My 3 year old did something very strange and alarming.

I wasn't sure where to put this, so if a Mod can find a better place the please move it.

So, yesterday afternoon my husband was playing with our three year old outside. They were playing catch, just tossing a little T-ball back and fourth. So during the course of this game, my husband threw the ball and E didn't catch it, so it hit him in his tummy, not hard at all, but then E just dropped his arms to side, dropped his head and just stood there, unresponsive.

Then he flopped backwards on to his back and just laid there on the ground. Still not saying anything and looking straight ahead. He rolled over on to his side stretched out his arm and then started doing a weird and unnatural looking finger movement. Like clawing but his fingers just looked like something from a horror film.

At this point my husband stood him back up, and tried talking to him. Still he just stood there not making eye contact or speaking. My oldest son and I were just watching this whole thing happen from a ways back, and we I ran over to try and talk to him, that's when he slowly came back down to earth. It was like he had some kind of moment of catatonia.

He is a normal 3 year old, he talks and plays, he is on track as far as his development, in fact he is very smart. He doesn't display any symptoms of autism, or schizophrenia. I even did some research on seizures and it really still didn't match up. He hasn't done it since, and is actually singing a little song to his bear right now.

I couldn't get a DR appointment for another two weeks, so in the mean time I am really wracking my brain on this weird event. I mean it was WEIRD! Like watching some kind of movie about demonic possession or something. My husband was really disturbed by it, and at the time I thought E was just being silly, but the more I thought about it the more creeped out I became.

So... ATS has this every happened to any of your children before? Have you ever even heard of a child doing this? I have been a preschool teacher for almost 10 years and I have never seen anything like it before, I am really at a loss here, and worried for my little E.

wow thats sounds like somthing to check upon.

Im NOT a doctor but if the initial reaction was ONLY from the ball hitting the chest, id suspect an extrenly mind form of a minor Cardiac dysrhythmia, a stutter of the hearts beats.

Perhaps also a mild psychological reaction not actually connected to anything, a new experience can be a little confusing foir the first time etc

Nothing will beat a full medical check up, so best of luck for you and your child for the results.

reply to post by LittleVoice731


Definitely get it checked out but in the meantime try not to worry. It may be something or it could simply be a case of your 3 year old playing a game because daddy hit him / her in the chest with a ball - stranger things happen at that age!

My 2 year old regularly likes to give me mini heart attacks by playing games with daddies' mind!

My first though was epilepsy...I was diagnosed right around 5 years old but had been having seizures long before the diagnosis was made...sounds like similar symptoms in a toddler.

Whatever it might be...heart condition, epilepsy, etc...you do need to get him checked out soon!

I feel for you though...must have been terribly frightening!

reply to post by LittleVoice731


Basically, you have done totally the right thing by making an appointment. While waiting for it, keep things normal and don't pay extra attention, etc, as this may lead the child to think something is up. Normal, normal, normal - followed by the naughty step if it turns out to be nothing! Giving mummy or daddy heart palpitations is not acceptable!

reply to post by LittleVoice731


Nevermind, my response seems unlikely.

Or maybe perhaps your boy was just being a boy!

Kids are silly. Sometimes they do and say things that make no sense whatsoever to us as a parent.
When my son was around 5, he used to stretch open his already huge eyes as if he was being frightened by something that wasn't there --- this was done in maybe ten-second intervals or so. His mom was really worried about this as a mom should be, so she made an appointment to see the Doc; me being the ahh-just-rub-some-dirt-on-it, he'll-be-fine! kind of dad I am just took it as - this kid discovered he can open his eyes wider than he thought... big deal, he's experimenting!

Turns out I was right. My now 19 y/o young man is fine, and his eyes only bug out now when he sees a pretty girl or a nice vintage guitar!

My nephew/his cousin, who's a year older than my spawn, also around the same time... well, when he'd see something he liked, this kid would stand at a still - flip his hands up by his shoulders and flap his fingers erratically. Then I'd here a loud voice from across the room from his mom/my sis --- "Bud... stop flying!!!" Oh man, I'd be in stitches for a while after the first time I witnessed that! My nephew, who's now 20, is a brilliant F'ng kid! A bit arrogant at times, but frickin' smart as hell!

Kids say and do the weirdest things that baffle the sh** out of me! But that's it --- they're just being kids!

I don't think there's any reason for alarm --- however, you're a mom who's being a mom and the Concern Meter just shoots through the roof when something is... hmmm... out of character with your baby, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with concern when it comes to the safety of our kids!

~philthy

reply to post by LittleVoice731


If I were you I would bring him to the local ER seeing how you cant get a doctors appointment for 2 weeks. I was going to say maybe he saw it on the television or something and was recreating it but the hand thing is odd.

Your little E is behaving exactly like my wife has done several time during TIA's. I don't know if you have looked into this as the possible cause. The first few times these TIA's have occurred I have taken her to the emergency room only to be told that they cannot do anything as "this is all in her head". They tell us that because TIA's usually do not leave enough proof behind that they have actually happened.

I wish the best for you and your family.

Transient Ischemic Attacks
www.aafp.org...

Initial Work-Up for Suspected TIA The first step in evaluating a patient with symptoms of TIA is to confirm the diagnosis (Figure 1).
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS The most common imitators of TIA are glucose derangement, migraine, seizure, postictal states, and tumors (especially with acute hemorrhage). TIA typically has a rapid onset, and maximal intensity usually is reached within minutes. Fleeting episodes lasting one or two seconds or nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, light headedness (in the absence of other cerebellar or brain stem symptoms), and bilateral rhythmic shaking of the limbs are less likely presentations of acute cerebral ischemia. Distinguishing TIA from migraine aura can be difficult. Younger age, previous history of migraine (with or without aura), and associated headache, nausea, or photophobia are more suggestive of migraine than TIA. In general, migraine aura tends to have a marching quality; for example, symptoms such as tingling may progress from the fingers to the forearm to the face. Migraine aura also is more likely to have a more gradual onset and resolution, with a longer duration of symptoms than in a typical TIA.

This could be absolutely anything at all. Maybe even a little strange tantrum. Don't panic until you find out for sure.

I used to fall over as a child with my body and arms rigid, just like a mannequin, or a tree, TIMBER!! Found out about 30 years later I have myotonia, the same disease as the "fainting goats". They don't faint, they just have a muscle problem. With myotonia you can also get spastic finger movements while you attempt to loosen up the stiffness. A doctor can check for that with a couple of push and pulling exercises. Larger muscles and slowness going upstairs or getting out of a chair is also a sign.

But really, at this stage it could be anything.

Given his age I doubt it is a TIA.

I would say some type of seizure.
www.emedicinehealth.com...

Has he been sick? Perhaps a febrile seizure. Grand Mal seizure. Tough to say really but I would definitely say it is a seizure. Get him checked. Some kids outgrow the seizures so I would not worry about it to much.

I have seen it happen many times on my ambulance!

my youngest daughter had a febrile seizure last year and it scared the living daylights out of me what the op described doesnt sound like 1 to me but iv only ever witnessed 1 thank god. i hope the docs checks come back clear and it just was a kid being a kid

Fair enough go to see the doctor, but in my experience 3 year old's just play the *lets see what happens if I do this* game and they surpass most adults. They are FAR more clever at playing the game than we give them credit for and he's probably having you over a barrel. Maybe your other kid or hubby has played dead with him, he's may just be getting them back.

Well, I managed to get into the doctor by taking a cancelled slot, so I was majorly happy about that.
Anyway, the doctor suspects based on everything I told her about the incident that he had had an "absent seizure".
I am supposed to watch him over the next 6 weeks and document each time he has an episode. After that she would plan what to do. They really only medicate kids for it if it enter fears with their school, but no worries there for now.
So far what I am found out about absent seizure is that they are harmless and usually go away when a child becomes a teen. They are hard to see on any brain scans because the seizure has to be happening right then and there. So... with that in mind all I can do is wait and see if he does this again.

Like I said, it was shockingly weird for a 3 year old. I am so glad I got a chance to take him in and have him checked out. She isn't for sure but considering that he has such a strong personality, is so active...bouncing around and talking all the time that this event was un natural and she has seen this same type of seizure before, so I think she is right. Only time will tell I guess but the relief I feel is more than I can even put into words.

In my family we have a potassium problem, where we suddenly keel over and have a mini blackout.
(Not going in to what that caused, as it is not relevant and I don't want to scare you.)

In my body, when I have low potassium, my abdomen really starts to hurt.

I remember something about a ball hitting the abdomen can bring on low potassium.

Give him raisins, they have the most potassium and next highest, after that are fries/potatoes or chips (crisps).

I'm sure he will be alright.

reply to post by LittleVoice731


More likely than not he was just being silly as a eply to getting hit with the ball , kids that age do the strangest things to get a laugh . Seriously what is a doctor going to do for you , he will listen to your story , do vitals on the child may e some pressure response , reflex and range of motion tests . At this point he will say your son is fine and just keep an eye on him for any other occurrences but more than likely he was just being a kid.