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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be a bit concerned about DD's A & E care?

11 replies

Moominsummermadness · 03/07/2012 19:53

Two weeks ago, my 5 year old DD was running around the house with a balloon on a long string. She ignored my pleas for her to stop, in case she hurt herself, and of course, she went flying and landed on her arm. An hour and a half later, she was still crying, and was getting very distressed because she wanted to suck her thumb, but it hurt her arm too much to lift. So I took her to A & E. She had some X-rays of her forearm and elbow, a few minutes after that, and Dr came along, and told us just to give her painkillers. All that night, she kept crying, and still couldn't move her arm properly the next morning, so DH took her to see the GP. The GP said it was sprained, and to put it in a sling for a few days, which we did. The arm seemed to get better, but she does keep saying that it hurts sometimes, especially during PE etc. Today, DH opened a letter from the A & E consultant which said, '.... I have reviewed your notes and x-rays and it would appear that the injury you sustained may require further treatment.' It then went on to invite us to an appointment at the A & E Review Clinic on Thursday.

I felt a bit shocked at first, at the fact that this happened 2 weeks ago, DD was in a lot of pain and at the time I was concerned that she was discharged without much advice. I'm also worried that she might be walking around with an injury that could potentially cause her problems later on. But then, I wondered if I'm worrying over nothing, and it's just to check that there isn't a problem that they've missed. Does anyone have any similar experiences?

OP posts:
JamieandTheOlympicTorch · 03/07/2012 19:54

I think there's no point speculating about this until you've had it checked out again.

MammaTJ · 03/07/2012 19:57

This happened to my DD2 and my DS. Both of them had greenstick fractures, where the bone bends but does not break.

My two were only 24 hours though. I am sure they can fix it though and after two weeks in a proper plaster she can have a splint, so you can take it off for baths.

Good luck.

Sirzy · 03/07/2012 19:58

Go to the appointment and see what is said, try not to worry until then.

It is normal practise for x rays to be reviewed later to ensure that nothing has been missed though.

Sirzy · 03/07/2012 20:01

Also if they thought it was anything big they would have phoned you to go in straight away not right with an appointment later in the week

Moominsummermadness · 03/07/2012 20:12

Thanks for your replies. We will obviously just go to see what is said, I think I was just a bit surprised! Sirzy, you're right, if it was anything major, they would have asked her to go back in straightaway.

OP posts:
muminthecity · 03/07/2012 20:20

I had similar with DD when she was 2.5. She fell off my mums bed onto her arm. The A and E doctor sent us home with painkillers, the next morning got a phone call from hospital telling us the consultant had reviewed the x-ray and could we come back ASAP. Turned out she had a greenstick fracture and needed a minor but immediate operation and then had her arm in plaster for 6 weeks.

I hope your DD's injury isn't as serious, I'm sure she will be fine.

sashh · 04/07/2012 10:20

You shouldn't be concerned. The hospital obviously has a review procedure.

The A and E doctors are just that, they are trained in A and E - they are not Radiologists.

They will spot a clean break, they will spot an obvious break, they may or may not see a smaller fracture.

It would appear that all Xrays are then reviewed by a Radiologist and reported on - this is good practice, because it picks up people like your daughter.

You might think there should be a 24 hour Radiologist reporting X rays. Well they cost about £100 000 a year each - to cover 24 hours you would need three. I'm sure your little girl is worth more than £300 000 but not to hospital management.

if 99% of X rays are correctly read in A and E, and the other 1% picked up within a week then that is appropriate use of funds.

Bosgrove · 04/07/2012 11:30

We had something similar with DD2, when she was two, DH was carrying her downstairs when he slipped and they both ended up falling down the stairs. I drove both to A and E, DH had an Xray and had broken some ribs, but I was told that DD2 hadn't broken her leg and it was only a sprain (which they told me was more painful than a break), they didn't Xray her as they said that they don't like to Xray small children and she could stand so wasn't broken.

After a couple of days I took her to the GP as she was still in a lot of pain and was told that I should encourage her to put more weight on her leg.

Few days after that, about a week after the fall I noticed her leg seem to be bowing so took her back to A & E, where while telling me that it was all in my imagination they X rayed her leg - it was broken in three places!

I felt so guilty that I had been trying to make her stand on it for a week, and I was then told off my the people who put the plaster on for not bringing her in earlier.

This was three years ago, she doesn't have any lasting effects from not being in plaster straight away, or from using her sprained limb so I am sure that your DD will be fine.

moajab · 04/07/2012 12:32

A few years ago my DS hurt his arm. We took him to A&E and they xrayed it and couldn't see any break, so told us it was sprained. A few days later he still wasn't moving it so took him back and it revealed a crack. Apparently when childrens bones break it can dislodge some fatty pads which hide it from xray, especially if it's very minor. In any case it healed very quickly - just needed to be kept in a sling a bit longer than they originally said.

ddubsgirl · 04/07/2012 12:57

i had that hurt my ankle got sent home saying it was sprained,4 weeks later got a call saying i had broken it but because it had been 4 weeks nothing they could do unless i was in alot of pain :/

dixiechick1975 · 04/07/2012 13:21

Agree it is routine for xrays to be reviewed, nothing sinister.

I review a lot of medical records for my job and it happens from time to time. I understand it is not always easy to see if there is a hairline fracture especially in children.

Treatment is often the same anyway. Hope apt goes well.

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