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Children's health

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Original poster

if this was your 3 year old ds would you take him to the doctors?

58 replies

mad4myboys · 05/10/2009 17:03

ds1 was 3 in june. Has always been very lively, outgoing non stop, the usual typical boy. Over the last 2 months he seems to have slowed down alot. I noticed it about a month ago and he was always tired, tried re introducing naps (against his will) and this made no difference. Has got worse through september and the last 2 weeks he is barely eating anything and has always been a great eater. He is eating sometimes no breakfast, half slice toast, odd bit of tea, wont even eat treats. I asked pre school today (has been going a year) and they observed him today and they said that he def isnt the boy he 'used' to be. Quiet, teary.

He also has been hurting himself a bit, falling over etc but have put that down to being tired. Took him to doc about a month ago who said on paper he was fine, perhaps a viral blah blah.

Anyway he has 11 hours sleep at night and wakes up every morning saying he is so tired....

nothing has happened in his life during these 2 months, all the same....WWYD?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Cluckyagain · 05/10/2009 17:04

Go back and explain the symptoms again - you've waited for the 'virus' to arrive and no sign.

oranges · 05/10/2009 17:05

I would go back - not sure what they could do - blood tests? check for allergies - but think it is worth asking for him to be checked out.

LilRedWG · 05/10/2009 17:05

Could he be anaemic? Has your GP done any blood tests?

LyraSilvertongue · 05/10/2009 17:06

Take him back to the docs and don't let them fob you off with 'it's a vurus'.
Something must be causing his tiredness and it's their job to find out what. Tell him/her pre-school has also noticed the difference, to prove you're not just being a neurotic mother.

bumpybecky · 05/10/2009 17:06

I'd take him to the gp and say exactly what you've posted above.

ConnorTraceptive · 05/10/2009 17:07

yes go back and tell him that pre school have also raised concern

Hulababy · 05/10/2009 17:09

Definitely take him back.

Original poster

mad4myboys · 05/10/2009 17:09

no blood tests, the other thingis he is very up and down. one minute himself, the next on the sofa, very despondant..

OP posts:

Jujubean77 · 05/10/2009 17:11

I would be back at the GP asking for blood tests

starwhores · 05/10/2009 17:11

Go back with your DH/DP if you have one. as they don't visit very often they can be a little more insistent.

Original poster

mad4myboys · 05/10/2009 17:12

will try get appt tomorrow. I dont understand what i can be. I guess anemia could be possible as not eating enough...

OP posts:

luckyblackcat · 05/10/2009 17:14

is he drinking a more than normal?

Original poster

mad4myboys · 05/10/2009 17:15

if your thinking diabetes, i asked that before and he didnt have symptoms apparantly. He is actually the oppostie, has always drank loads and now not half as much...

OP posts:

leolantern · 05/10/2009 17:16

take him to the gp and push them to do more investigations

MarmMummy · 05/10/2009 17:19

My son (also 3 in June) was exactly like this. Always tired, quite pathetic, said his legs ached, wanted to go in the pushchair rather than walk.

Took him to the GP who did full blood test and he came back slightly anaemic. Apparently quite common when they are growing and after illness - mine seemed to have started after chicken pox.

GP gave us a special numbing cream and plaster to put on area before the test and he didn't feel a thing

frogwatcher · 05/10/2009 17:19

Go back to GP but in the meantime you could think about starting him on liquid iron (can be got from supermarket). Two of my dds went very listless, both were anaemic and perked up dramatically once iron was in them!

Original poster

mad4myboys · 05/10/2009 17:21

marm, thats how he is saying his legs hurt!

OP posts:

mankymummymoo · 05/10/2009 17:28

I would go back to the doctor. I had exactly the same with my DS at this age, Doctor referred him for tests (v. comprehensive ones) at the local childrens hospital.

Everything came back negative, I was at my wits end imagining brain tumours/whatever but after about 4/5 months of it he suddenly turned the corner and is now a complete nutter again.

I never found out what it was, but just thought that I'd put my twopenneth in...

MarmMummy · 05/10/2009 17:28

Its weird when they don't seem ill, just not themselves.

My DS is much better now. I gave him iron supplements for a bit, though the doctor said a balanced diet would do it. As I didn't feel he was eating that much I also now give him cereal as a snack before bedtime, which seems to help too. I shovel it in him whilst he's watching TV

Original poster

mad4myboys · 05/10/2009 17:36

ive been giving him vits over the last few weeks when he hasnt been eating properly....

OP posts:

moosemama · 05/10/2009 17:36

Definitely go back to the GP. We had a very similar experience with ds1 (now 7 and fit as a fiddle). Doctors just kept passing it off as viral or postviral or growing tiredness! Eventually I took him in and there was a locum on who looked at his history and immediately ordered blood tests (we had the emla cream that numbs the feeling as well, test didn't bother him in the slightest).

They didn't find anything with the blood tests, so I asked to be referred to a paediatrician and after restating my request firmly a few times they obliged. He was seen by the paediatrician and thoroughly checked out but they didn't find anything. They did however take my concerns seriously, agreed he 'wasn't right' and asked us to keep a diary of his sleep, diet and illnesses.

Fortunately for us he started to perk up soon afterwards and was discharged at his next appointment a couple of months afterwards. They never did work out what was wrong, but he was a very tired and poorly little boy for quite a long time.

I agree with trying the liquid iron though, my boys both take Floradix and we definitely notice the difference in their energy levels if we run out. Only thing with Floradix is that it does have an 'interesting' taste that can put children off. A good alternative is spatone, which just tastes like water with a slightly metallic taste, you add it to orange juice so no problems getting little ones to take it. I have used both products myself, as I have a tendency towards anaemia and both seemed to work fine for me.

HTH

sugardumpling · 05/10/2009 17:37

Same thing with my DD whos just turned 3, she's always been a bit of a nutter and never sleeps in the day but lately has been complaining of being tired and not wanting to walk, she seems fine other than that though. I was thinking it could be a developmental thing? I would go back to the docs if your worried though, put your mind at rest.

labyrinthine · 05/10/2009 18:37

Agree take him back and say has become more tired.
Any pointers to any problems~feeling sick/tummy ache/diarrhoea?
Look in his eyes[under skin under eye] ~or lips or tongue ~ for paleness compared to normal pinky red colour for anaemia.

piscesmoon · 05/10/2009 18:48

Go back to the doctor. I got really worried about DS aged 6 yrs. I had made an appointment at the doctors and said that I wanted 5 mins on my own first because I didn't want to express my concerns in front of DS; I was going to say that I wanted him thoroughly checked out with blood tests. Before we got to the appointment we had an emergency visit and he was straight into hospital, on oxygen, antibiotics straight into a vein and didn't come out for a week. He had pneumonia-he hadn't been right for months beforehand. Luckily he made a complete recovery. Go with your gut feeling-if you feel things aren't right get him checked.

piscesmoon · 05/10/2009 18:49

DS was so bad that I was longing for him to be naughty! Insist on a thorough check.

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