Stiff neck in a 4 year old - how to help?

[winestein]

My 4.10 year old son has a stiff neck (on top of a nasty virus, poor thing!). He's had it for a few days and last night/this morning is probably the worst it has been.

The doctor just said "calpol as usual" but to be honest, it's just not touching it. He spent most of last night screaming in pain as he tried to move his head and can't get up from the lying down position.

I've had this sort of neck injury so I know what pain he must be in, poor thing. Is there anything else I can do for him? He absolutely point blank refuses to have any heat applied by the way - I have a wheat bag thing which we tried yesterday but has subsequently refused as he said it made his neck warm (erm...!)

Your top tips would be most welcome.

I'd get an urgent GP appmt. It's gone on for a few days and no improvement. Hope he feels better soon.

Thanks sdr. We actually already went to the docs last night, and all he suggested was Calpol.

I asked at the pharmacy today (needed more Calpol!) and they suggested ibuprofen too. I had forgotten about this as he refuses to take it, but I slipped it into a drink this afternoon and he didn't notice! It does seem to have taken a rather large edge off his pain so I'll keep on dosing him with that.

Thank you for responding

I agree with sdr. Copied this from the net:

"Early symptoms of viral meningitis are flu-like and include sudden high fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, and stiff neck. The neck is so stiff that the patient cannot lower the chin to the chest. The patient may be confused or difficult to wake."

Jabberwocky! Haven't seen you around for ages!

Honestly, I did take him to the docs last night - and I did say to him that I didn't expect that it was meningitis as I would have expected him to be more ill, but the whole scenario of temperatures, headaches and stiff necks I felt I needed him checking out as I would never be explain why I hadn't gone to the doctors had I have been wrong!

The nurofen seems to have got to the deep down pain and is really making a difference... he seems happy and is becoming a naughty monkey - good sign

I'm glad he's better. Should have known you would have mentioned meningitis to the doc.

I've been in the midst of huge career changes and pop on MN mainly to post on a couple of ongoing threads. Today is a slow day at the office and I'm getting an MN fix