Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

5 year old woke up with a limp. Any ideas?

59 replies

SpideyMom · 13/04/2020 23:19

Hi

Just that really. He is 5 and went to bed last night fine. He woke up with a limp, That has lasted all day, and he has gone to bed with it.

As far as I am aware he has had no accidents. We havent left the house for over 2 weeks so he is always around me and he hasnt injured himself. He has no sores or blisters. I have massaged his leg, stretched it and manipulated it abit and it gets to a point he will shout out, ouch. When asked where it hurts he says it's his thigh. Only one of them. He can put his foot flat but when he walks he limps and hobbles. I did ask him to run for me (not in a cruel way), to see if he was having me on. He got upset, but did and collapsed screaming.
He is fine in himself. Eating and drinking and nothing else bothering him. I just cannot understand why he has developed this limp.

Any ideas what this could be?

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
HappyHoppy · 13/04/2020 23:24

Could be a post viral limp - transient synovitus?

magicstar1 · 13/04/2020 23:24

Could he have a cramp in his thigh? DH gets them sometimes and they can last a couple of days.

ofwarren · 13/04/2020 23:25

You need to ring the doctors tomorrow really. It's probably nothing serious but sudden limps in children need investigation.
It happened to my son after having the chicken pox vaccine. His GP sent him to hospital and he had x-rays done.
Within 24 hours he started walking normally again.

ofwarren · 13/04/2020 23:26

@HappyHoppy that's what they said caused my sons after the chicken pox vaccine. It's rare but it happens.

pennow · 13/04/2020 23:28

Paed nurse here. There are a number of common things that cause this in children but need treating with antibiotics. Septic arthritis or osteomyelitis. You should get him seen by a Doctor. If he develops a temperature you should go to A&E.

ThereWillBeAdequateFood · 13/04/2020 23:29

My son had transient synovitis.

Has your son just recovery from a cold? I’d get him checked out but hopefully it’s that. Apparently it’s more common in boys but I’ve no idea why.

Original poster
SpideyMom · 13/04/2020 23:29

Thanks I've posted on here because in my head I want to call the doctor but dont want to be seen to be wasting their time.
It's the fact its come on all of a sudden that's worrying me.
Like me my son is anxious and the thought of going to the hospital really scares him at the moment. Hopefully it wont get to that but will call our doctor in the morning

OP posts:
Original poster
SpideyMom · 13/04/2020 23:33

Will he be seen by a doctor at the moment with everything going on? My doctor is only giving telephone appointments.

I've just checked his temperature. Its normal

OP posts:
LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 13/04/2020 23:34

OP I've seen numerous posts on various places from doctors and pedeatricians (sp?) saying that they are really worried people aren't being seen for non-Covid issues because people are rightly wary of hospitals.

All I can say is that we have recently moved our MIL in with us to shield and the care and attention we've had over the phone from the GP has been amazing. So call yours in the morning. You may have to wait for a call back but they will want to hear from you and they will give you the right advice.

ofwarren · 13/04/2020 23:34

Doctors are still seeing people here, especially children. It's not covid related at all so they should do.

Original poster
SpideyMom · 13/04/2020 23:35

Thank you. I will do it first thing

OP posts:
pennow · 13/04/2020 23:42

Have a telephone appointment but if you are worried do go to A&E. They have strict isolation in place to make sure you dont get exposed whilst there. Pedadiatricians are very concercned at how many children are presenting late at hospital very unwell as parents are rightly worried about going to A&E. Trust your instinct and if he seems at all off in any way get him seen.

Fozzleyplum · 13/04/2020 23:50

It sounds as though it might be Perthes' disease- he's about the right age.

frockdestroyer · 13/04/2020 23:50

Hello,

This happened to my DD a couple of years ago. No injury, she just randomly started limping one day. We rang 101 and was given an out of hours GP appointment. When we got there the Dr sent us straight to a&e as sudden limps in young children always need to be investigated. We went to hospital and had an x ray which confirmed no injury and blood tests which showed her infection markers were up (even though she seemed perfectly healthy). They kept her in overnight and it turned out to be something called transient arthritis. Where if she got a cold or minor viral illness, it would affect her joints (for her it Jess her left hip). It wasn't serious and goes away on its own . She got it a couple of times and every time it happened we were instructed to go straight to a&e due to the fact it can SOMETIMES be a symptom of sepsis.

So do please get it checked out!!

Original poster
SpideyMom · 13/04/2020 23:53

Oh wow. I'm definitely contacting the doctors first thing.
To those whose children were limping, how long was it before you got medical advice/attention? I feel bad now not calling today

OP posts:
thaegumathteth · 13/04/2020 23:56

This happened to my dd and I took her to minor injuries who sent us to a&e because she also had a fever. It turned out the two things were coincidental and she had basically over stretched herself due to her hypermobilify (and temp was a virus)

BUT

You do need to get medical advice and probably get him seen in the morning or sooner if he's up with a temp or anything.

passmethewineplease · 13/04/2020 23:57

My nephew had this not long ago. It was after he had been under the weather with cough/cold. Has he been off at all? Definitely ring the GP. Hope he is better soon!

dyzzidi · 13/04/2020 23:58

It’s a bit random but dd had this and the culprit was a splinter in the heel that I hadn’t noticed. It’s worth really closely examining the toes and feet before you take him to the GP

Original poster
SpideyMom · 13/04/2020 23:58

No his been absolutely fine.starting to worry now

OP posts:
waltzingparrot · 14/04/2020 00:12

We had this at the age of 5 too. DS just woke up one morning and couldn't bear weight properly on his leg.. It was something called Sever's disease ( more a condition than a disease). Something to do with inflammation of the heel plate when they are growing. Crutches for a few days and shoe inserts. Happened on and off. Usually stops around puberty.

frockdestroyer · 14/04/2020 00:46

@SpideyMom

I noticed it in the morning that she was walking a tiny bit funny but not enough to be overly concerned with. She was always sleeping in weird positions so thought it might be that. She was running around etc and wasn't in pain so I put her into pre-school. When I picked her up, she had a properly pronounced limp. It had gotten a lot worse and she was hardly bearing any weight on the leg at all. The staff had thought it was her footwear?! I rang 101 as soon as I got home and we were in a&e a couple of hours later.

I'm sure you ds is fine but best to get it checked out first thing. Monitor his temp as pp has said to be on safe side.

Original poster
SpideyMom · 14/04/2020 08:33

Morning. Our doctors aren't seeing anyone, including children so I'm awaiting a callback. His still limping today.
I'm prepared to have to go into the hospital but terrified we will have to at the same time

OP posts:
LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 14/04/2020 09:46

Please don't panic. We had to take MIL in to minor injuries last week and it was fine, everything was segregated and separated and it felt very 'normal'

Original poster
SpideyMom · 14/04/2020 09:51

Oh god I hope so. My anxiety is through the roof. We have barely left the house. Not at all in nearly 3 weeks now and the hospital is the last place I want to go. Still awaiting callback but will act on their advice

OP posts:
fairgame84 · 14/04/2020 10:11

Most hospitals have totally separated covid and non-covid patients. Please try not to worry. I'm a paeds nurse on a non-covid ward. We are so worried about the lack of kids coming into hospital since all this started. Our ward is 'clean', staff that have been on covid wards are not allowed on our ward. We wear ppe will all of our patients if we are within 2 metres of them. We are constantly cleaning our equipment and handwashing.
Most staff on our ward have underlying health conditions and do not want to catch covid so we are really careful.