7 year old with Anal Abscess

[SoCockneyItHurts]

My poor 7 year old son has had an anal abscess since Monday.....diagnosed weds and has been on atibiotics since. I'm giving him paracetamol and ibuprofen daily at the maximum dose with little relief for him. Lots of salt baths and he's still in agony.....it'd heartbreaking.

I called 111 yesterday who said I should finish the course of antibiotics and then see GP if no better after the course has finished. I can't even get to see it as it's so painful to touch.

I'm debating whether to go A&E. What would you do please.....I'm so stressed with it

I would go to A and E.

If it has not stopped being painful then it could be causing damage. I was terribly ill with mine and had surgery.

A&E immediately, I’ve had abscesses before (not anal ones) and the pain is indescribable. It must be heartbreaking for you too
They should be able to administer IV pain relief (even IV paracetamol is a million times better than tablets) and IV antibiotics which will hit it harder and hopefully clear it up.
Poor wee boy, I hope he’s better soon!

Over the weekend you can phone 111 get seen at out of hours gp and if they think he needs it referred to your local paediatric dept for assessment by surgeons.

Having had an abscess there myself I know how painful it is and I was an adult so tell them it doesn’t seem any better and you’re struggling to control his pain, could be he only needs iv antibiotics but could require incsision and drainage too. Hope you’re son feels better really soon x

A and e at least you will know you have done everything you can. Plus they may be able to ease the pain

I would phone 111. I know you have, but that was yesterday. You can call again, you don't have to go to A&E

Go to A and E. That's almost 5 days of antibiotics and some courses are finished at 5 days. There should be some sort of improvement. Plus if you've not been able to see it you won't know how it is. It may need landing under general. Hope your boy is feeling better soon!

*lancing!

Ring the out of hours GP or take him to a&e and don't let them send you home. Ive got Crohn's and suffer from fistulas around my bottom that always abscess. With my first one 5 years ago I remember rolling on the floor with pain. Every day painkillers won't touch the pain and antibiotics don't work. Until it bursts by itself and the push finds a way to leave his body or is cut open to drain, he'll be in agony. Antibiotics will not make it go away and if he's been taking them since Wednesday then they would have started to ease the pain by now if they were working. I've had 2 surgeries within the last 2 months for 2 different abscesses and after an MRI next week I'll have another one before Christmas because the last abscess wasn't drained properly and I'm still oozing pus but I refuse to go under the knife without an MRI because the surgeons will just be operating blindly again. So I know what I'm talking about. Epsom salt baths work for me to try to bring the abscess to the surface and after the operation to heal better. I honestly do not wish that pain on a child. It is absolute agony. Your poor DS😢.

Thank you for your replies. We went to A&E in the end and this morning he had it lanced under GA. Just waiting to be discharged now and he will have follow up care and dressing at home from the community nurses. He's pain free now so he's happy. Been quite an ordeal for us both x

Hope it heals easily, poor boy

So glad you got it sorted. Poor lad! Hope it heals quickly and he's sent home with lots of pain relief! I had a friend who's prone to ingrown hairs and this happened to her. X

Oh I’m so glad he’s ok now. It must have been horrible for both of you