HomeAnswersPediatricsfaintingWhat could cause fainting and breathing problem in an 11-year-old boy after jogging?

My son faints and his eyes rolled off after jogging. Please help.

Share

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Vinodhini J.

Published At November 8, 2020
Reviewed AtSeptember 23, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

My son and I went for a jog. We used to run in our regular route but had not done it for about a week and a half. We would usually run to point A, stop for a few seconds, catch our breath, do a brisk walk, and run back home. However, when we reached point A, we stopped to catch our breathe, my son stated that he was feeling a bit nauseous. He usually sits on a railing when we reached that point. He was sitting when he said that. Shortly after saying he was nauseous, he said that he was feeling to faint. About five seconds after he collapsed on me. When I looked at him, he was delirious for a few seconds then his eyes rolled back in his head. He started gasping for air and had slight muscle convulsions. He seemed unable to breathe. It lasted about 20 to 30 seconds then he was completely out. He stopped moving and seemed like he was asleep. I kept calling him and lightly tapping his cheek to wake him. When he got up, he gasped again and called out to me. His eyes were still rolling back a bit, but he seemed more conscious than before. At this time, someone came to assist and helped me stretch out his legs. I kept telling him to take deep breaths, and when he looked conscious, he started crying and saying that he was in pain. When I asked where it was paining he pointed to his butt and hamstring. So I automatically thought it was a cramp and started rubbing the tendon by his ankle and calf. After a few seconds, he said it had eased a bit. He remained on the pavement for about 15 minutes before I asked him if he could get up. He still looked nauseous and stated that his leg was still hurting a lot but only when he tried to move.

My son is involved in football and swimming and is usually very active. However, due to the restrictions of COVID-19, he has been active when with me and inactive while with his grandparents. It is usually one week with me and one week with them. Over a few months, he also gained a little weight. Kindly advise.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

By your description, it does not seem like the child has any convulsion or seizure disorder. This kind of fainting happening in an 11-year-old, who is otherwise asymptomatic, never had such problems before, there are two things that we need to address immediately.

1. Hypoglycemia - low blood sugar level could lead to such symptoms. As you say, it had been about 10 days since he had any kind of physical exercise. This could be the transition period.

2. Hypotension i.e. low blood pressure. This can happen in a young and healthy child who was active previously but had ceased all exercises for a certain period and then went from rest-to-exertion in a short span. He probably should have taken it easy the first day of restarting.

These are the things that need to be checked first. The other causes can be electrolyte imbalances, thromboembolism, or even a cardiac issue.

So, in order to advise anything further, he will need his blood sugar, blood pressure, electrolytes checked, and an ECG to be done.

Further course of management will be based on the findings in these tests.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Manu Chandarashekhara Bharadwaj
Dr. Manu Chandarashekhara Bharadwaj

Pediatric Surgery

Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Ask your health query to a doctor online

Pediatrics

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy