Vertigo?

[Selena_Kitt]

Anyone here have experience with vertigo?

Just before Halloween, our six year old son had an incident where he was spinning around (like kids do) and his eyes went all weird. Like, they were going back and forth and he couldn't stop it. I looked it up, and it's called nystagmus and is common with vertigo. I told the kid to stop spinning around and thought that was the end of it. Well, about two weeks later, he was in the pantry, getting something off a high shelf with a stool, and it happened again. The dizziness, but not the eye thing. It was VERY brief in comparison to the time before. We talked about taking him to the doc, I looked it up on the Internet and found "Benign Paroxysal Positional Vertigo," which seemed to fit all the symptoms, is caused by crystals formed in the inner ear and they said it usually goes away on its own. So we waited. He had one more incident about two or three weeks after that, this time with the eye thing, but again very brief.

This morning he had an "almost" one... he said he felt his "head buzzing" and he was afraid it was going to happen. (It really freaks him out - hell, it freaks me out too!) And he told us that it happened one other time at school we weren't aware of.

So, with the total being five incidents and a month and half waiting, we've decided to take him into the doc. I'm taking him to the regular doc... but I made an appt on the 22nd with a neurologist if he can't diagnose anything.

My question is... anyone have any experience with this? Does anyone know if this could be a symptom of something else? (Like, oh I don't know, wonders the paranoid, hormonal pregnant woman... a brain tumor or something else just as dire??)

 

[oggbashan]

It can be a symptom of a common cold with an infection in the inner ear.

Og

 

[Zeb_Carter]

If you doctor's name is House, don't let him near your kid!

Nothing to contribute, except my unrelenting fear of heights. I don't get dizzy though.

I hope it nothing but what Og said.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Yeah, but no infection to speak of (at least, visible, and no fevers or anything.) Nothing for months (knock on wood, we've been pretty healthy this year, comparatively!)

 

[Misty_Morning]

Get him to the doctor now.

He could have labynthitis, an infection of the inner ear. Severe labynthitis can cause hearing loss. It is not uncommon to get labynthitis more often if you've had a severe case of it.

My first episode resulted in being carted off to the emergency room in an ambulance and then having my liscence temporarily suspended for about a month.

I also had to get my hearing check twice weekly for the first two weeks, then weekly for two weeks then monthly for the next 3 months.

I have an open perscription for antivert, which helps with the vertigo.

when I get vertigo, I can't stand. I feel as though I am going to fly off of the earth and am severely nauseated and experience extreme vomiting.



and he might also have menieres desease.

Hopefully it's just an infextion and a round of antibiotics is all that is needed.

 

[Misty_Morning]

Yeah, but no infection to speak of (at least, visible, and no fevers or anything.) Nothing for months (knock on wood, we've been pretty healthy this year, comparatively!)

most of the time, only a blood test can tell if he has an infection of the inner ear. And vertigo hits without warning. Everything is fine one minute and the next you are clawing the ground trying to hold on.

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

I had a bout with vertigo combined with tinnitus (which is probably what's causing him to hear that buzzing). It nearly drove me bonkers, but I was treated and it hasn't returned. Knock wood.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

most of the time, only a blood test can tell if he has an infection of the inner ear. And vertigo hits without warning. Everything is fine one minute and the next you are clawing the ground trying to hold on.

It actually seems to be preceded by some sort of head movement - like when he was looking up to get something in the pantry. And it's VERY brief. Probably 15-20 seconds. No nausea or vomiting or any pain. It just scares and disorients him (of course).

The neurologist had a cancellation tomorrow morning, so I'm taking him in then. Someone else suggested an ENT would be a better choice. I'm not sure.

 

[tickledkitty]

It actually seems to be preceded by some sort of head movement - like when he was looking up to get something in the pantry. And it's VERY brief. Probably 15-20 seconds. No nausea or vomiting or any pain. It just scares and disorients him (of course).

The neurologist had a cancellation tomorrow morning, so I'm taking him in then. Someone else suggested an ENT would be a better choice. I'm not sure.

I would start out with the regular family doc and let him direct you from there. He can refer you to what ever specialist you need to see, if you do, in fact, need to see one.

 

[Vermilion]

If it helps with the worrying, my mum, hubby and I have all recently recovered from a mild cold that left behind some fluid in the ear canal. No symptoms except occasional dizziness, nausea and a slooshing noise when moving your head. My mum had it the worst and felt pretty ill with it. Definitely get it checked out, but it may be nothing more than that.
I would say ENT would be a good plan after the GP though.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

I have that problem, but mine is caused by nerve damage in my brain from a car wreck. I totally know what he's talking about when he says his head is "buzzing". (Though I'm sure vertigo affects people the same way regardless of the cause.)

*hugs* I bet there's an infection going on that you can't see that's causing it.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

Yeah, but no infection to speak of (at least, visible, and no fevers or anything.) Nothing for months (knock on wood, we've been pretty healthy this year, comparatively!)

My friend's mom had a problem with vertigo a while ago, complete with throwing up and passing out. Her doctor surmised it was due to getting water in her ear during a shower. I have a mild form of it, just with the dizziness, from my dairy allergy. It only happens when I've had too much dairy and my ear fills with fluid.

 

[sr71plt]

I've had some vertigo ever since I got off the cruise ship from Bermuda. But as I'm about to board another one to circle New Zealand, I assume it will reverse itself.

Eh . . . what? You don't thi . . . ?

 

[elfin_odalisque]

I think you are right. Start with the neurologist (that's the most scary idea) and work down. I have quite severe 'vertigo' but it sounds nothing like the symptoms your six-year-old has. I get severe panic attacks if I get too close to steep drops - appartment balconies, ski paths on cliffs and rollercoasters but have no probs standing on stools and delving in cupboards.

My uninformed guess is that you are dealing with a virus or, perhaps, tittinitus.

Start at the top and work down.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I've had some vertigo ever since I got off the cruise ship from Bermuda. But as I'm about to board another one to circle New Zealand, I assume it will reverse itself.

Eh . . . what? You don't thi . . . ?

Well since he hasn't ever been on a boat... or a plane for that matter... I doubt that's the issue.

But have fun!

 

[Kev H]

The quick movements and brief, unpredictable spells makes me think about epilepsy, so be sure that's ruled out while at the neurologist. I had a tough case of this when I was a kid (but it started with almost unnoticable episodes) because I was growing too fast, at least that's the only reason they could put with it.

Just please don't fret (try as best you can), because it seems like you're taking the right steps these kinds of things are easily correctable in children if properly diagnosed.

 

[sr71plt]

Well since he hasn't ever been on a boat... or a plane for that matter... I doubt that's the issue.

But have fun!

Well, I have thought of other possibilities, like minor stroke or brain aneuryism. So, I'd agree with the suggestions to hie him off to a doctor.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I think you are right. Start with the neurologist (that's the most scary idea) and work down. I have quite severe 'vertigo' but it sounds nothing like the symptoms your six-year-old has. I get severe panic attacks if I get too close to steep drops - appartment balconies, ski paths on cliffs and rollercoasters but have no probs standing on stools and delving in cupboards.

My uninformed guess is that you are dealing with a virus or, perhaps, tittinitus.

Start at the top and work down.

That's my logic. The neurologist will be able to do everything an ENT would (the research I've done says neurologists diagnose Benign Paroxysal Positional Vertigo all the time and they know the maneuvers to correct it as well) - but they will also have an eye out for all the other possibilities, too.

It just annoys me that it's December, our $1500 deductible for our crappy way-too-expensive insurance hasn't been met quite yet, and of course will start over in January. If he orders an MRI, there goes Christmas. *sigh*

 

[elfin_odalisque]

That's my logic. The neurologist will be able to do everything an ENT would (the research I've done says neurologists diagnose Benign Paroxysal Positional Vertigo all the time and they know the maneuvers to correct it as well) - but they will also have an eye out for all the other possibilities, too.

It just annoys me that it's December, our $1500 deductible for our crappy way-too-expensive insurance hasn't been met quite yet, and of course will start over in January. If he orders an MRI, there goes Christmas. *sigh*

A CAT scan is not as pricey as an MRI , and more readily availble, but gives nearly the same results without scaring a child with the noise and claustrophopia.

 

[freshface]

A CAT scan is not as pricey as an MRI , and more readily availble, but gives nearly the same results without scaring a child with the noise and claustrophopia.

No, a CAT scan does better at showing bony changes. The MRI shows more soft tissue detail. Also, the CAT scan delivers a dose of radiation that the MRI does not. I'd go with what the doctor orders, but I wouldn't push for a CAT scan.

 

[glynndah]

I was diagnosed with positional vertigo when I was in college. It could have had the rest of the words connected with it, but I don't remember. It was a long, long time ago. I still have occasional bouts, usually when I change positions rapidly, such as standing up abruptly or lying down. The room spins and everything goes dark and buzzy, but as long as I stay still and let my head catch up with the rest of me, I'm fine. But I"d still see that neurologist, just in case.