MS symptoms in daughter?

[KikiNJ]

Last saturday, my 12 year old daughter complained that her left cheek developed a "cracking" feeling, and began to hurt.  Her opposite cheek began to hurt a minute later, and then her nose went numb.  Within 5 minutes, she was fine.  It happened again later that night.  The following day, sunday, she complained about her cheeks going numb or hurting a couple of times throughout the day.  She described the numbness as feeling like she doesn't have a cheek.  If she or someone else touched it, she could feel that, but when nobody was touching it, it felt like it was missing.  On Monday while at school, she said her cheeks bothered her on and off throughout the day.  She also had a brief (5 min) period where her left hand went numb, from just above the wrist.  Towards the end of school, she had two episodes where her legs went numb from about mid-shin/calf down.  She fell both times that happened, and both times she said lasted for less than a minute.  Other things she complained of were pain in her legs that she couldn't describe, pins and needles feeling in her legs and face, her feet felt ice cold although they were warm to the touch, and she had a lump in her throat that felt similar to a time when she was having an anaphylactic reaction.

Went to her pediatrician right from school who did a neurological exam and said he didn't know what it was, and got us into a pediatric neuro that night.  Pediatric neuro did another neurological exam, and said he didn't know what it was either.  He said a lot of times girls a little older than her come in with similar symptoms and it's MS.  He didn't think this was MS because the symptoms didn't present themselves the way they normally do (if I understood him right).  Like she would have numbness in her whole leg, not just from the mid-calf down.  And her neurological exam was totally normal.  I think he is thinking that this is stress related (he asked about family history of anxiety), although she is insisting she is not stressed about anything (she doesn't seem stressed to me, in a good place w/friends, doing well in school, etc).  Had bloodwork done which was normal except for low vitamin D.  He had suggested that we wait a bit before doing the MRI, his thinking is that sometimes you see something on the MRI that is normal to that person, but because you're "looking" for something, it leads to other more invasive tests, when in reality nothing is wrong.  There is no family history of MS, but she has an uncle with RA.

Meanwhile, for about 2 or 3 days after this all happened, she said she still had tingling in her legs but didn't feel like she was going to collapse.  Her chin went numb a few times.  She continued with her sports practice after school and was fine.  By yesterday she said she felt normal.

I am still a ball of nerves, and want to do the MRI.  My husband thinks we should wait a bit to do the MRI, like the dr. said, and see if any other symptoms come back first.  My fear is that if this is MS, and then she goes years before there's another episode, isn't that time lost that she could be on medication to slow the progression?  

Does this sound like it could be MS?  Would you do the MRI or wait?

[ajabri]

what was the diagnosis, my neice is gowing thru similar symptoms... and we have lots of RA in the family.

thanks,

[Lhh123987]

Would love to hear the diagnosis as my daughter is experiencing the same thing at the same age.

[KikiNJ]

I made her an appt with a pediatric ms specialist, she sees him in less than 2 weeks.  I figure I'll wait on the MRI in case he wants to do more (the previous neuro just had brain w/o contrast on the scrip).  I hope it's nothing, but since she's still having the leg numbness (and then yesterday had the facial pain again), I want her to see someone that specializes in this.  Thanks everyone!

[saucygrl]

My first major flare was both legs and no upper body.  Once they went numb they stayed numb for a little over a year.  My last flare was completely on the left and I was diagnosed shortly after.  Looking back I had symptoms that were misdiagnosed or ignored for years.  Most symptoms were on my left side.  I agree with Ricobord and think if it were my child I would do the MRI.  I think you just need to follow your gut feeling. Good luck and my prayers are with you!

[Ricobord]

I think if that were my daughter, I'd go ahead with the MRI.  She's old enough to do it without any sedatives and it's generally harmless (no xrays or radiation). Even if it doesn't show anything, it provides a baseline in case symptoms continue or worsen.

I have a daughter, too, so I can totally understand your concern! I would be the same way.

[KikiNJ]

Thanks for the comments.  I was starting to feel better, had stopped obsessively reading things online, when today she came home from school and said she had intermittent numbness in her legs again, this time just one leg, and not the the whole lower leg, just a patch on the outside of her calf.  Very weird.  She said it would last like 10 seconds, then go away, come back 10-15 min later.  She was fine at home, but then at softball practice I saw her in the field smacking that part of her leg with her mitt.  She came in for a water break, and said it had that numb feeling.  She could feel me touching it though.  Her face has been fine.  I'm trying not to show her how freaked out I am!

[supermum_ms]

Good morning (well it is for me on this side of the world lol)

I think you probably are adding things together that are not necessarily related, especially if she is sitting when she has numb legs or feet. Numb tingly legs/feet or what the kids commonly refer to it as 'my feet keep falling asleep' its probably one of the most common complaints in school kids. If you google it you'll find about a trillion hits relating to kids, i even found this one on a kids site:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/foot_asleep.html

So if for the moment you exclude the thing thats basically very very common in healthy kids, it leaves you with just her cheek pain and sparodic facial numbness. Due to her growing in two new mollers, its highly likely that it is all inter related and probably a good idea to get your dentist to check if that could be the problem.

Unfortunately talking to your friend with MS has probably worried you more than necessary, because MS doesn't present in the way you've described, it just cant. You may feel more reasured if you do some research on MS, our health pages are a good place to start. Seriously, at this moment in time there is nothing to indicate your daughter is dealing with a disease but there are indications (giving a higher probability) that the situation is something thats commonly seen in her age group.

Hugs..........JJ      

[ku111]

Thank you and your daughter is lucky as well!  I think our diagnosis will come pretty soon.  We were told at first this all would go away in 2 months, then 6 and then they said well, all of this could have triggered MS.  So, it's only "highly suspicioned".  I know our insurance is starting to question why he must see Neuros so often so my guess (if they want paid) they will get pushed to do something more than say "hmmmm...".  MS is very real in children and it happens more often than one may think.  I hope and pray everyday it is not MS but it could be worse, right?  It is so difficult to diagnose because it plays with people in so many different ways yet some of the symptoms are consistent in everyone.  I think it is very scary to our children to have been fine one day and then not so good the next.  I can only imagine the frustration.  I know he looks at me and I continually say, "I don't know, maybe".  He has gotten angry a few times and yelled at me to stop saying that.  My heart breaks.  He doesn't want his peers to know but very embarrassing when he falls at school, can't move a limb properly, can't speak well etc...  Lots of energy goes into trying to act normal and he gets very fatigued.  The school is a whole different story and I can help you (if and when you need it).  All in all this is whatever it is and I can't change it.  But, I can keep looking, keep a good relationship with our dr's and school.  I truly hope this is not MS for your daughter.  I think it is going to take time and lots of patience.  For us, 16 months and counting.  We have ruled out so many diseases and vitamin abnormalities.  Many lesions in brain and spine that caused damage.  Jordan remains humorous and strong (most of the time :))   Even if he does not have MS, I have learned so much about MS, have met great people and have a new understanding of the disease.  I too talk to people with MS and they say "yep!".  But, there are so many things that mimick MS so...  I wish I had the answers for you.  I truly believe eventually we will help fix this!  Welcome to "Limboland" as they say here.  Hang in there.  We are here for you.  

[KikiNJ]

Thank you for the kind words, I'm so sorry you are going through this with your son.  It's so hard as a parent to see something wrong in your child, and worse to not have a firm diagnosis.  We just want an answer so we can "fix" it.  Your son is lucky to have such a strong supportive mother!

[KikiNJ]

I believe that both times her legs went totally numb, she had just gotten up from sitting down, once was after sitting for the whole period but the other was just sitting for a couple minutes.  They stayed tingly for a couple of days, she said pretty continuous, but never went numb again.  Originally with the facial symptoms, I did think teeth, as she does have two molars coming in.  Or, I was thinking maybe even trigeminal neuralgia, since she had pain in addition to numbness at times.  But then when the leg thing happened, I figured it wasn't that.

I did start to wonder if maybe the facial pain/numbness was related to one thing, and then the leg symptoms were the result of anxiety about the facial symptoms.  At least that is what I'm trying to convince myself!  But then I talked to a friend who has MS and she said right away that it sounded like MS.

Thanks for the response, I hope you are right.

[ku111]

Good morning!   My son (age 12 now) and I came to this site in January 2011.  What I can tell you for sure is you are in a good place with many wonderful and knowledgeable people.  I will not go into all with my 12 year old son but you can read on my profile what started out journey.  I am sorry this is happening to your daughter.  I feels awful as a parent to have something wrong with your child and not be able to fix it and I think worse not be able to tell them "why and when it will end".  It has been since Nov. 2010 and we are inching closer and closer to a diagnosis.  If it is MS, I have found it so be very complicated and it is tricky!  It is so different for everyone but yet some things are the same.  Even then, it is difficult to diagnose.  They are reluctant in a child, as I have found.  The Neuros really want to make a concrete diagnosis because it would be very difficult to ever get that diagnosis reversed.  Many people here have given me the strength to continue looking for an answer, given so many helpful questions to ask to the Neuros and to seek 2nd opions when it got to that point.  We are now with an MS Neuro Specialist, as well as a Pediatric Neuro.  I think our answers will come soon, like it or not of the answer.  We will cross that bridge and will do so for Jordan-together and united.  I have shed many a tear and have ranted many a time.  This will take time.  Hang in there!  Jordan has been by far stronger than my husband and I.  Some of the best advice-humor!  We joke and watch plenty of funny movies.  We are here for you.  Let me know if you need anything.  Hugs and prayers for you guys from Kansas.

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

It doesn't sound like MS to me either, MS would not usually present with sx that cross over the mid line of the body (both left and right peripheral limbs), and MS sx dont typically move around for exstremely brief periods of time, as you've described.

Its understandable to be worried, especially when it involves a child but don't forget that kids do the darndest things and explaining isn't exactly their forte. Is it possible that the numb feeling in both her calf/shins down was due to the positioning of her body? So she's basically starting to cut off the circulation in her lower half, which could easily explain why it only lasted such a brief period of time. Feeling cold, pins and needles and even a strange type of pain etc would go along with circulation issues or basically cutting off blood flow due to positioning of the limbs. Do you know exactly what she was doing prior to these feelings?

I am wondering if these relativly minor sx are being added together, when they may not be necessarily connected more than coincidently. If we put aside for the moment the limbs, your left with numb areas of her face. If an allergic reaction is not possible then i'd be considering the possibility it might be related to a dental issue. I'm actually thinking wisdom teeth though thats mainly because my daughter experienced facial numbness and come and go pain in her cheeks when her's were rumbling.

You know your child best and i'm sure your gut feeling is that something is wrong, with out an explanation worry can set in but please remember children react as you do so remaining calm and in control whilst keeping things in perspective will help your daughter too.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help!

Cheers.............JJ