SYNCOPE!!!

[MOCA]

EIGHT MONTHS AGO MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS EATING A CHICKEN SOUP AT THE TABLE BECAUSE HER APPETITE WAS NOT GREAT AT THE TIME DUE TO A COLD. SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS NAUSEAOUS AND I WALKED HER TO THE GARBAGE CAN SO SHE CAN THROW UP, AT THAT MOMENT MY DAUGHTERS LIPS TURNED PALE AND SHE FAINTED, HER HANDS WERE COLD WITH NO SIGN OF COLOR IN HER FNGER NAILS OR FACE, I PICKED HER UP AND SAT HER DOWN AND PUT COLD WATER ON HER FACE AND SHE CAME BACK.  I TOOK HER TO EMERGENCY ROOM AND THE DOCTORS DID SOME BLOOD TEST ON HER AND THE RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE. NOW EIGHT MONTHS LATER, MY DAUGHTER IS TAKING A SHOWER AND WASHING HER HAIR, AFTER SHE CAME OUT OF THE SHOWER MY DAUGHTER, ONCE AGAIN LOOKING VERY PALE, TELLS ME SHE IS NOT FEELING WELL, THIS TIME I NOTICED SHE HAD THE SAME SIGNS SHE DID EIGHT MONTHS AGO BEFORE SHE PASSED OUT, SO I IMMEDIATELY RAN TO HOLD HER BEFORE SHE DROP ON THE FLOOR.  THIS TIME SHE FAINTED TWO TIMES.  I TOOK HER TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, AGAIN DOCTORS DRAWED BLOOD AND EVERY APPEARED TO BE NORMAL.  SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH WHAT THEY CALLED "SYNCOPE" ALSO KNOWN AS "VASOVAGAL EPISODE".  I NOW HAVE MORE OF AN IDEA OF WHAT IS CAUSING THIS OCCUR IN MY CHILD.  I WILL GREATLY APPRECIATED IF YOU CAN HELP ME ON THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN?

IF THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, CAN THIS BE LIFE-THREATENING? IF SO, HOW HIGH IS THE RISK OF THIS BECOMING LIFE-THREATENING?

OR AM I JUST BLOWING THINGS OUR OF PROPORTION AND THIS JUST MIGHT BE SOMETHING NORMAL IN CHILDREN HER AGE AND SHE HAS A CHANCE OF OUTGROWING THESE UNPLEASANT EPISODES?

[LynnSB]

Hi, I'm not a doctor but I work in cardiology. I URGE you to take your daughter to her pediatrician and/or get a referral from your pediatrician to a pediatric cardiologist immediately. While there may be nothing serious wrong, why take a chance?Faints may be warnings of serious, even life threatening, problems in heart rhythm. Why take a chance? Good luck and God bless.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

Syncope is the medical term for fainting. Sometimes if we transiently decrease the blood supply to our brain due to activities such as when we stand up too quickly or vomit, it can make us faint. In children, we have to consider the possibilty of migraine which can present with similar symptoms as well as seizure or cardiac rhythm problems. As this is her second time, I would take her to a pediatrician to have a formal exam and EKG to start with. Depending on what they find, a neurological evaluation with EEG and possibly MRI of the brain may be necessary. Good luck.