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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have not taken DD to A&E?

121 replies

fadingfast · 05/08/2015 22:19

We've just returned from a week of camping at a small local campsite.

There were lots of children there, and my ds and dd spent many happy hours exploring and playing with them. So far so good, and we actually had a lovely time apart from some truly shocking weather.

One evening, dd (7) found a plastic syphon tube in the woods at the edge of the site and was dared by some other children to drink what turned out to be residual diesel from the tube. She said she spat it out straight away but a small amount went down her throat. She rinsed out her mouth lots of times and we gave her plenty of water to drink. We were in a bit of a panic about what to do, but once we'd all calmed down we thought it would be best to keep a close eye on her and see how she was over the next 1-2 hours.

I kept asking her if she had a sore throat or tummy or felt ill at all, but she seemed absolutely fine (apart from obviously being upset about the whole incident). She slept well and was fine the next day.

Several parents have since said that they would have taken their child straight to A&E if it had happened to them. It's starting to make me think we were negligent parents for not rushing her to hospital.

What would you have done in this situation? We were approx 40 miles from the nearest A&E.

OP posts:
The5DayChicken · 05/08/2015 23:06

Jojay has a very good point about siphoning fuel...people get diesel in their mouth more often than not when doing it.

NavyKnickers · 05/08/2015 23:07

Pfb over here, I'd go to a&e. But it's a difficult call that one, I think you did what was right for your dd, ignore the 'terrible parent' brigade.

Greengardenpixie · 05/08/2015 23:08

We all make these kind of decisions. The fact that she is 7 and can tell you how she feels is good and reassuring. I have had a few situations. One one occasion my ds and dd were playing around with the table salt. I didnt know if either of them had eaten any of it [ it can be toxic if a lot is taken or actually as i found out, even a smallish amount esp as my ds at the time was around 2] We ended up phoning and going in to a&e. Everything was fine. My ds also did breath holding when he hurt himself which caused him to faint. It was really scary and the few times it happened i took him to the hospital. After another repeat of this i ended up just watching him and ensuring i reached him before he got so upset before he fainted. Its really difficult.

Epilepsyhelp · 05/08/2015 23:09

You were totally sensible and taught her a very good lesson in not panicking!!

Whoever said you need to 'up your game' - Christ get the fuck over yourself woman.

Passmethecrisps · 05/08/2015 23:10

Slight aside but I recall watching friends siphon petrol out of one cad to put into another using pies and their mouths. All while holding a fag in hand.

Petrol in mouth, spat on the ground, big draw on fag to take the taste away

Passmethecrisps · 05/08/2015 23:11

Car
Pipes

Try did not use pies

willconcern · 05/08/2015 23:12

Totally agree that taking a child showing no adverse symptoms to a & e is madness. What would they have done? Told you to go home & watch her for adverse symptoms - which you were already doing.

StitchingMoss · 05/08/2015 23:19

I was just trying to work out where pies came in Passme??? Grin

mom2twoteens · 05/08/2015 23:23

Too many people go to A&E for every cut and ache, no wonder A&E's struggling.

You knew it was a trace amount, you knew it was diesel. You daughter said she felt okay and you kept an eye on her.

She's OKAY. Don't beat yourself up over it.

It's over and all's well. :-)

Passmethecrisps · 05/08/2015 23:24

Sooking fuel up through a pie would be far tastier

Preminstreltension · 05/08/2015 23:26

Just fyi, when DS swallowed a whole bottle of fish oil capsules I called NHS Direct who had a reference document with all the possible toxins listed on it and the recommended course of action. So I wouldn't have gone to A&E because NHS Direct can actually give you quite precise information if you know that something potentially toxic has been swallowed.

And fyi part two - a whole bottle of fish oil capsules results in some very red, oily vomit all over the bedroom an hour later Grin. And also very strong nails and shiny hair Grin

RonaldosAbs · 05/08/2015 23:31

Anyway, I'd best go now and 'up my game' Hmm

Why ask if you're going to get narky with peoples opinions. Some people think what you did was fine, some don't, such is the nature of asking on an internet forum.

Notso · 05/08/2015 23:31

I'd have done exactly as you did. I always start with the 'lowest' medical help available. I don't know why more people don't do the same.
Recently DS2 had an infected splinter, I took him to the chemist and got great advice. We were about ten minutes.
When DN had the same SIL took her to the out of hours doctor then complained they had to wait for ages.

StitchingMoss · 05/08/2015 23:35

Ronaldo, out of interest what would you have expected A&E to do?

Birdsgottafly · 05/08/2015 23:46

I think you should of taken her to hospital.

If she had of became unwell, you were far away, if she was going into Kidney failure, she could of died, or ended up needing a transplant.

If a hospital is closer, there's less risk.

I am a former CP SW, so have dealt with the casualties, of not attending hospital soon enough.

""Ronaldo, out of interest what would you have expected A&E to do?""

They would of done full bloods which would monitor, liver, kidney and other internal organs. Then they can limit any damage done and prevent death.

You took a massive risk and tbh the lack of concern may lead your DD to think that it was no big deal.

The5DayChicken · 05/08/2015 23:50

A massive risk? A few drops of diesel? You'd have gone right to A&E without talking to 101? 101 who can get specific toxicity advice on an impressively wide range of toxins.

I'm with PP who've said no wonder A&Es are so overloaded.

PaintedTshirt · 05/08/2015 23:51

If my child swallowed petrol then I would take them to A&E or at least seek advice from someone who knew what they are talking about.

I think Googling it while hoping for the best is a bit lax in that situation.

NobodyLivesHere · 05/08/2015 23:51

I would have done exactly what you did.

Binit · 05/08/2015 23:52

I would have nearly shat myself and gone to A&E in a major panic.

I don't mean to be arsey but I don't understand why you let a 7yo roam unsupervised with a bunch of other kids. She and they have collectively proved that they are not capable of safe basic decision making.

DancingDinosaur · 05/08/2015 23:56

Hmmm, if you were certain it was diesel / where it had come from, and it was only a few drops I would have waited and watched. I may have rang nhs direct for advice.

Todayisnottheday · 05/08/2015 23:59

Birds, you're wrong, she didn't even ingest the poison. They may have agreed to tests if the parent flapped enough, they do an awful lot of testing for reassurance sadly. As has been said full bloods, obs etc for a drip of diesel is definitely part of why nhs is suffering. I suspect your experience has left you hyper sensitive rather than realistic. The things you describe do not happen from what the op describes.

StitchingMoss · 06/08/2015 00:01

Birds, I highly doubt they would have done! I will check with my DB tomorrow as he works in A&E. I suspect they would have triaged realised she was fine, asked a few questions and sent her home. Why put her through the trauma of lots of invasive tests for no good reason?

Crazy.

throwingpebbles · 06/08/2015 00:01

111 are great for stuff like this, they have a poisons team they can call u for very accurate advice

StitchingMoss · 06/08/2015 00:02

Binit, roaming unsupervised is part of the fun of camping.

Jennifersrabbit · 06/08/2015 00:05

When DS tried to eat one of those chemical ice packs at a similar age (how and why that happened is a WHOLE other story) we rang 111 who as pps have said had access to the National Poisons Service and a full toxicology database. All well.

So with that hindsight that is what I would have done. Very glad your DD is none the worse!