Is she looking for something that isn't there ????

[nutcracker]

Have just been checking through Dd2's nursery stuff, and checked her little note book given to the nursery to note any health concerns about Dd as she has been having probs with lethargy.

I hadn't checked the book for a while as she had been alot beter and nursery usually tell me when they have written in it, but anyway, i looked and last week her teacher wrote this
"Chloe seemed to have an absence today lasting about a minute".

When this whole thing started

Whoops didn't finnsih it..

when this whole thing started the g.p did mention epilepsy as the nursery teacher had mentioned a couple of incidents in which Dd seemed to be on another planet.
When i told the nursery teacher she seemed to agree and then told me that her daughter has epilepsy and so she recognized the signs.

Now i'm not saying that she is lying or anything like that BUT part of me thinks she may be looking for something that isn't there.

Dd has had a hospital appointment and they seem to think that she had some virus and has post viral fatigue syndrome.
I didn't mention the absences to them as dd's teacher seemed unsure.

Am not sure wether to go back to g.p or wjhat or do nothing and wait until dd's next hospital appointment which isn't until end of august.

Feeling quite shocked and upset too now, as i had just assumed that she was nearly better and the entry in her book kind of hit me in the face.

nutcracker. No advice to give really other than I would see your gp if only to put your mind at rest. August is a long way off! Viruses can do strange things and it is possible to read more into things than are actually there - meaning from teachers perspective. Too much knowledge and life experiance is not always a good thing ime. Thats sounds a bit naff really but what I mean is you can sometimes always fear the worst unnecessarily if that makes sense! Prob not

NC - personally I think the teacher should have spoken to you about it as rather than writing it in a book! I would have a chat with the teacher and if you are still worried put your mind at rest and see the doctor.

Yeah i know you are right Delgirl.

Dd's teacher seems to be homing in on the epilepsy and hasn't really mentioned the tiredness since i said the doc suggested epilepsy.

Feel like i'm waffling, sorry.

First, I'm so glad you reported back on dd's hospital appointment. I was hoping it was just a virus that was messing about with her liver function levels.

But about the so-called absence. . .my advice would be to wait until August. I think it's highly possible dd's teacher is looking for something that isn't there. (Something similar happened with ds's teacher once.) If YOU notice an absence, or if the teacher notes one again, then I might make an extra appointment to see the gp. Otherwise, best to wait until the next hospital appointment, when you'll see more of a specialist anyway IMO. The fact is, if you do see the gp, he/she willl just refer you on to the hospital again IYSWIM. Right? (I'm still not 100% clear on the NHS, but I think that's right.)

you waffle as much as you like NC - i've made a career out of it . Ring the docs tomorrow and like Bloss said, have a word with the teacher too because she should have mentioned it to you. If i'd seen something like that it would worry me too

Blossomhill - I think i will ask her exactly what she meant.

I honestly have never noticed it myself, unless she is engrossed in the t.v.
Suppose i am worried that if i mention it to G.P again she will send dd for loads of tests which could be unesercary.

posts crossed, sorry epk

Not surprised you are shocked, just when you had relaxed a bit and thought you'd got somewhere towards a different explanation.

It's possible the teacher is homing in on epilepsy because that's what she knows about; I did the same when I read your original posts (but tried to word it carefully as a suggestion with links to more info). Think she's stepping over the line a bit ? thoughtless although no doubt well-intentioned. GPs are good at looking at things in the round, if you are worried, go back and have a word. Surprised you didn't mention absences to hospital though but if liver results indicated virus that's a more likely explanation.
HTH

Hope you managed to get some answers today Nutcracker! BH

Eddm - I do think you could be right, in thats eh is thinking more of epilepsy because it's what she knows about.
I didn't mention the absences b at the hospital as at the ;last visit to the docs where we had the blood test results , there hadn't been any more absences then so the doc just put it diown to tirdness.

Blossomhill _ Dd wasn't at nursery today but i will be asking tommorow.
Feel terrible for not noticing the entry in the book before.

I have seen my Dd sit in a trance like state but only when watching t.v, or very tired, and if i've called her she has snapped out of it, which apparently doesn't happen with epileptic absences.

I'm thinking that the teacher may be seeing dd sitting in a trance but then she doesn't call her name and see if she responds, and so i assuming that it's a proper trance iyswim.

Nutcracker - Don't feel terrible, it's not your fault! I just feel that the teacher could have had a 1 minute chat about her observations with you when you was picking dd up. I don't think that's too much to ask.

No you are right Blossomhill. I provided the book for them to write in any worries about her but when i gave it too them i did say that the doc was concerned about the absences and that she did need to establish if the nursery though it was an absence or if she was just tired. I asked them to inform me of any absences so that i could take her back to thew doc.

I will speak to the teacher tommorow and just say that i hadn't noticed the entry in her book as they usually tell me when ones been made.
I will make sure they knoe to tell me immeidatly if it happens again and then i will take dd back to doc.

They've got a big thing at the mo about how quiet she is when she's there. They said she is that quiet that they worry about her.
Am not sure what they mean.

NC - Maybe just ask them to clarify why they are worried. I mean some children are just more quiter/shyer than others and generally grow more confident with age.

O.k i asked the teacher if she could clarify what had actually happened.

It turns out that it wasn't actually her that witnessed the absence but another teacher.
Apparently this teacher was talking to dd and in mid conversation dd just stopped and starting staring into space.
I asked if the teacher had spoken to her whilst she was in a trance and she said that yes the teacher had called her name a couple of times but dd didn't respond. Then she just carried on as normal.

The teacher reported it to Dd's teacher as "Chloe has just gone a bit funny". When questioned she reprted the above.

I'm just not sure what to make of all this if anything.
Dd's teacher said they have seena great improvement in her in the past couple of weeks as she hasn't been as tired and pale, but surely that wouldn't have anything to do with the absences any way would it.

They can't seem to make up their minds wether they think it's a problem or not, and they are really confusing me.

I can't decide wether to take dd straight back to the doc or just to wait and mention it at her next hospital appointment (not until end of august though).

I have asked nursery to make sure that they inform me verbally if it happens again, although dd will only be there until the end of next week.

I will be watching her like a hawk now, she'll think i'm mad.

Think at the very least i will have to mention it to her teacher when she starts in reception.
Although maybe i'd be better to wait and see if she notices anything.

God i feel like if i don't do anything i'm a terrible neglectful mother, and if i do then i'm probably over reacting and could be subjecting her to unesercary tests.

Go with your gut instinct nutcracker, us mums always know best (corny but very true!)

Trouble is BH my gut instinct keeps changing it's mind .

I'm just worried that i could be subjecting her to tests and stuff for nothing. Not that i know what they'd do cos i don't.

They are having a coffee morning next friday for the ones that are leaving to start school, maybe i could leave it until then and have a better chat with them about it. Should also then be able to speak to the teacher who witnessed it.

I can sort of understand NC as my dd has special needs and she has had lots of tests, including a blood test that IMO weren't necesarry. They had to be done to eliminate certain possibilities!

If you can d,o chat to the teacher as it is always nice to hear it from the person direct. Do they have a school nurse that could give you advice?

Suggest going back to the doc and asking him/her what tests would be necessary and what they'd involve. Explain your concern about unecessary tests, it's a reasonable point, but has to be weighed up against the likelihood of finding anything wrong and the importance of any diagnosis. Talking it over with the GP might help you to make a decision.
I imagine if they are investigating possible epilepsy that would involve an EEG, which means attaching lots of electrodes to your scalp. Don't worry, it's not painful or difficult, they just stick them on with gel; you have to wash your hair and leave it with no product. My ds had an EEG (for a child psychology experiment!) and they gave him a little 'hat' so they don't have to fiddle around attaching each electrode ? much easier and faster which is obviously important with children.
Presumably your dd's already had blood tests to exclude other possible explanations so they shouldn't need to repeat them (weren't they thinking about a viral infection?).
HTH