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Original poster

Should I take DS to A&E?

116 replies

BitBroken · 08/12/2021 08:42

He's hurt his knee. Probably pissing about wrestling with his brother.

He's 14. He walks 2 miles to school.

So had the last couple of days off. Icing it.

He's hopping around, not weight bearing.

It's swollen but not bruised. Am 99% sure he's just twisted it.

Called GP today and they said there's nothing they can do and to go A&E.

I went for myself a few weeks ago and was there 8 hours 😑

Will they actually do anything apart from tell him to rest and ice it like we are already doing?

I just feel like it's one of those things they can't really do anything for? Or should I just pack a sandwich and go 😭

OP posts:
Waitwhatwhy · 08/12/2021 10:06

@rhowton

Is he your second child OP? Grin
😂 The number of times I’ve begrudged taking one of mine to minor injuries, even had the nurse there being rude about us being there, just to have to eat humble pie because they have broken something/ sprained and need a boot etc.
GnomeyGnome · 08/12/2021 10:07

Was it the GP that said to go to A&E? If so then you can ignore the 111 online advice as you've already done that.

Jumpingintochristmas · 08/12/2021 10:08

@BitBroken

111 online says to contact GP Hmm
Which you did and they advised A&E!

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Waitwhatwhy · 08/12/2021 10:08

Purple our local news is constantly telling us our A&E can’t cope, please don’t go unless absolutely necessary etc, it would make me think twice about going with something like this. However it does need checking as could potentially need treatment.

Original poster
BitBroken · 08/12/2021 10:08

NO THE GP DID NOT SAY TO GO TO A&E

I spoke to the receptionist who said 'you might be best off just going to A&E cause the Dr won't see you for a sore knee'

OP posts:
Original poster
BitBroken · 08/12/2021 10:09

He's not had an accident and it's not an emergency.I swear some of you lot would go A&E for a splinter Hmm

OP posts:
givemepiece · 08/12/2021 10:10

Reminds me of the time I jumped and landed oddly on my foot when I was about 13yo and said "dad! Did you hear that crack? Think I've broken my foot! Take me a&e plssss" he said "didn't hear anything 🤫 shh"

Two days later when I still couldn't walk he took me then admitted he had heard the snap but the formula 1 was on Grin

Apart from that I had a great childhood Grin

Original poster
BitBroken · 08/12/2021 10:11

@givemepiece

Reminds me of the time I jumped and landed oddly on my foot when I was about 13yo and said "dad! Did you hear that crack? Think I've broken my foot! Take me a&e plssss" he said "didn't hear anything 🤫 shh"

Two days later when I still couldn't walk he took me then admitted he had heard the snap but the formula 1 was on Grin

Apart from that I had a great childhood Grin

Except its nothing like that
OP posts:
Original poster
BitBroken · 08/12/2021 10:11

Am on call to 111 to see if the outcome is different to the online assessment

OP posts:
MariaAngustias · 08/12/2021 10:11

If he is NWB then he needs A&E no question. Also it mayor not be broken but even so ligament ruptures are serious so it will need assessing by a Dr. ( Reference the Ottowa knee guidelines). Don't leave it. Hope he is ok OP x

PurpleDaisies · 08/12/2021 10:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

irishfarmer · 08/12/2021 10:11

As many PPs have said the minor injuries is way faster, well it is here anyway. Even if you have a longer drive to it, it'd probably be worth it in waiting time

santasmuma · 08/12/2021 10:12

@BitBroken

NO THE GP DID NOT SAY TO GO TO A&E

I spoke to the receptionist who said 'you might be best off just going to A&E cause the Dr won't see you for a sore knee'

What are you shouting for? You said...

Called GP today and they said there's nothing they can do and to go A&E.

lanthanum · 08/12/2021 10:12

If the GP has said go to A&E, go to A&E. 111 will presumably only say the same, and why would mumsnet be better qualified to advise than your GP?
If you have a minor injuries unit with xray facilities (ours doesn't at weekends), that may be an alternative.

Original poster
BitBroken · 08/12/2021 10:12

@MariaAngustias

If he is NWB then he needs A&E no question. Also it mayor not be broken but even so ligament ruptures are serious so it will need assessing by a Dr. ( Reference the Ottowa knee guidelines). Don't leave it. Hope he is ok OP x
He is weight bearing now. Just on his toes because it is only sore when his foot is flat.
OP posts:
Lovemusic33 · 08/12/2021 10:12

I would wait a couple days as long as it seems to be getting better and he’s not in too much pain. I hate going to A&E 🤣. Chances are it’s a twist or a sprain so they wouldn’t be able to do anything anyway. Obviously if it gets worse then take to A&E.

santasmuma · 08/12/2021 10:12

@BitBroken

He's not had an accident and it's not an emergency.I swear some of you lot would go A&E for a splinter Hmm

It's not a splinter though, is it?

PurpleDaisies · 08/12/2021 10:13

Cross posted.

givemepiece · 08/12/2021 10:13

Ehhhhh parent reluctant to take child to a&e for whatever reason, child not scarred for life from it. A little similar.

Maybe I should've said

Original poster
BitBroken · 08/12/2021 10:14

For fucks sake. I haven't spoke to a GP. It was the RECEPTIONIST who was trying to get me off the line as it was prime appointment booking time. She didn't even ask what was wrong with his knee, is she better qualified than a GP than I didn't even speak to?

OP posts:
givemepiece · 08/12/2021 10:14

Wednesday morning is probably as good a time as any to go to a&e. Wouldn't leave it closer to the weekend with all the Xmas party shenanigans going on

lanthanum · 08/12/2021 10:14

(Sorry, hadn't read your later post. 111 are better qualified than the GP's receptionist.)

Rattysparklebum · 08/12/2021 10:15

My son did similar, came off his skateboard, he knew was swollen so we iced it and the swelling went down and he seemed ok, a few days later he was having a kick about with friends and his knee swelled up and he was limping.

I took him to the GP (pre covid) who said he might have a fractured kneecap and sent us to a&e with me feeling incredibly guilty that I hadn’t taken it more seriously. A&E didn’t even X-ray it, just said it needed rest for 3 weeks and gave us one of those surgical bandages to help decrease the swelling.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 08/12/2021 10:16

@BossLady007

Our local MIU is staffed by a very angry Nurse and a GP on call if you're lucky. How it's still open is beyond me. I went in with a horribly infected horsefly bite on advice from 111 and was given short shrift and sent packing. Ended up in A & E two days later with cellulitis. I'm a trained HCA and knew what an infection looked like Hmm

I'd always advise A & E with anything that may need a X ray. Pack a snack bag and take the hit. Hope he's soon on the mend.

Ours was like that. DH was in agony so I took him there and he GP asked him what made him think he was bad enough to go there. Unfortunately I wasn't in the room at the time as I would have had plenty to say!

Thankfully it seems to have changed now, including now having a decent reception team rather than the previous bitch who told me I'd be wasting A&E's time if I took him for a suspected DVT that she'd just told me the walk in centre couldn't deal with (despite his GP sending him there).

JingleJingleAllTheWay · 08/12/2021 10:17

I hurt my foot when I was his age. I had to convince my mum to take me to A&E. She thought I was putting it on and said "if you waste my time, I will not be happy" few hours later, come out of A&E with crutches. I had broken a bone in my foot!

You cannot possibly know it isn't broken. Take your son to the hospital and get him x rayed!