First I am so sorry that your little guy is dealing with these issues. Second, I am a 39 yr old mom who was diagnosed in 2003 with Chiari Malformation. I suffered severe headaches, depression, chronic sore throats, frequent choking (usually on liquids), bouts of severe back pain, strange numbness & tingling, severe fatigue, and chronic widespread pain for many years. My herniation was not diagnosed until I had a severe reaction to a drug that I was prescribed for another illness. I had an MRI and the neurologist showed me the images and sent me to a neurosurgeon for a consult. As I learned more, I realized it had been affecting me for most of my life, and I knew nothing about it. I can tell you that my symptoms dramatically increased after the birth of my 3rd child. I believe the epidural worsened the herniation to the point that it caused daily symptoms after that.