17th October 2007
This is a complicated scary case and we are worried sick. If anyone can sit here and painfully read this that might have any alternative ideas, please leave me your comments.
My son is allergic to fire ants and once had an anaphlactic rx to them when he was three. He has been bitten since and rx not as severe. Normally the bite is localized with maybe a knot and some fever/swelling in area but goes away within a day.
My son had a spot that "looked" much simular to this type of bite but couldn't recall being bitten by anything. This was a Thursday one month ago. It went away but that Saturday he developed a low grade fever and by Sunday he had emesis x 2 but no other gi problems. Monday he was better still running low grade fever but complaining of leg pain and muscle soreness. By Weds. he spiked a fever at school and we took him to the peds doc that day. CBC showed elevated WBC but doc wasn't sure if it was truely viral or bacterial and wanted us to come back next day for re-evaluation. Was seen by different doc this time, but no repeat labs were done and he continued to complain of joint pain/fever, malaise. Doctor said he was anemic and this was probably reason for infections. Sent home with iron supplements. That evening fever spiked 104 and took him to the ER where I work. They repeated CBC which clearly showed left shift and mono spot test neg. Son lethargic complaints of leg pain, h/a. Sent home with Omnicef. Returned to Ped doc on Friday and Peds doctor switched to Augmentin. By day two he had energy back was eating and no fevers. Still complaining of leg pain, and now shoulder pain localized on left side. By Wed morning child awoke at 6am and was unable to move left side or walk with all over body aches, conjunctivi looking eyes and high fevers. Called 911 went to children's er and spent 12hr first day. They did more lab work, MRI and xray of hips (which showed bilat fluid) and several consultations with rhumetoid, eye and ortho. Fluid was too small amount to tap and radiology refused to attempt. Sent home and told to return the next day for re-evaluation and to get off of antibotics. Early am child was improved but by afternoon his condition began to deteriorate. WBC went from 18000 to 24000 overnight still showing a left shift. Er docs thinking possible juvenille arthritis and inflammation causing problems but Tordol and other NSAID's did not relive my child's screaming pain. ER docs scratching their head stating something was clearly wrong, but since they couldn't determine a source wanted to send me home a second day after 16hrs in ER. Refused to go and Infectious Disease doc called in on case. Son meanwhile developed pitechial rash and it was decided then to admit to hospital. Child put on Vanc, Doxy, and Clafrin. ID doc thinking possible Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and son was greatly improved with tx within 24hrs. Send home after 3days in hospital, child regained use of legs but still stiff, on 7 day coarse of doxy. Kept child out of school entire week and did great. No fever no more joint/hip pain, could walk fine, clear white eyes, but still had bed wetting problems (which started with disease onset btw) and tired.
Went back to school on Monday and began running low grade temp that afternoon. Tuesday, school called and said he was lethargic and running 99.8. A few of his classmates are out this week and one is very ill just happens to sit next to my son in class. He was not there this week, however worried about secondary infections. Called his ID doc and she said not to worry probably viral but to go ahead and keep him home all this week. Test they ran in hospital (bartnella, CMV, cat scratch, other tick born illness all came back negative including RMSF titer) Tuesday last day of doxy and child still running low grade fevers, tired, bedwetting, and little to no appetite.
I know this is a long history, but I didn't want to leave anything out here. I am literally sick of him being sick. I am tired of everyone scratching their heads saying "virus" when really they just don't know what they are dealing with. They have run every test imaginable, but no clear answers. Has anyone heard of someone being chronic for that long with no real true cause? I think a lot of this depends on interpretation and it has us all frazzled. If anyone knows of another specialist or has any thoughts about the matter, please let me know. We are concerned, scared parents. Thank you.
My son is allergic to fire ants and once had an anaphlactic rx to them when he was three. He has been bitten since and rx not as severe. Normally the bite is localized with maybe a knot and some fever/swelling in area but goes away within a day.
My son had a spot that "looked" much simular to this type of bite but couldn't recall being bitten by anything. This was a Thursday one month ago. It went away but that Saturday he developed a low grade fever and by Sunday he had emesis x 2 but no other gi problems. Monday he was better still running low grade fever but complaining of leg pain and muscle soreness. By Weds. he spiked a fever at school and we took him to the peds doc that day. CBC showed elevated WBC but doc wasn't sure if it was truely viral or bacterial and wanted us to come back next day for re-evaluation. Was seen by different doc this time, but no repeat labs were done and he continued to complain of joint pain/fever, malaise. Doctor said he was anemic and this was probably reason for infections. Sent home with iron supplements. That evening fever spiked 104 and took him to the ER where I work. They repeated CBC which clearly showed left shift and mono spot test neg. Son lethargic complaints of leg pain, h/a. Sent home with Omnicef. Returned to Ped doc on Friday and Peds doctor switched to Augmentin. By day two he had energy back was eating and no fevers. Still complaining of leg pain, and now shoulder pain localized on left side. By Wed morning child awoke at 6am and was unable to move left side or walk with all over body aches, conjunctivi looking eyes and high fevers. Called 911 went to children's er and spent 12hr first day. They did more lab work, MRI and xray of hips (which showed bilat fluid) and several consultations with rhumetoid, eye and ortho. Fluid was too small amount to tap and radiology refused to attempt. Sent home and told to return the next day for re-evaluation and to get off of antibotics. Early am child was improved but by afternoon his condition began to deteriorate. WBC went from 18000 to 24000 overnight still showing a left shift. Er docs thinking possible juvenille arthritis and inflammation causing problems but Tordol and other NSAID's did not relive my child's screaming pain. ER docs scratching their head stating something was clearly wrong, but since they couldn't determine a source wanted to send me home a second day after 16hrs in ER. Refused to go and Infectious Disease doc called in on case. Son meanwhile developed pitechial rash and it was decided then to admit to hospital. Child put on Vanc, Doxy, and Clafrin. ID doc thinking possible Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and son was greatly improved with tx within 24hrs. Send home after 3days in hospital, child regained use of legs but still stiff, on 7 day coarse of doxy. Kept child out of school entire week and did great. No fever no more joint/hip pain, could walk fine, clear white eyes, but still had bed wetting problems (which started with disease onset btw) and tired.
Went back to school on Monday and began running low grade temp that afternoon. Tuesday, school called and said he was lethargic and running 99.8. A few of his classmates are out this week and one is very ill just happens to sit next to my son in class. He was not there this week, however worried about secondary infections. Called his ID doc and she said not to worry probably viral but to go ahead and keep him home all this week. Test they ran in hospital (bartnella, CMV, cat scratch, other tick born illness all came back negative including RMSF titer) Tuesday last day of doxy and child still running low grade fevers, tired, bedwetting, and little to no appetite.
I know this is a long history, but I didn't want to leave anything out here. I am literally sick of him being sick. I am tired of everyone scratching their heads saying "virus" when really they just don't know what they are dealing with. They have run every test imaginable, but no clear answers. Has anyone heard of someone being chronic for that long with no real true cause? I think a lot of this depends on interpretation and it has us all frazzled. If anyone knows of another specialist or has any thoughts about the matter, please let me know. We are concerned, scared parents. Thank you.