Advice re DGS after strange episode at school

Retired school nurse / health visitor here.
I would agree with daftbag - note it, but don't make too much of it at the moment. As so many have said, this is a stressful time for all, and it is most likely to be the memory lapse they have suggested. Fluff - what would worry me is that going to the doctor may add to stress.
I don't dismiss suggestions about petit mal, diabetes etc. but if it is of any significance it will happen again, and having 2 episodes gives doctors much more information to work on. At his age, in current circumstances, he is unlikely to be alone in a dangerous situation (riding bike on busy road for example) so I would tend towards 'watch and wait'.
If it does happen again OR if there is any family history of such illnesses, I would go to the GP.
All of this is given with the usual caveats about on-line advice of course!

My GD started with child hood epilepsy at that age and until diagnosed often had absences. After a year on medication and a very watchful year on nothing she is completely clear

Seriously this needs to be checked out,what harm can it do to take him to the doctors, that is what they are there for after all. It may be nothing to worry about, but on the other hand ......

The brain can play tricks on us at times. I hope your GS gets the help an support he needs.

Not long after we moved here a fellow walker asked if I would like to go to Gardenland with her. We walked around the whole route three times with her making the same comments at certain points. She phoned me not long after I got home to ask what had happened as her memory was totally blank.

She had lots of medical tests but no reason found and it didn’t happen again. Her family owned a smart upmarket deli that not long after was taken over as a Sainsbury’s mini market. The business had been in her family for generations so it was likely there was emotional and financial stress.

One consultant told her it wasn’t that unusual but people want to underplay it and not draw attention to the incident.

I think I would log it in your diary and ask the teacher to let you know if she notices anything else but I don't think I would panic over one incident, it could be something or nothing. If no other problems just put it down to something and nothing.

Prompt medical advice I would have thought. Yes it may have been a momentary memory lapse and he/she may have tried to cover embarrasment by behaving odd but either way this little one needs to be cared for carefully.

Very worrying but please consider diabetes - low blood sugar.

Movement increases adrenaline and so blood sugar, so the confusion of low glucose would be mitigated. Was the episode just before lunch?

This needs to be discussed with the family doctor. Please advise your daughter to consult with the GP.

Yes, could also be sleepwalking, but he might not have realised he'd 'dropped off' or didn't want to say he'd nodded off a bit.but wouldn't remember sleepwalking.my oldest son used to sleepwalk, (at night though) but didn't know he had done it.

tanith, dont feel guilty, i wasnt diagnosed with epilepsy till adult life after full seizures, (just stress & exhaustion causes mine, apparently) looking back, i can see i now had petit mal seizures as a child, where i would just 'sit& stare' for a few moments, but couldn't tear myself away, but which was probably thought of back then as just daydreaming.To OP just keep an eye on him, to see if it happens again, but could be he just forgot where he was for a minute but was a bit embarrassed to say.

I would most certainly go to Dr immediately, if only for reassurance.
One thing crossed my mind, maybe he had fallen asleep and was sleep walking?
Sounds odd , but I used to do it( not in the day though to be fair) but with routines being upside down, bedtimes etc you never know.

No you don't necessarily stay still during a petit mal, it can manifest in "odd" behaviour; would strongly advise making an appt with GP

My daughter suffered from petit Mal,which started at 14 same time as her periods,she was mobile,several if her friends came to tell me she was walking in front of cars on way to school,this confirmed my noticing difference in her behaviour and absenses.

Do get this checked out, my daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy but not till she had a full blown seizure at age 25.
Her epilepsy is now controlled with meds but it did affect her education and if I’m honest I feel very guilty that as her Mum I had no clue she was having absences in childhood.
Please do see his GP.

If his teacher was concerned you should follow it up.

My brother and his son (my eldest nephew) both had what was labelled as childhood epilepsy. Both of them were mobile during their absence seizures. With my brother it was a temperature issue, his temp would spike and he’d have an absence seizure. My nephews is a bit more serious as he hasn’t grown out of it like my brother did.

If at all possible, if it happens again the best thing to do (although it goes against every instinct) is to record the situation so that a doctor can see what is going on. It literally took us as a family, in addition to the school years to catch one of my DN’s episodes on video, but it gave major insight he for his doctor as to what is going on (my DN is also autistic - so testing etc isn’t as easy for him).
As others have said, it can be anxiety induced and hopefully that’s all it’s been.

The only addition to the advice you’ve had that I’d add is to watch his temp like a hawk and keep him super hydrated.

I wish you and your family all the best and hopefully it’s been a one off reaction.

Nandalot this could be an abscence seizure. You can Google it there is a lot of information on line about how to monitor your child and what to look for. One of the triggers can be lack of sleep or stress. Presumably your GS would have been quite stressed on his return to school. It may be nothing - just a bit of a tired response but it does need monitoring. I would ask his teaher to keep an eye on him and watch him carefully at home. There are lists on-line of what to watch for. Hope he is well and this was just a one off.

Illte

Teachers see all kinds of behaviour from a lot of different children. A whole range of normal that wouldn't worry them.

So if she is concerned enough to contact the parents it means his behaviour was out of that range and definitely needs to be checked out.

Illte makes a very good point. listen to the professionals.
to me it sounds like a petit mal type thing.
what about concussion; any knocks to the head, falls in the playground.
could ring 111 for advice.
i would not leave it. watch closely. monitor. consult medics.

Thank you all for your input. I think a watching brief is the way to go. Hopefully, as some suggested, the strangeness of being back in school is all it was.

Good post Grandmabatty that’s just what I think too.
Other than parents being told, I don’t think telling the GP is necessary at this stage.If it happened again, then yes, needs investigation.

Of course you are concerned but I expect he completely forgot he was in school, something came into his head and off he went! I used to regularly have children call me mum in class and then be mortified as they were hulking great teenagers. Get him checked or watch for a re-occurrence then a doctor's appointment. See if it happens at home too.

Teachers see all kinds of behaviour from a lot of different children. A whole range of normal that wouldn't worry them.

So if she is concerned enough to contact the parents it means his behaviour was out of that range and definitely needs to be checked out.

Could absolutely be a seizure. Temporal lobe seizures can cause odd behaviours.

Definitely discuss with the GP. I agree with others, it could be an absence episode, or linked to the underlying anxiety children and adults have been living with for several months now. Hope he's ok

Mention it to the GP definitely for your own peace of mind if nothing else.