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Children's health

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Original poster

6yo feeling 'spaced out' - what could this be?

22 replies

KnitMeAUnicorn · 09/12/2016 09:00

DS has been distressed a few times lately, with a strange feeling that things are 'moving too fast' or 'looking so far away'. Occasional noises in his head, too. No pattern to it - I can't identify a cause. I would normally put down to 'just one of these things' but it really upsets him when it happens. Any ideas?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 09/12/2016 09:03

Has he had an eye test? I can feel like that when I bee a new prescription. Get him checked then take him to the GP.

BertieBotts · 09/12/2016 09:03

Alice in wonderland syndrome? Can be a precursor to migraine with aura. I would get him checked by GP.

BertieBotts · 09/12/2016 09:05

BTW - googling that makes it sound terrifying and unlikely, but I know loads of people who experienced similar things in childhood and it wasn't the start of anything terrible, but almost all of them have occasional migraine as adults.

BertieBotts · 09/12/2016 09:07

For example, this page is better than the wikipedia article. www.medicalbag.com/profile-in-rare-diseases/alice-in-wonderland-syndrome/article/472825/

Brontebiscuits · 09/12/2016 09:09

Could he just be absolutely knackered?! End of long school term etc?

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 09/12/2016 09:11

I'd get him to a gp to get his ears checked & an optician for an eye test. I can get like that with ear infections & when I'm generally run down or fighting a bug.

DodoRevival · 09/12/2016 09:13

My eldest used to say that about things being far away (at times he'd describe it as 'everything has gone small')

I never did get to the bottom of it - his eyesight was just fine - did wonder if it was to do with migraines.

It then just stopped. Been a good few years since he complained about it now.

DodoRevival · 09/12/2016 09:16

Oh Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, that's very interesting. It was like he was drugged.

Original poster

KnitMeAUnicorn · 12/12/2016 11:01

Sorry, forgot to come back to this. The Alice in Wonderland thing is very interesting - thanks for drawing my attention to this. Good that it doesn't seem to be serious, if a bit disorientating. I will take him back to GP for further checks, I think, thanks for all your posts

OP posts:

beautifulgirls · 12/12/2016 21:41

Anyone else at home felt unwell at all? How often is it happening and is it only at home? Probably pretty unlikely but consider carbon monoxide - do you have a carbon monoxide detector that is in date and working, assuming you have gas appliances? Please just check to be on the safe side.

Original poster

KnitMeAUnicorn · 12/12/2016 22:23

Thanks - we do have a CO detector, right next to the boiler, and I check it regularly, but it's always worth mentioning that, I think. Carbon monoxide poisoning freaks me out

OP posts:

FreckleFreak · 13/12/2016 00:55

Unicorn, could it be anxiety related? Does he have any anxiety type symptoms or anything bothering/upsetting him?

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 13/12/2016 01:22

Oh my goodness. The Alice in Wonderland syndrome describe exactly what I used to experience from around 7 to about 11.

I remember trying to describe them and failing completely. They were quite frightening. I didn't know when they were going to come on or how to get back out of them. "Disorientating" describes it exactly.

I started having migraines after my son was born when I was 31. They are not frequent and I'm very good now at spotting early signs and dealing with them. Even at their worst an afternoon in bed usually saw them off.

Thank you Bertie for posting this information. Even after all these years it's such a relief to know it was real.

SamanthaUnkim · 13/12/2016 01:42

Please rule out Diabeties. Nephew started like this..

Out2pasture · 13/12/2016 01:44

another one to suggest inner ear issues.

BendyBusBuggy · 13/12/2016 01:47

I would get blood sugar checked too- mine is often too low (not diabetes) and i sometimes felt like this as a child

Haudyerwheesht · 13/12/2016 01:47

I vividly remember being like this when I was a kid - I don't think I ever told anyone but it was scary and I felt like I was spectating on my life and it was really far away and fast. It's hard to explain. I get similar now if I am really really exhausted.

user1477282676 · 13/12/2016 01:49

Labyrinthitis?

Original poster

KnitMeAUnicorn · 13/12/2016 12:43

Freckle, luckily he's a pretty confident wee thing so I don't think it's anxiety-related. Thanks for the further suggestions, I'll get him seen before Christmas!

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 13/12/2016 16:48

I know, Lass, I used to hate it, it was awful. I often got it at night and would feel like my hands or teeth or something were 'too big'.

Migraines started in my late 20s, infrequent and not severe but enough to keep me home from work.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 13/12/2016 18:06

Bertie That sounds exactly like mine. And haudyerwheesht " spectating on yourself "captures it too.

Meant to say thanks to KnitMeAUnicorn too. I had a real light bulb moment when I saw your thread title.

Realitea · 17/12/2016 13:13

I used to get that, when I was about 11 was when it started. It made me very anxious and I still don't know what it is. I've narrowed it down to:
An inner ear problem (Menieres likely) but you'll get vertigo with that.
Low blood pressure or low sugar
Anxiety/anxiety attack
Tiredness is a trigger for me.
I hope this helps.

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