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Children's health

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Original poster

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

59 replies

SpideyMom · 13/04/2020 23:19

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:

MrAlyhakinsMassiveYacht · 14/04/2020 10:25

DS had this - we took him to the drop in centre who on check in said he needed to go directly to A&E as sudden limping in small children could be very serious - Perthes for example. He was xrayed, then we had to wait for the x day to be reviewed by someone more senior as it was concerning then we were referred to the fracture clinic. Transient synovitis. He was never in any pain, bizarrely, but his hip just didn't work.

However he still had it three weeks later so we saw a GP who pointed out it was actually his knee - it felt different - and he needed strapping and ibuprofen and it stopped completely 4 days after that.

PeppaisaBitch · 14/04/2020 10:35

Had this a few months back. Took to ooh then a&e. Dr wouldn't do anything g for a few days as said it was a common thing to happen after a bug and to wait a few days. Then was fine. People here are probably scaremongering. Anything serious and he'd have more symptoms or be in pain.

thelaststraw123 · 14/04/2020 10:42

@PeppaisaBitch I actually find your comment rather insensitive.
As a parent of a child with juvenile arthritis who one day woke up with a limp but showing no signs of "pain" I don't believe my experience is scaremongering at all.

OP, as above. My daughter woke up one day (she was 3) with a limp. Later on her joints began swelling, so we took her to a&e. They did blood tests and xrays and then we were taken to a ward to get anti inflammatory meds where they diagnosed her arthritis.

Original poster

SpideyMom · 14/04/2020 10:51

His limping is a symptom in itself. He has had no accident or hasnt been unwell recently. To go to bed fine and wake up limping and it still persists today, I dont feel silly to be concerned.
A few years back he was sent for bloods to start him on the road to multi agency testing for autism. This was to see if anything was hereditary. The following day we were called back to he told his lympocytes were worryingly high. Thankfully it turned out he has an underlying infection that was going untreated, but he shown no signs of there being anthing wrong. So one symptom is enough

OP posts:

Mascotte · 14/04/2020 10:57

It’s actually probably a good time to take him to a hospital as it’s going to be quiet in the paediatric bit and super clean. Try not to worry but be guided by the nurses and pps and get him seen. I was also told by a doctor that it was rare for children to limp and they needed seen. Though mine had broken a bone in his foot !

scpips · 14/04/2020 11:13

My son has had transient synovitis (irritable hip) four times now, so we are very familiar with this. The first time it was completely out of the blue. We took him to the doctor, who sent us straight to A and E, which terrified me since I hadn't been expecting anything more than to be told he should rest it for a day or two. The doctor told me they needed to check that it wasn't septic arthritis, which it wasn't (his bloods were good, and he didn't have a temperature). It is really important that they check for this but they can do this with an ultrasound and a blood test.

After the third time were referred to a paediatric rheumatologist, and they suspect he does have some form of reactive arthritis, but it is very mild. At the moment when he has a flare up, he takes ibuprofen for a longer period.

It is so important to get it checked out - and it is definitely not scaremongering.

pennow · 14/04/2020 11:17

Certainly not scaremongering. Just trying to support OP in making a decision at a difficult time.

Original poster

SpideyMom · 14/04/2020 11:22

Still waiting for my call. I chased half an hour ago and was told he was next to be called. Thought I would of had it by now

OP posts:

ofwarren · 14/04/2020 11:27

How is he this morning? Is the limp still the same?

Original poster

SpideyMom · 14/04/2020 11:30

Still limping and yes it's the same. I keep spying on him to see if he walks properly without my there but he is still limping and hobbling. I've done more massaging and movement/rotations etc. He just wont bear weight fully on it when walking

OP posts:

blossombabies · 14/04/2020 11:34

my daughter started this when she was about 6-7 she is 12 now. for years and years she was under investigations, they thought it was juvenile arthritis, she has scans MRI etc

in the end all clear no inflammation anywhere however severe vitamin D3 deficiency showed in her blood work. she is high doses now but only started a few weeks so i cant say if we have seen any improvement.

Original poster

SpideyMom · 14/04/2020 11:37

He takes a multi vitamin and a vitamin D everyday and has done for years. Ever since I developed problems due to severely low Vit D I didn't want the same for him. The blood tests he has had in the past have all said what brilliant levels he has.

Still waiting for my call nearly 50 minutes later. Surely it's not that long between calls

OP posts:

MrsBodger · 14/04/2020 11:38

Poor you and poor him. Try to keep calm - like a dr friend once said to me, it really is more likely to be the common, not very serious thing rather than the rare and terrifying one.
Hope all goes well for you both

WhippedCreamInARoll · 14/04/2020 11:44

My DD has HSP which started as a limp and a rash developed a couple of days later. A limp could mean something or nothing and you're right to push for a phone call.

ElphabaFlies · 14/04/2020 11:46

Sounds a lot like irritable hip when my 6yp had it. GP saw him every couple of days and we monitored temperature at home. Painkillers and rest and it passed in under a week. I'd guess if there's no temp etc it will be a monitor at home situation.

elaine84 · 14/04/2020 12:03

My dd had this. It was a form of arthritis that flared up suddenly.

Do take him - I had to go to a hospital last week for a mammogram and ultrasound (found a lump - it turned out to just be a cyst) - I really didn't want to go but actually it was fine. Hardly anyone there at all -
not packed waiting rooms like normal - and none of the staff were wearing masks, so I figured if they didn't think they needed to, then no need for me.

Original poster

SpideyMom · 14/04/2020 14:32

We've been sent to hospital

OP posts:

namechangenumber2 · 14/04/2020 17:23

Hope it goes ok at the hospital @SpideyMom

Original poster

SpideyMom · 14/04/2020 17:53

Thank you. We are still here. We are waiting on all his results. I hope we get let home

OP posts:

AnyFucker · 14/04/2020 17:56

The most likely cause is transient synovitis which is self-limiting but some other stuff needs ruling out. Glad you are getting him seen.

ofwarren · 14/04/2020 17:58

Good to hear they sent you to hospital. I hope all goes well and it's just the synovitis.

Mascotte · 14/04/2020 18:19

Glad you’re being seen

namechangenumber2 · 14/04/2020 20:59

Let us know how you get on

jemmmmm · 14/04/2020 21:01

How is he OP?

Original poster

SpideyMom · 14/04/2020 22:08

His bloods showed signs of an infection but thankfully as all his observations were fine and he is generally ok otherwise we have been sent home with antibiotics and and instructions to rest. If he continues to limp for another week we have to go back for more tests and an MRI and if he develops a temperature before then we have to return. But it is considered safer for us to be at home with the current situation which I completely agree with

OP posts:

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