I have a gorgeous almost 4yo son. He is funny and cheeky. Over the last few months, he has started to complain about sore legs (I assume growing pains), headaches etc. He keeps saying 'im not feeling well today'. He's eating and drinking etc. Two days a week he gets looked after by grandparents (my parents and in-laws) and they are amazing. Rest of the time he's at childcare. Would it be possible he picked up 'not feeling very well' from grandparents? My mum is amazing but can complain about her health to us.
Its just niggling at me that he keeps complaining about feeling unwell. Not a first time mum and I don't want to over-react...but I can't keep having mum guilt that may be he IS feeling unwell. That something isn't quite right and we are not listening to him.
I myself was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy in my 20s because no one around me listened to me...I don't want for him to go thru life feeling like he isn't being listened to.
9 Replies
Then take him to the dr..
Take him to the doctor
I've worked with little kids, they do tend to pick up funny sayings from people they spend a lot of time with and they do have a tendency to bung it on of they think they can get wa bit of sympathy lol.
One little guy I looked after would groan and say "aww me back" every time he got up because that's what his dad did whenever he got off the couch 😂
Needless to say, the little fellas back was fine.
However your son is giving you very specific complaints (leg pain, headaches, feeling unwell) over a period of months, it's time to see a doctor.
When it comes to health it's always better to be over cautious than flippant.
I would say if he's saying it then listen. He is feeling unwell.
It could be anxiety - sore.legs, hard to walk, aching, they want to stay at home.
It could be asthma, they get sore legs too.
All I know is that when they say it, pay attention, and treat it, it might be a symptom of something else, but it's a real feeling for them and you'll never regret hearing them out, reassuring them and treating it.
My son is the same age, he’s learnt that by saying I’m not feeling well it indicates he’s sick and then he gets to stay home from wherever he is going. But we took him to the doctor and he’s perfectly healthy :)
Take him to the doctor and get a full health check to rule out physical illness.
Definitely head to the doctor for a checkup. It could be nothing. He could just be picking up on what the adults around him are saying. It could be anxiety. My 14 year old son has anxiety, and when he’s feeling overly anxious he will feel unwell, headachey, sick to the stomach. I’ve lost count of how often the school has called me to pick him up for headaches and non-specific feeling unwell. I’d pick him up, and he got home he’d be fine, eating and drinking normally. I mentioned it to his psychologist, who he was already seeing, and also took some Panadol in to leave at school. Now when I school calls, it’s because he hurt himself or a very specific illness, or just to let me know they’ve given him Panadol for whatever reason and will let me know if he doesn’t improve.
Please please don’t ignore this.
Don’t let a GP dismiss your concerns without a blood test at the very least.
I don’t want to be alarmist, but leg pain was the only sign my son had cancer. If a 4 year old is also complaining of headaches and not feeling well on several occasions please investigate for your own peace of mind.
Get him to the dr and get full bloods done. This is not normal. You need to listen to what he is telling you and take him serious. Kids don’t usually keep up with the not well feeling. They usually forget.