To take dd to A&E or wait to see GP

How is she this morning, OP?

I bet 100% of us who have taken a child to A&E when in retrospect it wasn't necessary had a doctor tell us they'd always rather see a child and it be nothing than a parent not bring them in and..

If she still has a headache and the swelling has not gone down with antibiotics you need to go to A&E today. If it is PPT you’re risking severe, life threatening complications not getting her seen today.

Going back to the GP is a stupid idea, as they do not have the specialised knowledge. I’m not sure why you are so reluctant to get your child proper medical attention?

Anything visible should go to A&E. You arrive, someone sees it, you get seen. It could be an insect bite. Anything like that which comes from being on holiday can be anything, and hospitals see more like this than an ordinary GP, unless your daughter has had something similar in the past.

It is things that are not immediately visible, and confusing symptoms that can usually wait for GP.

What an awful experience @QueenCamilla and devastating that you are left with permanent lymphatic issues. I have also learned the hard way that our blind trust in doctors is sometimes misplaced.

I won't go into the details here as I don't want to derail, but if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, don't necessarily believe a GP who tells you it's definitely not a duck.

I really hope OP has gone back for a second opinion.

I wish I could take OP's child to A&E. Yesterday. Or the day before that.

I really hope the correct diagnosis is not Pott Tumor (the delay in treatment could have the most awful consequences) but it ain't a "burst cyst" for sure. I wouldn't entrust my pet hamster to the "cyst" doctor.

I had all the visual signs of cellulitis and resulting septicaemia, I was in an incredible amount of pain (in my leg) screaming down the A&E. And yet, the arsehole doctor I saw, diagnosed me with... Flu. Because "aches, pains, chills and swollen glands".
I questioned his diagnosis and he refused to further engage and walked out of the room in a tizz without even having seen my leg and without reviewing the blood test results.
Upon seeing the bloods, a concerned nurse sorted out a pack of antibiotics for me and in a conspiratory sort of way told me to take them despite the doctor's orders as she's worried for me. And so I did.

However, overnight I deteriorated further, now both of my legs were triple the size and the pain was upto my groin. I walked (or stumbled I should say) into Boots in tears and asked where do I go for medical attention as there was none in A&E and now it's Sunday. One look at my leg and the pharmacist there called me an ambulance. I was incredibly ill in the hospital for 2 weeks and according to ward doctors - on borrowed time.
My legs, though I'm grateful to have them still, never did completely recover - the lymhatic system and the veins are shot.

I wrote out my experience to discourage blind trust in doctors. Sometimes Dr Google is the only smart one in the room.

P.S
There was no evidence of me having attended the A&E the first day or any record of my blood test or the antibiotics issued. The doctors tried to find out who had seen me that day but came up with nothing. Sometimes it's mistakes... sometimes it's just evil.

Really hope DD is improving or you've taken her to A&E @Dewdrops1 If she had a cold a couple of weeks ago it would worth getting her checked out as it does look worryingly like PPT.

🤦‍♀️

It's not scaremongering- posters are sharing things that happened in real life, in the hope that what happened in their story can be avoided for the OP's DC.

If anything, it's poo-poohers that are the problem. Minimizing her condition or the possible outcomes is dangerous. Orbital cellulitis can blind someone in 12 hours. The arteries in the face are really close to the brain; the ones in the eyes are unprotected, and and any sort of infection could spread from there to the brain very quickly.

My DC's pediatrician told me to never wait and see for any possible infections on the face. If the GP in this case is wrong it may become critical.

Genuinely worried in a "I don't know if this can wait until morning and I'm feeling scared" kind of way that is

Hi,

I work in ED at our local hospital as a receptionist. I would go to A&E as they will probably want to fo bloods and Urgent Care centres don't do bloods well ours don't. They will always refer you else where if need be

It really, really isn't. It's totally fine to take a child to A&E where there is a legitimate reason to think there might be an emergency. Most potential emergencies turn out not to be emergencies, but that's okay. The A&E Drs know that and it's how they catch the actual emergencies. It doesn't mean you shouldn't go if you're genuinely worried and are not sure it can wait until morning. The reason why A&Es are overloaded are the people who have had a cough for a fortnight and decide it's not going away, so they rock up to A&E. Or the people who have a standard fever that could easily be treated at home and is not actually alarming in any way. If you're genuinely worried about your child - A&E is always fine and you are not the problem - any A&E Dr will be happy to see you and equally happy to reassure you and send you home if it's nothing serious.

I would also get it seen again by a doctor asap. Good luck x

https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(20)30355-3/fulltext

Pictures look similar to you? The swelling is external because it has nowhere else to go. The damage is internal.

Honestly OP, if you're on day 2 of ABs and it's still as swollen, I'd just take her to A&E. the pictures are very worrying.

I'd be a bit worried too OP.

Swelling moving down and sideways like that. I'd want to see someone else.

Come on.

I had something similar years ago - it started with what I thought was a spot which became infected (I'd slapped foundation over it for a night out) it turned out that it was the start of shingles. I honestly looked like Quasimodo it was so awful! Doctor prescribed antibiotics and anti viral medication. Has your DD had Chickenpox?

I second this. Hope everything gets sorted for you all asap 🙏🏼

Have you read up about PPT? Have you seen the potential impact on the brain itself even though the swelling is external?

It's nothing to do with the brain, it's external.

And that's why A&Es are overloaded.

Totally missed @ApiratesaysYarrr post.

Strike dermatology get that checked out.