Anxious 111 have made a safeguarding referral

[Anxiulyyy]

My chikdren have been coughing in the night. One of them mildly for about a week and one of them for a few day. Throughout the day they are fine its just at night.

I thought it was the weather or just a minor thing that would be over in a few days but it hasn't.

I phoned 111 today as last night they were coughing a lot.

A nurse phoned me back and was asking alot of questions. Where my children live, who they live with and why didnt I gp to the GP.

I said that I thought it was something mild and would be over in a few days. She said she will look for appointments and call me back.

I'm now worried that me not taking them straight to the GP has triggered a safeguarding referral.

My children are 8 and 14. I have been through the stages of taking them to the GP for every minor thing. Nowadays, GPS encourage people to deal with things at home unless they get worse, especially since covid.

So my question is do you think the nurse raised a safeguarding issue and would she have to tell me if she did?

I don’t know about safeguarding but coughing only at night may well be asthma, it was with ours.
Please do go to your GP.

Honestly. You are massively
Over thinking.

Why would
This even happen?

Why would that trigger a referral? We’re encouraged to self-treat for a few days with coughs and colds. I think you’re worrying needlessly. Hope your lo is feeling better soon. x

Could it be dust mite allergy?

Safeguarding for a nighttime cough?

unless there's a lot you haven't told us, like you're living in a tent in the highlands, no it's not going to be an issue.

still if she gets you an appointment that's a good outcome & you might as well get them checked out.

I would think she's trying to understand why you haven't called the GP but now felt it was serious enough to call in the night - e.g. has it suddenly worsened.

As a pp says, coughing only at night can be an asthma sign, but also it is normal when you have a cold to cough at night. A short-lived cough is not normally cause to see the doctor, the NHS page is here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/health/colds-coughs-and-ear-infections-in-children/ and it says when to see the GP.

Focus on their health - describe their symptoms to the GP and get advice.

No. I think her query was more "why don't you call the GP on Monday, rather than calling 111 at the weekend when you don't deem it an emergency."

I think that the fact that it is now the next day and they haven't been rushed to see someone by the nurse already implies that she doesn't think it is too urgent and could probably wait for GP on Monday. I don't think she would therefore think you were unreasonable to wait and see. Obviously if they get worse again then do seek medical advice.

Sounds like all the normal questions not sure why your worrying.

A night time cough would suggest asthma / nocturnal wheeze (my DD started like this)

Are there any smokers in the house? Could be that. Or dust mite allergy

You're overthinking this though OP, it was probably more of a "you've waited until the weekend, you can call your GP when they're open" deal than safeguarding

You are definitely worrying unnecessarily. If anything she may have been hinting that it didn't really need a 111 call.

I don’t see why she would, but even if this was a rogue nurse I did, SS really wouldn’t be interested. Don’t panic.

No you are overthinking it

If she (the nurse) asked "why didn't you go to your GP?" it could simply be for information for their stats. If a pattern of people calling 111 from one area is high and people are saying "I couldn't get an appointment" that information can be helpful for future planning - ie building a new surgery.
Don't overthink it. Hope the coughing gets better.

Very very unlikely to have made a safeguarding referral.

Even if a referral was made I am fairly certain there is no social services department in the country that has the resources to follow up on "her kids have a cough so she phoned the dedicated NHS medical advice line seeking medical advice".

I think she was wondering why you called 111 instead of waiting until Monday to call your GP (or indeed, ringing your GP last week at some point).

I think it more likely she was trying to get information about the course of the illness so why you didn't think it was GP worthy during the day but called 111 in the middle of the night. I have a symptom for a few weeks and my GP asked me why I'd decided to get an appointment now. She was try to ascertain if it had changed or stayed static or if I'd been googling and freaked myself out.

Another vote for the nurse wondering why you were calling for nighttime coughing.

Unless you needed emergency asthma pumps or something, but surely you would have called for them in the night when they were actually coughing?

Hi so ky son had an upper respiratory infection. They isn't give us any medication and said its viral.

The 111 nurse asked a lot of questions thats why I found it strange. Who lives in my house and the ages of my other children.

Also when she asked why I haven't gone to the Drs she said that thats a question they ask everyone, even though I never questions why she asked it. That last statement made me think she was making a safeguarding referral.

She may have picked up on your anxiety and was trying to reassure you. They probably have a drop down menu and have to choose an option such as 'has only just got poorly', 'couldn't get an appointment', 'surgery closed before symptoms got worse', etc.

If I ever take DDs to unscheduled care (A&E, Minor Injuries, etc.) then I have to tell them who lives in the house, how their related, how old they are, any social services involvement and for what reason, etc. It's standard safeguarding.

this Is normal 111 questions I know it sounded a lot but they are just trying to get the correct Information and a better picture of circumstances that they can pass on to the HCP it will be as a pp said a drop down box, try and not worry too much.