Tom – age 2 years and 10 months

B12 serum level: 454

Symptoms experienced:

• Mood swings
• Fits of rage and violence
• Depression
• High energy leading to exhaustion
• Ataxia
• Constipation
• Extremely dry skin
• Intermittent rapid heart rate
• Explosive anger
• Self harming
• Sleep disturbance
• Night terrors
• GERD

Tom is 2 yrs and 10 months old, he had a diagnosis of Granuloma annulare and has always suffered with constipation. He was also diagnosed with GERD as a tiny baby which troubled him until he was 6 months old. He walked at 9 months old but at 13 months old he developed ataxia. At around 12 months old Tom’s became very irritable and extremely bad tempered. He woke screaming a dozen times during the night and this worsened as he got older. Tom began self harming and had very violent outbursts and the family who witnessed him destroying entire rooms and harming himself during his rages.

A little before Tom was 18 months old he began to turn his anger towards his family, he would become very upset, he would try to overpower anyone and would direct his attentions to his elderly great grandmother. Shortly before his 2nd birthday his violence escalated and he began, biting, hitting, pulling hair, scratching, pinching and kicking. An MRI scan revealed no obvious problem.

Finally Tom’s doctor found the family a behavioural therapist who was astonished at what she saw. All of his symptoms led everyone to believe Tom was suffering from bipolar disorder and ODD (oppositional defiant disorder).

Thankfully an organisation who were helping the family put them in touch with a doctor who specialised in treating children with behavioural problems. Numerous blood tests were carried out and Tom’s B12 deficiency was finally discovered even though his serum B12 level was 454. This would have been considered ‘normal’ by many doctors but his doctor is aware of the inaccuracy of the serum test and would treat any result below 550. Tom had his first injection just before Christmas of 2013 and just a week later became a completely different child. He was transformed from an extremely violent and depressed state to being a very happy and calm boy for the first time in his life. His weekly B12 injections have continued to make the made the world of difference to Tom and his family. 

For more information on children and B12 deficiency please visit our children’s page.