AIBU to complain after A&E dismissed my son?

Unless you are really concerned over the weekend, I would take him to your GP and get a proper referral to a specialist. And yes, I would complain about A&E.

By the way specialist school staff do NOT always know what this type of seizure looks like. DS has atypical absences and one of his TAs picks them up but the other one he only has one day a week and she said "he was saying he was cold" which is what he says on repeat when he's having one of these absences but she hadn't worked out what it was.

I thought exactly the same when I read OP.

I have taught children with a variety of forms of epileptic seizures, some were short-lived absences which weren't always easy to.pick up.
However if I'd taken your son to A&E, I, too, would have expected a proper diagnostic examination. You certainly should complain, via PALS. Do you use a paediatrician or a specialist nurse? If so I would contact them with your concerns.

I would be asking PALS if the hospital have undertaken Oliver McGowan training for all the relevant staff. I would also be seeking a fairly urgent second opinion as it could be partial seizures.

I can understand your reluctance to take DS back.

If you did want/need to take DS back over the weekend and you think he could cope if the staff were more understanding, I would call the hospital and ask to speak to the nurse in charge of A&E. If they will speak to you, raise you concerns and ask how they can put adjustments in place to make a return visit easier for DS. I would also request your concerns are documented in DS’s notes. If they won’t put you through to the nurse in charge of A&E, ask to speak to the most senior nurse responsible for safeguarding (they will have slightly different job titles in different hospitals but there should be someone) on call for the hospital this weekend.

This sounds like it could be seizures, particularly if there was a history of febrile seizure, also linked to ND. We were fobbed off numerous times at a&e when my son started to have them. We were told he was having tics. Try to record when it happens, note the frequency and how long it lasts for. If/when you do get referred videos are very helpful for diagnosis. If you can get to a different a&e dept or get your gp to refer you to a paediatrician who specialises in neurological conditions that would be good. A&e aren't really going to do much unless these episodes are lasting more than 5 minutes

That's appalling I spent many years working as a special needs school nurse and by far the majority of my job was overseeing children with seizures, many of whom had very subtle signs and changes in behaviour (well documented and caught on EEGs) that were seizures. Seizures are a common comorbidity of autism so it's a brave (or arrogant) doctor to dismiss emergent symptoms as being "behavioural" I would be getting in contact with your regular paediatrician and seeing your gp. In the meantime record these episodes and keep a log noting how long they last/how frequent/and what he was doing prior to the symptoms starting. It may be nothing or it may be something, without further investigation it's pretty much impossible to be sure

I teach my students, if the parent or carer of a child (or anyone that cannot speak for themselves) with special needs has a concern, you take it seriously and you listen. They know their child better than anyone. If they say their child is not their normal self then believe it, and investigate it properly. Do not be fobbed off.

I would go back to A&E. Or a different one if that is possible and you would feel more comfortable.

As well as complaining, speaking to the GP and contacting the paed, does the hospital have a learning disability (and sometimes autism) liaison nurse? If so, contact them.

Does DS have a hospital passport?

I'm a GP. If I saw him in surgery I'd want him seen in ED or at the very least in a hot clinic within a couple of days. It could be behavioural but I don't know how anyone could say that for sure before even examining him and the ED doctor was very arrogant to treat you like that however sure he is of his diagnosis.

GP here . Agree with lovely paediatrician above.
This would be an urgent referral from me.
if you have accessible GP ask urgent appointment in next 2 days .. I am quite good at advocating strongly for people needing specialist review or take him ED and insist paediatric assessment. ? Is he under care of paediatrician then go ED at that hospital.
Also video episodes on cell. Best wishes and I hope your love.y son is helped soon.

does he have a temperature?
very odd behaviour.
is he under anyone at all?

Definitely sounds like seizures. Absolutely complain, but your ds needs seeing by someone. If it happens again over the weekend go back and don’t be fobbed off, insist on seeing the paediatric Dr on call.

Paedistrician here. i would go back to A and E and ask to see a paediatrician. Sounds like it could be tics as they are more common in ASD. They can flare with illness or various other reasons. However could also be seizures and i'd be suprised if they didn't at least consider that, observe your son, and maybe do some tests to exclude it. If you dont want to go back to A and E get GP to do a rapid referral. Hope he feels better x

Yes, complain. There is a big campaign about health staff listening to parents of autistic people due to their epic failures in care! Get videos of the twitching whilst calling an ambulance next time it happens. It sounds like a seizure.

Ah okay, apologies.
Regardless, he needs to be properly reviewed.

That was my thought too. I don't think its a twitch, from the description it sounds like he's seizing.

Shocking. A really caring attitude, not. Yes complain, complain, complain. Totally unacceptable.

Diagnostic overshadowing and discrimination. Totally not on

YANBU. That warrants a complaint.

You can return, state you have complained for being sent away. Take someone else with you to obviously take notes.