Pain in upper leg, ds can't tell me what's wrong, any ideas?

[PeterPan]

So ds started acted odd today, grouchy, sitting, said he didn't feel well. It's not his stomach, no fever. He's hobbling when he gets up, says his leg hurts. When I ask him to *touch* what hurts, he's pointing to right around his underwear line (groin). But if I try to touch, I can't elicit the pain. I thought maybe it was the muscles going from back to front, so I had him lie on his back to do a flex (knees to chest) and he had cry level pain that resolved when he straightened out again. So then I suggested he roll over, and he had so much pain, we had to discontinue.

For now, I've given him ibuprofen, just to get him calmed down, and niacin for the irritability. I just thought it was stress or being grumpy or eating milk on cereal or something, but it's clearly not. Any idea what this is? Oh and for reference, he has ASD2 with sensory issues.

Can this be something mundane like he just needs to go to the chiropractor? Is something actually WRONG and he can't tell me??? No fever. No pain when I tried to touch around abdomen. But significant pain because he's throwing things and now saying it hurts. What could I check next to figure it out?? Nothing is tender on his back when I touch. I could try more on his abdomen. He wasn't being very patient. I was trying to touch his leg and he jumped so that ended it.

And no injuries that I know of, no falls or tumbles. No bruising either, checked that.

Edited August 22, 2019 by PeterPan

[ktgrok]

Kids can get a toxic synovitis that is an infection of the joint, that might be effecting his hip. Needs antibiotics. Or he could have a twisted testicle and be a bit off as to where the pain is, if he's being shy? torsion of the testical is pretty serious as well. 

Honestly, if he's in tears type of pain, I'd take him in to the urgent care/ER. 

[PeterPan]

Ok, so I just sent him to the bathroom to check his boy parts, thanks. 

Yeah, I didn't realize anything was up and then it kinda spiraled and sometimes it's hard to realize until it's full blown that something is wrong on him.

He's back. Negative on boy parts. Then I asked him to sit on my lap (something often does) and he winced.

My dh is out picking up my dd at the airport. This is a mess.

[PeterPan]

He's not crying now. It was just on his back with knees up and rolling over that it was at that level. And the ibuprofen is kicking in.

[prairiewindmomma]

I would load him up on water and get him in an epsom salt bath and ask specific questions:

1. When did you go poop last? (checking for constipation)

2. Does it hurt when you go pee? (a UTI is not likely in a male, but not unheard of)

3. Does it hurt on your cheek? (point to sciatic nerve spot on backside)

4. Have you been hurting like this for a while or did it just start?   (This is my BTDT experience from this weekend. I will always ask this question from now on.)

But if he's still in pain, I'd take him in. We've had too much weird stuff go down with our kids who don't advocate well for themselves.  Mine can answer specific yes/no questions but can't use their vocabulary to describe pain well. FWIW, my kid from this weekend is going to need surgery. It is a big deal he didn't have words for and had just been coping along until he couldn't any more. 

[kbutton]

Our go-to medical person says this could be anything from a strained muscle to a torsed testicle to appendicitis to a slipped capital femoral epiphysis. All of these things can have pain that shows up in a different part of the body from where the problem is located.

[Pen]

If not clear that it’s getting much better on its own quickly—not just that ibuprofen is relieving the pain I’d get him in to be seen ASAP. Because it could need antibiotics or surgical repair, or who knows what, depending on what it is.  

[PeterPan]

34 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

4. Have you been hurting like this for a while or did it just start?   (This is my BTDT experience from this weekend. I will always ask this question from now on.)

You're right I didn't think to ask that. He fessed up it started yesterday and he just assumed he pulled something.

Sorry to leave y'all hanging! Poked on him some more and he hurts on the side of his leg too. We're *hoping* it's maybe a sciatic, back kind of thing. He's asleep in bed peacefully. Going to call the chiro first thing in the morning. If that doesn't resolve it, then we'll figure out.

And I did have him check his boy parts in the bathroom and he said they didn't hurt.

[PeterPan]

1 minute ago, kand said:

Did he have a cold or similar illness recently? Toxic synovitis usually comes on right after illness. My son had it as a toddler right at the tail end of a cold. 

Good question. I actually don't know what synovitis is, so I need to google that. We had a bug, but it has been over about a month. He's been blowing his nose, but I think it's from the cow milk he has been drinking, which I don't normally allow. (It makes him fussy.)

[PeterPan]

4 minutes ago, kand said:

Toxic synovitis

Ok, so I'm googling and now I see why y'all are saying that, ugh. I'll look into it.

Wow, that really fits it. I've never ever seen needing chiropractic do this. So it looks like the ibuprofen I gave him was head on. I don't know when we got over that bug, but we had a round, a really nasty round that hung on half way to forever. And he's been blowing his nose, like went through an entire box. Given that the description, especially about how it hurts when he gets up, fits so well, I'm thinking that could be it. 

So it's looking like this is *not* an antibiotic thing, right? It's not contagious either, more of a rest and get through it. Poor thing. That explains his not feeling well comment.

I'm asking if it's contagious because he has his first appointment with a new SLP tomorrow. If it's contagious, obviously she doesn't want him. He doesn't have a noticeable fever. The therapy is for his apraxia, and she'll probably go gingerly as it will be their first time working hands-on together. And it's only an hour, using games.

Edited August 22, 2019 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

I looked at my doctor records, because I actually went to the doctor for this virus ds and I both had. Don't laugh, because I have asthma and so did not want pneumonia! It was a really nasty bug. So ds was 5 days ahead of me and his sickness lasted longer than mine. I saw the doc on 7/26 and was sick 2- 2 1/2 weeks. So basically he is within 1-2 weeks of finishing up the symptoms from that bug, and he has spent this week blowing his nose through an entire box of kleenex again. 

So if it's pretty close to that virus, then is it reasonable to *assume* it's the synovitis? It seems to fit the symptoms and timeline. It's sounding like they would do all kinds of xrays that would cost me and are exclusionary. Am I safe not to do that? Or can no one say that? LOL

[ktgrok]

Sorry, this is a "go to the doctor" thing. Seriously. 

[JFSinIL2.0]

I am with Ktgrok.  If you have urgent care that has X-ray facilities go there, otherwise ER.  I don't wait long when a child is in pain.  I would not wait to see a chiropractor.  And ibuprofen might make something serious feel better temporarily, delaying your taking him in. 

I hope it is nothing serious....but from what others are noting, it could be. 

[TravelingChris]

Agree with posters above.   I think there can be a place for chiropractors when you already know the diagnosis and it is an appropriate treatment.  Diagnosis should be made by medical professionals, though.

[PeterPan]

So his limp is looking better this morning with two doses of the turmeric and ibuprofen and probiotics into him. No elevated fever. Well duh, the ibuprofen would cut fever. But he didn't have a fever as the dose wore off or before the ibuprofen either. 

So at this point I'm going to keep dosing him, let him rest. If it stays down like that and is improving, I think we're good. 

[ktgrok]

I'm not quite getting why you don't want a medical professional to evaluate your child's limp? That's pretty much on the "definitely go to the doctor" list for me. Sniffles, no. Limp, yes. 

Edited August 22, 2019 by Ktgrok

[Katy]

Have you been to the beach lately?  Flesh eating bacteria was the first thing that came to mind, followed by a hernia.  Every single other thing I think it is likely to be except sciatica is potentially life threatening.  Do not wait to see the chiropractor, take him to a real doctor.  I wouldn't even mess with a nurse practitioner or physician assistant with this sort of thing, and I usually prefer them for everything.  Urgent care or the ER.

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, Katy said:

Have you been to the beach lately?  Flesh eating bacteria was the first thing that came to mind, followed by a hernia.  Every single other thing I think it is likely to be except sciatica is potentially life threatening.  Do not wait to see the chiropractor, take him to a real doctor.  I wouldn't even mess with a nurse practitioner or physician assistant with this sort of thing, and I usually prefer them for everything.  Urgent care or the ER.

Just mentioning that PAs and NPs are often who you see at urgent care and ER, lol! It just depends on the region. Generally they do work in tandem with a doctor, and in the case of PAs, they have clear guidelines on when the doctor needs to step in.

You need to be really bleak with the triage people though!!! Make sure they know that your son can be in a pretty decent pain and not notice, but this time, he's crying when in certain positions, so you know that you need to rule out something serious. Triage people help determine how long your wait will be if it's busy. This is not a time to be particularly deferential. Make sure they know he's had anti-inflammatories--when, how much, and what kind.

[kbutton]

5 hours ago, PeterPan said:

No elevated fever. Well duh, the ibuprofen would cut fever. But he didn't have a fever as the dose wore off or before the ibuprofen either. 

Fevers come and go--it would be hard to know if you were "catching" it or not, especially if it's viral. Viral fevers are especially prone to waxing and waning.

[PeterPan]

On August 22, 2019 at 4:28 PM, kbutton said:

Fevers come and go--it would be hard to know if you were "catching" it or not, especially if it's viral. Viral fevers are especially prone to waxing and waning.

Well just as a little update, he's doing better! The limp improved quickly once I started the turmeric. We've mostly dropped the ibuprofen and there's no fever and no significant pain at this point.

I get that it would have been ideal to take him in, but by the time we had the opportunity, he was already visibly enough better that it didn't really seem necessary. He's still tired, but it seems like with continued rest, turmeric, etc. he's going to get to the other side.

[kbutton]

I am glad he's doing better!

[almondbutterandjelly]

Not to hijack the thread, but can you tell me what turmeric you are giving him?  We tried a tumeric gummy to help my dh with some pain, and that was ineffective.

[LisaKinVA]

Could be Shingles... had a swimmer at a large meet recently who started coming down with Shingles and was just in pain (before the rash appeared).  Her pain was in/around her upper thigh and mid-section.  Shingles can be quite painful, and often doesn't have fevers or other issues.  It feels like a bad bruise -- so the pain isn't sharp or stabbing.  Just a thought.

[TravelingChris]

4 hours ago, perkybunch said:

Not to hijack the thread, but can you tell me what turmeric you are giving him?  We tried a tumeric gummy to help my dh with some pain, and that was ineffective.

When I get home, I will give you two names of effective turmerics that I have used and were verified by the Consumer Lab testing service (might have name wrong of the company).  They are like a Consumet Reports for supplements.

[PeterPan]

https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/triple-strength-curcumin-900-mg-120-capsules/vs-2564

Not sure how it compares to any other brand. I got it to try for my asthma and am completely off asthma meds as a result. I was having frequent pneumonia, bronchitis, etc. and that has all stopped. 

I don't know what else it can do. I just figured it helps inflammation and the synovitis was inflammation.

Edited August 25, 2019 by PeterPan

[BeachGal]

11 hours ago, perkybunch said:

Not to hijack the thread, but can you tell me what turmeric you are giving him?  We tried a tumeric gummy to help my dh with some pain, and that was ineffective.

 

Meriva, made by Thorne, is considered a reliable, easily absorbed source of curcumin and is often used in research.

https://www.thorne.com/products/dp/meriva-sf