How Young Can A Child Get Pots?

[louloutinks]

I posted a week or so ago about my 9 yr old son saying he went 'blind'.

He, like my family and me has EDS. I have pots too.

The other day, when he was at home, he said he couldn't see and I noticed he had stood up, so I took his BP. I noticed that his heart rate rose immediately by 34. I have checked it again since and it rose again.

Is this usual in a 9 year old or could it be pots? What should I do?

[MightyMouse]

If he has EDS then he could possibly have POTS just like you. I have a genetic collagen defect as well (not EDS but hypermobile like EDS)...and my first full out faint happened at age 4 in a very hot auditorium.

[firewatcher]

Though I was not tested till I was in my thirties, I remember having all the symptoms at age six. I had the same breathlessness, dizziness on standing and exercise intolerance. It was a miserable childhood, not knowing why I just could'nt chase after the other kids. All my teachers and doctors told me I was just lazy.

There are a few good pediatric POTS specialists. An official diagnosis may help you both cope better and give you the best treatment options.

[louloutinks]

Funny you should say that re exercise intolerance. My son gets very worn out quickly and breathless too which I put down to his mitral valve and regurgitation. He gets a lot of headaches and has done so for the past few years. He has always had severe constipation and in between he gets diarrhoea - these poops almost look like IBS (if you know what I mean, thin strips and floaty).

Thing is, we are in the UK so I would not know where to start. His BP etc today was 92/63 hr61 then standing it was 102/66 hr 90 - so not quite over the 30 rise.

Should I keep a record of his BP's and then if it carries on take him to my local GP?

He also suffers with severe anxiety but then I put this down to his autism too.

[paona]

I don't know the age of the youngest child considered to have POTS although I've read on here several people feeling like they had the same symptoms as young as age 6 or 7. Our 16 year old was officially diagnosed in May at the Mayo although I already suspected she might have POTS based on her symptoms and past testing that was missed by 2 other doctors, one being a specialist in POTS. We remember her complaining of her heart racing as young as age 7 and because of a family history of tachycardia (she didn't know about this) she had an EKG done, but it was done lying down. We decided to not do the holter monitor at that time, and unfortunately we didn't request it until she was 15, after a bout of H1N1 when we grew even more concerned about her symptoms. In the elementary years starting around age 7 she spent many days pale, nauseous, and with chest pain in the nurses office. The nurse felt she was sick but her teachers felt she was trying to get out of class. We also felt she was sick and basically enjoyed learning and not trying to avoid being in school. Around this time she had many sensory issues both to light and sound, auditory processing issues and visual perceptual issues. There is also a family history of autism so we wondered if she had some of the wiring of an autistic person without the social issues. We also felt that since she had many unusual allergies that her symptoms might be asthma or her allergies. Now looking back and seeing some of the sensory issues escalate when she would complain of heart racing, chest tightening, etc. we feel this was all part of POTS since a young age. The sensory issues are not as intense as they were when she was younger but they do flare up when her POTS is worse. You mentioned your son having anxiety and it seems to me that even if it has developed separately if he is having rapided changes in heart rate this could cause it or add to it. I would get some readings on his blood pressure and heart rate at times when he has any unusual symptoms and then when he doesn't seem to be symptomatic. I wish I knew what I now know about POTS because I think we could have had more supports in place much earlier for our daughter. We did therapies for the sensory and perceptual stuff but seeing how she reports those are clearing up with treatment for POTS, she might have suffered less.

[firewatcher]

tinks,

I also had horrible constipation issues as a child. Another very embarrassing thing was the sudden and uncontrollable need to urinate when I stood in lines (like waiting for the bus at school.) I told my pediatrician about the chest pains and he always told me they were "growing pains" and brushed them off, years later I found out it was my gallbladder. Bright lights would inevitably give me headaches as well.

[Ernie]

I started to faint at 5 years old.

[kclynn]

I think keeping a diary is a good idea of his blood pressure as well as his heart rate. His blood pressure may not change much. Also make sure he has been lying quietly for several minutes. Anxiety goes along with it, and I know constantly checking the hr and bp made my son's anxiety increase. Does he mind? Would checking it everyday at the same time help making it a regular routine like brushing teeth? I know some who were not believed so you might try photographing the numbers a couple time to validate also. I would expect some variance. It happens as everyone can tell you, some days are better than others and perhaps days he drinks more, has more sodium his numbers will be better. You might even note that information.

Good Luck!

[sj75]

Wasn't there someone on here a while back with a four or six month old in hospital with autonomic issues? I could be wrong but I seem to remember them saying he had been born with it ?x

[ACB]

I started complaining to my mom about chest pains at age 3 or 4. The pediatrician listened to my heart several times across a few appts, but no other testing was ever done. I seemed normal otherwise at that point. I grew up eating Tums VERY frequently, because my mom figured it was heartburn. Funny. They never worked.

[momdi]

Michael complained of his first symptoms at age 8 - as though he was walking in a tunnel, with everything distant. Looking back, there were signs of POTS at least back to age 4/5.