My son has been sick since Thurdsay

**Gibs** · 02-05-2009, 12:31 PM

He is 5 years old. He started off with throwing up. I thought stomach flu. Pain in his belly. I went to the dr two times with him the first time the dr noticed a heart arrythmia, an extra beat, he did an ekg. We have to wait on those results because its gone to another hospital. He perscribed zantac to keep the acid down in his belly and told me to keep giving tylonol for the pain. Which I have been doing. To come back right away if there were any changes or fever. To come back wednesday if there was no change, and he would do blood work. We went back and got the blood work yesterday.

here is my update from my blog:

am nervous - We have an appointment to see our own dr on the 10 of Feb.

He had blood work done. His potassium was high. 6.7 the dr was quite concerned with this and wanted this test done again. The lady at the lab said it had already been repeated but the dr wanted it done again, and said that if it was still up he would be consulting with a pediatrician at another hospital. They did the test and it was gone back down to 5. something. This could explaine Rileys symptoms. It can cause Nausia and it can also cause the heart to have arrythmias as well as tiredness. Also one of the symptoms that Riley has been having all week that I did not think was anything was tingleing and numbness of the hands, feet, legs, arms and at one point head. I thought it was just his feet gone to sleep or whatever so I did not mention it as I thought that it was not relevent. Anyway turns out it could be very relevent. High potassium can cause cardiac arrest, and even death if it goes as high as 10. Rileys was 6.7. He had an ekg done and we have to wait for the results it went to another hospital.

This is some of the info I have found:

What is hyperkalemia?
Hyperkalemia is common; it is diagnosed in up to 8% of hospitalized patients in the U.S. Fortunately, most patients have mild hyperkalemia (which is usually well tolerated). However, any condition causing even mild hyperkalemia should be treated to prevent progression into more severe hyperkalemia. Extremely high levels of potassium in the blood (severe hyperkalemia) can lead to cardiac arrest and death. When not recognized and treated properly, severe hyperkalemia results in a mortality rate of about 67%.

Technically, hyperkalemia means an abnormally elevated level of potassium in the blood. The normal potassium level in the blood is 3.5-5.0 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). Potassium levels between 5.1 mEq/L to 6.0 mEq/L reflect mild hyperkalemia. Potassium levels of 6.1 mEq/L to 7.0 mEq/L are moderate hyperkalemia, and levels above 7 mEq/L are severe hyperkalemia.

How does hyperkalemia affect the body?
Potassium is critical for the normal functioning of the muscles, heart, and nerves. It plays an important role in controlling activity of smooth muscle (such as the muscle found in the digestive tract) and skeletal muscle (muscles of the extremities and torso), as well as the muscles of the heart. It is also important for normal transmission of electrical signals throughout the nervous system within the body.

Normal blood levels of potassium are critical for maintaining normal heart electrical rhythm. Both low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia) and high blood potassium levels (hyperkalemia) can lead to abnormal heart rhythms.

The most important clinical effect of hyperkalemia is related to electrical rhythm of the heart. While mild hyperkalemia probably has a limited effect on the heart, moderate hyperkalemia can produce EKG changes (EKG is an electrical reading of the heart muscles), and severe hyperkalemia can cause suppression of electrical activity of the heart and can cause the heart to stop beating.

Another important effect of hyperkalemia is interference with functioning of the skeletal muscles. Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis is a rare inherited disorder in which patients can develop sudden onset of hyperkalemia which in turn causes muscle paralysis. The reason for the muscle paralysis is not clearly understood, but it is probably due to hyperkalemia suppressing the electrical activity of the muscle.

What are the symptoms of hyperkalemia?
Hyperkalemia can be asymptomatic, meaning that it causes no symptoms. Sometimes, patients with hyperkalemia report vague symptoms including:

nausea,

fatigue,

muscle weakness, or

tingling sensations.

More serious symptoms of hyperkalemia include slow heartbeat and weak pulse. Severe hyperkalemia can result in fatal cardiac standstill (heart stoppage). Generally, a slowly rising potassium level (such as with chronic kidney failure) is better tolerated than an abrupt rise in potassium levels. Unless the rise in potassium has been very rapid, symptoms of hyperkalemia are usually not apparent until potassium levels are very high (typically 7.0 mEq/l or higher).

Symptoms may also be present that reflect the underlying medical conditions that are causing the hyperkalemia.

What causes hyperkalemia?
The major causes of hyperkalemia are kidney dysfunction, diseases of the adrenal gland, potassium sifting out of cells into the blood circulation, and medications.

**MommyTrap** · 02-05-2009, 01:11 PM

I'm sorry to hear your son is so sick I pray the doctors can figure out what is wrong with him and he will be on the road to recovery soon.

**Debbie-cat** · 02-05-2009, 01:14 PM

So sorry Kelly. Sending you prayers and hugs for a speedy recovery.

**UUMomof3** · 02-05-2009, 01:27 PM

I hope the docs can give you some answers soon!

**jamie79** · 02-05-2009, 04:38 PM

I hope you get some answers soon

**Gibs** · 02-05-2009, 05:00 PM

Thanks everyone. He has a mild temp today, only 37.2 and I gave him tylonol, its nasty weather here tonight I hope it stays low, if not off to the dr we will have to go again.

**Nana2two** · 02-05-2009, 07:42 PM

He will be in our prayers. Its such a scary thing when you lids are sick, you never think of anything bad. My grandsons have been sick just with a cold.

**guest002** · 02-05-2009, 09:13 PM

I hope he recovers soon and that this is just a temporary issue.

**Gibs** · 02-05-2009, 09:37 PM

Well his belly was hurting again around 9:00 or so up until when he fell asleep laying on my lap a few mins ago, it is now 11:07 pm, he can take the Zantac again now, so I am going to wake him and see if that can help his belly any.

**FrugalMomof3** · 02-05-2009, 09:49 PM

Wishing your son a speedy recovery. Please keep us updated.

**Jskell911** · 02-05-2009, 09:59 PM

I hope he is feeling better soon, and you get the answers you need. It is so awful when our little ones are sick

**Michelle68** · 02-05-2009, 10:17 PM

I hope he gets to feeling better soon. When little ones throw up a lot, their electrolytes can become off-kilter. Maybe this could be a reason the potassium level is not within normal range. Please keep us updated on how he's doing.

**Dixie** · 02-05-2009, 10:25 PM

I'm praying for him.

**Gibs** · 02-06-2009, 08:13 AM

Thanks everyone. I got him up to take his Zantac. He hates the stuff and was not impressed. His belly still hurt. He went to sleep shortly after that and got up this morning around 9 am. He looks really tired and really white. He said he did not feel well, so I guess we will see what the rest of the day holds.