Any one up? Really worried about DD

[Boatshoes]

Hi all. I’m really worried about my DD. She is 8 and, over the last year, has had many episodes of dizziness. She is under a paediatrician and was reviewed on 5th January and we were told to keep an eye on her. She then had a few more episodes so we were told to book in at the GP for a blood pressure check and ECG with a nurse (booked for this week).

Half an hour ago, DD woke up crying, saying the back of her head and her forehead were really hurting. I got her water and the pain subsided after about a minute.

I am absolutely terrified - my dad has a brain tumour and he had the same symptoms as DD. She has also had another back of the head headache a couple weeks ago but nothing that woke her from her sleep before.

She is well otherwise (so can’t blame it on a virus).

I am in such a panic that I have just this moment emailed her paediatrician and asked if I need to push for a scan because of all of her symptoms, and if she thinks it
could be a brain tumour.

im sorry to waffle but I am genuinely terrified.

What shall I do? A&E diagnosed my dad as he had a big seizure, and I am so scared that Dd has something really similar.

If you do manage to get a MRI, get them to do head, neck and whole spine. Looking for Chiari Malformation, Tethered Cord Syndrome, etc. All those symptoms - including coeliac, back pain, headaches, dizziness, etc do fit with those conditions and early diagnosis (or discounting them) is vital.

This could be a serious medical issue. I would suggest that you need to take her to a hospital as soon as possible.

To say I am a Coeliac and if I eat a little bit of gluten I get terrible headaches that wake me up and feel dizzy and sick. Are you sure that she is not eating gluten - cross-contamination? Is she getting sweets/cake from other kids? It's so hard as an adult trying to eat gluten-free and for a child, I can imagine it's even harder. Do make sure as far as you can she is not eating it.

I will just pop back to say arachnoid cysts also cause back pain (I guess the spinal fluid is restricted and nerves not cushioned as they should be). And the problem with arachnoid cysts is that if they move, all symptoms disappear - so neurological exam would be normal. Only when it causes blockage, leading to pressure and back pain is it symptomatic.

Hi OP aware this is an old post but just came across it whilst googling dizziness in children 🙈 my 9 year old has always suffered with headaches & complains of dizziness when ill however she’s recently started complaining of dizziness on waking. She also has coeliac disease & im wondering if there’s a link? How’s your dd now?