was i right to go to A&E?

[Carrie5608]

Last night Dd aged 10 had a seizure. Fell to the ground with a twitchy leg and stayed like that unresponsive for three minutes.

I took to A&E by car where we waited four hours to be seen. The doctor then told us A&E not necessary for a first seizure unless it lasts over 5 minutes. She can just go to GP next time.

She really hurt her neck when she fell and had a numb arm.

Seriously, is there any Mumsnet parent who wouldn't have went to A&E?

Wow how NHS varies, my son had what appeared to be a seizure at the weekend, was actually probably a faint with seizure like symptoms but I was told by the paramedics and the A and E doctor I had done the right thing calling 999, paramedics arrived in less than 10 mins, we were immediately and thoroughly checked out with a full range of tests before being discharged. I was asked to rate the service by text today, didn't hesitate to give an excellent.. It was at the time very frightening and I was so glad I had professional care so quickly.

I rang 999 when my DH had a seizure. He came round when the ambulance arrived and didn't want to go to hospital but the paramedics checked him out and reassured me I'd done the right thing. He was also given a wide range of tests after seeing his GP.

I think you should complain.

DD2 had a febrile seizure in the back of the car, I didn't think except to drive to A&E. When there I was told off (sympathetically) for not calling 999.

Doctor was out of order.

My ds has had two seizures (diagnosed as febrile convulsions) & I phoned 999 on both occasions. He went blue and was also unresponsive. Agree that dr was being a "muppet"

People going to A&E for anything that isn't an accident or emergency gives me the rage. Similarly calling ambulances that aren't strictly necessary (ie it isn't a life threatening emergency/serious and you can't get to A&E yourself without deteriorating further).

But a first seizure in a child, unresponsive for 3 minutes? Too right I'd have gone to A&E for that! Calling an ambulance would have been reasonable, too.

Bloody hell, I think I'd be looking into how to report the doctor quite frankly

Wow, I think you were really calm to have taken her to A&E yourself and not phone an ambulance. My younger sister has severe epilepsy so I have a lot of experience with seizures and how to handle them, how long they last before it's time to seek help etc but under the circumstances you describe, 999 would have been my first thought especially since your daughter was unresponsive. Seizures can be terrifying so well done on managing the situation so well. In my opinion that doctor is an idiot, if your daughter has never had a seizure how on earth are you to know the time limits or the 'normal' things that should happen before/during/after a seizure?! And obviously you would like this investigating now and find reasons why this happened. I hope your daughter is ok, I bet she feels rubbish, my sister always feels like she's had several rounds in a boxing ring after a particularly bad seizure.

I'd have dialled 999.

DS2 had a febrile convulsion when he was 4. I rang the doctor they said they would "ring back at some point"! 3 hours later he had had 2 more and meds weren't bringing his temp down so I dialled 999. The doctors in A&E said I did the right thing. He was in hospital for 3 days while they got his infection and temperature under control.

I'd be contacting PALS and putting in a complaint if I were you.

You were absolutely right to take her. I was an A&E doctor for many years. Would always want to see a child who had had a first seizure. What they may have meant to say is that admission is not always necessary, but definitely a medical assessment is. Hope your dd is doing ok now, it is a very scary thing to go through.

I can guarantee that if you'd contacted our doctor instead of going straight to A&E, they would have told you to go to A&E!

GP registrar. Absolutely would have taken my child to A&E for first seizure. If you brought your child to see me after first seizure I would refer to inpatient Paeds or urgent clinic.

of course you take them to a&e.

what of it had been some thing really serious.

I'm

My then 5 month old had a seizure a few months back, his did last nearly 10 minutes.

But I was told that for a first seizure that they need to be seen regardless of how long and especially if unresponsive.

The information sheets we were given following a similar situation to you (btw, we called 999 straight off and were taken to A&E by ambulance) were that you should call 999 if: it was the first seizure, if a seizure lasted more than 5 minutes, or if you had reason to be concerned.

So I'd say you ticked 2 out of 3.

When we were discharged we were told that in future if it happened again we could just go to GP, but that "the paeds/neuro team liked to check the children over after the first seizure".

I would complain to PALS also.

I think you did absolutely the right thing. I'd dismiss the doctor's comment as him being stressed.

Well it's pretty unusual for a ten year old to have a first febrile convulsion. So I'd be worrying about it having been an epileptic fit. Did she have a temperature? Had she been ill prior to the seizure.

That doctor sounds like a dick with poor bedside manner.

Of course A & E. Blasé doctor was totally wrong and deserves to be on receiving end of a complaint. If you have the energy, that is.
Had seizures as a teenager - last one nearly 30 years ago. It turned into more of a drag than a drama but of course it is very scary first time round.
Hope you find a good way to manage this.

I work at a gp surgery and if we have a phone call about a child who has had their first fit we always send them to a&e

Of course you should have gone, I hope your both OK,I had a seizure and was taken to hospital, after further tests I now know I have low blood pressure that needs monitoring.
Seizures require further testing,and you did the right thing

I'm an experienced nurse, and you an bet your arse I would have gone to A&E, and if a doctor said that to me, I would be asking for a chat with his consultant and a complaint form from PALS. Ridiculous!!

I would have dialled 999. I don't know anyone who wouldn't.

I also would have dialled 999!

It worries me when I read the dodgy advice some doctors give.

I'd have dialled 999.

It would appear that advice is inconsistent. Friend's dd had a febrile convulsion, took her to the doctor and got a bollocking for NOT going to A&E

Current St John ambulance advice is 999 for first seizure. My trainer at our unit works for the private service in our area that covers red calls for the ambulance service and all the training comes from the same books paramedics use, the doctor was wrong.

Oh and DP's mum had her first seizure as a teenager, it left her unconscious for 2 days, the secons for a week. Luckily she's been heavily medicated for the past 45 years, because the 3rd might kill her