Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU for wanting to take my child to a&e

41 replies

MumofHennHals · 23/10/2024 09:45

Trigger warning: mention of brain tumour, sickness & headaches.

My little girl is 5 years old she has never complained of her head, or her eyes and she was only sick as a baby. We took her for an eye test 3 weeks ago as she has started school and she’s never had an eye test, so thought I’d just take her ( she’s not complained once of her sight )

Anyway, that appointment was all fine & they dilated the eyes to see the back.

I suffer with health anxiety ( I’m under the GP for currently ) so I was fixated they’d find a brain tumour when dilating her eyes- even though she had no symptoms of this what so ever.

Anyway nothing came of that appointment, she was all ok eye wise and we were sent on our way.

Fast forward to yesterday / today - she woke up with a very snotty nose yesterday, constantly sniffing but was full of energy, fine in herself it’s half term so she was having a day out / sleepover at her grandparents.

She went out swimming, then for lunch and then back to my parents house to paint pumpkins.

My mum said she went to bed okay, but after 3 hours she started moving around lots in her sleep and then my mum heard ‘nanny’ - she found my little girl in bed covered in sick, my mum said she asked if she felt okay and she said ‘My head hurts, my nose hurts and my tummy is bubbling’

I want to rush her to a&e because I heard sickness and headaches in the night is scary.

She’s ok now, still snotty but eating fine - she’s tired as she didn’t sleep great afterwards.

My mum said I am being unreasonable as she had desert when she was out for lunch and then desert again at dinner, she thinks she just was over full and that shes just got a cold besides it.

But now I’m going ‘headache’ ‘sickness’ and I’m back on the brain tumour worry!! 😩

OP posts:
Astrak · 23/10/2024 10:00

With the greatest respect, I think that your child is more likely to gave a cold rather than a brain tumour.
Keep her warm, well hydrated, and observe.
If your area is anything like ours, it will be a long wait in A&E and getting a GP appointment within six weeks is almost impossible.

Simonjt · 23/10/2024 10:00

OP have you ever had a headache or sickness? If yes have you got a brain tumour?

Singleandproud · 23/10/2024 09:58

She's got a bog standard bug, she's at school get used to it. There's never any point in planning anything in October half term as they always get sick.
Calpol for the headache, plain food and flat lemonade for the stomach and maybe ginger biscuits to nibble on for the nausea.

JazzHandsYeah · 23/10/2024 09:57

First child OP?
Very gently, yes YABU. Hope your little one recovers quickly.

MrsSkylerWhite · 23/10/2024 09:57

Please don’t take her to A&E. my husband was seriously ill last week and had to wait just shy of 50 hours for a bed. A&E was full of people who really didn’t need to be there and it made the wait to be assessed almost unbearable.

Call 111, your surgery or take her to a walk in if you’re worried.

Alternatively, bed, fluids and dry toast in a day or two. It’s winter virus season and that’s the most likely cause.

Motomum23 · 23/10/2024 09:57

Yes yabu. Your child has a tummy bug... if your child was poorly for weeks on end with this sort of thing you see your gp who then organises tests to rule out other conditions. A and e is for accident (this is not that) and emergency (this is not that either) - the only thing taking your child to a and e will do is pass a sickness bug to people who genuinely need to be there as well as the poor doctors and nurses.

Bubblemonkey · 23/10/2024 09:55

It’s coming to that time of year where kids are germ bags. Especially if they’re in childcare/school.

HoppingPavlova · 23/10/2024 09:55

She has a bog standard bug. She will get many of these. What you have described will give no one an indication that she has a brain tumour. What are you thinking may happen when you get to A&E? With the history and symptoms you describe they’d just have a smile on their face while inwardly eye rolling and send you home with a vomit bag.

Paganpentacle · 23/10/2024 09:54

YABU.
A snotty nose and a headache are not symptoms of a brain tumour.

DragonGypsyDoris · 23/10/2024 09:54

You must be very careful here ... you don't want health professionals to label you as 'that parent' who catastrophises every sneeze and cough. And don't make it all about you and your worries. Just accept that children are unwell from time to time.

BabyCloud · 23/10/2024 09:53

You need to calm down before you project your anxiety onto her.

HildaHosmede · 23/10/2024 09:53

Of course you're being unreasonable.

Taking her to A&E won't get you what you want anyway. She has no symptoms of a brain tumor so they won't test for it.

Get some therapy for your health anxiety.

AnneLovesGilbert · 23/10/2024 09:53

Please focus on your own health situation with your anxiety and getting as much help as you can. It’s autumn, she’s recently started school, the usual germs are flying around, and she ate too much pudding. She’s absolutely fine. Ask your mum not to overfeed her.

Do you have any idea how many bugs will be around in a&e? It’s literally full of sick people.

Philodendron · 23/10/2024 09:52

My sinuses are hell this week and it gives me a terrible headache and eye ache.

Alifemadelessordinary · 23/10/2024 09:50

Yes, with the greatest kindness, I think you're being unreasonable and it's the anxiety talking.

If her sinuses etc are full of mucus she's bound that be be a bit headachy and she probably has a bit of a bug.

Keep and eye on her by all means but there is nothing there at all that would make me think to book a GP appointment nevermind go to A&E.

Balloonhearts · 23/10/2024 09:48

You're being absolutely ridiculous. She's a child with a bug, they all get them. Please don't put your health anxiety issues onto your child, its unfair.