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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Need reassurance - 9 yo two weekends in a row feeling really unwell for unknown reasons

26 replies

Return2thebasic · 19/03/2022 12:23

This started to really have me worried. DS1 had to be absent from school for two days, because of some mysterious severe headache started from Saturday. He literally laid in sofa for two days in a row, and at one point looked really pale and barely eating. He had a bucket next to him all the way through day and night in case he'd throw up. Then it mysteriously disappeared after 3 days. He went back to school, started eating normally and did the usual physical activities at school for the rest of the week.

Then last night, he complained a bit at dinner time, saying he probably drank too much swimming pool water in the swimming class on Friday. This morning, he woke up really downbeat and barely had anything for breakfast before he had to lie down on the sofa again not moving. He obviously is not pretending. I have him paracetamol about an hour ago, it doesn't seem to have helped. He asked for a bucket as feeling might vomit. He's been like this for over 2 hours now, just lying in sofa not moving.

I want to thank it's nothing. But it's hard to ignore two weeks in a row a nine years old could feel so poorly for no obvious reason. But then the symptoms are different. It's that kind of situation if he sees a doctor, they would just think I'm overreacting.

Am I being unreasonable???

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AmyDudley · 19/03/2022 12:32

Is there an OOH doctor you could ring for advice? If not phone 111 and they will get a GP to phone you.
I would make sure he is taking in some liquids even if he feels sick - just frequent sips of water, being dehydrated will give you a headache. But it could be something like a migraine. Obviously these are just guesses I'm not medical in any way, but if you are worried, you know your child, ring OOH or 111 and they will advise.
Hope he feels better soon.

RedskyThisNight · 19/03/2022 12:35

He may not be deliberately faking but the identical timing is very odd. What would normally be happening on a Saturday/Sunday/Monday/Tuesday that he is now not doing?

SilverHairedCat · 19/03/2022 12:37

How is he with lights? Have a look at migraines. Mine frequently land at a weekend and can often have patterns of days of the week if certain things trigger it.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 19/03/2022 12:39

Just to say half of DS's class have been off with a virus that causes headache, nausea, loss of appetite, mild cold symptoms and in some cases vomiting and/or loose bowels. It kicked off last weekend and some have been off all week, pale, lethargic and not eating much. If you are in London your DS may have the same thing.

Of course call NHS 111 if you are worried, I just wanted to say this bug is around in case it fits.

TheOldLadyOfThreadneedleStreet · 19/03/2022 12:48

9 was the age I started getting migraines and your story OP rings true for my symptoms. I would suggest seeing a doctor. It was suggested to me that I got migraines when I relaxed, ie at the weekend. I still get them, and they are very common for me at the start of holidays. No idea whether the relaxing thing is true and it may not be anything to do with migraines of course, I’m just one random person on the web and have no medical background / knowledge.

Theluggage15 · 19/03/2022 12:54

Yes could be migraines. But call 111 if you’re concerned.

seastargirl · 19/03/2022 12:59

I'd definitely get him to the doctor and checked, would book an eye test as well just to check he's not straining his eyes all week leading to a headache at the weekend.

dancemom · 19/03/2022 13:04

Was he swimming the previous Friday also?

BOOTS52 · 19/03/2022 13:10

I would take him to the doctor and also get his eyes checked as someone else said. Better to be safe than sorry. So many bugs going around school and he may also just be exhausted after the school week and activities. Hope he gets better soon and write down his symptoms. Also keep a diary of what he is eating as he could have gluten/dairy intolerance and that way you can see what he has eaten and if there is a pattern. I used to be violently ill after had porridge/bread or dairy and once changed to gluten free and soya was fine.

Return2thebasic · 19/03/2022 13:38

@TheYearOfSmallThings

Just to say half of DS's class have been off with a virus that causes headache, nausea, loss of appetite, mild cold symptoms and in some cases vomiting and/or loose bowels. It kicked off last weekend and some have been off all week, pale, lethargic and not eating much. If you are in London your DS may have the same thing.

Of course call NHS 111 if you are worried, I just wanted to say this bug is around in case it fits.

@TheYearOfSmallThings, we are in London. I hope that's the case (even it makes him a bit miserable for a while). I'm attempted to ask the class group, but unlikely to have the courage to ask.

I thought chlorine kills most of the virus/bacterias. Can bugs really survive in a swimming pool?

Hope your DC is fine now.

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Return2thebasic · 19/03/2022 13:41

@TheOldLadyOfThreadneedleStreet

9 was the age I started getting migraines and your story OP rings true for my symptoms. I would suggest seeing a doctor. It was suggested to me that I got migraines when I relaxed, ie at the weekend. I still get them, and they are very common for me at the start of holidays. No idea whether the relaxing thing is true and it may not be anything to do with migraines of course, I’m just one random person on the web and have no medical background / knowledge.
@TheOldLadyOfThreadneedleStreet, thank you for sharing the experience. I will keep monitoring if it becomes a pattern.

I did say to DS in those school days when he complained about headache, usually we just rush him out anyway. He turned out alway fine by the end of the day. So don't know.

Sympathy for you. Migraine is really a depleting pain hard to manage. Hope you find your way to navigate through.

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Bladdiebladdieblah · 19/03/2022 13:42

I was going to say my kids have had a vomiting virus that's taken out half of their school. One was ill two weeks ago, the other last weekend and now DH has it. Angry

Return2thebasic · 19/03/2022 13:42

@dancemom

Was he swimming the previous Friday also?
He does swimming class with school every Friday. So, yes, he did swim the previous Friday too... But he only had headache last weekend.
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Mossstitch · 19/03/2022 13:47

If it continues and turns out not to be a virus I would also say migraine, they often call it abdominal migraine in children as they don't always get the headache part til older. One of my adult children gets migraine, stared at about 9 yrs old with randomly feeling ill, often he would have to lie down to prevent him being sick but if he was sick would then start to feel better.

Return2thebasic · 19/03/2022 13:49

I'm really grateful for all your supporting understanding. I was expecting to be criticised as overreacting, as childhood illness is so common and often there's no reason and they come and go just like that.

DS2 just came out from his 4 days fever. We went through Covid, some coughing virus, tummy bugs since the start of the school in Jan. Nearly every week there's someone not well. Fortunately I stayed mostly alright through these and was able to take care of them one after another. But just really frustrating with no end in sight. Nearly 3 months, just one after another.

And I really hate to deal with this kind of mysterious unknown headache/tummy pain which goes on for a period of time. DS1 also had tummy ache across about 3 months during pandemic/lockdown. We took him to see the GP and were sent to A&E as the GP suspect it's appendicitis. In the end, the doctor in a&e couldn't find any cause and it was certainly not appendicitis. After that, it just disappeared... Sigh... Sometimes, just don't know when it shall be taken seriously and when it shall not...

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Return2thebasic · 19/03/2022 13:50

Ah, by the way, he's slightly better now after he eventually did throw up. But still in sofa, no eating. Just only recovered his strength slightly.

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PumpkinPie2016 · 19/03/2022 13:57

Reading your last post particularly, I would also say it could be migraine.

My brother used to get migraines as a kid and often only felt better once he had been sick.

It's an awful thing but hopefully, a GP can help.

My brother stopped having them as he got older.

LakieLady · 19/03/2022 14:01

@SilverHairedCat

How is he with lights? Have a look at migraines. Mine frequently land at a weekend and can often have patterns of days of the week if certain things trigger it.
I was going to suggest migraine as a possibility, too. Both the symptoms and the pattern fit with migraine.

I used to get them at weekends when I was at secondary school. I'd wake in the early hours of Saturday morning with them, but generally only in the autumn/winter.

It took another 20-odd years for it to dawn on me that fluorescent light could be one of my triggers. I'm amazed that my parents and the Kings College migraine project didn't twig, but I don't think that it was known as a potential trigger back in the 70s/80s.

Is there anything he eats at the end of the week that he doesn't have at other times, eg a Friday night chippy tea? Foods can do it, and sometimes in combination, ie each food can be fine on its own, but when the other food is eaten soon after the first, the combined effect leads to a migraine. (I have a cousin who's migraines are only triggered by a combination of 4 different things.)

Or maybe your poor DS is just brain tired after a week at school. I rarely get a migraine these days, but getting stressed and tired makes it a lot more likely.

Starsong82 · 19/03/2022 14:25

Is his room anywhere near your boiler and do you have a working carbon monoxide detector? Worth checking out if symptoms are worse at home.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/carbon-monoxide-poisoning/

EthicalNonMahogany · 19/03/2022 14:27

Why would you not have the courage to ask the class group if anyone had similar symptoms?

SilverHairedCat · 19/03/2022 14:37

With the additional updates, yes I still think migraine. Stomach migraines are super common as the presentation of pain in children.

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/migraine/management/young-people-aged-12-17-years/

SnowdaySewday · 19/03/2022 14:55

If he improves when he's back at school and therefore out of the house, it might be worth checking that you haven’t got an issue with your boiler emitting carbon monoxide.

KatyRebecca84 · 19/03/2022 15:57

@TheYearOfSmallThings

Just to say half of DS's class have been off with a virus that causes headache, nausea, loss of appetite, mild cold symptoms and in some cases vomiting and/or loose bowels. It kicked off last weekend and some have been off all week, pale, lethargic and not eating much. If you are in London your DS may have the same thing.

Of course call NHS 111 if you are worried, I just wanted to say this bug is around in case it fits.

Not Covid?
Return2thebasic · 19/03/2022 16:25

@Starsong82, @SnowdaySewday. Thank you. But he's the only one who developed this headache/tummy ache in the household. No, his bedroom is far away from the boiler. All rooms have carbon monoxide detector...

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Return2thebasic · 19/03/2022 16:28

He's better now. Had some bread and drank half bottle of water till now. But the headache (in the forehead only) seems still there.

Thank you all. I will keep monitoring. If it happens again, will certainly take him to the GP.

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