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13 yr old diagnosed HSP and currently in Hospital receiving Morphine for severe stomach pain.

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carley32172
carley32172

Hello, my 13 year old nephew was just admitted to Banner Desert Medical Cardons Children hospital in Mesa Arizona.  After a week of Urgent Care visits, Emergency room visit (phx childrens hospital), and homopathic treatments, we finally we're advised to take him to the ER asap. I will add, when we took him to the ER last saturday, Phoenix Childrens Hospital they ran one urine test and said it looked fine and sent him home.....despite the horrific rash all over his legs and arms and intense stomach pain.  One week later, the rash has gotten worse, he is swollen in his ankles and arms and the pain is so bad he is now getting a morphine drip every 2 hours for the last 24 hours! They are in the process of running new blood and urine tests to see if they can go ahead with a round of steroid treatment, which btw, he was given a low dose of steroids from the GP doctor at the urgent care office when we first noticed the rash a week and a half ago.  Should we be consulting with a  Pediatric Rheumatologist? Any suggestions would be much appreciated! THank you!

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • lucynewas
    lucynewas carley32172

    Posted

    Dear Carley

    There are risks associated with steroids, so should only be used where there is no other options - and in the UK we have a watchful wait programme.  The rash and stomach pain can be controlled with medication and are not life-threatening in themselves.  

    The big issue for HSP is the risk of kidney inflammation - and he needs weekly monitoring of urine and blood pressure so that, if these show kidney problems, steroids can be started then and only then.  A paediatrician should be able to deal with this themselves.  

    My daughter (14) developed HSP on Oct 1 this year following the HPV vaccine.  She is having an ultrasound of her kidneys and abdomen on Monday - we have followed a rest and recovery programme in line with GET therapy for ME / chronic fatigue, which has worked well and she's been back at school full time for 2 weeks.   PM me if you need to.

    • carley32172
      carley32172 lucynewas

      Posted

      Hi lucynewas. Thank you for your response! I'm happy to report, after a week of being in the hospital with what they are calling HSP or Vasculitis, we are now home and my nephew is getting better! They took him of the steroids and Liquid IV for dehydration and everything seemed to start getting better. The only thing that remained was high blood pressure, his rash on his ankles and feet and soreness in his legs. The nephrologist has given him two different blood pressure medications and instructions for us to check his blood pressure 3 times a day, maintain a low sodium diet, and urine testing once a week to make sure there is no protein. The high blood pressure was caused by not only his intense pain in his stomach and joints, but just being in the hospital scared him. Now that he's home, it's gone down significantly! Now we are just trying to figure out how to get the stiffness and soreness to go away. Send the more walking he does, the more sore he gets. The doctors told him he had to move or it will get worse.

      Does anyone have any recommendations on how to help with muscle soreness while healing from HSP?!

      Thank you and God bless.

    • lucynewas
      lucynewas carley32172

      Posted

      Muscle pain can be eased with warm (not hot) baths and anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen - you can give him a half dose ie 200 mg for an adult or 100 mg for a child over 6.
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