Fits

I received a call from the nursery owner (lets call her M) last Thursday morning telling me that Ethan just had an episode of fits. She said his hands and legs were cold and shivering, eyes rolled up, mouth opened and looked very pale. He was playing in the playpen at that time. All the other staff were scared and M picked Ethan up and tried to wake him up because he looked like almost wanted to pass out. I think she patted him on the back and he smiled at them. The episode lasted for around 15 seconds.

Oh man, my heart was pounding like mad. Immediately, after putting down the phone, I rushed to the nursery to pick Ethan up and brought him to see his paed. When I told the paed that he had fits but no fever, he was shocked. He did not fall either (that's what I was told). So I told him what happened at the nursery and he called M to get a better picture of what happened there. After that, he said it's very unlikely that Ethan had fits. Firstly because it lasted only for 15 seconds whereas fits will last for a few minutes. Secondly, he was not jerking but shaking. The paed also said if Ethan really had fits, he would need to go for a thorough check which includes brain scanning and will given anaesthetic or something like that. It will be traumatic for Ethan and for us as well. Gosh, I cannot imagine my son going through that kind of thing at his tender age. During the whole consultation, the little guy was his usual self and I'm a bit relieved to see that he was active and playful. So, the paed asked me to observe his condition.

Then I sent Ethan back to the nursery. I told M and the rest of the girls there what the paed said. You know what? They did not believed the paed. I was just trying to calm myself down and they started to make me get worried again. I stayed there for a while and chatted with M. She's a nurse, so is another lady, L, who is employed by M to take care of the young babies. M advised me to get second opinion and gave me the contact details of another paed.

I tried to call the no. given but nobody pick up the phone. So we decided to go to another paed, whom Ethan visited before, on Friday night. This paed was also recommended by M and he is a very experienced doctor. The discussion was so long I think people waiting outside must be swearing already. The conclusion was the same. Very unlikely to be fits. What a RELIEF! Other important points are:
1. If someone is having fits, you will not be able to wake him up.
2. After having fits, a person will go to sleep for a while and NOT SMILE at you.
3. He will be biting his teeth not opening his mouth.
4. His hands will jerk (with rhythm) not shake.

Anyway, the paed gave us a medicine to keep just in case the real thing happen. He also recommended a neurologist (is the spelling correct ar?) if we really really want to sent Ethan for a thorough check-up. Both hubby and me discussed and decided not to put our little boy through the horrible thing.

M called on Monday morning and I told her what the paed said. She was also relieved. The strange thing was when I told L what the second paed said, she asked me to get third opinion!!! Crazy mer!!! I don't know what was in her mind lar but I just said no.



(What? Another doctor???)