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Original poster

To be seriously confused over hospital / GP today regarding sons head :(

38 replies

Mixedupmind · 09/05/2014 21:07

Feeling very confused and tearful so please be kind
I have a few threads on here regarding my little boys head and today it's all come on top.
6 weeks ago I noticed a bump whilst washing his hair, rock hard and about the size of a 50p
Put it down to him jumping up to give his dad a hug that morning and catching his chin with the top of his head.
He was fine in himself, thought not much of it until it was still there, although smaller a week later.
Mentioned it to the nurse at his pre school jabs who wasn't concerned, said they can take weeks to go but see a gp if concerned.
Saw the gp 2 weeks later as it was still there who mentioned possible haemotoma but again not concerned, might take months to go.
Last night whilst checking the bump I noticed a slight indent ( about 2 inches long ) on my sons head, on the same side as the lump but quite a bit further down.
I then panicked as he had a craniomoty as a baby on that side and have never noticed it before.
Doctor wasnt in today, so went to my local a&e.
She checked him over, wasn't sure and told me to have some bloods taken ( booked for a fortnights time ) and she would see me again in a month when the results are back.
Given his history she told me to go straight to my gp and get a referral for a neurologist ( different hospital ) to check him over.
Off I went to the gp who also felt his head, wasn't happy with making a referral as usually about 6 week wait and told me to go straight to the hosiptal for an MRI scan!
Off I went on the hours bus ride, in tears that my son was going to have to be sedated for an MRI scan and wondering what on earth was wrong with him only to see 2 paediatricians after a 3 hour wait at the next hospital who weren't concerned, said whatever the bump was from its not an a&e concern, it's hard therefore not a fracture and the depressions in the head may be from surgery and I've just not noticed but either way the neurology team won't need to see him and an MRI certainly won't be being done
I'm very confused and worried

OP posts:
LEMmingaround · 09/05/2014 21:18

FlowersWine and Cake for you OP. How worrying for you - its outrageous that no one has been able to put your mind at rest.

I don't know if it helps at all but both me and my DP have similar lumps or have had - i just had a feel for mine and i can't find it, i think it comes and goes actually. Quite big and hard, i remember it from a teenager - never had it investigated but it never caused a problem, mentioned it once to DP and turned out he had a similar thing. Don't know what they are though.

The doctor was wrong to send you off for a scan as they have to be booked so im not surprised that they didn't do one today. I think he panicked you uncessesarily but now you need answers so go back on monday and kick up a fuss.

EverythingsDozy · 09/05/2014 21:18

I don't think I would be too concerned but since you clearly are, go back to the GP who told you to go for an MRI. Tell him what the hospital said and go from there. If he still isn't happy that you son has been appropriately treated then he will just make the referrals again.

Original poster
Mixedupmind · 09/05/2014 21:23

The thing is that the doctor I saw today isn't even our regular doctor, I've never seen her before.
I think given his history she didn't want to wait around however the fact that both she, and the first a&e consultant I saw both thought seeing a neurologist was the way to go, I'm confused now why 2 further paediatricians thought absolutely not!
I know theyre not concerned about brain damage etc as he's happy and having no problems at all, hes not complaining of pain etc but I just can't help thinking sometfhing must be causing this indentations and if it is just post surgery than a neurologist would have been able to tell me that

OP posts:
goldenlilliesdaffodillies · 09/05/2014 21:24

Sorry you are going through this. It must have been very frightening for you. It's good that he was seen by two paediatricans.

I think you should go back to the doctor who told you to go for the MRI scan though and explain what happened.

AndIFeedEmGunpowder · 09/05/2014 21:25

I'm so sorry you've been sent from pillar to post. Sounds very stressful and worrying.

I think I'd be inclined to go with what the paeds said and go back to the GP and ask for a referral again. They are more specialised than the GP, I'm sure they know their stuff.

Hopefully it is just a funny lump like LEM's that comes and goes.

Original poster
Mixedupmind · 09/05/2014 21:31

The paeds at the second hospital told me I didn't need to do anything further, only if the lump grows

OP posts:
Original poster
Mixedupmind · 10/05/2014 08:12

Feel even worse about it all today
I just can't figure out what it could be and nobody else seems to know / care

OP posts:
AndIFeedEmGunpowder · 10/05/2014 08:14

I understand. I think if feel like that too.

I don't think it would be at all unreasonable to go back to the GP on Monday and explain what has happened. Hopefully they can help.

AndIFeedEmGunpowder · 10/05/2014 08:15

*I would

doziedoozie · 10/05/2014 08:20

I would wait and monitor it over the next few weeks.

Sounds like they don't think it's anything but if it changes then def worth speaking to GP. But if Paediatricians say it's ok that should be enough.

Little children bump their heads all the time. Is DS dizzy, nauseous, changed his behavior, if none of these I would just wait and see.

Original poster
Mixedupmind · 10/05/2014 09:30

Thanks for further replies.
The doctor I saw at the gp I've never seen before, my regular one should be in Tuesday ( was off sick though last week so am hoping he's back! ) so I will go and see him and explain what has happened
This bump was 6 weeks ago, I just can't imagine the lump still being there from something so minor
They didn't seem convinced either but none able to tell me what else it could be :(
So now I have blood tests booked at my local hosiptal and will get an appointment through in the post for an appt with a doctor at my local hospital, a GP sending me for an MRI and 2 paediatricians at the second hospital who sent me home saying he's fine regardless of what caused the bump

OP posts:
MrsDeVere · 10/05/2014 09:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BarbarianMum · 10/05/2014 09:40

We had 4 months of misery when ds2 was tiny due to doctors wanting to be very, very sure that his head/brain (then kidney and gut) were developing normally. He has a mild form of craniosynostosis (never even needed surgery) but at one point he was under a neurosurgeon, a renal specialist, a gastroenterologist, a plastic surgeon and a developmental pediatrician.

He'd had a CT scan, an MRI, a micturating urethrogram, abdominal ultrasounds galore - all by 16 weeks.

He is - and was always- fine. It just took a lot of tests to be sure (and then some tests threw up other things that needed to be tested Hmm. Through it all he thrived (I fell apart).

Honestly, I think by far the most likely conclusion is that your son will be fine too. It is reassuring that the more experienced doctors are less concerned. But at least this way you'll be certain.

UncleT · 10/05/2014 09:43

Caught his chin with the top of his head?? Forgive me, but I am massively confused.

BehindLockNumberNine · 10/05/2014 09:49

UncleT, read it again. Boy jumped up to hug his dad and caught his (dads) chin with the top of his head... :)

BehindLockNumberNine · 10/05/2014 09:49

UncleT, read it again. Boy jumped up to hug his dad and caught his (dads) chin with the top of his head... :)

UncleT · 10/05/2014 09:52

Thank you! Grin

Now, whose idea was it to go out last night and why did they think it was a good plan?? I'll get my coat.

Original poster
Mixedupmind · 10/05/2014 09:54

Barbarianmum,
Thankyou for your reply and I'm sorry for what you went through.
I did actually look that condition up but considering this lump appeared out of nowhere it seems doubtful.

It's def the not knowing that's causing the worry.
None of the doctors yesterday seemed to agree or disagree on the fact that 6 weeks is a very long time for something do minor.
Our son didn't even cry when he bumped into my husbands chin. My husband screamed in pain, our son laughed.
Off we went to a bloody theme park for the day, thinking no more of it.
Felt like a complete idiot when the doctors were asking me yesterday what I did after the " initial injury " as I wanted to take him to hospital the minute I felt the bump and my husband was like Jesus its a bump it will go down you can't turn up to a&e with a happy healthy kid for a small bump

OP posts:
MrsDeVere · 10/05/2014 09:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BarbarianMum · 10/05/2014 10:01

Tbh I think your dh was right. And if this is the 1 in 100,000 occasion when it was the wrong decision, well how were you to know?

Original poster
Mixedupmind · 10/05/2014 10:01

Thankyou
I absolutely will do that
I think these doctors were looking at my son, albeit with a small hard lump on the head jumping around their waiting room playing with a fire engine and probably thought what on earth am I worrying about.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mixedupmind · 10/05/2014 10:03

I know, he thought it would go down as did I and when it didn't I went to the doctor who basically told me to stop touching it and it may never go.
Yesterday I just wasn't happy and decided to do something about it and now I feel worse than when I started :(

OP posts:
Nennypops · 10/05/2014 10:06

I get the feeling that the A and E doctor and the GP who wasn't your usual doctor may both have been playing safe with a child they didn't know. However, I fully agree that if you're worried you need to go back to your GP.

BarbarianMum · 10/05/2014 10:11

Good post from MrsDeVere

Also worth bearing in mind that the doctors you are dealing with are not thinking about all the impact all this speculation is having on you - they are, in a well-meaning, medical way - trying to solve a puzzle. You are just the one holding the puzzle and answering questions Hmm.

In my journey down the medical rabbit hole it was the nurses on the Burns Unit (don't even ask) (and later my Health Visitor) who recognised what I was going through and supported me through the process. On one occasion I'm pretty sure it was the same nurses who captured the senior doctor, frogmarched him to me and made him talk to me properly about what was happening. Honestly, they practically threw him into the room then stood barring the door.

iklboo · 10/05/2014 10:14

I would say to the GP 'I know you said don't worry, but could you please explain in a bit more detail WHY? What is reassuring YOU that everything is ok?' They might be able to tell you the things they've seen / felt / tested that makes them conclude it's not A Big Deal.

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