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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Talk sense to me - 7yo DS headaches and tiredness

68 replies

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:16

Hi all,

Posting in AIBU partly for traffic but also because I think I need a stern talking to.

I wouldn’t say I suffer with anxiety or health anxiety more than the next person so catastrophising (as I am now) is not something I usually do.

My DS is 7. He came home from school last Wednesday looking pale and complaining of a headache. He fell asleep on the sofa and later on vomited in bed during the night. He had a slightly raised temp, which he continued to have on and off until yesterday.

Since then, he’s been pretty constantly complaining of a headache. He’s been waking 2-3 times a night and crying because his head hurts so much. It seems a bit better from mid morning until mid afternoon and he plays with his sister, has something to eat etc. Then, he’s very pale again, in pain and, once given Calpol or Nurofen, has been sleeping for a couple of hours every afternoon and then back off to sleep as normal at bedtime.

I’m really trying to limit how much Calpol/ Nurofen he’s taking but every day so far has had the maximum 4 doses suggested on the bottle. At times, the headaches seem to make him very panicky. Before I’d got home on Friday, he’d got himself into a bit of a state when my parents were here and was almost hyperventilating when I got in.

He isn’t a child that easily cries but is clearly in a lot of pain and crying two or three times a day because his head hurts to much. I called 111 yesterday and took him, at their recommendation, to an out of hours GP. He checked DS over and said there is nothing obviously wrong.

I can’t send him to school tomorrow feeling like he is and after an afternoon of googling, I’m terrified that he’s got a brain tumour. The tiredness, the headache that is worse at night and in the early hours of the morning. He has no other symptoms so it’s so unlikely, isn’t it?

I don’t know what to do next. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

TIA.

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7
OppsUpsSide · 02/02/2025 21:18

Ring 111

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:19

@OppsUpsSide I did. They sent us to an out of hours doctor who said there is nothing obviously wrong.

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MyProudHare · 02/02/2025 21:20

Very unlikely to be a brain tumour. This has only been going on a few days- it's more likely to be a nasty bug, flu type thing.

If you are very worried I would go for A&E over GP. If you really need to put your mind at rest.

Never Doctor Google - he should be struck off for being the worst scaremongering doctor ever.

Haveyouanyjam · 02/02/2025 21:21

If he’s had a flu type illness he may well be dehydrated. Any other signs? As headache common with that. Try not to panic but do trust your instincts if he’s not one to moan.

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:23

@MyProudHare I’m so cross with myself for googling. I just feel incredibly helpless and like I’m living on my last nerve.

I explained to the doctor yesterday that how panicky and upset he’s been over the past few days is just so unlike him.

He’s also so pale with big dark bags under his eyes and that’s also not at all usual.

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Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:25

@Haveyouanyjam he’s had a bit of a runny nose but no other obvious signs of illness. When he first complained on the headache and also had a raised temp, I put it down to a coming cold/ flu.

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StormingNorman · 02/02/2025 21:26

Try to keep him comfortable tonight and call your GP in the morning.

It could be almost anything but one thing I thought was a migraine - they make me pale, nauseous and my temperature rockets. They can also last a couple of days.

Hope you get to the bottom of it x

MyProudHare · 02/02/2025 21:26

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:23

@MyProudHare I’m so cross with myself for googling. I just feel incredibly helpless and like I’m living on my last nerve.

I explained to the doctor yesterday that how panicky and upset he’s been over the past few days is just so unlike him.

He’s also so pale with big dark bags under his eyes and that’s also not at all usual.

He does sound like he's been unwell, but likely not with a brain tumour, honestly. It sounds like it would be worth having him checked over again.

If it helps at all, I lost my former partner to a brain tumour. It really didn't present anything like this. Especially not the fever - that's a sign he's had an infection.

Beansandcheesearegood · 02/02/2025 21:27

Get gp appointment and ask for bloods. Could be a virus. Could be coeliacs or lots of other things.... don't Google! (Says the mum that Google symptoms at 3am EVERY time the kids are ill!)

Haveyouanyjam · 02/02/2025 21:28

If you’re worried take them to the doctor again. Better to be over reacting than miss something like meningitis.

Nameynameynamename · 02/02/2025 21:28

Personally I would keep him off school tomorrow and phone the GP first thing to get another opinion. I seem to get a migraine with covid so it could be something like that. And stay off Google!

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:28

@StormingNorman thank you. I suffered from migraines for a very long time and they started in childhood so it could well be that.

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Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:30

@MyProudHare I’m sorry for your loss and thank you for commenting. I need to give my head a wobble.

Sorry if my OP came across as insensitive!

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Bunnybear42 · 02/02/2025 21:30

I am a panicking parent so I sympathise there is so much talk of cancer everywhere too it's hard not to worry about worse case scenario's. I would however say if it's only been a few days I would start by looking more at a viral type illness and there certainly are some weird ones around. I know influenza A causes weird symptoms in some children for example where they seem fine one minute then really unwell then jumping around again. If no improvement or he is obviously worsening I'd go straight to A&E as they can do further tests there and then if concerned. It might be he has a bacterial infection that needs antibiotics perhaps ? Or an ear infection? Really hope he feels better soon.x

Hankunamatata · 02/02/2025 21:31

It's only been since wed. He probably just has a virus. If he isn't better by Friday then ring GP.

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:32

@Beansandcheesearegood @Haveyouanyjam @Nameynameynamename

I’m going to ring the GP first thing. They are usually very good. I worry about wasting their time but agree with what’s been said: I’d rather check again and be sure nothing sinister is going on.

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Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:35

@Bunnybear42 thank you! He saw an audiologist early last week as he’s always struggled with glue ear so no infection but I wonder if glue ear can cause headaches.

You’re right about so many other possible causes. I’m going to hold on to that tonight!

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MyProudHare · 02/02/2025 21:35

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:30

@MyProudHare I’m sorry for your loss and thank you for commenting. I need to give my head a wobble.

Sorry if my OP came across as insensitive!

Not at all. It is EXTREMELY unlikely to be a brain tumour. Good luck with the doctor tomorrow.

Octonaut4Life · 02/02/2025 21:36

Is he definitely hydrated enough? My little one had a cold or virus or something and was complaining of an awful headache but we worked out eventually he was really dehydrated!

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:37

@MyProudHare thank you.

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Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:38

@Octonaut4Life this is a good shout. I’m quite good at getting him to sip but probably less so when he’s feeling a bit better so playing with his sister etc.

He has been drinking a lot more water during the night: that’s been noticeable, but maybe because he’s feeling dehydrated.

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Boardingschoolmumoftwo · 02/02/2025 21:39

The last two times I have had Covid I have had the most unbearable headache, almost a migraine, I cannot imagine how painful this would feel to a child. Covid is rife atm and the headache and a temp were my only symptoms, could you get a test. Hope he’s on the mend soon poor poppet

User67556 · 02/02/2025 21:41

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:38

@Octonaut4Life this is a good shout. I’m quite good at getting him to sip but probably less so when he’s feeling a bit better so playing with his sister etc.

He has been drinking a lot more water during the night: that’s been noticeable, but maybe because he’s feeling dehydrated.

Did he have a flu jab? Because this really all sounds like flu to me.

Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:42

@Boardingschoolmumoftwo I’m sure I’ll be able to find a test at work.

One of the times I had Covid, I had exactly the same. Terrible headache which probably took a week to go. Thank you.

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Prodol · 02/02/2025 21:43

@User67556 yes, he had the nasal spray at school but there seems to be lots of information about suggesting the jab/ spray hasn’t been particularly effective this year.

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