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Forum Name: Pediatric Topics

Question: 12 year old daughter has mystery illness

Denise65 - Mon May 21, 2007 4:45 am

My 12 year old daughter has been sick for the last four months. It started as a virus that lasted a couple weeks. Fever, dog tired..etc. Then as I who also had said virus was starting to recover my daughter developed a large bruise on one knee. Within an hour it was too painful to bear weight. We took her to the emergency three times that weekend. Finally she was given steroids and crutches and advil. She couldn't walk on it for a week and for about two weeks after that only very slowly. She now has bruises that emerge on both knees and in her mid spine region that come and go. We were referred to a physio therapist with a possible diagnosis of patella femoral syndrome. The physio lady assessed her and said no way was it that and called our dr. personally to request a specialist referral. We are going to our dr. Wed. to get the referral but may have to wait three months to see someone. She is still on advil three times a day and sometimes needs to take it before she can get out of bed. She is in constant pain. She has never been sick before this and is quite athletic. I am a mother of four and have never seen anything like this. Can you please help. There is a family history of Arthritis.

Dr. Chan Lowe - Mon May 21, 2007 8:27 pm

There are a few things that should be evaluated for. I would recommend that she have a CBC and some clotting tests done to get a general look at her blood and clotting systems. With persistent joint pain, one should also consider the diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid Arthritis. If her pain is that severe, it may be best to hospitalize her so that the work up can be done much faster as well as pain control can be established. Best wishes.

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