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Children's health

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Original poster

DD - Passed Out

47 replies

ThinkingOutLouder · 27/03/2015 13:03

My DD, 10, fainted for the first time a few weeks ago. She was left with tummy ache afterwards, which she's been getting intermittently for the last 4-5 months.

I took her to see the GP who basically dismissed the fainting incident as just one of those things & nothing to worry about.

Since then DD one morning became very very upset before school, saying she didn't feel well & didn't want to go to school, she usually never has a day off. In the end I had to take her out of school as shelf worked herself up much. She's hardly ever ever ill. We had a chat about school with her teacher & nothing is bothering her at school. It was like a minor panic attack.

I'm going to take her back to another GP for a 2nd opinion, as I don't know what could be or if indeed if anything wrong - I don't want to leave it to chance if she faints again & it's too late. Has anyone else experienced similar symptoms like this with their kids?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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elelfrance · 27/03/2015 13:56

While you should definitely get it checked out if you're not comfortable with the first GPs diagnosis, let me give you my experience

I fainted for the first time when I was 10, and have fainted maybe a dozen times since (I'm 32 now). No particular diagnosis for it, its just one of those things. I always feel nauseous for a while before passing out, and just after. I'm otherwise perfectly healthy. My parents never panicked about it, because my dad was the same. So it is plausible that she's just a fainter.

But like I said, you're absolutely right to get it checked out if you're not happy

RustyBear · 27/03/2015 15:54

DD started fainting at about 13 - in fact the first time she didn't actually faint, just everything went black and I was woken by a scream from the bathroom 'Mummy I've gone blind!'

It happened about a dozen times after that; it was diagnosed as due to low blood pressure, but it nearly always happened when DD was about to go down with something - a tummy bug, a bad cold or sometimes a very heavy period, or when she was very stressed

She's now 25 and it's only happened once in the last five years, when she was revising hard for uni finals.

The doctor advised making sure she ate some carbs before getting up, but I'm not sure if that really made any difference.

elelfrance · 27/03/2015 16:07

RustyBear, that brings me back, its exactly what I thought the first time I fainted :-D

The most important thing is to teach your daughter to recognize when its happening (you usually get a couple of seconds "warning"), and to sit on the ground straight away so she doesn't hurt herself falling

ThatBloodyWoman · 27/03/2015 16:18

Oh bless her.
I would keep an eye on school still and friendships,and see another gp for further opinion,myself.
I have a tendency for fainting.What affects me,is eating enough if I'm doing sustained physical activity,having slightly low blood pressure,and seeing my own blood injury.I find sitting or preferably laying down at the first signs are vital.I get a tunnel vision feeling,go very hot (although I'm white as a sheet) and have a feeling like everything is sinking into my boots.
See if she can remember how she felt before she fainted.,so she can perhaos identify warnings.
Does she have a trusted special friend who will give her some extra support during the day at school,letting her know she's safe and she's being looked after?

Original poster

ThinkingOutLouder · 27/03/2015 19:48

Thanks for the replies.

I'll still get her booked in at dr's just to be sure & to reassure myself more than anything. Her teacher is really nice & supportive so dd knows she can always go to her during school day of ever she needs anyone.

I'm guessing some of it is part & parcel of growing up, I can't remember what being 10 was like, well only the good odd bits like being able to go out by myself & play with my friends for an hour or so & parents weren't worried in the slightest - I won't even let my dd walk down the street on her own! Times have changed I supposed & the Dr that we saw mentioned that girls were developing at a faster rate than what they were 20, 30 years ago - she mentioned periods, which I prayed dd didn't pick up on as I haven't spoke to her about them as well haven't needed to & hope I don't need to for a while longer yet!

We've talked about her fainting & how she felt just before & if she feels like she's going to again, to sit down. Hopefully it was just a one off thing, perhaps it's playing on her mind a bit.

OP posts:

ThatBloodyWoman · 27/03/2015 20:08

Thinking are you sure its not related to periods if you've never spoken to her about them.
At 10,at my dc's school,they have a growing up talk and know about development because,well,they really need to know by that sort of age nowadays.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 27/03/2015 20:14

You can't avoid speaking to your 10 year old daughter about periods, it's not fair on her. Some of my friends started theirs at 9 or 10 and this was ages ago. How will she feel if she starts bleeding and doesn't know why?!

I actually experienced period symptom at 4 or 5 monthly intervals several times before mine started. Bad tummy aches that I later recognised as period pain. Maybe hers is a sort of forerunner too?

3catsandcounting · 28/03/2015 14:11

My DD starting fainting when she was 10; it only happened 4 or 5 times in a year and usually when she was in hot or stuffy atmospheres. She would be out for about 20-30 seconds then fine afterwards, (it's scary the first couple of times though!)
She grew out of it around 14-15 years, and she it got less and less as the years went on, (she's 17 now) but I still to this day, mention it on school/college medical trip forms; just in case!

Original poster

ThinkingOutLouder · 28/03/2015 15:17

It's not that I want to avoid talking to her about periods, I just think at 10 - and while she hasn't started them yet I don't think she needs to know just right now, I can only imagine if I was to tell her & she tells some of her friends & their mums may not be impressed, perhaps they weren't ready for their daughters to know?!

I'm hoping that when she eventually does start, she'll know what's happening and/or come to me, she does know she can talk to me about anything.

OP posts:

PatriciaHolm · 28/03/2015 16:00

But surely that's just chicken and egg - she hasn't started her periods so you haven't told her about them...poor girl! Surely 10 is plenty old enough to understand; in fact I'd be surprised if school haven't touched on them yet. Imagine how terrified she would be to start bleeding without knowing anything about it!

JustWantToBeDorisAgain · 28/03/2015 16:21

Your poor daughter, you are waiting to shock her when she gets her period rather than allowing her time and space to understand what will happen to her body in a gentle way!

My daughter is 9 she and most of the girls in her class have an understanding of periods, I would suggest that rather than upsetting the other mothers in the class your daughter is more likely to be one of the last to Know, like other posters have said there are many girls who start their periods aged 9,10,11 most parents do not leave it until it is happening to make sure their child knows.

JustWantToBeDorisAgain · 28/03/2015 16:25

Just realised even my 5 year has an understanding that ladies bleed every month she wouldn't know to call it a period though ( one downside of the mooncup??)

OneTwoManyLots · 28/03/2015 16:32

I was 10 when my periods started. My mum hadn't spoken to me about them at all, all I knew was from the brief chat they do with all the girls at school. I kept it a secret from her for 2 YEARS as I was so embarrassed (I stole pads from my older sisters).

Please talk to your DD about periods now.

Sorry I have no advice about the fainting but hope you get somewhere with the GP this time.

18yearstooold · 28/03/2015 16:34

Please tell your daughter about periods
Even if she isn't starting yet some of her friends might be

On the stomach ache front -is there a history of migraine in the family?

My migraines started as stomach aches and fainting about the same age then changed to proper migraines around 13, dd1 is the same

Original poster

ThinkingOutLouder · 28/03/2015 22:01

JustWantTo...Your poor daughter....at 5 years old, she knows you bleed every month (and has no idea why - what must she be thinking?) why would you want your 5y r old to know you bleed?

I do plan on telling my daughter about periods, I wasn't going to wait until she started!

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 28/03/2015 22:06

My dd had intermittent stomach aches and then started fainting at about 9/10 and she was eventually diagnosed with coeliac disease .

lougle · 28/03/2015 22:19

My 5 year old knows that my body gets a nice cushion of blood ready each month in case I want a baby, then when my body realises that I don't want a baby, it has to get rid of the cushion of blood, so I bleed. Then the same thing happens the next month.

She knows that I use tampons and where they go. She even asked me to show her how I put it in, but got distracted so I didn't need to make that decision.

It's not a big deal at this age.

TheOddity · 28/03/2015 22:29

You need to tell your daughter about periods now. 12-13 is the average age to start, but some girls start as young as 8 now. The age has come down a lot in the last 50 years. Plus breast development starts a couple of years before that. You need to talk to her about it you know if you expect her to talk to you! there should be no shame about bleeding.mi see no reason why a five year old shouldn't know! It is a normal bodily function. It's like keeping pooing a secret!

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 30/03/2015 13:54

The others are right, you need to broach the subject at some point or she won't be able to come to you. She could theoretically start her periods this afternoon - don't you think it would be hard for her to approach this subject for the first time saying "Mum, I'm bleeding in my pants"?

If you don't want to talk to her directly, and she's a good reader, find a book that is suitable for her age (this is what my mum did) and give it to her. Then she'll know you know, and the lines of communication will be open. This one looks quite good, or this one is by Usborne who are nice and clear while keeping things age appropriate.

SolomanDaisy · 30/03/2015 14:04

I'm really shocked at you not having told a ten year-old about periods. You're hoping that when they start she'll know what they are? Surely they will have talked about it at school by now anyway? And your shock at a five year old knowing is ridiculous. My three year-old knows, because he bursts in to talk to me on the toilet. They just accept this stuff at this age.

nikki1978 · 30/03/2015 14:11

Wow I don't know about the fainting but I am shocked at your attitude to periods. They aren't something to be frightened of and I think both my kids were told briefly at around 5 or 6 then more at say 8 for dd in case she started early as many girls do. At 10 dd already has breast buds and knows her period will come in the next few years and has no worries or issues about it at all as she sees it as the normal bodily process that it is. Has your dd not had sex ed yet?

ginmakesitallok · 30/03/2015 14:18

Knowing about periods isn't bad you know? They aren't dirty or anything to be ashamed of. At 10 she could be starting any time, and imagine how confused she will be of she knows nothing about them? Both my DDS (11 and 5) know about period s, well the 11 year old obviously knows more than the 5 year old!

spectral · 30/03/2015 21:14

I have even given my 2yo a very simple explanation of periods after she asked if that was poo in my underwear! These are natural things that will happen to her own body in time, she has a right to know how it works and that it is normal.

Picklesauage · 30/03/2015 21:53

I'm assuming you are in the UK? If so all children, boys and girls, get the puberty talk during year 5. This includes naming all sex organs and their parts, periods, puberty, pregnancy and childbirth. It is the most comprehensive year for sex education. Given her age I imagine she is currently in year 5 and this will be coming up this term. Just to warn you.

FiddleDeDiddleDeDoo · 30/03/2015 22:02

I nearly fainted several times as I was growing up. Sometimes I think probably due to my period imminently arriving. Other times, not sure, but I have since been diagnosed with medical conditions so defo worth getting her carefully checked out. My mum didn't but had she, I would have potentially been diagnosed sooner, and it may have prevented some futher problems down the line. My mum also didn't talk about periods, so when my little sister has her first one, she TOTALLY freaked out. I was a bit more pragmatic when mine had first arrived and luckily had already had the relevant class at school.
My 3 and 5 year old know I bleed each month and am hoping this means they do not grow up ashamed or scared.

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