Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To go to A&E

85 replies

Mushroo · 16/07/2025 11:39

I’ll preface this my saying I’ve never been to A&E in my life so I’m absolutely not a habitual user, and very much in the ‘don’t waste resources’ camp.

However, my daughter has developed a swallowing problem. It started around March as coughing when she ate.

We’ve seen the GP who started out saying her chest was fine, it’s just viral.
We’ve seen a private respiratory doctor who thinks it’s asthma, but steroid and inhalers haven’t helped.
Weve seen an NHS paediatrician who did a chest x ray, she had a chest infection which antibiotics cleared up, but the cough when eating has gotten worse.

It’s got to the point this week she can’t eat at all without coughing / vomiting.

We’ve been referred to a speech and language therapist but the waitlist is at least a month.

Im so worried as she can’t eat comfortably and there’s no pathway to help at all for months. I’m worried there’s something in / wrong with her oesophagus, would going to A&e be wrong?

I can’t sit and watch her vomit everyday for at least a month

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Mushroo · 07/08/2025 13:38

@Iocainepowder were in the NW. If the wait time is that long I’ll definitely go private so might take you up on that!

@Toddlerteaplease the a&e doctor suggested that, but apparently it wouldn’t show on an x ray necessarily depending what it is. So that’s what ENT will hopefully look for when we finally see them!

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 07/08/2025 13:26

Swallowed*

Toddlerteaplease · 07/08/2025 13:26

Has she sealed something that has got stuck? Toddles swallow all sorts of things. Although I would think a foreign body would have shown up on x ray?

Iocainepowder · 07/08/2025 13:06

How did the appointment go op?

My DC has a different issue to yours, but our ENT waitlist is 14 months so we went private for a diagnosis and surgery.

I don’t know where you are in the country but please me know if it would help to give you the names of the private consultants we’ve seen, as many don’t see kids under 3.

Mushroo · 07/08/2025 13:05

@MikeWozniaksMohawk thank you! It was helpful in the sense we are now getting the referral to ENT, but not much else!

But, we have gastro scope next weekend (privately) so at least we’ll either get an answer or rule some things out…

OP posts:
MikeWozniaksMohawk · 07/08/2025 13:00

Hope the telephone appointment was helpful @Mushroo

Mushroo · 06/08/2025 09:16

Thanks all, I kicked up a fuss with PALS and they’ve miraculously found a phone appointment for us this afternoon!

We do have private health insurance, but we’re using that for a gastro scope in a couple of weeks (to see if it’s EoE or reflux).

It was basically weighing up which is a longer wait on the nhs and the Dr said gastro is far worse than ENT.

So basically we’re doing gastro privately, and ENT via the NHS (assuming we actually get referred today 🙄)

OP posts:
asknotwhat · 06/08/2025 07:49

I'd also ask whether you can afford private? We did this a couple of years ago when my son had very worrying symptoms, and we were able to book appointments with senior consultants within a couple of days, by phoning up the local private hospital. They're often the same people you'd be seeing anyway via the NHS. Initial appointments were generally two to three hundred pounds. Could you maybe see a private ENT consultant and maybe pay for a private bronchoscopy? You can always then transition back into the NHS system - you don't burn your bridges. It's depressing that it's come to this, but here we are...

Winglessvulture · 06/08/2025 07:36

I would write to PALS about your appointment being cancelled and pushed back so far. They might be able to help, but of course there is no guarantee.

This sounds like a really stressful time for you, its frustrating how there is a lack of joined up thinking between teams to try and get you an answer ASAP.

Bearbookagainandagain · 06/08/2025 06:43

Mushroo · 04/08/2025 11:48

So, we were supposed to have our follow up appointment today to sort out all the referrals and speak to the paediatrician again, and it’s been cancelled. Rescheduled for over a month away.

I’ve been in tears all morning, I don’t know what to do and absolutely no one seems interested or able to help.

Do you have private health cover or can you afford to private?
I'm sure they will miraculously find time for your daughter soon if so.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 05/08/2025 20:55

Hello @Mushroo I'm sorry you still haven't had your appointment.

Is your DD losing weight?

Mushroo · 04/08/2025 13:32

@TheBerry thank you. The vomiting has calmed down a bit with the reflux meds (thank god) but she still has an awful cough.

It just feels like we’re not getting anywhere at all.

OP posts:
TheBerry · 04/08/2025 11:53

Mushroo · 04/08/2025 11:48

So, we were supposed to have our follow up appointment today to sort out all the referrals and speak to the paediatrician again, and it’s been cancelled. Rescheduled for over a month away.

I’ve been in tears all morning, I don’t know what to do and absolutely no one seems interested or able to help.

That sucks so much OP I’m so sorry.

Has there been any improvement with the reflux meds?

You can call up the appointments line daily and ask if there have been any cancellations or if any last minute appointments are available. I’ve done that for a couple of things before and I’ve always managed to get an appointment much sooner than my scheduled one.

Mushroo · 04/08/2025 11:48

So, we were supposed to have our follow up appointment today to sort out all the referrals and speak to the paediatrician again, and it’s been cancelled. Rescheduled for over a month away.

I’ve been in tears all morning, I don’t know what to do and absolutely no one seems interested or able to help.

OP posts:
AlphaFemaleNotBeta · 20/07/2025 17:33

Sorry missed the op update! That’s good op

Mushroo · 20/07/2025 17:30

Thanks all. @itsgettingweird the SLT didn’t think she was aspirating based on what she could hear, but we haven’t had an x ray or anything.

A&E were good, we were seen in under 10 mins (there was only one other child waiting to be seen!). The dr basically said he thought she might have swallowed something that’s know lodged in her lungs somewhere, and she needs a broncoscopy maybe as wouldn’t always show on a x-ray.

He’s added a note to push our next paediatrician appointment forward as soon as possible, with a recommended for ENT, and he’s given us anti-reflux meds in the meantime to try and stem the vomiting.

OP posts:
outerspacepotato · 20/07/2025 15:46

She could be refluxing and aspirating, so she needs to be seen ASAP.

Aspiration pneumonia is not uncommon in kids with reflux and other GI issues.

I just saw you went to ER, so good luck.

itsgettingweird · 20/07/2025 15:32

Did the SALT look at aspiration risk?

(I’ve only read your posts)

Usually coughing when
swallowing is a sign of aspiration and that would also correlate with repeated chest infections.

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 20/07/2025 15:27

Retrouvailles · 20/07/2025 15:19

When I was 6 weeks old I couldn't keep any milk down whatsoever, sicked it up apparently - long story short it was something called pyloric stenosis and I needed emergency surgery - now 50+ years old with a scar to tell the tale

I'd question pyloric stenosis with the a&e dr

Good luck @Mushroo

This isn't a newborn baby, though.

Retrouvailles · 20/07/2025 15:19

When I was 6 weeks old I couldn't keep any milk down whatsoever, sicked it up apparently - long story short it was something called pyloric stenosis and I needed emergency surgery - now 50+ years old with a scar to tell the tale

I'd question pyloric stenosis with the a&e dr

Good luck @Mushroo

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 20/07/2025 15:14

Mushroo · 20/07/2025 13:31

She’s thrown up again so gone to A&E as I’m desperate.

Settling down for a long wait…

Aw how worrying for you.
I hope you get some answers soon.

Dairymilkisminging · 20/07/2025 13:46

Has she had her tonsils looked at? Dd did this with gagging and choking with all food she had abnormally large tonsils. She had to get them removed

Mushroo · 20/07/2025 13:31

She’s thrown up again so gone to A&E as I’m desperate.

Settling down for a long wait…

OP posts:
Mushroo · 18/07/2025 11:35

@littlemissprosseco we had her allergy tested and nothing came up, and she has antihistamine quite a lot anyway as it helps her eczema itch a little less. So I think we’re covered off from an allergy perspective, but it has crossed my mind as it’s gotten worse as summer has progressed

OP posts:
littlemissprosseco · 18/07/2025 09:47

Is there any chance this is allergy related? ( hay fever etc…) and she’s producing mucus which is making her cough and gag?
Has anyone suggested an antihistamine?