Disclaimer: This material is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it. It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, nor does it replace the advice or counsel of a doctor or health care professional. Reference to a specific commercial product or service does not imply endorsement or recommendation of that product or service by CPCMG.
Definition
- Dizziness is a sensation of light-headedness or feeling faint
Health Information
Symptoms
- Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
- Feeling unsteady with slight loss of balance
- Feeling “woozy” or not thinking clearly
- May also have brief blurring of vision
Causes
- Dizziness is usually due to reduced blood flow to the brain. It can be triggered by these normal events:
- Standing too long in one place. Reason: causes pooling of blood in the legs.
- Standing up suddenly. Reason: causes sudden drop in blood pressure
Dizziness Scale
- 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
Care Advice
-
Overview:
- 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:
- 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:
- 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 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.
-
Rest:
- Lie down with feet up for 1 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 1 to 2 hours.
Call Your Doctor If
- After 2 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
Author: Barton Schmitt MD, FAAP
Copyright 2000-2020 Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC