to ignore earlier advice and go to A&E?

[cricketballs]

sorry its not so much a AIBU but more request for advice as AIBU is always busy

my ds (has learning difficulties and is on the autistic spectrum) has a very high pain threshold, for example he had finger in a door at school when it was slammed shut, didn't complain, played table tennis in the afternoon and the next day when I saw that it was grey took him a walk in centre to find out it was broken!

Last night whilst at a party, he tripped up dh who fell on him. He complained that his ankle was sore, but moving around on it, didn't want to leave the party and carried on playing. This morning it looked swollen and he was complaining it hurt and was limping.

I have taken him to the walk in centre (a lot closer to us than A&E but is staffed by senior nurses only, no doctors) and they have x-rayed him. There is a query if there is a fracture or if it is where his bone has not fully fused yet (he is 13 tomorrow!). They did say that normally if there was this query then they would cast it whilst waiting for the 'hot report' of the x-ray to be completed (this is for someone with more expertise to view it as a matter of priority) but due to his history they didn't think that he could cope with crutches which I do agree with.

I was told that if I didn't hear from them in 7 days then it is a soft tissue injury and not a fracture, but if it is a fracture then they will call us back to have a cast.

I am concerned though as it is this long bank holiday weekend that if it is a fracture then he is causing more damage to it by being able to move it around/nothing to stabilise it as they have not dressed it at all.

I have googled it and the fact he is walking is not unusual for ankle fractures as it depends on where it is/how many bones fractured etc.

I am considering taking him to the A&E so that a doctor can look but am I just wasting their time seen as he has already been seen today and we are just waiting to find out (just don't know when)

Can you call NHS24 for a second opinion?

I would take him. It can't be good to be walking around putting weight on a possible fracture. You will only worry all weekend if you don't take him.

Depends on whether they'd need a new Xray in A&E. Not really a good idea for 13 year olds to have more xrays than necessary. If A&E can access the walk in centre xray then i'd say go, otherwise get him to rest it and keep elevated with ice packs. Walk in centre probably open over weekend so if it gets worse - more swollen, painful (if you can tell) then go back there.

Take him to A+E.

Some ankle fractures can be hard to see on x-ray, sometimes they only show up after a couple of days when the damaged bone cells at the fracture site have died off.

It's not unusual for someone to be given a back slab (half a plaster, bandaged on) for pain relief - that might be easier for him to cope with than a full plaster cast?

I'd take him!! my DD also has ASD and a VERY high pain threshold, the fact that he says it hurts is a red for me . I hope its not btw.

I would take him.
My ds broke his leg hairline fracture just above ankle bone and I took him to a&e but it didn't show up on the first x ray. So they said it was a soft tissue injury. He walked round on it for a a few days - in a lot of pain and when I took him back they re x rayed it and the fracture was clearly showing. Apparently this is common for hairline fractures as the newly healing bone is harder and will show up where the original fracture won't.

I'd take him.

I broke my ankle the year before last and it was missed on the first xray, so I ended up walking around on it for 13 days before being sent to a different hospital by my GP, where they did a lot more xray angles and found the break straight away.

I was in a cast for about 9/10 weeks in total, but as it was an Aircast, I was able to dispense with first one, then both crutches after a few weeks.

Apparently I wouldn't have needed to be in a cast for as long if it had been immobilised more quickly after the accident.

Definitely take him. The hospital would rather you be sure he's ok and not doing any lasting damage!

Another vote for take him. Hope he is ok.

Take him to A&E. I had a missed fracture as a teenager (missed by A&E staff on the X-ray) and it took ages to heal. The mistake was noticed when someone more senior reviewed the X-rays but by then apparently it was too late to put on a pot. Or at least that's what my Mother was told.

hey there,

it is unlikely its a bad fracture as he his walking/moving it without too much pain. BUT i would take him to a and e! if its broken then he needs it casted without a 7 day wait, even if its ligament damage he's ptting further risk to it weightbearing without at least a support, crutches or strapping. as for an x-ray its likely that they can access the original ones from a and e and if not its only one more ankle x-ray, not too dangerous. as a physio i would say take him down and get it checked out.

Take him. Bring a picnic & make an evening of it

Did you get the xrays pics with you?

I would take them, and him to A&E. Since he has a high pain threshold, and you say he has said it is sore, then I would take that as a sign that it could be serious.

just got back from A&E - they were able to look at the x-ray from this morning and don't think it is a fracture, if it is then it is only minor and wouldn't need a cast but did say that they would have a senior radiologist check it.

thanks to you all!

You could contact the walk in clinic as in this day and age most x-rays are digital and e-mailed to the radiologist for checking. I would imagine that if the x-ray was taken this morning if it was on an urgent list it will have already been ready by a radiologist.

My dd is also autistic and has an extremely high pain threshold. We had similar last year. We took her back to A&E after local clinic said soft tissue, because she was complaining. Arm was broken, just took a different x ray at a different angle, oh, and some bugger to believe you when you say 'she doesn't feel pain as you and I do'.

Sprains can be a lot more painful than a fracture and they often take longer to heal too, so even if it is 'just a sprain' don't be surprised for it to take a while to heal.

dawn I completely agree it's like knocking on wood when you have to keep saying over and over again about the pain feeling issue