Pediatric Dizziness

About Dizziness

• What are the symptoms of dizziness in children?

  • Feeling dizzy or light-headed
    
  • Feeling unsteady with slight loss of balance
    
  • Feeling "woozy" or not thinking clearly
    
  • May also have brief blurring of vision

• What are the levels of dizziness in children?

  • Mild: walks normal
    
  • Moderate: interferes with normal activities such as playing, school or sports
    
  • Severe: can't stand, needs support to walk, feels like passing out now

• If my child has symptoms of dizziness, when should I call 911?

  Select the First Symptom that Applies

  Call 911 now if:

  • You think your child has a life-threatening emergency

  Go to the emergency room if:

  • Your child is experiencing severe dizziness (unable to walk, requires support to walk)
  • Dizziness follows bleeding (Exception: small amount and dizzy from sight of blood)
  • Your child passed out (fainted) and it was not caused by prolonged standing
  • Your child acts or talks confused
  • Poisoning is suspected (usually 8 months to 4 years old)
  • Drug abuse is suspected (especially if there are psychological problems and your child is over 8 years of age)
  • Your child has a severe headache
  • Your child complains of heart pounding differently
  • Your child is too weak to stand and it was not caused by prolonged standing

  Call your child's doctor now or go to the emergency room if:

  • Dehydration is suspected. (No urine in over eight hours, dark urine, very dry mouth and no tears)
    
  • Dizziness was caused by heat exposure, prolonged standing or poor fluid intake. It's not gone after two hours of rest and fluids
    
  • Your child looks or acts very sick
  • You think your child needs to be seen and the problem is urgent

  Call your child's doctor within 24 hours if:

  • Your child passed out (fainted) and caused by sudden or prolonged standing
    
  • Your child is experiencing moderate dizziness (interferes with normal activities) present now. (Exception: Dizziness caused by heat exposure, prolonged standing or poor fluid intake)
    
  • Your child's fever is present for more than three days (72 hours)
    
  • Your child is experiencing ear pain or congestion
    
  • You think your child needs to be seen but the problem is not urgent

  Call your child's doctor during office hours if:

  • Your child is experiencing mild dizziness (walking normally) present more than three days
    
  • Dizziness is a frequent problem
    
  • You have other questions or concerns

  Provide self care at home if: 

  • Sudden or prolonged standing caused the dizziness
    
  • Poor fluid intake caused the dizziness
    
  • Your child is experiencing mild dizziness from unknown cause present less than three days

Care Advice

• What if my child has dizziness from sudden or prolonged standing?

  What You Should Know

  • Standing up quickly is the most common cause of dizziness. This type of dizziness only lasts a short time. Getting out of bed is when it usually happens.
  • Prolonged standing in one place is another common cause.
  • Not drinking enough fluids or eating enough salt always makes it worse.

  Here is some care advice that should help:

  Standing - Pump Legs

  • In the mornings, sit up for a few minutes before you stand up.
  • This will help your blood flow stay steady and adjust before you stand up.
  • With prolonged standing, contract and relax your leg muscles. Reason: This helps pump the blood back to the heart.
  • Sit down or lie down if you feel dizzy.

  Salt - Increase Intake

  • Most people with this type of dizziness (due to standing) don't get enough salt.
  • Try to eat some salty foods (potato chips or pretzels) every day.

  Fluids - Drink More

  • Drink several glasses of fruit juice, other clear fluids or water.
  • This will improve your child's fluid status and blood sugar.
  • If the weather is hot, make sure the fluids are cold.

  Lie Down

  • Lie down with feet up for one hour.
  • Reason: This will increase blood flow to the brain.

  Prevention

  • Extra water and salty foods during sports or hot weather
  • Regular mealtimes and snacks
  • Enough sleep and rest

  What to Expect

  • With treatment, the dizziness usually goes away in one to two hours.

  Call Your Doctor If

  • After two hours of rest and fluids, still feels dizzy
  • Your child passes out (faints)
  • You think your child needs to be seen
  • Your child becomes worse

• What if my child has dizziness from poor fluid intake?

  What You Should Know:

  • Not drinking enough fluids and being a little dehydrated probably caused the dizziness.
  • It should go away with drinking fluids and resting in a cool place.
  • This is always made worse during hot weather. Too much sun exposure can also increase the body's need for fluid.

  Here is some care advice that should help.

  Fluids - Drink More

  • Drink several glasses of fruit juice, other clear fluids or water.
  • This will improve your child's fluid status and blood sugar.
  • If the weather is hot, make sure the fluids are cold.

  Cool Off

  • If the weather is hot, use a cold pack or washcloth to the forehead.
  • Taking a cool shower or bath will help even more.

  Lie Down

  • Lie down with feet up for one hour.
  • Reason: This will increase blood flow to the brain.

  Prevention

  • Extra water and salty foods during sports or hot weather
  • Regular mealtimes and snacks
  • Enough sleep and rest

  What to Expect

  • With treatment, the dizziness usually goes away in one to two hours.

  Call Your Doctor If

  • After two hours of rest and fluids, still feels dizzy
  • Your child passes out (faints)
  • You think your child needs to be seen
  • Your child becomes worse

• What if my child has dizziness from an unknown cause?

  What You Should Know

  • Dizziness that goes away is a harmless symptom.
  • It's usually due to not drinking enough water during sports or hot weather.
  • It can also be caused by skipping a meal or too much sun.
  • Sometimes, it's part of a viral illness.

  Here is some care advice that should help:

  Lie Down

  • Lie down with feet up for one hour.
  • Reason: This will increase blood flow to the brain.

  Fluids - Drink More

  • Drink several glasses of fruit juice, other clear fluids or water.
  • This will improve your child's fluid status and blood sugar.
  • If the weather is hot, make sure the fluids are cold.

  Cool Off

  • If the weather is hot, use a cold pack or washcloth to the forehead.
  • Taking a cool shower or bath will help even more.

  Prevention

  • Extra water and salty foods during sports or hot weather
  • Regular mealtimes and snacks
  • Enough sleep and rest

  What to Expect

  • With treatment, the dizziness usually goes away in one to two hours.
  • Mild dizziness with a viral illness may last one or two days.

  Call Your Doctor If

  • After two hours of rest and fluids, still feeling dizzy
  • Mild dizziness lasts over three days
  • Your child passes out (faints)
  • You think your child needs to be seen
  • Your child becomes worse

  And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.