children passing out?

[Penny Springmann]

My son passed out in the middle of his violin lesson yesterday. One moment he was listening to his teacher and then before we knew what was going on, he began falling to the floor. It scared me to see him out...it lasted just a second or two. (crying right now remembering it) Once he came to, he was totally scared/and shocked - obviously. But he seemed ok, and once he calmed down we continued his lesson and everything went well.

He ate a snack before going, so I know his blood sugar was ok.

Do any of you have any experience with your children passing out? Should we go to the Dr. or is it "one of those kid things"?

The crazy part is that his teacher's dog came into the lesson and sat by Jackson forcing him to stand closer to his teacher. If the dog wasn't there, he would have hit the floor instead of being close enough to his teacher for her to catch him. The dog is NEVER in the room during practices, and he came in as soon as we arrived and stuck by Jackson's side until he was back up and practicing again. Crazy, right?!

[mrshobbes]

Oh my goodness! That's so scary, but glad he wasn't seriously hurt, Penny! I have no idea what could have caused it

[Lyd]

Was he possibly locking his knees? As a singer, I've seen lots and lots of people go down because they have locked their knees. I used to be a bit of a fainter as well and I always had to be very careful about keeping my knees loose when I was singing.

So scary, Penny! Hope your little guy is okay!

[maryinaz]

That's very scary!! I'd probably check with the doctor, just in case. Hope he is OK and it's just as Lydia said, that his knees were locked. That's freaky about the dog, though.

[heathergw]

I was wondering if he was locking his knees too... we see it all the time at church, especially with kids who don't know that locking their knees is not a good idea... in fact that happened just a couple weeks ago at church and it was so heartbreaking hearing his brother totally freak out... but as soon as they took him out of church, he was totally fine and the paramedics let him go back to the service after checking him out.

[~Cindy~]

I normally wouldn't comment but, I saw something on one of my friends pages the other day about her daughter having some type of heart issue. So I read up on it and that is one of the symptoms. I am not trying to scare you or anything. I just thought it may be a good idea to take him to the doctor for a check up. This is what it is called borderline prolonged QT syndrome. I am not saying that is it and it could have just been one of those one time things.

[mummytothree]

How scary Penny!!! I would definitely put a call in to his doctor, just to see what they say!!! I'm sending you guys some good thoughts that it's nothing serious!!!

[Tracie Stroud]

Oh my gosh Penny that is so scary! I have no idea. I used to pass out a lot when I was a teenager but I think it was from bloodsugar issues.

[neenee]

I would check with the doctor too just in case.
How old is he?
Breanna passed out the first time when she was about 13. Got up from her desk at school and down she went.
The doctor determined that she was most likely suffering from Neurocardogenic Syncope after reviewing the information and performing a table test. Now this is caused as a result of standing after sitting or lying down but I believe as Lydia said that standing for too long can cause something similar, just a different medical name for it.

He put her on salt tablets for a few years and we kept an eye out in case it became a more recurrent problem. She did wind up passing out a few more times over the next two years though.

I hope it is just something like this for him. I don't blame you for being scared. I would definitely get it checked, just in case.

[breakingbrie]

That is scary! I have no ideas for you, but I hope it's just a one time thing, and he's ok!

[iScrap]

That is so scary! I would take him to the doctor, too, just to be sure. I hope you and your little man are doing better.

[ayaandjudah]

I would 100% take him to the Dr. More likely than not, it was just a fluke issue but better to have him looked at.

HUGS that must have been terrifying.

[Penny Springmann]

I thought it could be the knees since he was really concentrating on his lesson.

I think I will make a doctor appointment for him. I'm sure it's nothing, but if he does have something going on, I want to know.

[lovely1m]

I would also take him to the doctor. I used to pass out as a kid, too. Mine is most likely related to low blood pressure. When it drops too much I start to black out, before I learned how to control the black out, I would actually pass out.

[Megan Turnidge]

Originally Posted by ltarbox

Was he possibly locking his knees? As a singer, I've seen lots and lots of people go down because they have locked their knees. I used to be a bit of a fainter as well and I always had to be very careful about keeping my knees loose when I was singing.

So scary, Penny! Hope your little guy is okay!

This was the first thing I thought. We were constantly reminded by my choir director to not lock our knees! i hope it's just that and nothing serious! (hugs)

[mariewilcox]

Call the doctor just to make sure it's nothing serious. It can be a sign of cardiac issues - some not so serious, but it's just best to get checked out.

One day I passed out, out of the blue, when I was about 12 and they did an echo and some other tests and that's when we found out that I have an arrhythmia, which isn't serious at all and for me it's just an extra heartbeat, but as I get older it could be more symptomatic, etc.

[xboxmom]

Penny, I have never had any of my kids pass out but my husband passed out at a concert we were at and it scared the crap out of me so I totally understand your terror seeing your child pass out. It was probably just him locking his knees like everyone else said. I forced my husband to go to the dr. and they ended up wanting him to see a heart doctor to rule out anything with that (all the tests where fine) But if you do go except them to want you to go see a heart doc. or a neurologist as well....And that might be over kill if it was just him locking his knees. Anyway I still think its a good idea to have him checked just know they may want further testing. GL I am sure he is ok and it's nothing serious.

[Penny Springmann]

I called the dr. and the nurse is going to call me back after looking over his file. I'm sure he had his knees locked. This is the same boy who stops BLINKING while he's really concentrating on playing his violin. Better safe than sorry, though.

[nesser1981]

Cooper has passed out several times, but its because he gets hurt, cries to hard and can't catch his breath. It was super scary until I figured out he was passing out, not knocking himself out. LOL!

[webseitler]

How scary! My daughter fainted this summer on her first day of sailing lessons. But they had had us all in this super hot upstairs room for orientation--I was about to pass out myself with the baby strapped to me and all! LOL! It was one of those mornings where there wasn't a breeze yet--super hot. Ugh. And then they made the kids jump in the water for a swim test. She did... and when she got out of the water, she promptly threw up and passed out. I took her to the doctor but the consensus was that I just needed to give her more fluids every morning before class (you like how they blamed me and not the inhumane "oven room"?! I blame the oven room).

Hopefully it is totally nothing... and sometime in the future a funny story to tell.

[cardinalskate]

Yep, first thing I thought of was the locking knees thing. After years of standing and singing for hours on end, I know all about this. I'm sure if he was concentrating and had them locked, that's what it was. Good to have it checked out just in case. But...scary in the moment, I'm sure!

[Sherri Tierney]

Am I the only one who has never heard of locked knees causing someone to pass out? I have a habit of locking my knees and I've never passed out from it. Hmm... I've done it since I was a kid. I have bad knees and locking them keeps me from falling when I'm standing for a long time.

[KimberlyMorris]

Poor guy, that is so scary. Sending prayers that it's nothing serious!

[NatalieKW]

Originally Posted by ltarbox

Was he possibly locking his knees? As a singer, I've seen lots and lots of people go down because they have locked their knees. I used to be a bit of a fainter as well and I always had to be very careful about keeping my knees loose when I was singing.

So scary, Penny! Hope your little guy is okay!

This is exactly what I thought of too. I bet that's what happened!

[k23m]

very scary! better safe then sorry ...might as well get it checked out.
Funny thing you mention the dog...I have heard that some dogs have a sense of when something is wrong (usually related to seizures and things of that nature, I think - I realize this wasnt a seizure) and will stick by people that they sense are in trouble. Could totally just be coincidence in this case, though!

[julifish]

Penny - how scary! Glad to hear he's okay. Hope the doctor says that it was just a fluke thing and that there is nothing wrong. Sending prayers.

[Penny Springmann]

Nicole, yeah, that is crazy.

Talked to the nurse and she said to fill him up with Gatoraide and go over NOT locking his knees. If it happens again, they will want to see him.

Thanks for all of the well wishes.

[webseitler]

Originally Posted by Penny Springmann

Nicole, yeah, that is crazy.

Talked to the nurse and she said to fill him up with Gatoraide and go over NOT locking his knees. If it happens again, they will want to see him.

Thanks for all of the well wishes.

Ha ha! Fluids? There they go again. Apparently a lot of life's issues can be solved with Gatorade. LOL! Who knew?

[Penny Springmann]

I know....must be the childhood cure-all.

[MissKim]

My daughter passed out continuously during choir rehearsal one year. She swore she wasn't locking her knees, but she did it every day for a week running. I finally switched her breakfast from pop tarts/cereal to something with protein in it and she stopped doing it. Her blood sugar was fine (we'd had a diabetes scare a few months before after an eye exam, so I knew it was OK) it was just that she needed some extra protein in her diet before doing all that standing and performing. Maybe have him eat some peanut butter or cheese just before the lesson?

[LJSDesigns]

Originally Posted by Sherri Tierney

Am I the only one who has never heard of locked knees causing someone to pass out? I have a habit of locking my knees and I've never passed out from it. Hmm... I've done it since I was a kid. I have bad knees and locking them keeps me from falling when I'm standing for a long time.

I've never heard of it either. Learn some thing new every day.

[Julie Billingsley]

yep, locking the knees is a common problem! One of the funniest things I ever saw was at a military ceremony. There were a bunch of Marines awaiting inspection, all standing very still and at attention. Suddenly one of them pitched to the side as he passed out, knocking into the next Marine, and so on. It was like dominos! LOL They were all fine, but the first Marine was super embarrassed!

Glad your son will be okay Penny! Make sure he know it happens to even brave strong Marines!

[Jennilyn]

It's a scary thing for sure! My 6 year old has fainted a few times, once right in front of the doctor. She kind of convulses a bit and pees her pants. The doctor never said anything about it being worrisome but I hope it doesn't happen often!

[Lyd]

Oh man Julie. There just wouldn't be any possible way of keeping a straight face through something like that. Whoa!

I think locked knees is also the reason you see brides and/or grooms passing out at their weddings. They are so focused on what's going on and trying to get things right that they aren't paying attention to their body--they tense up. You do that for 10-15 minutes and down you go.

[DawnMarch]

I've never heard of the locked knees thing either, and I sang in choirs all through school and church. Why would locking your knees make you pass out? That's so strange!