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AIBU?

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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:
valiumredhead · 18/07/2012 12:00

Or you could just ring the GP instead of spreading CP round ? Hmm

MysteriousHamster · 18/07/2012 12:00

You probably should get the eye seen to OP, can be serious there. But ring up first!

Sirzy · 18/07/2012 12:01

How rude is your latest post - you have a child with chicken pox but expect parents of children who are immuno suppressed (and therefore been through a hell of a lot) to be isolated? Seriously? Get over yourself.

The receptionist was rude BUT you should have said when you got there "I think she has chicken pox, where should I wait?" do you really expect them to remember why everyone is there?

MrsReiver · 18/07/2012 12:02

The receptionist has probably taken several phone calls in the mean time, and can't be expected to look over every patient that arrives for signs of chicken pox.

AKMD · 18/07/2012 12:07

YABU. I started off thinking otherwise but your attitude is terrible. I am immuno deficient and pregnant and have never had chicken pox. According to you I should sit at home and only let visitors in through an airlock after vigorous screening. If you have an infectious disease then it is your responsibility to make sure you don't pass it on.

valiumredhead · 18/07/2012 12:09

Quite AKMD!

Tamisara · 18/07/2012 12:09

I feel sympathy for you, as you weren't in the wrong (IMO) to start with, as it was the receptionists duty to isolate you....

But your last post... tell me you're joking... FFS???

Why on earth would a mother, with a child who had an acute asthma attack, or a severe episode of ezcema, be isolated. You are off you're fucking trolley!!! They should not live in a bubble. In this instance you need to get some common sense, an ounce of empathy, and realise that sick people do go to doctors. Doctors surgeries are not the domain of the well!!! You don't expect to run into people taking 'well' kids, with potentially life-threatening, catching diseases there.

What if there was an antenatal cliinc being held at the same time? (which happens at my surgery). Should the pregnant women (whose babies could die in utero) be kept somewhere different, just in case an ignoramus walks in?

I dont' have a problem with parents of chickenpox ridden children seeing doctors, and your DD sounds like she needs to. But is common sense to ask for somewhere private to sit - the onus is not on those who may be at risk.

DesperatelySeekingSedatives · 18/07/2012 12:17

YABU. I was thinking that before you unleashed your stinking self involved attitude. Did it really not occur to you to say to the receptionist on arrival "DD has chicken pox, where should we wait for our appointment?" Hmm

I did when I had to go the doctor with swine flu while 4 months PG. Had to wait in a horrible little box room but at least I didn't infect the elderly people, the pregnant lady or the toddlers that were in the main waiting room. No way would I have expected them to cram into the box room so they didn't catch my flu! Shock

As for the other mum, she didn't "tell" on you, she raised her concerns that a child with highly contagious chicken pox shouldn't be mingling with lots of other people in a crowded waiting room.

Kayano · 18/07/2012 12:20

Bloody hell. It's all about you and yours. Think of other people FFS

The other mother was obviously concerned to make the complaint an to pull the buggy away

You have such a selfish attitude to her. Let's lock away everyone with underlying health problems.

MrsReiver · 18/07/2012 12:22

AKMD - I'm pregnant and take steroids, can I join you in your airlock?

hazeyjane · 18/07/2012 12:23

No, I'm sorry but you have to say to the receptionist when you are at the desk about the chicken pox, otherwise how does she know that your dd hasn't just got some eczema flare ups or is just a bit spotty.

As for your reaction about the other woman, if your child has underlying health conditions then it is likely that you will have to go to the drs a lot. For the first 2 years with ds we pretty much went weekly, so does that mean I should have kept him in isolation each time i went in? You have it all the wrong way round.

AKMD · 18/07/2012 12:27

MrsReiver PM me your email address and I'll send you the 100-page questionnaire on your medical history and make arrangements for you to have a private health screening session first. At your expense, natch.

choceyes · 18/07/2012 12:37

She shouldn't have embaressed you like that, that is not on and not professional at all.

Have to say though, I did take my DC1 to the walk in centre (i was away on holiday at the time, so no access to GP) when he had suspected CP. I wasnt' sure if it was CP or not. I've never seen CP before (I was small when I had it), so how was I to know whether it was CP or not? Before I had DCs I don't think I ever even held a baby, or been around a toddler, so when your DC starts breaking out in spots, it could be anything!
But i explained to the receptionist that I suspected CP, but she never said we had to be isolated, and the doctor didn't say anythign either when we saw him.
Although a couple of days later, DS fell on the radiator and split his foreheard so had to take him to A&E , and I told the receptionist there he had CP and we were isolated.

DD who was only 7 months at the time got CP soon after, but I didn't bother with the GP that time, I knew what it was by then.

Scaredycat3000 · 18/07/2012 12:49

I phoned up my Dr's surgery to say my DS2 had chicken pox, MIL insisted it was a 'notifiable' illness (it's not), and was there any need to come in. The receptionist tried to make me an appointment. So I politely questioned the logic behind bringing an otherwise healthy, highly contagious, baby in. Finally he agreed to get the Dr to ring me back, who said stay at home. I know receptionists aren't medically trained but surely there should be some 'surgery policy' for them to refer to, i.e. any child with suspected CP wait in room X. It all seems rather make it up as you go along.
Do be careful of spots near the eyes, DS1 then got CP, he had 3 round one eye. I guessing he rubbed them in his sleep and the next morning his eye was hot, red and swollen. Two hours later it was much worse, had to do an emergency weekend GP appointment, tried to keep him out of the way, Receptionist wasn't interested, and watched as several other children with CP came in wandered about, played with the toys, etc. He was on antibiotics for a week for his eye infection.

badtasteflump · 18/07/2012 12:56

Well, your reaction aside, the receptionist was completely unprofessional.

If she really raised her voice and told you to 'get out', in your position I would have reported her to the doctor when you saw him/her .

But I also find it a bit odd that you were invited into the surgery with suspected chicken pox. My DC had them at different times, and we were living in a different area each time. Both Doctors Surgeries told us not to come in because of the risk of spreading the infection, but diagnosed over the phone.

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 18/07/2012 13:02

To... Most of you.

I didn't in any way say that anyone with anything should be isolated.

I said that surely if you have an immunity disorder spas some of you are suggesting, then there are bigger concerns than my DD with chicken pox... And if that was the case, perhaps sitting in a waiting room isn't the best idea.

I said it on the phone, I drew attention to her spots and my phone call. I sent back to the desk again and stressed that I had to have her on my lap and she was becoming agitated.

At no point did anyone suggest to me that I shouldn't sit in the waiting room. And when she had suspected chicken pox before, the GP told me to go about my daily life.

I can't just ring and speak to a GP at my surgery, if the call back list is full they tell you instead to have an emergency appointment.

And my first concern is my daughter and her eye at the moment, whoever asked, not who I might encounter by going to the GP. (Where I would be made to wait in the hallway - does this not seem silly to anyone else?)

OP posts:
Sirzy · 18/07/2012 13:05

You really can't see how dangerous chicken pox can be to those who are immuno suppressed can you?

When you arrived YOU should have asked the receptionist where to wait, it's up to you to avoid other people not up to them to avoid you.

mcsquared · 18/07/2012 13:07

I don't really get this whole not going to the doctor thing. I've had chicken pox before but there's no way I'd be able to diagnose it in someone else! I'm not a doctor and a spotty rash could be any number of things. I'd want input from someone medically trained.

Maybe receptionists should have a flow chart of things to consider when booking an appointment and ask a few simple questions to see if chicken pox or other highly infectious diseases are likely and then manage the risk based on the answers. It seems crazy to rely on clueless patients to prewarn you of what they might have when presumably the reason they are ringing the doctor is because they don't know what it is!

AKMD · 18/07/2012 13:09

^I didn't in any way say that anyone with anything should be isolated.^

^I said that surely if you have an immunity disorder spas some of you are suggesting, then there are bigger concerns than my DD with chicken pox... And if that was the case, perhaps sitting in a waiting room isn't the best idea.^

Well that make that clear then!

For me, there isn't any common disease of much more risk to me and my baby than chicken pox. I have to go to places like doctors' waiting rooms, work, nursery and have no option other than have to have faith in other people's good sense.

Sirzy · 18/07/2012 13:10

And then the receptionist would get called a nosey bitch for asking questions.

Chicken pox is pretty easy to spot and now we have a great thing called google images if unsure. Unless there are complications there is no need to waste a drs time and put others at risk going to the gp

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 18/07/2012 13:10

Sirzy - why would I know?? I have no experience of it whatsoever. Would you suggest I never take my child out in case she encounters someone that suffers this??

I had to take her to the doctors. They knew why I was there.

OP posts:
badtasteflump · 18/07/2012 13:10

Ok so if a Surgery routinely gives appointments to people with suspected chicken pox, they should surely have a system in place where they have those people waiting in a side room somewhere separate to the main waiting area. Not difficult really is it?

Original poster
curiousgeorgie · 18/07/2012 13:11

And I've explained why I had to take her... And I was right to do so. The GP himself was very helpful and also prescribed antibiotic cream for some bad ones on her chest so had I not gone I wouldn't have got this.

OP posts:
badtasteflump · 18/07/2012 13:11

Sirzy I agree but there's no reason why a parent encountering chicken pox for the first time should know all that. Which is why the Surgery should tell them....

Sirzy · 18/07/2012 13:12

Now you know she has chicken pox then of course you don't go out.