AIBU to request a same day appointment for DD?

[Kalemu]

DD got an ear infection. Nothing new, she's very prone to having these. She usually gets a cold, which results in infection. I spoke with the doctor and there's much that can be done, except trying to keep her healthy and warm. But she gets ill quite often and I'm worried about what the school might say, even though she's just in reception. To be clear, she gets sick like every ten days. It's normal in a class full of kids who are also half-sick and with runny noses and coughs!

Anyway, do you think IABU to request a same day appointment at my GP to justify that she's ill? I keep thinking it's not an emergency, but at the same time, I want to leave clear to the school that she really has an infection, and that I'm not just keeping her home because I want to.

Right, ok.
I wouldn't bother to take her to the drs then.

Have cancelled the appointment... anyway, I have a meeting with her teachers tomorrow so I will speak with them about this, and find out what the standard procedure is.

Regarding her colds, I do take her to the doctor when she's really ill (i.e. after 3 or 4 days of fever). When she's had problems with her ears, she's been seen by an specialist doctor, and she respects my decision not to give her antibiotics.

Thanks everyone!

I believe very strongly that anti-biotics should be used very sparingly (and I think most UK doctors take this view also) but here it does sound as if your DD might have a recurrent infection that isn't clearing up because you don't want to use anti-biotics. I actually would get her checked out and would see if the doc would recommend anti-b's in her case due to frequent re-infection. Don't risk her hearing over a question of principle.

Sorry cross-posts I wasn't trying to be argumentative.

ghoul thanks, I know you're really concerned, but it's not about "my principles": it's an educated decision.

It's funny that those who think anti-biotics are bad and similar ideas always seem to have children who are constantly ill. If your child is missing so much school from repeated illness, perhaps your decisions need to be re examined?

Where as its normal for kids to get ill alot when starting school and it can seem
That every other week they have something. I would perhaps seek advice from one of your dr family as to whether there could be an underlying cause for the frequency. Would some vitamins perhaps help her ? Hope she feels better soon op I remember reception well and am relieved it's died down a bit in yr 1 .:)

If you have accepted the Reception place, then she does have to attend.
If she's getting ear infections every ten days then it's likely to be the same one not quite clearing up? I would have thought a course of anti biotics was in order, did your gp really say there's no treatment?

I also agree with using anti-biotics sparingly and allowing the body to fight viral infections naturally as to aid the build up of a child's imune system but...

I have a DD in reception who has ventricular septal defect and has in her little life time been very unwell which has been treated some times with anti biotics and some times without, she hasn't had one day off sick since starting in September and has only suffered small runny noses and a few chesty days that only required paracetamol and her nebuliser.

I would be really concerned with her getting a cold every 10 days that sometimes last for 4 days plus re-occurring ear infections, something isn't right there at all.

I respect you have made your own decision but I find it deeply concerning that you are not worried about the regularity of these infections.

A doctors note is the least of your problems, you need to get to the bottom of WHY this infection isn't clearing up.

Poor child.

I'm with Bluelights on this one. I also avoid antibiotics if possible - we have an immune system that works on most bacteria and AB don't work on viruses.

Our GP won't look at a child with an ear problem for two days as most do self-resolve but if it is recurrent is it worth trying AB once and seeing if it clears the problem up properly?

The year after I had my DS I had tonsillitis 4 times and my GP said it was likely to be viral so no AB (I was swabbed). I agreed but after the 4th time I was given AB and I didn't get it again. Chances are I had a low-level bacterial infection that never quite cleared up and left me susceptible to every virus going. Is it worth re-visiting the specialist?

I also agree that there is no point seeing the GP if you are going to treat it at home without AB. It sounds like you know what you are doing and don't need any further advice.

whoa you wont give your suffering ill daughter antibiotics as they will cause reacurring ear infections?! you mean more reacurring than every ten days?! youre bonkers, thankgod you wernt my mother!

And thinking about it I think deep down you are starting to question what you have believed to be the right decision otherwise you wouldn't feel the need to justify yourself to the school with a letter from a medical practitioner.

Why would a medical practitioner give you a note to say I think it is in the child's best interest to have antibiotics to stop the infection reoccurring 3 out of 4 weeks a month but the child's mother doesn't agree?

I'm genuinely interested in what natural remedies you use.

ds2 is a sept baby who started reception this year- he has had no time off, nor have many of his class- I do not think becoming too ill for school every 10 days is normal for rec children, so may need checking out. In my school, if this level of absence continued, you would need to provide doctors evidence for each illness.

She's a very healthy girl when she's not surrounded by sick kids
You sound quite deluded, op.
She's the one with a cold every 10 days, which usually results in an ear infection .
That is not normal, cannot be blamed on anyone else, and may well be having a long term detrimental effect on her health.

Your DD's immune system sounds shocking if she's getting ill every 10 days. I'd be worrying about that than not using Antibiotics.

I would say that comment would lead me to think she had no immune system
Whatsoever and that is something that IMO would need investigation. It doesn't have to be medical , sometimes these things can be improved with small changes like diet, exercise, vitamins etc. sometimes they r more severe and do require medication. Either way I think you at least need to find out. Why u do with the answer is up to u, no one can force you I guess but please do think about it for the sale of your dd. she will encounter sick people all her life and she needs to be able to build up immunity. Reception might not be a big deal to miss but from then on up education is vital!!! She can't keep missing school.

I'd be very surprised if the op returned.

Or will return blaming my snotty DC for her DDs constant ear infections

Sounds guilty to me, I've never felt the need to justify a sick day to the school, probably because my 3 DC haven't had very many days of sick.

Children need to build their immune systems up by mixing with other children with a common cold, this needs to happen throughout life.

Do you take a day off work for sneezing or coughing? No, we all get on with it because our immune systems can cope, it's from all those worms I ate as a child

YABU

emergance appts are for people who need to be seen that day.

children dont have to attend school until the term after their 5th birthday, so even the September babies dont have to start school until january.

Unless they have been held back a year (ie born on / before 31st Aug, so were already 5 on 1st sept), the first term is not compulsory for any reception aged child

I don't think I'd make an emergency appointment unless your dd is in pain. I would make an appointment to discuss the recurrent ear infection though, there may be an underlying cause and it isn't nice to be ill so often, so it would be good to figure out with your gp if there's anything else you can do about it.

How is your DD this evening Kalemu?

How is everything Kaleum?

Kaleum have you tried Garlic to help with the ear infections, you day you are using paracetamol but I know a lot off families that use garlic google garlic for ear infections

see i just dont understand why same day appointments arent the norm. in my surgery you can only make an appointment for 1 week from the day you phone. what bloody use is that to someone who needs an antibiotic? people dont know a week ahead of time that they are going to be sick. i dont understand the system at all.

School is not compulsory until the September AFTER they turn five, so next September. Reception is not compolsory at all.

I used this to my advantage when my DD1 was being bullied and the school were doing nothing about it when she was in reception. I told the head I would pull her out of school and make sure the LA knew why.