Just thought I’d make it official: my son’s doctor confirmed the diagnosis of HSP, only the third case he’d seen in his 30 year career.  However, my son has completely recovered, and was only really uncomfortable for about six days.  He’s back to his usual goofy self, and will be going back to school tomorrow.  Thanx for all the well wishes! 

So last Friday my son complains that his feet and knees hurt, and that he can’t walk.  I know that he has a H1N1 flu shot scheduled at school that day, so I figure he’s just fussing to get out of going to school.  My wife takes him into school, ending up having to carry him to class because of his complaints.  She figured he maybe had a cold, at most.  After school, our son continued to complain, and after coming home, still refused to walk.  I was still at work.  When it came time for him to have his bath, my wife found that he was spots all over his legs and feet, and that his feet were swollen.  Our pediatrician just has us call the hospital he works with for after hours care, so she called.  Before she even finished describing our son’s symptoms, the doctor told us that our son had HSP and to take him to an emergency room or immediate care facility. 

My wife took our son to an immediate care facility, where the diagnosis was confirmed.  Apparently HSP is an allergic reaction to some sort of trigger.  It is not fully understood what can trigger this condition, but there is a large outbreak of HSP in Baltimore right now.  There is no test for HSP, nor any treatment beyond supportive care.  HSP causes inflammation of blood vessels and some blood vessels, particularly capillaries, will be so significantly effected that they will burst.  The spots are from blood vessels that have failed at the skin level, but it also happens within the various organs of the body.  The swelling is from blood and fluid pooling in the body from burst blood vessels.  Most cases go away on thier own, but significant organ damage can occur, in some cases with long term effects.  Some children die from HSP.  Typically children only get it from 2 to 10 years of age, boys much more often than girls, with the effects getting worse the older the child is.  Our son is five.

They checked for blood in our son’s urine.  None was found, which is a good sign.  He didn’t want to eat or drink though.  The doctor told us to make sure he drank, to watch his urine for traces of blood, and to bring in a stool sample.  They also wanted our son back in the next day, and Sunday, and to go to his pediatrician on Monday.  My wife took him home, and we kept an eye on him.

Our son seemed a little better Saturday, though he still didn’t want to eat, drink or walk.  He went back to the doctor, and the doctor told us that he looked ok, but to continue to observe him and bring him back Sunday.  Saturday evening our son was able to use the bathroom for both, with no sign of blood (we forgot to get the stool sample).  He also ate and drank more.  He seemed to be looking better.

Sunday my son woke me up, telling me that he was all better, that only one of his knees hurt a little bit, but that he could be up and play.  I took a look, and the spots were still there but no swelling.  I still had him stay off his feet for the most part.  He also ate breakfast with no trouble.  No urination or bowel movement during the day Sunday, but I took him to the doc and he was able to provide a urine sample there.  No blood in it, they took my son’s blood pressue and it was good, and finally they tested his blood for anemia, and that looked good.  Son and dad got some Arby’s and headed home. 

Several hours after getting home, he started complaining of pain from standing again.  Then I noticed the swelling was back in his feet, worse than before.  An hour or so after that, I noticed that his hands were so swollen, I thought they’d pop. And he started to complain of stomach pain.  Some frantic calls to the ER and the immediate care facility, and it was decided that he should just go to the pediatrician in the morning.

So here I am, my boy is in a bad way.  I’m so scared for him.  No treatment folks!  I’m sure he’ll be ok, but it is scary all the same.

Update (12/08/09) - My son is feeling about the same, though he is up and walking around some. The doctor we saw yesterday confirmed the diagnosis, but said that it appeared that my son was handling HSP pretty well. The doctor is having us come back this Friday, and
my son will be out of school till then. He is supposed to spend most of his time with his legs up to keep down the swelling, and can take antihistimines to help with the swelling as well. I was very glad to be told that the swelling was just typical allergic reaction, and not the pooling of fluids leaking from burst capillaries, as I had initially thought. He isn’t out of the woods yet, and we have to watch for fever, blood in his urine or stool, or significant increase in swelling, but the doctor said my son should be just fine. Thank you to everyone for your support, I told my son about each of your messages  and he has been really touched.

Final Update (12/13/09) - my son is fine.  He’s fully recovered from the HSP.  Thanx for all your well wishes! 

Not usually one to post links, particularly to music videos, but this one is all that and a bag of chips!  This is how I feel when I listen to this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGpkNPbSa2Q&feature=fvw