Why can't/won't my 3yo walk this morning?

[OrangeGinLemonFanta]

Fit and healthy 3yo boy, went to bed last night absolutely fine (although thinking about it he's complained of non-specific 'ow' the last few days). He's been up since 4.55am and can't or won't weight bear on his right leg. He wouldn't walk to the kitchen for chocolate, and he tried to get up to hug his sister good morning distracted and seemed to realise it hurt. No obvious injury or swelling and he's had infant nurofen. Any ideas? Thanks.

Definitely time for an out-of-hours or GP visit today I would say. Ring 111 and get booked in while it's nice a quiet in these early hours.

Could be [[https://www.google.com/amp/s/familydoctor.org/condition/transient-synovitis-of-the-hip/amp/ transient synovitis]]

See your GP to rule anything else out

It could well be that, he has his right foot turned out when he tries to stand. Thanks. Looks like I need to dust the buggy off for the school run.

I have known this happen to a couple of children. In both cases they recovered quickly and the underlying cause wasn’t serious but it’s important that you phone your GP today in case it is something that needs attention.

My DD had this when she was 3, her legs literally buckled underneath her. She woke up calling me, I told her to come into my room, she commando crawled in & couldn’t stand or climb on the bed. We went to A&E, she had X-rays, blood tests etc & they decided that it was a result of her having a virus. She’d not had any temperatures or signs of being ill. About 2 days later she was able to walk again, but still wobbly & her legs hurt her for a few weeks after & she couldn’t walk or scoot very far. They did a couple of follow ups in Paediatrics over the following weeks but she was fine. There was one other child’s in the A&E that morning who strangely had exactly the same symptoms.

DS has this when he was 18 months old. It was reactive arthritis and he spent several days in hospital. Does your DS also have a fever? Does his right knee or ankle feel hot?
Definitely one for checking out ASAP.

If it is what posters above are suggesting it would be helpful to give ibruprofen.

I've had viral arthritis as a result of parvovirus. Painful.

My DS stopped walking for a few days when he had hand foot and mouth - he was crawling bless him so he didn't have to put pressure on his sore feet!

I work in a GP surgery and have been told if a child can't weight bear then we should advise they should be taken to A&E. I can't remember why as she went into a bit of detail of what it could be. Hope your son is ok.

Go to A&E. this needs an X-ray or USS for synovitis/slipped epiphysis/arthritis.

There's a virus that does that. Whenever I've been to A&E in the morning there's always been 1-2 children in with that.
You do need an x-ray though to rule out more sinister things , so go to A&E.
It's very quiet at the moment. Ours you have temperature taken on the door, and if any risk of Covid then you are sent to a separate ward.

My boy had this at 4. At first we thought he was pretending as he had not had any accidents or injuries but then he was playing and would go to walk and be in pain and stumble. We went to gp who sent us straight to A&E. It turns out he had irritable hip but it presents exactly the same as a more serious illness which needs medication as soon as possible so gps will send to a&e as they have to rule out the more serious illness. The hospital were brilliant and saw him straight away. He had about 2weeks where he struggled to walk - we had to dig out his old pushchair from the loft. But since then he’s been absolutely fine, no lasting consequences - very sporty, always running around etc (now 7years old).

Thank you all, but (maybe because the nurofen has kicked in?) the little bugger has made a miraculous recovery and is running round right as rain

I've known this in a child, woke up after a nap and couldnt walk. She had fluid on the hip. Keep an eye on him after nurofen wears off incase it has masked what ever was wrong.

I was about to suggest A&E but I would now make a GP appointment

Op, we had happen one day. After nurofen better. After massive poo, absolutely fine. Had to cancel GP appt. Turns out he was so full of poo and gass it was putting pressure somwhere on his right hip/leg joint. 😆. Obviously it could be a number of things, so keep an eye on it. Just putting my 2cents in. Hopw it's nothing serious.

I'll keep an eye on him. Think he may still be a bit sore, he's in a bloody foul temper!