Hi all,
my daughter, 4 years old had been diagnosed with HSP last Friday.
Three days before everything happened, my daughter was complaining that her legs are in pain, and sort of refusing to walk, wanting me to carry her. So I thought she was being lazy again or tired, I told her to walk on her own, and she did, so I didn't cared much.
The next day morning, I was preparing her for school, she started screaming out loud refusing to stand and walk. I check on her feet and found something that look like a mosquitoe bite being scratched, it was red and a little like bruise. I was sure something is wrong but didn't expect it to be something such severe. I thought it might be the 'mosquitoe bite' that is causing her refusing to stand, so I applied some aloe vera gel to make her feel better but it didn't.
The same day I brought her back from school, everything seems normal, still talkative, still active, she eats, she plays, she drinks, she walks (limbing), once again, I thought was okay.
Till sleeping time, she told me she wants to go toilet, so I help her to the toilet bowl. as she was doing her business on the toilet bowl, suddenly I was really curious with how her leg is doing, I squat down and saw lots of really really tiny red spots on her feet up to the ankle. I was afraid, because my instinct told me something is not right. But she was her normal self, no fever, no diarrhoe, no vomitting, no complaints and still very active. So I observed from the toilet as she walks out the toilet to her bed, she was limbing much worst now. I couldn't bring myself to sleep. So I started asking some parents about this issues, they told me might be HFMD, and none said HSP (nobody knows). So I take it as HFMD and observe further.
Next morning, the tiny red dots started its way up to the thighs, still in its mini-tiny form, my daughter looks okay, like as if the dots wasn't there. But I decided not to bring her to school, since HFMD I initially thought was contagious. Till after the usual nap session, she started screaming out loud and the dots started to get larger, by then her feet was all swollen up. This time it really freak me out and I immediately informed my hubby and we went to KKH. The doctor then said it might be HSP, and did a urine test on her. Gave her paracetamol to ease her pain and swelling, if she still refuse to walk within 2 hours then hospitalization is needed. As expected, she was hospitalized.
The urine test turned out to be UTI (urinary tract infection), so Dr wasn't able to confirm it was HSP. So we did another urine test and more urine test.. but.. still wasn't able to confirm. The rash worsen and she started claiming to have tummy pain. By then Doctor was able to confirm it HSP due to the classic rash pattern that only appears on the legs, leg swelling, joint pains and abdominal pains. My precious girl is having a really hard time at the hospital. She keeps wanting to go to the toilet to pee but only drips came out (UTI). and keeps wanting to go to the toilet to poop but nothing came out (HSP). So she was attacked by both. I really do not know why she got UTI all of a sudden because she wasn't having any problems peeing at home. I think I have brought her in and out of the toilet for like 30 over times, and all are really hard for me and her, because I have to remove her pants, her legs are in pain, even when removing pants. And she is screaming her way halfway through sleep because of the abdominal pain and leg pain. Her abdominal pain is like on and off. Like every two hours, she will have abdominal pain for 5 to 10 minutes and then stop. But she is back to her active self whenever she took paracetamol. But that only last for two hours, after that she will be cranky again complaining of pains.
Whats really worrying me now is because of her medical history with the HSP she had now. When she was 7th months old, she was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease. Doctors came and they said it was 'interesting' because she had two really rare diseases in such short 4 years of her life.
She was discharged on Sunday because she is still able to eat, able to drink, able to sleep, she is also starting to walk and running around, her urine is also clear, so Doctor thought its fine if she discharge.
Now she had to do follow-up checks on her kidney. Let's pray everything would be fine. And I learned my lessons, to be more observant when your children are complaining of pains. Sometimes we are so tired from work and stress about some issues we tend to overlook whats hidden in our children's message.
Hoped this post helps with some idea of how HSP react on your child. Just sharing my experience and hopefully get some advise from HSP-experienced parents on how to ease the abdominal pain. As my daughter still having problem with abdominal pain, the paracetamol dont help for very long. So any suggestions I would be appreciative. Thanks parents!
