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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Doctors Surgery & Chicken Pox

96 replies

curiousgeorgie · 18/07/2012 11:05

My DD is 21 months. Had a snotty nose for two ish days then woke up with about ten spots (on chest, behind ears and on face)

I called the GP at 8.30 and said I really need an appointment because I think my DD may have Chicken pox, but I was unsure once before so should check.

They told me to come in at 10.30.

I got there at 10.20 and went to reception, holding my clearly spotty DD and was told to go to the waiting room. (separate room)

While in there I kept DD on my lap, didn't let her go over to the children's corner or play with any surgery toys. At 11.10 I went to ask how much longer I would have to wait as she was really unhappy and it was getting difficult to keep her on my lap.

I was told I should be next and I should go back and wait.

At 11.40 a lady with a toddler in a buggy came in (same sort of age as DD) took one look at us and left the room.

The receptionist came marching in, and from the doorway in a very crowded room said very loudly pointing at me 'Are you here because you think your child has chicken pox??'

I said yes, and she raised her voice again and told me to get out. I apparently should be standing in the hallway. I stood up to leave and told her that she knew why I was there, I spoke to her on the phone and she saw me at reception twice, and she's already left me sitting there for over an hour so isn't it a little late for hysterics. (And, this was hugely embarrassing. Especially with super annoyed DD on the verge on hysterics herself by now.)

We continued to argue like this and I was called to the doctor by the screen so I just left.

As I walked past the woman who 'told on me' in the hall and she literally pulled her buggy back to the wall.

So, DD does have chicken pox. But whatever happened to politeness? Patient confidentiality?? Generally not being a dick??

AIBU to be pissed off about this???

OP posts:

Kayano · 18/07/2012 11:12

Well the other woman was not at fault. What if her child had suppressed immune syndrome or she was pregnant and uncertain

A word with the receptionist is fine IMO

The receptionist was out of order but she had to act on it. Not sure why you wouldn't just say 'I hadn't realised because you meet told me' and then went. To argue the toss and not move when your child has chicken pox is equally not on

So I shall sit on this here fence

Original poster

curiousgeorgie · 18/07/2012 11:15

I did move. The point I'm making is that she knew why I was there, and embarrassed me... And surely, to come in and make a scene when she's already left me there for over an hour is a little stupid no?

OP posts:

Kayano · 18/07/2012 11:20

I've already said the receptionist was out of order . And you said you didn't move but 'argued like that' and then your name was called.

I'm only going off the op.

The other woman didn't know you ha been there so long and was just concerned for her child (and you don't know why)
And the receptionist had to act on her complaint/ concern regardless

Original poster

curiousgeorgie · 18/07/2012 11:22

"I said yes, and she raised her voice again and told me to get out. I apparently should be standing in the hallway. I stood up to leave and told her that she knew why I was there, I spoke to her on the phone and she saw me at reception twice, and she's already left me sitting there for over an hour so isn't it a little late for hysterics. (And, this was hugely embarrassing. Especially with super annoyed DD on the verge on hysterics herself by now.)"

I stood up to leave?

OP posts:

Kayano · 18/07/2012 11:23

But didn't actually leave?

Kayano · 18/07/2012 11:24

I'm just going off the op, no need to get so defensive. There was unreasonableness on both parts but no she should not have raised her voice, but she had to act because of the other woman's complaint (which was valid)

latterlov3r · 18/07/2012 11:25

OTT reaction by all, if you have any sort of rash at my gps you have to sit in a side room which is a gross little filing room! but i was told when ds had chicken pox not to keep him in isolation at all and we were sent back to wait in the waiting room after a doc had a quick look then told to carry on as normal

Ciske · 18/07/2012 11:28

It's odd they asked you to come in and sit in the waiting room with all their other patients. What if a pregnant woman had come in for a check up?

DD was diagnosed over the phone by the GP, asking me to describe her symptoms.

griphook · 18/07/2012 11:30

As I walked past the woman who 'told on me' in the hall and she literally pulled her buggy back to the wall.

You know nothing of her child, and her childs health so a bit more understanding should be in order.

manicbmc · 18/07/2012 11:33

I wouldn't take a child with suspected chicken pox into a doctors' surgery in the first place.

Littleprincessrocks · 18/07/2012 11:34

I think the receptionist was a little unreasonable in the way she handled it, but did you tell her on your arrival that you had called ahead as your child has chickenpox?
When we thought DS may be about to get chickenpox (his sister had it and generally whatever DD gets DS gets) we rang to ask if he could still attend his appointment for a condition which they monitor monthly. We were told that yes he could attend, but to cause less risk to others could we arrive just as our appointment was due to start (not turn up early and wait) and stay in the entrance until called.
I think the receptionist could have said that over the phone, but also you could have said "am I ok to take her in there? I think she has chickenpox.".
I guess I am saying YWBothBU.
The other woman was right to question you being there, but she probably thought the receptionist would be more descrete than that.

I have been in the situation where we were about to go in to see the Dr and a mum sat near us turned to the woman next to us and shouted "She has brought her kid in with chicken pox! What a nasty person. Great now my two will get it! How selfish!"
I turned and said "It is NOT chickenpox, it is Eczema. I would not risk other children. Maybe in future you should ask rather than judge!"
Now I think sWBU to shout that in a full room. I would much rather she had had a quiet word with the receptionist, but then I know our CP receptionist would have taken us aside not started a slagging match.

hazeyjane · 18/07/2012 11:34

If I had been the woman, 'who told on you' I would have reacted in exactly the same way.

When you went in couldn't you have said to the receptionist about the chicken pox and asked to be put in a separate area?

kdiddy · 18/07/2012 11:35

Don't blame the other mum there, but the receptionist was being ridiculous and I'd have been annoyed at her making a scene about it. She should have asked you to wait elsewhere when you arrived, and maybe she was just embarrassed she hadn't done what she was supposed to. Fwiw when my DS had chicken pox they were happy for me to sit in the main waiting room although I did hover in the corner as far away from others as I could.

Littleprincessrocks · 18/07/2012 11:35

GP not CP

Seona1973 · 18/07/2012 11:35

I didnt take either of mine to the doctor with chicken pox either.

Julezboo · 18/07/2012 11:37

I think yabu. Whenever I take the boys to gp for spots/rash I always ask the receptionist if there is somewhere I can wait. I assume receptionist speaks to many people in a morning do can't remember who I am.

She wabu too though she shouldn't have raised her voice or told you to get out. Asking to to move to another room would have been better. Not sure the hallway is a good idea as presumably you still have people walking by?

Youcanringmybell · 18/07/2012 11:37

Yeah - sorry I think the receptionist was way over the top and very rude.

However, you really do not need to go to the doctors with suspected chicken pox. My daughter was terribly ill when she had it. I just asked for the nurse to give me a ring (great advice) or you can call NHS Direct for advice.

It just wastes the Gp's time unless you think your dd is seriously ill.

notagypsy · 18/07/2012 11:39

Why take a child to the GP with chicken pox, what are they going to do? I don't get it.

poorbuthappy · 18/07/2012 11:39

Why did you go to the docs for chicken pox?
Underlying health problems?

Have you answered that question and i missed it?

Tamisara · 18/07/2012 11:41

The other woman's child may had had asthma/eczema/eye infection, and been on steroids - contracting chickenpox whilst on steroids, can be fatal. There are also numerous other conditions that make chickenpox a potentially very serious disease.

The fact that the woman reacted so strongly, shows that she was obviously very concerned. Being at the doctors increases the risk that you may come into contact, with someone whom chickenpox could be life-threatening.

Of course the receptionist was at fault, and should have come over and called you out discreetly. But the other mother wasn't at fault.

MrsReiver · 18/07/2012 11:43

I think the receptionist could have handled it a bit more sensitively but I think you're being a bit harsh on the mother who "told on you."

I know a child with an immune disorder who had to spend a night in a childrens hospital on IV antibiotics after an inconsiderate parent sent their child to nursery knowing they had chicken pox (poxes were on torso so nursery staff didn't notice until they developed on her face.) You don't know the kid's medical history - and even if the child didn't have health problems, the mother was well within her rights to tell tales.

valiumredhead · 18/07/2012 11:46

It never once crossed my mind to take ds to the doctor's when he had CP.

I would've been that woman legging it out of the room

MrsReiver · 18/07/2012 11:51

Nor me Valium - what advice is a GP going to give you that isn't already on the NHS Choices website?

Original poster

curiousgeorgie · 18/07/2012 11:53

I went to the GP a few months ago when she had a few spots and a really hacking cough, and was told it could be chicken pox, go on as normal but avoid soft play etc. so when she got this I thought I'd better go because if the doctor was right and what she had before was very mild chicken pox, then what was this?

That's why I went.

And I did say to the receptionist, I spoke to you on the phone and asked for a last minute appointment... And my DD's worst spots were / are on her face. I didn't hide it to sneak into the waiting room.

And I arrived 10 minutes early purely because the traffic was good... And didn't expect that I'd be waiting there with her for over an hour.

I actually think I need to take her back... She has the nastiest looking spot in her eye :s

OP posts:

Original poster

curiousgeorgie · 18/07/2012 11:56

And with regards to the mother, if you're concerned about your child catching something, perhaps a doctors siting room isn't the best place to sit. If it was some sort of underlying medical problem perhaps she should have asked to be isolated.

Any other child in there could have had chicken pox or something worse. Just because it wasn't right on their face didn't mean anything.

OP posts:

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