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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be really worried that DS (3) is seriously ill?

39 replies

joogle · 01/06/2011 18:29

DS aged 3 has been constantly ill with colds and bugs for the last 6 months, he seems to have had an on/off fever for months, stomach pains for 6 months, his lips keep going blue and he and hardly eats, he looks so thin.

Today he ate a full meal then 2 hours later vomitted the whole thing up a few hours later. I am worried sick and the doctor has said everything from him having a bug to a chest infection.

OP posts:
verytellytubby · 01/06/2011 18:31

Lips going blue - have they checked his heart?

Can you get referred to a consultant rather than seeing your GP?

worraliberty · 01/06/2011 18:31

Has he recently started Nursery/Playgroup?

FWIW there's a nasty stomach bug going round here. DS8 came down with it Sunday night and DS 12 last night.

Original poster
joogle · 01/06/2011 18:32

He hasn't started nursery yet but DD is 5 and at school

OP posts:
kittens · 01/06/2011 18:39

I would ask for him to be refered to a specialist as all these illness could be something more serious. I don't want to scare or worry you, but a friend of ours had a child who was always ill and the doctor kept fobbing them off, but once he was properly checked out they found he had Leukimia(sp?). He is on the mend now, but it was a tough time for them, but they are glad he is getting better.

Rowgtfc72 · 01/06/2011 18:43

Dd is four and up to about six months ago her lips used to go blue occasionally. Doc checked her out, said nothing wrong with heart and she must just be forgetting to breathe when excited. Would second getting a referral if only for peace of minds sake .

Happymm · 01/06/2011 18:47

Think you should get him checked ASAP. GP out of hours, or A&E if they suggest, good luck,x

Original poster
joogle · 01/06/2011 18:54

I have scared myself by checking his symptoms on one of these online things and it comes back with leukemia, I am really frightened but not sure if I'm over reacting? If I go to the doctors tmrw can I ask them to do a full blood count the same day?

OP posts:
faverolles · 01/06/2011 18:57

On the other end of the scale to kittens - my nephew spent almost 7 months being ill like that - the tummy pains were glands in his tummy, and it turned out he was just catching every little thing going round.
Blueish lips when ill does happen - ds1 did this every time he was poorly until he was 4 or 5.

Definitely get him referred though, for peace of mind.
Hope he's feeling better soon :)

faverolles · 01/06/2011 19:01

Joogle - google is not your friend in times of illness. Whatever the symptom, it will tell you the worst case scenario (which is also thankfully unlikely) (I googled my chest infection symptoms once, and it came back with lung cancer!)

Go to your dr and tell him/her your concerns. Ask them to refer him.
Try not to worry :)

DO NOT GOOGLE

Shoulddohousework · 01/06/2011 19:10

It may be nothing but for your own piece of mind if you have a paediatric ward near you, you can ask your GP to refer you to them (most are set up for GP referrals) and you should be seen the same day.
You can ask your GP for an FBC but are unlikely to get the results the same day.
If, not ask for a second opinion or referral to paediatric consultant (although this can take time!)

Vev · 01/06/2011 19:12

As advised don't google - you always end up with the worse case scenario.

Do take him and get him checked out for peace of mind.

I had a blood test in the morning, 8.30pm same night duty doctor knocked on my door as blood test had shown something wrong so they do know the same day if something's amiss.

yougivemumsabadname · 01/06/2011 19:19

Do not google!!!Something more serious can just mean something that is entirely treatable but just needs a bit more specialist attention....things like leukaemia are fortunately rare, think about it, have you ever known anyone with it? I haven't. It does happen, but it's a lot less likely than you think.

I'm sure it's something that can be easily treated, maybe just an infection that's taken a hold. Please resist the temptation to look up his symptoms online as you will find nothing good- you're not going to find a website that says "There is nothing wrong with your child or nothing serious". Wait to see the doctors and pester your GP for a referral. I'm sure he's fine.

bupcakesandcunting · 01/06/2011 19:23

I could have written your post earlier this year. DS was ill so much that I even started crying to his pre-school teacher because I was so worried Blush It was just run-of-the-mill bugs, thankfully.

Your DS could be losing weight through general illness. How many of us want to wolf down food when we're feeling unwell? Get him checked but try not to worry too much, easier said than done.

Keep us posted. Hope everything is well. I know what it's like worrying about this stuff :)

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 01/06/2011 19:26

DS2 had nearly 2 years of fevers and vomiting, trips to the doctor etc. He was on paracetamol and antibiotics more times than I care to remember. Then we had his tonsils out just before his third birthday. He has had a couple of mild colds in the 10 months since put on weight and noticably grown. Sometimes a chronic problem like infected tonsils never quite goes away and keeps recurring every few weeks. Has he got a nagging ear or throat infection?

DilysPrice · 01/06/2011 19:35

Tummy pains could be mesenteric adenitis (sounds like what faverolle's nephew had - painful but harmless). Or it could be any number of things, or just an unlucky patch of infections.

I'd go to your GP tomorrow and say that you are seriously worried and want a paediatric referral - he's not your PFB so your GP should trust your instincts.

Punkatheart · 01/06/2011 19:36

There is nothing to be gained by speculation. Get a referral to a paed specialist asap. My nephew had lots of bugs, wouldn't eat or put on weight. They discovered he had some really bad teeth - it hurt for him to eat and he wasn't thriving because of the lack of nutrition. Teeth removed and now he eats well and has less illnesses...

Yes, pester. Put your mind at rest with an expert.

KittySpencer · 01/06/2011 19:39

YANBU at all to worry about your little one. Google is NOT your friend though and will make any worries a hundred times worse. Definitely trust your instincts that something isn't right and get him checked out/referred - it could well be just run of the mill bugs or there could be a cause, but not necessarily as serious as leukaemia.

Chaz's post is exactly like what happened to me as a child - I was very sickly, constantly ill from the age of about 2 or 3. Was also incredibly skinny, often so tired I couldn't get off the sofa and slept for 20 hours a day, had no appetite - and when I did eat sometimes would eat so quickly (or too much) that I'd be sick. When I was 4 we changed GP and new one found I had severely infected tonsils; I had them removed shortly after and from then on was absolutely fine.

HeartBurnQueen · 01/06/2011 19:40

Checking my symptoms on Google I have had everything from stomach/bone/breast/cervical cancer, a brain tumour, TB and even bloody HIV.

I would get him properly checked though, even if just to put your mind at rest.

haudyerwheesht · 01/06/2011 19:41

Ds is 4. Last year he didn't have a single illness. At xmas he had swine flu and pneumonia and was scarily ill, since then he's caught most things - sore tummies, viruses, etc etc. On sunday his temp was almost 40 and I took him to ooh doc - he was complaining of sore tummy nothing else other than just feeling ill - he had an ear infection. When he had steroids for a cough/asthma 3 weeks ago he complained mainly of a sore tummy and when he had a virus he also complained of a sore tummy - I think its his glands / referred pain. However, in your case the lips going b lue would make me get him checked. Don't panic though. is your ds thin because he doesn't eat because he's ill because as horrible as it is that wouldn't worry me as much as if he was eating like a horse and losiing weight iyswim?

spiggy · 01/06/2011 20:03

like Chaz and Kitty's stories- tonsils were at the root of DS's persistant colds/coughs/general illness. Had them out at 3 and he is a changed boy. grew inches in the month after the op, put on weight and is now able to shake off colds that would have knocked him sideways previously. Kept getting told there was no problem but when the consultant eventually agreed to remove them they admitted that they were so large that they were stopping him breathing properly and were filled with infection. It is worth putting your foot down with gp and saying that you are not happy and want a referral because it has been going on for so long. It sounds very like DS's problems so it doesn't have to be something scary.

microserf · 01/06/2011 20:22

Can you ask for a referral to a pedriatrician on the grounds of persistent illness? I would push for this, saying you're worried about his state of health. And not in 4 months, much quicker than this.

GPs are very effective gatekeepers sometimes. Too effective.

Also, insist on a full blood count to check for indicators of illness.

mum765 · 01/06/2011 20:29

My DD was ill for several months with recurrent temperature, cough, loss of appetite, stomach ache, general lethargy, night waking due to symptoms. Dr kept saying they could give nothing, it's a virus. I do think she could have been given something to try and alleviate it - e.g. antibiotics - just in case - they adamantly refused. Cough mixture is now not allowed for her age. She suffered terribly for nearly 4 months. She did get better eventually but I was really annoyed at repeatedly hearing drs smugly saying it was a virus, without doing any tests or having any understanding of what it's like to cope with an ill child for that length of time. It had a really adverse effect on her starting at school and settling in. In hindsight I would have paid to see a private dr.

I hope your dc starts to get better soon. But just to say it can be just bugs that take a long time to go away.

Original poster
joogle · 01/06/2011 20:35

The doctor we saw the other day did say his throat was inflamed but that his stomach pains where due to hunger even though the fever was putting him off his food, she suggested vitamins....

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 01/06/2011 20:52

Ask for a referral to a specialist as the problems your child is having have been going on for months and have not got any better. Demand an appointment.

Booandpops · 01/06/2011 21:10

Kids do hAve stomach pains when have infections due to glands
How about milk or wheat intolerance. Just maybe linked to thin
And pale palour. Also vomiting and stomach pain come with food allergy
Please don't assume the worst in most cases it's something simple and treatable.