Clarissa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4715
posted
Hi,
What are the typical symptoms of a child (age range 6-8 years-old) who has TBD's?
I have a friend whose son was 'treated' for Lyme Disease for one month after finding a tick on his head. Her husband has Lyme & Babs. She's definitely been exposed to Lyme, as well.
Her son is very sensitive (emotionally) and will have tantrums. Last night he said to his mother, "Mom, sometimes I have trouble between my brain and my heart...my brain makes me do things that are not nice and then my heart feels badly". My Lord! It sounded like my daily Bart feelings.
He then went and wrote out all of his Valentine's Day cards (2-weeks early), carefully (or compulsively) checking off each one of his classmates' names.
He's had trouble in the past with mood swings and food "issues". He doesn't want this food touching that one and certain foods literally make him gag, running from the table.
So my friend is already Lyme literate (having been raised in the Northeast), having me as her best friend and having a husband still struggling with TBD's.
She tells me these stories and prefaces them with, "well, this is normal behaviour for a 6- year-old, now it's 7-year-old". I've been hearing this disclaimer since he was a toddler.
Am I being paranoid or does this child sound like he may be suffering? She is an amazing Mom but I think it scares her to see how much I've suffered...but I explained it is because my TBD's were diagnosed in my 30's...I only WISH I could have been diagnosed in grammar school.
What do I do? I don't want to be presumptious or a petrifier but I don't want to see a child I love go through what I did.
I'd be grateful for your thoughts and advice. I do not have children so I don't know what is normal and what is not. I DO know how I felt as a child (with TBD's) and everything she tells me just resonates.
I need some objective viewpoints that I could possibly pass onto her without upsetting or offending her.
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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Clarissa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4715
posted
I think chidren can have the same symptoms as an adult. But it's different if the child was born with it. The ABC's of Lyme Disease also has some information about kids.
When I was a younger child I had similar symptoms as him. I had mood swings, OCD, brain tics, back pain, and neck pain.
-------------------- "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."
Clarissa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4715
posted
MysteryGirl,
Me too! I was in therapy by the time I was 8-years-old because I had such severe anxiety and OCD.
I had the therapist puzzled because my family life was stable and loving.
Ironically, my friend often says that her son reminds her SO much of me. I know she means this in a loving way because I'm very sensitive, eccentric, obsessive in a focused way and, at times, mystical.
He's always saying, "I can explain it..." I used to say that all of the time as the Bart and Lyme was burroughing into my tissues and crossing my blood brain barrier...
All I think is...LIGHTBULB!! Lyme, Bart, TBD's? I hate being in this position. I "wish" it could just be clear one way or the other so I wouldn't have to "push the envelope".
hip pain, knee pain, wrist pain, ankle pain, finger pain, jaw pain, muscle pain and headaches(these are the new ones)
Before the joint/muscle issues symptoms were:
constant headaches, repeated strep throat infections, repeated "viruses" ,chest rashes, night restlessness, inability to fall asleep, mottled skin (looks like spiced ham)
My daughter ALWAYS had something wrong - like every day it was something new. She was tired and irritable with high anxiety, but very hard working and studious in school - always straight As - wouldn't settle for anything less.
Sometimes she seemed very clingy. Now I know that those were the times she was having flare ups.
Body odor starting at a young age.
She also had these episodes where I would be trying to hurry her along in the morning by saying, "Okay, brush your teeth, find your shoes, get your book bag, etc."
She would always get frustrated and cry and say I was confusing her and she wouldn't know whether she should be brushing her teeth first, getting her shoes first or finding her book bag first.
One day she asked me to take her to the hospital so someone would "make it stop" and "give her something for the pain".
After I read MysteryGirl's story I was soooo glad I finally listened and got her to a LLMD!
She is being treated now and is on homebound for the time being.
-------------------- I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. -Galileo Posts: 61 | From South Carolina | Registered: Oct 2007
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
My five year old complained of always feeling like she had to throw up.
She was tired all the time.
Joint pains, bacterial pneumonia twice in 10 days.
She said her legs felt like they had bags of sugar attached to them.
She would say "Mommy look at my shaking". There would be no visible
Movement or tremor, but she felt as if she were shaking all over.
I know she is younger than yours, just thought
I'd offer up some of her symptoms in hopes it would help you.
BTW, my son (I believe) is congenital.
His symptoms were more obscure. Difficulty breathing at birth,
Hole in his heart, failure to meet developmental milestones,
His pinnas would turn red.....
He had more positive bands than the rest of us.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
I forgot about the nausea. My daughter was nauseated EVERY morning. She also had a severe sore throat most of the time, even when the strep was gone. Red pinna's too, yes.
left ventricular hypertrophe (sp?)- heart GERD
-------------------- I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. -Galileo Posts: 61 | From South Carolina | Registered: Oct 2007
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Clarissa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4715
posted
Thank you everyone! This information is ever so helpful and I plan on compiling it and then showing my friend.
I'm scared of her reaction but I'm MORE afraid of her precious son suffering.
Again, many thanks for taking the time to answer.
Bless you for being such wonderful and caring parents. Your children are so lucky to be in your care!
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