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AIBU?

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Original poster

How long without food and water (dd aged 7)

64 replies

Lucyellensmum100 · 01/09/2012 17:00

DD bit her tongue really badly ysterday, i posted in children health already, she has not eaten since 2pm yesterday and only accepted the smallest sips of water, but i would say that she hasn't had 100ml of liquid over the past 24 hours. I'm not worried about her eating, that will come but she wont take any drink and she MUST be dehydrated by now. Have been to hospital about the tongue yesterday and she was given paracetemol/ibruprofen and advised to let it heal. Am thinking that she maybe just needs another nights sleep for things to heal more but is that OK? would you be pitching up at the hospital yet?

OP posts:
MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 01/09/2012 18:11

I am with the make her crowd I am afraid. Yes it's not nice, but holding her down while they put a drip in will be a lot worse for both of you.

Bribery first, then tough love.

gothicangel · 01/09/2012 18:15

have you tried a straw cup, they have some cute hello kitty ones in sainsburys,

hope she gets better soon xx

sleepsforwimps2010 · 01/09/2012 18:19

my niece did the same when she was about 8. she refused to eat or drink through fear it wound hurt.
we convinced her to put an ice pop between her cheek and teeth, so not near her tongue.
as it melted she was swallowing without
thinking.... and after that she was cautious but happier to at least try.
hths

Original poster
Lucyellensmum100 · 01/09/2012 18:21

I would absolutely force her, but the injury is in her mouth so its out of the question really, i don't want to damage her tongue any more. Have called NHS direct who advised to call out of hours doc, am waiting on call back. Have managed to persuade her to have another sip.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lucyellensmum100 · 01/09/2012 18:24

I am the tough one in the family though Flo, DP would never be able to force her. It will be me having to hold her down while they fit the canula :( He'll pass out!

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IvanaNap · 01/09/2012 18:26

Further to my syringe suggestion-
a slush puppy
iced juice drink (Costa style)
Fruit smoothie
milkshake
Fizzy pop from mc Donalds etc
Alternated with water.

An evening trip to a drive-through maybe, syringe in tow?!

Wigglewoo · 01/09/2012 18:34

At 7 I would explain to her very matter of factly that she either has to try and drink lots or they will need to put her on a drip. This doesn't have to be scaremongering - its the truth, just tell it like it is. If she's sensible she will try to drink more. If she won't well then it won't be such a shock when she does need a drip.

If its so bad she really can't because of the pain then to be honest hospital is the best place for her, maybe she really does need a drip and some stitches perhaps.

FutureNannyOgg · 01/09/2012 18:37

Would she suck ice chips? You can freeze a little water really fast on a saucer so it is really thin, or crush ice cubes in a bag with a rolling pin - it's soothing as well as watery.

Original poster
Lucyellensmum100 · 01/09/2012 18:38

AngryAngry Just spoken to idiot doctor - "well do you want us to see her or not?" err, no i just want some advice on how much water i need to get her to take. The doctor advised to give her paracetemol and ibruprofen - err, thanks for that, was given that advice yesterday and have managed that thankyou very much. So none the wiser really. I wont be bothering with OOH if i feel she needs medical attention i'll be pitching up at A&E! The doctor couldn't get me off the phone quickly enough FFS Angry I had other questions to ask but she had already hung up.

HOWEVER - have used a mix of expensive (new skylander of her choice) and threats (hospital all night and a canula, which she has had before so knows what i mean) and she has promised to drink a cup of ribena. This is something. I then told her that the doctor said i she has two cups before bedtime she wont need to go to hospital - a big fat lie, the doctor just asked me if i felt able to keep an eye on her Hmm yes, fine, im not an idiot, but i don't have medical knowledge to know how much water will be ok - christ on an actual moped!

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WaitingForMe · 01/09/2012 18:40

DSS1 had a UTI a while back. He is also 7. He didn't want to drink because it hurt to wee.

He was put in a room with no toys or distractions (never alone I hasten to add) and DH regularly repeated that he had to drink. He got lots of cuddles but it was made clear that refusal was simply not an option.

ParaOlympicpark · 01/09/2012 18:41

Well done! Go for it! She sounds like she has calmed down a bit now!
Blimmin doctor.......

Original poster
Lucyellensmum100 · 01/09/2012 18:42

result - about 200 ml of ribena drunk, whoop whooop, i will try and get her to drink some more before bed but i think i'll at least be able to sleep tonight. Thankyou everyone. This is just horrible. right now she is very angry with me and keeps shaking her fist and wont let me cuddle her, but at least her lips are not all parched looking now.

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Lilithmoon · 01/09/2012 18:43

Well done :) Hope she recovers soon.

myBOYSareBONKERS · 01/09/2012 18:52

Teething gel to numb her tongue

ClaireDeTamble · 01/09/2012 19:16

Best test for dehydration is to pinch the skin on the back of her hand. If it goes straight back down when you let go she is fine. If it stays up in the pinch shape, then she is seriously dehydrated and you should seek medical help.

This is the test the doctor told me to do on DD1 when she was 12 months old and had Norovirus and couldn't even keep water down for over 24 hours.

whathasthecatdonenow · 01/09/2012 20:53

I had severe vertigo a couple of years back and everything I ate or drank came straight back. After 48 hours I was hallucinating from the dehydration and ended up in hospital on a drip for 3 days.

The ribena she has managed should be enough to stave off dehydration for a while, but after that incident I would always err on the side of caution with regards to dehydration. If my mum had not come to visit I could easily have ended up dead - I was crawling around my house (couldn't stand because of the vertigo) convinced that I was being pursued by Hannibal and his war elephants. Curse of being a history teacher.

Original poster
Lucyellensmum100 · 01/09/2012 21:57

She has had a few more sips of drink, mostly because she hated her meds and took a swig to get rid of the taste - vile medicaton has its uses. She was exhausted and has gone to bed now - i figured dragging her to A&E (nearest is 30 miles away since they closed our local one down!!) and waiting for all the drunks to be seen etc would be counterproductive, i think she just needs to sleep - i did the pinch test, thanks claire i had forgotten about that.

poor little girl, im just so sad for her - i know this could be so so much worse but i just feel so bad, i can't stop crying and had to walk round to my mums and sobbed and sobbed. I just feel so helpless to do anything for her :(

Praying that she will feel better tomorrow

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HandMadeTail · 01/09/2012 22:05

Well done, Lucy. You are doing a fantastic job.

whathasthecatdonenow · 01/09/2012 22:09

Sounds like you are exhausted too, Lucy. You are doing a great job taking care of her. Just watch liquid input and output - when I was in hospital they had a chart for both, and I wasn't allowed off the drip until they matched up. I didn't need a wee for 72 hours.

ParaOlympicpark · 01/09/2012 23:11

Hug for you.

Mrsjay · 01/09/2012 23:16

sorry she is in so much pain tomorrow id get her some ice cubes to suck or lollies rather than trying to make her drink , hope she is better soon Smile

sashh · 02/09/2012 06:11

How is she this morning? You can get lignocaine spray from the chemist, it is sold to numb a sore throat but would work on a tounge.

And if she is really strugling tomorrow have you got a friendly dentist who could spray the dentist stregnth lignocaine in her mouth to numb it, then get as much liquid into her as possible before the stuff wears off.

Can you get her to swill water around her mouth? A small amount of liquid can be absorbed directly from the mouth so if swallowing, rather than putting something in her mouth is the problem it can help. Even just getting her to hold water in her mouth for as long as she can will allow some to be absorbed.

SoleSource · 02/09/2012 09:26

Syringe from chemist.

Heartbeep · 02/09/2012 10:19

Hope your DD is better this morning.

A couple of months ago my DD then 3 slipped and bit right through her tongue, she had a reasonable size hole in her tongue, that you could see through.
I took her to A&E (on advice of GP) and they said its very unusual for them to treat tongue injuries as they heal so quickly. Normally they'd only treat a front to back cut, like a fork, or a cut that goes all the way across the tongue that could cause detachment.

I have to say they were, of course, right! Within a couple of days, DDs tongue was almost normal, it healed very quickly.

For the day of injury and some of the day after she had a lot of ice lollies & ice poles, much to her delight. She was able to drink water though unlike your daughter probably because at 3 it's easier to deal with than at 7.

Hopefully in a day or two your daughter will be ok.

Original poster
Lucyellensmum100 · 02/09/2012 10:47

She is much the same today - no, she is a little brighter, she has had a little to drink, still, frustratingly, refusing the ice poles and lollies etc. I think you are right heartbeep, at 3 there is less reasoning maybe. Her tongue, from what i can see (she wont show me) is looking like it heeling, and she is talking a little today. Still, no food - today will be two whole days with no food and very little water - so if there is no improvement then we will go to A&E, i wont bother with out of hours GP, useless - i will be making a complaint. I shall also be making a complaint about the soft play centre.

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