Dd lost a fistful of hair today & complains about knee pain

[JustMe]

Help! I hope someone out there has some suggestions for me. Over at least the past 6 months dd complains very sporadically about knee pain. Sometimes she will scream in pain. She is very dramatic, so it is hard to know what to think. I discussed this with her dr previously and the dr said it was probably just growing pains. Two nights ago she was screaming so much about it that I was really worried. It was bedtime which makes me suspicious, but I really don't react in a way that would make her think she would get to delay bedtime or anything like that.

Then today as we were getting ready to leave the house, she walks up to me with literally a handful of her own hair. Now, I have long hair too and I lose a lot all the time, but nothing like that. So, I am very freaked out.

Yes, I called the dr and we have an appt for tomorrow. Unfortunately, her regular dr is out until Tues. A whole other issue is the doctor's office, though. Dd hardly ever gets sick and I am not someone to go rushing her to go to the dr. In fact, I hate to bring her to the dr. I really like her dr (no small feat for me), but everytime I try to make her an appt the office staff tries to talk me out of it. I think they just see too many patients in that office. Anyway, I insisted on an appt and got one tomorrow with another dr.

Any suggestions on what I should ask for . Certain tests, etc? I feel like they will just tell me that everything is fine and just watch her. Maybe that is true, but I really want to make sure we cover our bases.

Thanks!

[randomkid]

It's not really your job to know which tests need to be done. That is the ped's job, right? Yours is to be a Mommy and make sure the ped does his job (not to *know* it). I'm in healthcare and wouldn't know what to ask for with those symptoms. However, I would at least insist on basic bloodwork. A full panel of labs. That would usually be a starting point anyway, then if anything shows up abnormal there, they should know what to do next.

Honestly, if they don't take you seriously, then I would seek out a second opinion. Those are strange symptoms and warrant investigation, IMO. No ped's office should try to "talk you out of" an appt. The policy at our ped's office is that if a parent says "I want to make an appt.", they make an appt for you, no questions asked. When we were interviewing peds, that was something he told us. No matter what the person on the phone says, you just say "I want to see the doctor" and you will get an appt.

Hopefully, there is a simple explanation and I hope you get some answers soon. Keep us updated.

[kcandz]

Echoing the PP advice: just insist on being seen and getting basic tests to rule things out. How odd about the ped's office. If I called the advice line with a question about DC having a weird colored booger our peds would strongarm us to come in for an office visit. I always figured it was because there are so many lawsuits these days, doctors are nervous to take anything involving a child's health lightly, just due to potential liability.

Does your DC walk funny or favor the knee at all, or just yell about it? Have you ever tried gently touching the knee at a non-pain time to see what the reflex is? Also why would your doc dismiss it as growing pains if it is solely in one knee and happens repeatedly? Are you sure you are happy with your pediatrician? No matter what they find, you may want to get a second opinion.

[JustMe]

Thanks for the responses. The first time I talked to the ped about the knee issue, I was not sure if it was only in one knee. She will occasionally complain about the other knee it is 95% the same knee. The knee seems fine at other times, which is a lot more often than not. I really like her ped, and I didnt know a lot (like if it was the same knee) the first time I mentioned it to her, which was a while back. She did tell me to keep an eye on it and bring dd back if she continues to complain, but her complaints are really infrequent (with lots of time in between them...several months, actually) so I hadnt brought her back yet.

I work with dd's age group professionally in an educational/social service role. I have seen more than one ped miss something or ignore a parent's concerns and I do feel like many of the peds I interact with are used to parents that they consider to be over-reactors. Anyway, I do like dd's ped (which as I said is a big deal for me), but I do think the office she work out of is overburdened which leads to them trying to dissuade me from coming in and that concerns me. When I called the 2nd time today to insist that she be seen, I was asked if I could wait until Friday. I said no, and then she did give me an appt tomorrow. I will not be seeing dd's regular doctor tomorrow, as she is on vacation, so this is not something I can discuss with her. I am thinking about changing doctor's although it is a big decision, as I do not think I would easily find a doctor I like as much.

Robyn

[brittone2]

ITA that you shouldn't have to figure it out. If you don't get a satisfactory visit out of your regular ped, I'd go elsewhere.

Something to consider is hip pain can often refer to the knee as well, so make sure they take a look at her hips.

[gatorsmom]

Don't you just hate when they say, "just watch your child and if the pain continues...." Well, most of us don't just run in at the first yelp from a child. And just as you have, most of us have already watched the condition for awhile hoping it was just a temporary thing.

I hope your appointment yesterday went well. Please feel free to rant/rave about it!

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[JustMe]

Thanks so much, Lisa. Yes, I definitely do not run in at the first yelp! Our appt is 11 am today pacific time, so I will post how things went. Thanks for your concern.

Robyn

[trentsmom]

When I was four, I had a lot of hip pain. The pain was bad enough that it would wake me up. I was diagnosed with synovitis and had to spend a week in traction in the hospital. But this was in the 70s, and they've found that that kind of treatment is not needed. Don't remember losing any hair, though.

I hope your dr's appointment was able to determine what is going on with your DD.

[randomkid]

Just wondering how the appt. went and what the ped had to say.

[JustMe]

Thank you so much for your concern everyone! This board is so amazing that way. Sorry I have not updated sooner. I have a dial up connection and this is one of those times that the board has been so slow loading for me.

The doctor's visit was good, I think. The dr we saw was one that we have seen once before and that I have heard of through other families...he is a good one that I mostly like. I felt like he was thorough and knew what he was doing. He did check her knees and hips. We decided to to a CBC and some thyroid tests. He really didnt think the thyroid tests were necessary since she does not have any symptoms other than the hair, but was very agreeable. He thought an MRI would be over the top with the knee thing, as she does not have any other symptoms (no swelling, no walking differently, etc). From the questions he asked me, I really ended up feeling more reassured that things were not as bad as they seemed to me.

Now, the only issue is how overburndened I think this office is. The dr had a medical student with him yesterday and I overheard a conversation they had in the hallway in which he said to her "Welcome to Pediatrics. The field in which you don't get a lunch". I feel like I may have to do a lot of follow up just to get these test results as her regular dr will not be back until Tues and the results will probably go to her. I am sure she will have a ton of stuff when she comes back from vacation. I continue to be very pissed about the appt setter trying to talk me out of bringing dd in (one thing the medical student did say to me is that everything did seem okay with dd, but that I was smart to bring her in as knee pain can be serious at times. She knew nothing of my experience with trying to make an appt, as it didnt seem useful to say anything to her or this dr filling in, who was very present with me and thorough, but clearly overburdened). I just don't know if other offices will be much different, and as I said, I dont know that there are doctors I would like nearly as much as ours (she does not push antibiotics, respects my opinion as a parent, etc). We have 2 major HMOs and ours is the bigger one. Our particular office is downtown, so I am wondering if those 2 factors make it worse or not. There is also a smaller private group that is here in town, although I don't think they have a pediatrician. They do have family doctors.

Just not looking forward to trying to get these results and feel I have a good dr in a bad system and dont know if there is something better available to us.

Thanks for listening. Any advice or feedback is appreciated.

Robyn