Benign acute childhood myositis - recovery time?

[Inferno099]

In my 40+ years I'd never experience something like this even with several siblings growing up nor even heard of it. Until yesterday....

My 7 year old son started to have cough & fever this weekend which seemed to break Sunday afternoon.... he even was going crazy staying inside so he and I did some roller blading, shot some pucks at net and even ran around in the green space near our house.

He is involved with hockey & speedskating so not having these activities since Friday has been strange to him.

Yesterday morning I wake him up and as his legs touch the floor he starts screaming in pain.

Forward a couple hours and we are in Children's Hospital ER.

Other than the pain (& higher protein levels which they expected due to symptoms) they do not see anything else but suggest this type of condition can be result from a flu or other virus & could take 3-5 days maybe up to 7 to recover.
We are scheduled return to ACH tomorrow for follow-up.

Now at 29-30 hours since yesterday discovery of this... and his legs (calf muscles) are still in pain when trying to walk.

I am just wondering if anyone else here in the CP community has experienced this with their children & if so what actual recovery had been.

TIA

http://emj.bmj.com/content/22/10/686.full.pdf

Benign acute myositis. In benign acute myositis, a young child suddenly develops severe leg pain and cannot walk normally. These symptoms are dramatic and frightening, but they disappear within a few days. Benign acute myositis usually occurs in children who are recovering from the flu or some other respiratory infection caused by a virus. Doctors are not sure whether the child's muscle symptoms are caused by the virus itself or by the body's immune reaction to the virus.

[killer_carlson]

damn. Really sorry to read this.

Never heard of it but really wish your little guy the best.

What about growing pains? I can't remember what age I had them, but I remember bawling at how much my legs hurt.
My parents massaging my legs used to help.

[Inferno099]

Originally Posted by Puxlut

What about growing pains? I can't remember what age I had them, but I remember bawling at how much my legs hurt.
My parents massaging my legs used to help.

I honestly do not remember those as a child and doctor seemed focused on the high protein level combined with this occurring after flu/cough/fever started Friday afternoon.

We have been massaging his calf muscles every so often.

We have the follow-up at the ACH tomorrow so I will also ask about growing pains.

Thank-you for the idea

[Cali Panthers Fan]

This might seem really obvious, so apologies in advance, but did they check his hydration? With a fever followed by a lot of physical activity, he could just be extremely dehydrated.

Also, if it was a flu they are often accompanied by a lot of muscle aches. This might just be a particularly rough flu for that symptom.

[Locke]

I blame Minnie by association.

[V]

I had really bad growing pains when I was younger, to the point that I have stretch marks on my back from growing too fast. It doesn't sound like anything in the OP. My completely uneducated opinion is to feed him some bananas. That's all I know for painful calf muscles. Something about potassium or something. Probably completely useless information, not unlike what you'd expect on a public forum.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Potassium is a key electrolyte, one that the human body does a poor job of retaining. Bananas and water with salty crackers, or a gatorade or two might help a lot.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Cali Flames Fan

Potassium is a key electrolyte, one that the human body does a poor job of retaining. Bananas and water with salty crackers, or a gatorade or two might help a lot.

Electrolytes!!

[Minnie]

Who is your follow up with, if you don't mind my asking (ortho??)? Also, was there any mention of a bone scan? I'll PM you about that. Sorry your little guy is feeling so lousy - not easy seeing them in pain like that.

Shut up, Locke.

[polak]

Chalk up another case of terrible growing pains as a kid right here.

I'd be crying all night to the point where my parents would call in sick to work cause they got no sleep. It sucked. I hope its nothing more than that.

[Inferno099]

He isn't in pain at night and only when trying to put weight by standing. He is displaying all the symptoms the examples when you google the phrase.

Electrolytes definitely were on our mind and he had been drinking very well all weekend which is why it was such a shock on Monday when waking him for school.

Anyway the follow-up is with the ACH with doctors specific to these symptoms.... never had this before after a trip to ER so not sure who exactly he'll see tomorrow.

The potassium from bananas I forgot about , but will try tomorrow.
On Monday he ate & drank well.
Today has been more of a struggle getting him to eat and drink but I am aware with flu type symptoms eating sometimes is tough.
I am been focused on taking care of him these past 2 days.

As the evening went on pain while walking us still there but getting more bearable as he is getting tired / bored of resting as any 7 yr old would.
I am going to be very interested in how he feels in the morning when he tries getting out of bed.

No bone scan was mentioned.
ER doc checked strength - no weakness
And reflexes seemed normal.

They did blood, urine and we received some result including that high protein count which they expected rdue to the calf muscles pain.
Later a nose swab for checking viruses which will be review tomorrow with us

I sincerely appreciate all the ideas and thoughts.

[Inferno099]

Anyway a quick update.... Seems the timeline I read about this online is almost bang on.

3rd day from onset and my little guy no longer has pain
- started day walking very bow-legged, but by 11am walking fairly normal.
Still has some coordination issues but through day & into tonight getting less noticeable .

Swab confirmed he has flu. & doctors at ACH have seen before and were not worried as I guess they see occasionally and he still had strength and no weakness when I brought him in ER Monday .

Thx again to all the replies.

[Inferno099]

Last update unless something returns....
Now Thursday 4th day after the symptoms started Monday upon waking.

Today he's been back to normal energy levels and all over the place.
He still has quite a cough but as docs mentioned he just has to have them go through the cycle.

Overall, had I not seen what happened on Monday - no one would even know anything occurred.

I am Just very thankful right now. Thanks again to the CP community.