Brief Answer:
Can he strike his heel to the ground or is that IMPOSSIBLE?

Detailed Answer:
Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Saghafi and I'm a neurologist from XXXXXXX OH.

Please clarify this up front before I send you my barrage of questions--- Is who we're talking about a boy or girl? You say "my son" in the body of what you write and you the pronoun HE throughout but at the beginning of the consult under identifying information HE is labeled as 12 years old but under GENDER-- it states FEMALE.

Please tell me more....do you have a picture of your son that you can upload that will show his torso, legs, arms, and head....perhaps, something with gym shorts and a photo....how about a video? Don't know if you can upload one of those so I can SEE him actually run or walk? I'd like to see him do an actual heelstrike to the ground as he walks.

Do you have lab results of everything he's been tested for? Has he seen a neuromuscular specialist? MRI of the brain and spinal cord? Any electrical studies of the limbs or the bladder? Any cognitive deficits, learning difficulties, falling off his milestones, regression in language, loss of weight, muscle mass, less tone than before? Any loss in stamina. Is he stiff in the legs at all? Was your pregnancy with him uneventful? Cord around the neck at birth? Did he have to be rescuscitated at all?

I'm sorry I'm not forwarding a diagnosis at this point but I'd rather not take blind stabs at something like this without seeing at least a PHOTO of your son and some other preliminary information from testing. In cases like this a picture is worth a thousand words. Also, I'd be very interested in reading another neurologist's take on what's going on if he's seen one.

Do you have an academic center nearby or perhaps you're already visiting one...any genetic tests done? Any family history of any type of neurological problems or neuromuscular issues? Any muscular dystrophy in the family?

I'd appreciate the favor of your providing a STAR RATING and some brief written feedback if your questions regarding "any ideas" have been satisfactorily answered and you'd prefer to simply follow some of those ideas further with your own physicians. Perfectly understandable if you wish not to share more information with me so I'll leave that decision to you.

If that's the case then, also CLOSING THE QUERY on your end will also be most helpful and also appreciated so that this transaction can be processed.

Don't forget that my webpage to keep me abreast as to how your son is doing if you choose or if you ever have any other questions of a medical nature is:

bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi

All the Best

This query has required a total of 24 minutes of physician specific time to read, research, and compile the return envoy to the patient.

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Brief Answer:
He's needs to have a higher level facility evaluate his condition

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your return information.

When someone is complaining of articular pains and is noted to be running on the balls of the feet (or walking for that matter) then, one of the first things that crosses my mind is some type of shortening of the Achilles tendons. That is usually seen in children who have spastic types of problems in the legs such as cerebral palsy and entities which caused lack of oxygen flow to the brain.

Your history of his being on a ventilator following birth for meconium complications suggests to me the possibility that there could've been some cerebral damage to his motor cortex controlling the legs. Perhaps, the insult to the brain at that time was small enough that virtually nothing else was affected and his pediatrician didn't notice anything while he was growing up. Or if he did (such as leg stiffness it may have been so mild and symmetric that he felt it wasn't something to be that concerned about or that he just might "outgrow" it.

Were his milestones delayed in any way as he grew?

Therefore, in my opinion, he could definitely use a good MRI of the brain (which may or may not show anything since we're talking about an event that haven't 12 years ago). But a pediatric neurologist or neuromuscular specialist should definitely be able to tell you if there is any spasticity in the legs.

And just to disspell any myths about cerebral palsy....it's entirely possible and usually the case that people are very functional who have suffered cerebral palsy. They may be absolutely tops in their classes in terms of brainpower and have otherwise, normal cognitive developments in speech and language like anybody else. Where they have trouble are in motor skills...but these can be corrected to some degree if diagnosed early enough.

My guess is that age 12 is still a good age to intervene in some way to help him overcome his issues but a diagnosis is definitely needed.

Please send video or photos and I'll be happy to view. Otherwise, have a pleasant day and stay warm....I think today is projected to be the coldest day so far this winter for us here in Cleveland!

As always- I'd appreciate the favor of your providing a STAR RATING and some brief written feedback if your questions have been satisfactorily answered.

Also CLOSING THE QUERY on your end will also be most helpful and also appreciated so that this transaction can be processed.

Don't forget that my webpage to keep me abreast as to how your son is doing if you choose or if you ever have any other questions of a medical nature is:

bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi

All the Best

This query has required a total of 70 minutes of physician specific time to read, research, and compile the return envoy to the patient.

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