Urgent, why would a 11 year old child lose vision for two mins after suddenly feeling unwell

[CanAnyoneGiveSomeAdvice]

Currently in a and e

child normally healthy and well
had lunch suddenly felt unwell
stomach pains
then went dizzy calmly lost vision for 2
mins
was sick
then after approx 2 mins vision loss
pure blackness

drs checking for appendicitis

I’m not sure giving him something that makes him groggy would be a good idea

as he was also dizzy and foggy head earlier too
when the blackness happened

The loss of vision can be a reaction to extreme pain, especially combined with the vomiting. He's in the best place and the medical staff will get to the bottom of it so please try and stay calm (easier said than done I know!) Hope your son is feeling better very soon 💐

If they think he's not in enough pain for appendicitis, I wouldn't agree to fentanyl!

I know it’s scary but he’s in the best place.
Can I suggest you befriend a nurse who will answer your questions as opposed to asking on here.

Sending Positive thoughts x x

Yes the dr did say extreme pain or trauma can cause vision loss

A person can ''black out'' without actually fainting i.e falling - as if it happens when they are sitting down - an ''almost faint''

Could be that as he was dizzy and disoriented

Yes I would think so - this has happened to me twice - while sitting down - in a hospital waiting room actually.

DO NOT LET THEM GIVE HIM FENTANYL without figuring out what happened. It sounds like an abdominal migraine. My ds got them as a child and they became particularly acute around that age. He had one after a cold where he went blind for 3 days. Luckily the pediatrician called the neurologist who said, try some migraine medication BEFORE you give him a spinal tap. It cleared up within 8 hours of taking the migraine medication.

Please insist on seeing a NEUROLOGIST.

PS. My ds had had several abdominal migraine episodes (they kept checking him for appendicitis and not finding it until they did find it on the third episode) before the going blind episode happened. At least that time they didn't check for appendicitis because he's already had it removed!

I will say I don’t want him to have that because I don’t want him to be unable to communicate properly

what migraine medication does he take

they are saying it’s noting central (which I think they mean his Brain ?)as he’s not confused now and has no signs of anything wrong centrally

Yes i’ll go soon, i just wondering anyone had experienced this before and could advise me

I was going to say migraine too. Hope he’s ok.

Fentanyl’s used widely in hospital but needs a bit of monitoring and that’s probably why they’re having a discussion about it - to make sure he’s in the most appropriate bit of the department. It’s a very useful painkiller when it’s used appropriately. You’re getting a random selection of possible diagnoses on here based on not much information at all (I’m a doctor and haven’t a scooby what’s wrong with him based on your description). I’d take the advice of the people who can examine him and see any test results/response to treatment.

Just to add, please make sure they examine his testicles / exclude a testicular torsion. Very likely this has already been done but can sometimes present with lower abdo pain in boys.
Good luck xx

New doctors recently started rotation so it’s good he’s asking a more experienced staff member who may have worked in a&e for years. Don’t be afraid to ask what anything given is likely to do.
Also, pain is very individual and kids can go either way - mask or be very vocal. It’s not the best indicator of what’s wrong.

Migraine. I get "silent" migraines without any headache. I get an aura, which causes vision loss, then numbness in my arms (sometimes half my face), grogginess then am sick.

Migraines don't always mean headaches - that's why it annoys me a bit when people call every headache they have a "migraine" for some people the headache isn't even the main symptom of a migraine.

have they checked his testicles?
cross post

Stomach migraines? My son use to have them and all of the symptoms match except the vision loss. We were told to treat them the same way we would treat a head migraine so I suppose they could cause loss of vision. He luckily grew out of them.

You're in a&e ask the dr. They can see your child.

Yeah, faint or migraine.

My son used to have those exact same symptoms with a migraine. He woul also be sick and lose vision

I get visionary migraines, bits of vision missing mainly, no pain. Generally brought on by stress.

he may just have a high pain threshold…I was told the same, turns out it was indeed appendicitis!

I fainted a few times just before puberty, including when sitting. The clamminess he felt is a precursor to fainting. It happens quite quickly. I also used to lose my vision and hear ringing in my ears. When it first happened, I had no idea what it was, but the second or third time it happened, I knew it was going to because I recognised the clammy feeling and my vision going.

Could he have a stomach bug? I had a nasty one once, which began with me fainting. It wasn’t until a little later that I vomited.