DD just fainted!!

[Rhonda in TX]

She got up and walked around to the back of the couch and all of a sudden, she's on the floor. She was right behind me and I turned around and called her name. She looked at me, very dazed and confused. She knew she had gotten up to go to the bathroom, but couldn't remember actually walking to where she was. I'm almost positive she passed out.

 

This happened in her room a week or two ago, but she remembers more about that. She said she was very dizzy and fell down. She had just woken up and wasn't sure if she tripped on something or not.

 

Any ideas of what this could be? I'm not sure how concerned I should be. I'll be calling our pediatrician friend to talk to him about, but wanted to ask the hive if they've had any experience with this.

[TraceyS/FL]

YOu don't happen to have a glucose tester on-hand do you?

 

Quick while it's fresh in your mind jot down what and when she had eaten.

 

Lots of :grouphug:

[KidsHappen]

I went through this with one of my teens two years ago. Apparently not uncommon amoung teen girls so don't freak but do get it checked out.

[Georgiana Daniels]

Yikes! I'd definitely call the doctor. Of course, I have our doctor's number memorized.

 

I have a friend whose 2 year old daughter passes out frequently--I've seen her pass out a couple of times at gymnastics. Evidently she does this when she gets super anxious and holds her breath or something, and their doc isn't particularly worried. Doesn't sound like your situation, but I was astonished when I first found out that passing out isn't necessarily something to be alarmed about (in their case.)

[Denisemomof4]

YOu don't happen to have a glucose tester on-hand do you?

 

Quick while it's fresh in your mind jot down what and when she had eaten.

 

Lots of :grouphug:

 

yes, test her blood sugar and also I'd recommend taking her to the dr. to make sure she's not anemic.

 

My daughter had these "spells," for lack of a better word. She would all of a sudden have impaired vision, be light headed and dizzy, her lips would turn blue, she would become incoherent, among other things. She's almost 10 now, they started when she was 4 and have come and gone through the years. We've taken her to Dartmouth, Boston Children's, etc. 9 doctors have seen her and we STILL have no diagnosis. They say it's all aura/migraine related.

 

Migraines turn your lips blue? REALLY? :confused:

 

 

I'm sorry, don't mean to hijack your thread. But the anemia and blood sugar were among the first tested. It's always good to have snacks between meals anyway. The doctors also told dd to keep well hydrated. Is your daughter well hydrated?

[BMW]

My dd had this happen many times and the dr. had us do full heart studies and had her drink a lot of water throughout the day, since her nutrition and blood work were normal. She has an irregular heart beat. Drinking extra water solved the passing out problem that she had.

 

I hope you get answers for your girl soon. Let us know what your dr. suggests :).

[unsinkable]

I'd get it checked out. I always worry b/c of my dd's epilepsy.

[Ashleen]

That happened to me frequently between the ages of 10 and 19. It was migraines. I outgrew it (the fainting, not the headaches, unfortunately). See a doctor to make sure, but chances are that's what it is. It's common in girls, but my husband had the same symptoms as a teen and it was also migraines.

[jplain]

Was she clammy or sweaty afterwards? Definitely talk to the ped. Counsel your daughter to get down on the ground and put her head between her knees asap if she ever starts to feel the slightest bit funny.

 

My husband has had a half dozen or so episodes of vasovagal syncope, which started around age 10. They can be triggered by all sorts of things: prolonged standing, dehydration, fasting, stress, illness, sight of blood, etc. His ped was reassuring. He was finally worked up for it when he had one in his 20's, and nothing was found to be amiss. He hasn't had one in several years, so we thought he'd finally "outgrown" it, but then he had one last week after a minor medical procedure.

[LNC]

I have fainted all my life starting at age 10. For me it is postural hypotension. I now take a beta blocker, but as a child I simply had to drink a LOT of water to stay really well hydrated and watch for signs. If I felt that feeling coming on I lay down with my feet above my heart. There are lots of people out there without arrythmias or anything serious wrong with them, but she should see a doc to be sure!!! :grouphug:

[clementine]

This used to happen to me too - when I was in middle school. Always in the morning and always before I had eaten. My mom took me to the dr., and he said "Feed her." She says she was so embarassed, but from then on, the first thing I would do in the morning was eat breakfast and never had another episode.

 

Hope that's all it is with your dd. Keep us posted :)

[Rhonda in TX]

She had not eaten yet, so I suspect it's something to do with that. I do not have a glucose tester (man, I wish I had kept that thing from when I had gestational diabetes).

 

Both times were first thing in the morning. Last week she had just gotten out of bed, so I'm not sure how that could be avoided. :tongue_smilie: Interestingly, she came downstairs this morning and laid on the couch for awhile (she's often slow to wake up). It was when she got up from there that she passed out.

 

I'll definitely get some medical advice on how to pursue this, but I'm hoping it's the "need to eat" diagnosis. Thanks!

[Laurel]

Both times were first thing in the morning. Last week she had just gotten out of bed, so I'm not sure how that could be avoided. :tongue_smilie:

 

What about just keeping some crackers or dry cereal or a piece of fruit beside her bed to eat as soon as she wakes up?

 

If it is just that she needs to eat, she should be able to start recognizing the signs - when she feels faint or dizzy - and hopefully be able to stop it.

[Leanna Tomlinson]

This used to happen to me too - when I was in middle school. Always in the morning and always before I had eaten. My mom took me to the dr., and he said "Feed her." She says she was so embarassed, but from then on, the first thing I would do in the morning was eat breakfast and never had another episode.

 

Hope that's all it is with your dd. Keep us posted :)

 

This was me too. Then in high school I became known as "the girl who faints".(This was mostly my first year when we had a horrible band director who would punish us by delaying lunch during band camp.) My dd also went through fainting spells from about the age of 10-16. My Ped. says a lot of girls do this through puberty.

 

~

Leanna

[dangermom]

This happened to me a few times when I was 12 or 13. I guess it was because I was growing or something. It was usually when I had been sitting or lying down and then stood up. It went away by the time I was 14.

[Mom-ninja.]

This happens to me quite a bit. Two causes: low blood sugar and low blood pressure.

 

If she has low blood pressure she just has to learn to get up slowly, and then stand and wait for a second before trying to walk.

[SapphireStitch]

I have fainted all my life starting at age 10. For me it is postural hypotension. I now take a beta blocker, but as a child I simply had to drink a LOT of water to stay really well hydrated and watch for signs. If I felt that feeling coming on I lay down with my feet above my heart. There are lots of people out there without arrythmias or anything serious wrong with them, but she should see a doc to be sure!!! :grouphug:

 

My DH has postural hypotension, too. When he gets out of bed he has to sit up slowly and then stretch his legs for a minute or two before he stands up. He also has to be careful to stay hydrated.

 

He was dehydrated at work and passed out right after jumping up to greet a client. Since he works in a medical center someone called the paramedics and he got rushed down to the ER. (He did NOT want to go...men :tongue_smilie:) I was glad this happened because it forced him to get completely evaluated and find out there was nothing wrong with his heart.

[SapphireStitch]

I have fainted all my life starting at age 10. For me it is postural hypotension. I now take a beta blocker, but as a child I simply had to drink a LOT of water to stay really well hydrated and watch for signs. If I felt that feeling coming on I lay down with my feet above my heart. There are lots of people out there without arrythmias or anything serious wrong with them, but she should see a doc to be sure!!! :grouphug:

 

My DH has postural hypotension, too. When he gets out of bed he has to sit up slowly and then stretch his legs for a minute or two before he stands up. He also has to be careful to stay hydrated.

 

He was dehydrated at work and passed out right after jumping up to greet a client. Since he works in a medical center someone called the paramedics and he got rushed down to the ER. (He did NOT want to go...men :tongue_smilie:) I was glad this happened because it forced him to get completely evaluated and find out there was nothing wrong with his heart.

 

When I was 13 I fainted a couple of times and my pediatrician sent me to a children's hospital in another city to be evaluated. After a day of tests, the final conclusion was "You faint easily from several triggers, you have a low pain threshold; if you get hurt or feel lightheaded, sit down quickly." :rolleyes:

 

Apparently this is a pretty common thing for teens to experience, but you are wise to have her checked by a doctor.

[dancer67]

Was she clammy or sweaty afterwards? Definitely talk to the ped. Counsel your daughter to get down on the ground and put her head between her knees asap if she ever starts to feel the slightest bit funny.

 

My husband has had a half dozen or so episodes of vasovagal syncope, which started around age 10. They can be triggered by all sorts of things: prolonged standing, dehydration, fasting, stress, illness, sight of blood, etc. His ped was reassuring. He was finally worked up for it when he had one in his 20's, and nothing was found to be amiss. He hasn't had one in several years, so we thought he'd finally "outgrown" it, but then he had one last week after a minor medical procedure.

 

This what my niece has. She passed out a few times, and this is what the Dr told her. It is very common, especially in young children and teens.

 

But get it checked out.

[hornblower]

My dd did this when she was 12, in a store. We were in the middle of kitchen reno's and I had to pop out to the warehouse to deal with a microwave that was being ordered. She had eaten breakfast, it wasn't any earlier than she would normally be up. The only difference was that we had to stand around for a while whereas at home she'd be more likely sitting at that time of day.

 

In the middle of me talking to the service rep guy, she keeled right over. She was clammy and white as a sheet. She sat down, I got her head between her legs, the first aid dudes came running but it was just a faint.

 

I didn't make a special trip to the dr, but mentioned it at her next check up. The dr said if it happened more times to come in but otherwise to just chalk it up as normal.

 

I was joking with dd that this meant I had to put "swooning gracefully" in our learning plan, like in the old finishing schools.

 

BTW, I'm a fainter too - though I know it's coming & can usually control it by changing posture etc. Mine is triggered by weird things. I almost fainted in a movie once....

My grandmother was one too. We're a swooning tribe :001_smile:

[mrsrevmeg]

 

My husband has had a half dozen or so episodes of vasovagal syncope, which started around age 10. They can be triggered by all sorts of things: prolonged standing, dehydration, fasting, stress, illness, sight of blood, etc. His ped was reassuring.

 

My oldest son was was diagnosed with this after his spells. He has had spells where his face went completely white, his lips looked bluish and he said he everything started swirling and just went dark. Every time it had been a while since eating. The first two times his glucose was tested, both times it came back fine. The second time he was sent to a ped. cardiologist who said vasovagal syncope, and that his sodium was a bit low. (So much for being the "good mom" who cooks without a lot of salt, huh?) We have noticed that the times for for him to start getting "that look" are a.) he's too hot b.) he has gone several hours without eating c.)He's moving quickly. We try to keep Gator Aid on hand when he is doing something extra physical and make sure he snacks in between meals.

[jenn-]

I fainted once like that in the middle of the night when I was about her age (potty break). It was a scary thing to happen at that age. Since then I have always been one that "nearly faints". The world starts spinning and turning black, but I am able to stabilize before I actually go down. In my case it is naturally low blood pressure. If I squat for even a few seconds and try to stand back up, the world goes bye-bye.

[gingersmom]

I had this problem as a child and into adulthood.

 

I had very low blood pressure which causes fainting and I was also told to eat more salt.

 

When I felt dizzy and I was going to faint I was told (if I could) to go drink something like tomato juice or something with a high sodium content.

 

I have walked into doctors offices and passed out cold, fell down stairs, visiting a friend in the hospital I passed out cold (they thought I was the patient, not her!), I could go on and on.

 

I would have her checked out by the pediatrician.

[kpupg]

Vasovagal Syncope -- At age 50, I still have to watch out for this. The worst place for me is at a crowded church where they do a lot of extended standing -- I do better with a more varied program of stand/sit/kneel.

 

Never stand up abruptly, especially from bed.

 

When standing for extended periods, keep the feet and legs moving to prevent blood from pooling in the lower body. Locking the knees is especially bad.

 

Stay hydrated & fed (but not overstuffed).

 

Stay cool. If it's a warm environment, be especially alert for oncoming signs.

 

Stay away from crowds as much as possible.

 

Know where the restroom/drinking fountain and exits are. Stay alert and be ready to make a quick exit BEFORE symptoms really manifest.

 

My daughter also struggles with this. My mother, who has high blood pressure, does not. Guess it's related to that.

 

Karen

[AngieW in Texas]

This exact same thing happened with my middle dd earlier this year.

 

The first time she had come downstairs and was on her way back upstairs when she passed out. My 11yo and I both saw it happen. I was at the top of the stairs and called her to come up. She looked up at me and collapsed to the ground. Her whole body shook for 5-10 seconds and then she rolled over, got up, and asked me how she ended up on the floor. She hadn't had anything to eat or drink yet and had been out of bed for less than 30 minutes.

 

Nobody saw the second time. She got up to use the bathroom. She only made it to the door. As she passed out, she ripped the towel bar off the wall. The clatter (directly over my room) woke me up. She was awake and aware that something that had happened, but did not remember leaving her room.

 

I took her to the doctor. The doctor referred us to a neurologist. We were fortunate to get a neurologist appointment just three days later (cancellation) because when I originally called to schedule, they were working on appointments 4 months out. The neurologist spent about an hour with my dd and said that he was pretty sure it was low blood sugar in the morning. He did have her do an EEG, but it was normal.

 

Nothing has happened since then. She was 13.5yo at the time.

[s.z.ichigo]

I can't believe how common this seems to be. Several weeks ago I was going to trim my daughter's hair and she was fighting me about it (being afraid it would hurt...at eight years old??). She wasn't all THAT upset, no more than any other time she'd irritated about something, but the next thing I knew she was falling face-first into the towel bar of the bathroom. I caught her and tried to right her, but she was limp, so I laid her on her back on the floor.

Before I even really realized what had happened she was awake and bawling, obviously scared. She was holding her ears and I think her hearing had gone for a moment. She was really scared, but she refused to talk to me or tell me if anything was wrong, and was screaming at me to leave her alone. It was really strange. She sat there bawling for about 15 minutes and still wouldn't talk about it later.

I decided not to call a doctor unless it happened again, which it didn't. I watched her closely for several days and she seemed to be completely fine. Was really scary at the time, though. Good to see it's not an uncommon experience.

[Lovedtodeath]

What about just keeping some crackers or dry cereal or a piece of fruit beside her bed to eat as soon as she wakes up?

 

If it is just that she needs to eat, she should be able to start recognizing the signs - when she feels faint or dizzy - and hopefully be able to stop it.

If she is having blood sugar issues, then you might want the quick snack to be protein based. Raw nuts are very healthy. Almonds are what my doc recommends.

 

I was going to mention postural hypotension. Your blood pressure drops when you stand up and gets higher when you lay down. The opposite of what your body should do. Most docs would never think to test for it. It is often related to weakened adrenal glands.

[PollyOR]

My 14yo tends towards this too. It became more frequent when she was taking Minocin (antibiotic for acne). It has improved since she went off the medication.

[Dawn in OH]

That used to happen to me fairly often beginning my early teens. I was really active in sports, not eating enough given the amount of activity. The fainting often occurred after sports events or practices, before I got to a meal.

 

I had no idea it happen to so many other people.

 

It turns out I'm severely hypoglycemic, and given when I know about it now, I probably always have been and no one knew.