Twinks:

You've probably looked this up on the internet already. There is a condition called CIPA. I believe it's one of the rarest conditions in the world.

People who can't feel pain.

Here's what comes up when you google it. Keep clicking on next and you'll get lots of info.

here you go!!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...ain.html?cat=5

I would ask this young man what he exactly feels.

Is he afraid to say anything, because he fears doctors (not an unusual reaction after that early experience.)

But I would wonder if he has a neuropathy resulting from all those surgeries?

I have the same genetic error, only grade II.
I did not need surgery.

But the drastic interventions and drugs/anesthetics may have resulted in a peripheral neuropathy.

This needs medical evaluation. No other answer.
If he is not absorbing B12 due to the congenital defect, or the repair, now is the time to fix it.

But I would ask and evaluate this child/young man and see if he feels things in the hands and feet. Any parent can do this.

Sometimes boys get very stoic. So that too needs to be clarified. If he ignores pain on purpose, he needs to be educated and perhaps have some therapy so he learns what normal responses are and that it is no problem to express them. Just my opinion.

so? what did the doctor say?

Thanks for your input, everyone. I hadn't realized this was something to be taken seriously and looked into by a physician. I just thought he was lucky!

No, I don't think he's stoic. And he hasn't lived in an abusive home, so he's not trying to be tough. His eyes flood with tears immediately if his feelings are hurt.

Aarcyn, he didn't go to the doctor. Instead he headed off to school on his bicycle, fell and scraped his knee, then continued onto school. *sigh

I've always thought it's amazing that kids survive their own childhood. Chad is no exception. mrsD, I will definitely do some interrogation when he comes for a visit during Thanksgiving.

Hiya Twink! I'll be keeping your grandson in my prayers, keep us posted!

A couple of times I've accidentally disturbed Chad's two wounds and that got his attention. He kindly reminded me not to touch there. He says the knee scrape hurts worse of the two.

The burn is healing okay and still looks really owie, but he says it doesn't really hurt.

I asked and he does not have numbness in hands or feet. What else should I ask him?

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but he's not a fast runner or particularly agile; however, he is quite strong in his upper body as compared to his cousin the same age.

Be sure to tell the doc, if he goes, that what he feels, if he felt pain before. Does he feel the scraped knees? A bee sting? A pinch, a slap? (I'm not saying to abuse him, lol)

I always used to have normal pain sensations till whatever happened to me happened. Now, I am not numb but yet have lost sensitivity to hot/cold in my hands due to syringomyelia. I burned my hands a lot of times and never felt it. I cut my fingers and my legs, never felt it.


Got stung by wasps on hand, barely feel that, but felt it on my arm.

And it feels like I'm being stung when I'm not.



If you kiddingly poke my ribs, I about pass out. I barely felt the EMG/NC.

See what kinds of pain/touch bother him, and if he noticed a time when any of that changed.

my numbness is always tested by a pin prick, with me looking away so I can't see what my neurologist is doing.

But it doesn't sound like you are describing numbness, more a lack of pain.

Surprisingly, numbness can develop without the person really noticing it as it happens gradually over time, so you sort of get used to it as it happens.

hth

raglet