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Original poster

Three year old complaining of tired legs/being tired all the time

70 replies

Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 10:42

DS is three and has low iron, but takes a supplement (highest dose possible) and has never complained of feeling tired before, he's usually a bundle of energy.

Recently he's been saying his legs are tired and he wants to be carried up the stairs, and wants to make dens and lie down saying he's tired.

He's still pretty active - yesterday he was on his scooter the whole 30 minute walk to town and back, spent an hour running around soft play, played bike races with a friend then went to another friend's house to play and was still scampering about when he got in. He's not falling asleep during the day but it sleeping really well at night (not unusual, we are lucky and he always has) but I'm wondering if this is just because he's been using his scooter and bike a lot more (we have ditched the pushchair more and more recently) or whether something to keep an eye on.

I wondered if it could be a growth spurt as he's under average height at the moment so due to shoot up again. He's still eating well, playing normally, seems full of energy when at soft play etc...

Today for example after yesterday's busy day he's saying he's tired and wants to lie down - he's my first so I;'m not sure how much activity is reasonable for knackering them out!

OP posts:
Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 16:35

Anyone?

OP posts:
HumourReplacementTherapy · 26/07/2023 16:42

Is he needing to wee a lot? Keep an eye, I don't want to alarm you as you only mention the tiredness but I have type 1 diabetes and when my blood glucose is high, my legs ache it's akin to a fluey feeling.
Tiredness\excessive thirst is also a sign.
Just be aware and if he has any of the other symptoms I've mentioned then it's an A&E job.

MotorOilHeiress · 26/07/2023 16:42

Could be just a growth spurt. Though my child complained about the same and after blood tests he was diagnosed with low calcium and low vit d. So maybe ask for bloods to rule anything else out.

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WolfFoxHare · 26/07/2023 16:46

How does he look? Is he paler than usual? Do you know why he’s anaemic? Does he eat ok?

I would definitely keep an eye on it but try not to worry too much. DS went through something similar when he was around 4 - saying he was cold and tired all the time, complaining about leg aches… he had some blood tests but everything came up normal, and he stopped complaining about it after a couple of months. Maybe a post viral thing? Or just ‘one of those things’…

ghostbusters · 26/07/2023 16:47

Hmm makes sense they he's having a tired day/sore legs today she being so busy yesterday especially if he has low iron. If he's keeping up and happy being active, I wouldn't restrict him.

I have 2 boys in primary school, neither has complained of sore legs during a growth spurt but that's not to say it's unusual. They noticeably eat a lot more before they have a spurt in height.

Are the doctors investigating why he has low iron? Has coeliac disease been ruled out?

ghostbusters · 26/07/2023 16:50

*after being so busy

TropicalTrama · 26/07/2023 16:50

Mine did this until about 5. It was totally behavioural- I want to watch TV on a big pile of cushions on the floor and I like being carried up to bed. She’d even do the ‘my legs hurt’ whinge and slump on the stairs. But offer 5 minutes of TV in our bed and miraculously a full recovery is made. If they’re never tired when at soft play/the playground/a friend’s house then I don’t think there’s anything to be worried.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 26/07/2023 16:58

Have they investigated why he is anaemic? When did he last have his bloods checked?

I'd take him back to the GP.

Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:00

@WolfFoxHare hes a fair child anyway but does look a bit paler. I don’t know why he’s anaemic it’s never been investigated as apparently is very common in children and as I say has previously never even shown any signs of it - it was discovered after some blood tests for something else.

he’s not weeing a lot and doesn’t seem excessively thirsty but I will keep an eye.

he’s eating really well, actually seems very hungry, and he has a vitamin D drop every day as well as iron and sambucol liquid.

OP posts:
Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:01

@Girliefriendlikespuppies January I think. It’s due again end of august. They’ve never investigated it and not seemed concerned even though it hasn’t gone back up to “normal” level even with the supplement, it’s always been just under that at the highest.

OP posts:
Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:02

He never says they’re sore, to clarify, only that they’re tired.

he hasn’t been tested for coeliac as far as I know, can that cause low iron? His weight is good but he’s under average for height.

seems healthy otherwise though, last year he caught everything going this year I think he’s been ill once very briefly (touches all wood )

OP posts:
Brk · 26/07/2023 17:03

My son and most of his classmates get horrible leg pains sometimes. Massage helps.

Stickytreacle · 26/07/2023 17:07

Is he bruising more easily? Id go back to the gp's just to be on the safe side.

Ottolenghilover · 26/07/2023 17:08

Yes, anemia can be caused by coeliac disease, the body cannot absorb sufficient iron from food or OTC supplements. Coeliac disease in children is usually indicated by anemia, difficulty gaining weight & tiredness. There is a screening blood test which if positive requires a bowel biopsy to confirm diagnosis

Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:11

@Stickytreacle its hard to say as he’s really boisterous and always flinging himself around so he always has bruises on his knees/legs elbows. He has more bruises at the moment but those are from scooter tumbles and jumping on his knees (don’t ask) but he’s always bruised easily, he’s the same as me. He doesn’t have any in what I would consider odd places - back/tummy/other places on the arms etx.

OP posts:
Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:12

@Ottolenghilover love your username. He is a heavier weight than you’d expect for his height so he doesn’t have trouble gaining weight

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ghostbusters · 26/07/2023 17:12

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/about-coeliac-disease/what-are-coeliac-disease-symptoms/

Absolutely it can cause anaemia. When you have CD, eating gluten damages the gut lining so no nutrients can be absorbed. They might otherwise be well and eating well, the gut just can't absorb the goodness from the food.

I wouldn't be happy with no investigation into anaemia especially if he eats a varied diet. It's a blood test initially but make sure he eats lots of gluten (bread, weetabix, pasta, biscuits etc) in the run up to being tested. Don't try cutting it out, even if the doctor suggests a trial first (that's really bad advice).

Coeliac disease symptoms

Possible symptoms of coeliac disease may include: diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, bloating, anaemia, tiredness, mouth ulcers. Learn more:

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/about-coeliac-disease/what-are-coeliac-disease-symptoms

Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:19

I might request a blood test form for a full blood count this next week for his iron level check instead of in august - our GP is usually pretty good with playing it so shouldn’t be a problem.
I suffer from bad health anxiety so hate anything like this and his iron levels always play on my mind as I panic there’s something underlying. It has never been explained why it’s low only to say it’s common.

OP posts:
Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:21

I think they’ve always ruled out coeliac because he’s always gained weight well

OP posts:
Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:24

If I remember rightly they also told me there are different types of “low iron” and because some of his levels were okay, they weren’t worried but I can’t remember which way round they were. I’ll ask for the report when I speak to the GP. He’s also under a paediatrician for something else (a check up related to family history) and they are aware of his low iron and haven’t raised any concerns either although as I say it’s always bothered me. It’s almost like his body doesn’t keep hold of it properly because it only ever seems to increase a little bit

OP posts:
WolfFoxHare · 26/07/2023 17:44

Have you tried feeding him foods rich in iron as well as supplements? Just to give him extra?

JenniferBarkley · 26/07/2023 17:53

TropicalTrama · 26/07/2023 16:50

Mine did this until about 5. It was totally behavioural- I want to watch TV on a big pile of cushions on the floor and I like being carried up to bed. She’d even do the ‘my legs hurt’ whinge and slump on the stairs. But offer 5 minutes of TV in our bed and miraculously a full recovery is made. If they’re never tired when at soft play/the playground/a friend’s house then I don’t think there’s anything to be worried.

It's the same here with our five year old, but OP in your case I'd get him seen given you know there's a problem.

Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:58

@JenniferBarkley the only problem is the iron which I’ve been told isn’t a problem :-/ but now I’m worrying! I will speak to the GP.
DH thinks it’s because we’ve ditched the pushchair more and more recently and he’s been scooting/biking everywhere so he’s not particularly worried

OP posts:
Original poster
Reesewithafork · 26/07/2023 17:59

@WolfFoxHare unfortunately he won’t eat a lot of them but he does have a fair bit of red meat. I’ve also recently started giving him a little bit of orange juice when I give him iron to help him absorb it

OP posts:
DeedlessIndeed · 26/07/2023 18:05

Right, I'll preface this by saying this is a rare case I'm sure, and I don't want to scare anyone.

But, a colleague's 3 yr old daughter kept complaining about leg pain, and was notably fatigued. Mentioned it to GP, but didn't really push as thought it was usual growing pains.

Then one day, nursery called colleague and said that little one was just completely wiped out, really lethargic and basically napping at nursery. Colleague took daughter to A&E, where they had an xray and basically found cancer in legs/hips etc and was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer.

I cannot express enough how I don't want to scare/frighten anyone, and it is so highly unlikely that this is the same. But before this happened to my colleague I would have probably put the pain down to growing pains etc. Thank goodness colleague pushed and got it checked out and could start treatment early. And it scares me that I'm not sure I wouldn't have written it off in the same situation :/