Teen girl with shaking knees.

[PSM]

My wife, Nancy, is substitute teaching in a high school chorus class this week.

Today, a slightly overweight girl came with chocolate chip cookies that she shared with others. The class took their place on a tri-level scaffold stage. The girl who brought in the cookies took her place and started shaking violently at the knees. She looked scared and my wife went to her and asked if this had happened before. Her answer was "no" and my wife sent her to the nurse.

The nurse told her to drink more water and sent her back to class. She got back in place and, while sitting (everyone else was standing) and holding her knees, shook so hard that the whole scaffold shook.

My sister is diabetic and my wife knew the signs of that. She had the girl hold her hands out and they were still while her knees shook.

Nancy is only going to be there another day or two and is worried that the nurse was so dismissive. Should so be?

Pat

[Richard]

As a high school principal, IMO a call to the parents from a concerned teacher just checking up on a student such as this one is wholly appropriate. This is SOP and would not appear to be usurping the authority of the nurse or denigrating the school in any way. Don't 'dis' the school or the nurse, just give the facts of what was observed and suggest a folllow-up with the family doctor; it could be a number of things causing this condition.

Richard's #.02

PS - There are more concerned teachers like your wife out there than the MSM leads one who isn't in the trenches of education to realize.

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Richard

As a high school principal, IMO a call to the parents from a concerned teacher just checking up on a student such as this one is wholly appropriate. This is SOP and would not appear to be usurping the authority of the nurse or denigrating the school in any way. Don't 'dis' the school or the nurse, just give the facts of what was observed and suggest a folllow-up with the family doctor; it could be a number of things causing this condition.

Richard's #.02

PS - There are more concerned teachers like your wife out there than the MSM leads one who isn't in the trenches of education to realize.

Excellent advice! Thanks, Richard. This she can, and will, do. I just hope the parents follow up.

Pat

[Blitzzz (RIP)]

That type of shaking could be a type of nervousness. simply due to being unexplainable anticipatory fear.. I experienced the very same sounding uncontrollable knee shacking when I got married. I know this sounds funny but it was almost frightening because I had never experienced it before or since. She may not have been in front of that many people before and was frightened. I know this sound Dumb. Follow the advice previously provided.. Blitz

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Blitzzz

That type of shaking could be a type of nervousness. simply due to being unexplainable anticipatory fear.. I experienced the very same sounding uncontrollable knee shacking when I got married. I know this sounds funny but it was almost frightening because I had never experienced it before or since. She may not have been in front of that many people before and was frightened. I know this sound Dumb. Follow the advice previously provided.. Blitz

At first this is what I thought also (and for the same reason as you ). But this was just her regular class that she has been in for over a month. And it had nothing to do with a new teacher in the classroom because my wife was only there "by law" and did not participate. The class accompanist was leading the class.

Pat

[Doczilla]

Sounds more likely to be nothing than not. Healthy teen with shaking knees isn't really typical for diabetic emergency, particularly with normal LOC. The fact that it is reproducible with situational stress in an scenario which would terrify the meek of heart is further evidence that it is not secondary to a worrisome medical condition. I would turf to the primary doc and guidance counselor non-urgently.

You're wife's concern and dedication to one of her students (sub students, no less) is admirable. Would we had even more teachers like her.

'zilla

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Doczilla

The fact that it is reproducible with situational stress in an scenario which would terrify the meek of heart is further evidence that it is not secondary to a worrisome medical condition.

'zilla

There was no stress in this case. This was just a normal class. My wife checked for the diabetic symptoms only because she has seen my sister exhibit them and would, possibly, recognize them.

Nancy was subbing again today and filling in for a teacher who called her last night at 0130 from the ER with severe flu-like symptoms. Maybe something is going around. She didn't get a chance to to check on the girl because of her schedule. She has alerted the primary teacher to the situation.

Pat

[Doczilla]

Originally Posted by PSM

There was no stress in this case. This was just a normal class.

Ah, my mistake. I made an assumption based on the fact that the class was on a trilevel stage platform that some sort of performance was expected. Still, I'm not worried.

'zilla

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Doczilla

Still, I'm not worried.

'zilla

Thanks, Doc. That's good to know. The girl was really scared and, obviously, my wife was concerned. She's back at the school today, in a different class, and will try to follow up if she can find the girl. Being a sub, she usually doesn't remember the kid's last names.

Pat