To feel really let down by hospital and worried sick about DS (4)?

[KinkyGerlinky]

DS, who has just turned 4 has been getting ill (fevers, lethargy, loss of appetite) for the past 2 years. We have 2 other DC, one younger, one older and neither get ill at the rate DS does, it is literally every 2-3 weeks. I was finally so sick with worry that I asked teh doctor to refer us to the paeds at the hospital. That was back in July... Our appointment isn't for another month and he is really ill again... We took him up to emergency out of hours 2 weeks ago and teh doctor was so outraged that this had been going on for so long that she wrote a letter to our GP, GP in return is saying it's outrageous the hospital hasn't seen him sooner and has faxed them several letters... Meanwhile my son is upstairs, pale with a fever, saying his whole body hurts and I don't know why and I can't get any help for him, aibu to just be so angry and upset?

I would say it is actually your GP who has let you down and should have been pushing to find out what was happening sooner. Why didn't he arrange for bloods to be done a few months into the ongoing illnesses? Even if they don't do them their they should have arranged them to be done at the nearest peads blood clinic.

If you have the money you could get a private appointment with a paediatrician. Probably costs around £200 (london rates) plus the cost of any tests s/he orders. No need to get a GP referral.

You shouldn't have to do this of course, but if you can afford it might be much quicker.

While you are waiting for answers what's his diet like? Have you tried vitamin supplements to try to make sure he is getting everything he needs?

YADNBU and it's your Gp who has let you down do badly. won't fo blood tests on children? Wtaf. I would contact you LHB, ask them which Gp in your area WILL, and ask them to assist you in switching Gp.

I had to change Gp during my bout of recurrent miscarriages and despite having to travel further to see a dr, I now get exemplary care, it was totally worth it.

YANBU.

Blood tests should have been done. Go to A&E and if you don't agree with what they say, push for further tests.

He has a much better diet than he used to (he refused to eat much for a long timne) he now takes multi vitamins which have helped to an extent...

I called our local BMI, they said they would need a letter from our doctor, i then spoke to our doctor and was told there were so few paeds that we would only be seen a week earlier, if that, and at a huge cost...

If I took him to A&E tonight would they do blood tests there and then or would we be better going tomorrow morning?

I think the likelyhood of them doing bloods would depend on how he was when in their and what they thought it was. They do do bloods overnight if needed but I'm not sure they would do them unless the symptoms at that time made them feel it was an urgent need if that makes sense.

vaccine reactions...food allergies.

I think they would do blood tests there and then, anytime I have been to A+E they have just taken them there and then, even if fairly routine.

I hope you get this sorted out for your DS. :(

The problem is not with your hospital. It's your GP. They have failed to adequately investigate his problems. If nobody in the practice would do paeds bloods they could send you to the hospital blood taking service. If he is very unwell today take him to A&E. Otherwise go to your GP practice and ask then to arrange for bloods. If they refuse complain to the practice manager. I hope he gets better soon.

My little boy was like this until we had his tonsiills out at age 4. I agree with other posters take him to a&e and demand that they do some tests or see to him.
good luck and I hope you get it sorted, having a poorly child is awful.

thebeesnees79 - Did he keep getting tonsillitis? Why did they decide to take his tonsils out? Glad he's better now

OP, YANBU to be worried...

...but at the usual MN jury of self-appointed medial experts criticising your GP. It is traumatic for young children to have blood tests. If your DS is going to see a paediatrician, the paediatrician may want additional tests that the GP had not ordered, so your DS would have to go through the distress of having bloods taken twice. It is therefore perfectly reasonable to wait till he has been seen in outpatients and get all the bloods done at once.

But turps the GP only reffered him in July, this has been going on for 2 years. The GP should have arranged for the blood tests after a few months and then taken it from there as to what if any refferal beyond that was needed.

Yes exactly - blood tests can be done by experienced hospital staff using emla cream for minimal trauma - and then used in diagnosis.

he was ill with his tonsills every three weeks or there abouts and it lowered his immune system as he was constantly on a low ebb.
It was a year in August just gone that he had them out and I swear we have never looked back! He has been ill once since last August (touch wood I don't want to jinx myself lol)
Really hope you get your little guy sorted, just keep pestering because that's what worked for me. By the time the pediatrician seen my son he was shocked at the state he was in and could not believe how long it took him to get referred. stick to your guns.

forgot to say they took his tonsills out because they were huge and it was clearly lowering his bodys immunity.

My gp heard me when I told him that my son was having nightly fevers and a rash. If we had his colleague we would have been
Fobbed off. The gp needs to order the blood tests. You then go to the hospital children's ward to get the test done. Ask for emla cream as its an anesthetic. They put it on for an hour and then it numbs it.

The results get sent to gp who rings you if there are issues. They will write a letter to the paed for referral. And then care moves to paed. If necessary they might refer you on to places like GOSH where there are even more specialists in particular illnesses.

Good luck. You need to get the ball rolling with the blood tests. Which part of the country do you live???

Depends how ill he is right now. I took dd2 round to out of hours GP when she was really ill and they sent us straight to A&E. They examined her and took bloods ect. She was kept in and seen by two different teams. There wasnt anything seriously wrong, and was a nasty virus but her presentation meant they needed to rule out horrible stuff

I would go and stand firm

...but at the usual MN jury of self-appointed medial experts criticising your GP. It is traumatic for young children to have blood tests. If your DS is going to see a paediatrician, the paediatrician may want additional tests that the GP had not ordered, so your DS would have to go through the distress of having bloods taken twice. It is therefore perfectly reasonable to wait till he has been seen in outpatients and get all the bloods done at once.

I know this is not aimed at me but I am not a self appointed medical expert. I was a Mum that knew something was seriously wrong and nobody would listen to me.

And how long is it for a referral to a Paediatrician these days? One month, two, three?

Sorry but this really grinds my gears.

Thread hijack over.

I had the same problem
And I ended up going privately and getting the care and attentiOn DD needed.

Msnobody - I know it's a postcode lottery but Ds when he needed an urgent refferal was seen in 2 weeks, all other referrals have been in a month