half years ago. She has incredibly severe ME and is really ill. I pushed and pushed for medical support for her and it took almost 8 months to get a really good paediatrician finally gave a diagnosis. I'm not saying your DD has this but just saying if your gut says something is wrong, you may be right. I hope she feels better soon

Sooverthemill · 01/04/2019 11:57

Sorry I can see it's your DS, I've used wrong pronouns

BillywigSting · 01/04/2019 11:59

This happened to me as a teenager. My joints were agony so couldn't weight bear for about a week, maybe ten days. They were tender for a few weeks after and I got very tired very quickly too. This was after the flu that put me in hospital with a very high temp that wasn't coming down

WendyCope · 01/04/2019 12:13

eagleRay this makes me shudder. OP 3 years ago I also had Guillain Barre and was in hospital paralysed for 4 months, totally undiagnosed by the hospital.. Only in the physio hospital did they tell me what I had had.

You need to act quickly as it was too late for treatment by then. Just long months of learning to walk. Sit up etc.

It travelled up my legs and arms and reached my lungs and I couldn't breathe. I was on life support in a coma for a month.

I am sure it's not this, but be aware of it. My experience of diagnosis was appalling.

I am back to normal but have terrible anxiety about walking still and can't run or write properly.

Walkerbean16 · 01/04/2019 12:14

My nephew had it last month, he couldnt walk for two weeks, he had fluid on his hips.

WendyCope · 01/04/2019 12:18

I got it after getting chicken pox from DD. My friend's father got it after a flu jab (he was an ambulance man so luckily self diagnosed and admitted himself straight away)

It is incredibly rare, but, having said that I know and see on here, that many people know someone who has had it.

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