My 3 year old has a stiff neck and I’m a bag of nerves over it.

[Fightingtobepositive]

It says in the title. Early hours sat morning my 3 year old woke up crying saying h e was hurting. It was his neck he was holding and clearly had a stiff neck. Called out of hours they weren’t worried because he was fine in himself. Seen a doctor Monday because it had not gone then again Wednesday where they sent us to hospital. Little one was examined by different doctors before being sent home. We have to go back Monday. He is fine in himself and playing jumping etc like his busy little self. He is limited when moving side to side and looking up. Am I completely crazy to be an anxious wreck over this. I am thinking all the bad things and driving myself crazy. Is it normal for a 3 year old just to have a bit of a stiff neck? We are day 6 now.

Are you freaking out because of meningitis? Because I'm not a doctor but after six days you'd know he had meningitis and he certainly wouldn't be playing as normal! If it's just a sore neck and no fever etc then it's a sore neck. Stop mentioning it to him, stop testing his movement and I'm guessing in a couple of days he'll have forgotten and be back to normal.

@BarbaraHoward no not meningitis. But I can’t get out of my head the dreaded ones. Like is there something pushing in something in his neck to cause it. Am I completely ridiculous. I don’t know. I do have health anxiety and worry so much about little one.

Sounds like he has acute torticollis. Has he had any sort of virus recently ?
It will resolve by itself.

@AnyFucker nothing major. Had a stuffy nose and barely a little cough the week before maybe. But nothing now?

Your last sentence is the problem. Not the stiff neck.

It's awful just watching and waiting, but if there's no other symptoms, he's probably just slept on it funny.

I get it though, I get very anxious when DD6 has any health problems. The amount of times I've worried myself sick and she's been absolutely fine in the end.. its exhausting!

Could he have just cricked his neck? You know like when you move quickly and then it hurts afterwards? Especially if he's ok in himself.

Yes it could just be a stiff neck. But seems uncommon in 3 year olds don’t you think. It’s so strange.

It really is they are so precious to us!

I had stiff neck but I broke mine and also developed craniocervical instability. Craniocervical instability isn't diagnosed in nhs. I had to get expert opinions abroad. Turns out I have collagen disease...ehlers danlos.

Could be viral or maybe your son hit his head without you knowing?

How does he seem now? Poor boy

@beeloubee hes fine in himself 🙏🤞 jumping around and being cheeky. Its just stiffness in his neck

Bumping

Why are you bumping this? You spoke to out of hours on Sunday, GP on Monday and had son checked out at hospital by doctors on Wednesday. Nothing has been found. In all likelihood he cricked his neck or slept strangely (tummy sleeper) and it's a bit sore and takes time to recover.

Alternatively you should get some help for your health anxiety. You cannot live through every childhood illness like this.

Yes we all worry about our kids but you will only pass on your anxiety if you continue like this.

Mumsnet diagnosis is batshit crazy. Surely you know that?

Yes he has been checked but we have to go back Monday. If it’s not gone I’m anxious as to what they want to do and what they are looking for.
i have tried receiving help for my anxiety. Apparently I’m not ‘anxious’ enough so no help provided.

Also just wondering if anyone has experienced something similar? X