MamaBearTeacher Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 My 15-year old son has had a cold sore for about 6 weeks. It is the first cold sore he has ever had. My husband and I do not get them and neither do the other boys. My son has severe special needs and he often takes drinks from strangers so maybe that's how he got it? The past two weeks he has been sleeping a great deal, almost 12 hours every night. Even when he wakes up he is too tired to get up for about 40 minutes. He yawns throughout the day and in the evening. However, I am not complaining because he has been very happy and well-behaved!!!!!! I am so grateful for that!!!!! A few weeks ago I posted how he was moaning all the time and staying up late and violently self-injurious. It is so nice to see him smiling so much and come up to me and hug me and his brothers instead of the awful behaviour. This is the real him! I am wondering if the cold sore and the sleep are linked. Are they linked to the bad behaviour of the previous weeks? This is a boy who never feels good in his body. I want to know what is going on in his body. Maybe it can help. We have done blood tests before but I would like to do more. The paediatrician will usually do what I ask for if it is not too complicated. If I just tell her he is sleeping a lot she will not order tests or be too concerned. I have to tell her exactly what I want. What tests should I ask for? We have done the standard stuff in the past like CBC and thyroid but what else might be good. Please tell me anything and everything. I want to do as much as possible. Is the cold sore viral? Should I test him for specific viruses? Is it not concerning that it has lasted 6 weeks? He has no cold symptoms but his brother woke up with a mild cold this morning, though probably completely unrelated. Another thing I have noticed in the past few weeks is that his balance seems suddenly worse when he is standing and I help him get his socks on. Help me solve this mystery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 6 weeks is a long time for a cold sore. Are you sure that is what it is? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom@shiloh Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 The 'life' of a typical cold sore is about a week if left untreated. Is the cold sore getting worse or spreading at all? Now that it's winter and the nights are longer, we are all sleeping more, so I wouldn't necessarily think that sleeping longer is a problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw4321 Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I don't think it's a cold sore, as that is too long to have one. Could it just be a rash or dry skin from the winter? That is a lot of sleeping, and the first thing that came to my mind was mono. I believe there's a simple blood test for it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaBearTeacher Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 I wondered too if it was a cold sore. It is inthe corner of his mouth. it formed a white blister and had some pus coming out and seemed to form -what's the word? A little hole. he was scratching it a couple of days ago and it seems more red and dried out and smaller now. it was too big to be acne. it was not dry skin. What else could it be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarasue7272 Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Cold sores hurt, especially in the corner of your mouth. That would be so painful! I take lysine for them. 6 weeks seems like a really long time for a cold sore. White pus doesn't really sound like a cold sore, they are red with little blisters. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonesinIndiana Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Cold sores are viral, but after the initial exposure can lie dormant until it presents as a "sore". They do not last 6 weeks unless they are spreading. If it's in the corner of the mouth, you might check into a fungal infection instead of a cold sore. Good luck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Just going to add in that teens that age often go through a period of sleeping a LOT more. I remember i would come home from high school, nap for a few hours, get up, eat dinner, do a tiny bit of homework, then pass out again all night. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BooksandBoys Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 My kids (two have special needs, though not nearly as severe as you have described in the past) appear to need much more sleep than "average." When life happens and they start getting a "normal" amount of sleep, they get much more volatile and all special needs issues, including my middle son's extreme reactions to (what I would perceive as mild) pain, get much more intense. I'd actually be wondering if the extra sleep is part of why your son is so happy? The cold sore does complicate that theory. I think I'd ask the doctor to figure out what that is. Throwing in a test for mono sounds reasonable too. Hugs, Mama. Perhaps while investigating, you can also enjoy this calm while you have it. Maybe you can get a bit of extra sleep. ;-) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I don't have experience with cold sores, but that, plus the other symptoms you describe - sleeping a lot, balance, etc - would concern me. Just to throw this out there: I once saw Dr Horowitz, a renowned LLMD, speak. He was speaking about co-infections from ticks, and specifically mentioned the herpes virus. I don't have a source, other than the notes I took myself at the conference. The symptoms you describe could be something else entirely. But if you find no other cause, you might check into tick borne diseases. If the cold sore came from an unseen bite, he could have other TBDs, whose symptoms would fit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaBearTeacher Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 Cold sores hurt, especially in the corner of your mouth. That would be so painful! I take lysine for them. 6 weeks seems like a really long time for a cold sore. White pus doesn't really sound like a cold sore, they are red with little blisters. It was like one blister, not tiny, not large. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaBearTeacher Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 Yes, he is so much better with a lot of sleep. Since adolescence his sleep has become irregular, staying up late (or sometimes all night) and then sleeping in late. But this is consistent large amounts of sleep for a longer period. I am so happy he's happy. My kids (two have special needs, though not nearly as severe as you have described in the past) appear to need much more sleep than "average." When life happens and they start getting a "normal" amount of sleep, they get much more volatile and all special needs issues, including my middle son's extreme reactions to (what I would perceive as mild) pain, get much more intense. I'd actually be wondering if the extra sleep is part of why your son is so happy? The cold sore does complicate that theory. I think I'd ask the doctor to figure out what that is. Throwing in a test for mono sounds reasonable too. Hugs, Mama. Perhaps while investigating, you can also enjoy this calm while you have it. Maybe you can get a bit of extra sleep. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 It could be impetigo or a strep rash. Behavioral changes could indicate PANDAS/PANS. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 It could be impetigo or a strep rash. Behavioral changes could indicate PANDAS/PANS. Yes. Definitely check into that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 It could be impetigo or a strep rash. Yeah, I'd worry it is a little staph infection. Those can look like a blister. Some antibiotics, or even topical antibiotic, would clear it up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Tell the paediatrian about the duration and severity of his fatigue; she will likely test him for mono. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I wondered too if it was a cold sore. It is inthe corner of his mouth. it formed a white blister and had some pus coming out and seemed to form -what's the word? A little hole. he was scratching it a couple of days ago and it seems more red and dried out and smaller now. it was too big to be acne. it was not dry skin. What else could it be? Canker sore? Was it on the inside of the mouth close to lips or definitely outside? I think canker sores are always on the soft tissue inside. Cold sores (herpes) and canker sores are not the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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