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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take 3 week old to walk in/ GP

55 replies

LittleLionMansMummy · 16/12/2016 08:22

Dd is 3 weeks old today and has a stinking cold. She has regained her birth weight (a very healthy almost 9lbs) and was full term. Temp is only slightly elevated, but she's struggling to feed and has been quite vomity overnight. She's very drowsy and not latching on brilliantly because she's bunged up. She isn't really asking to be fed but I keep offering. She'll sometimes feed for 5 to 10 mins but just wants to sleep mostly and for the last 2 feeds has vomited. She's still having dirty nappies though so doesn't seem dehydrated. I'm pretty certain it's nothing more sinister than a cold, would I be overreacting to take her to the GP/ walk in?

OP posts:
Starsandcars9 · 16/12/2016 08:54

www.wsh.nhs.uk/ChildrensServices/docs/pathways/WSHtickboxTrafficlightsystemv13.pdf

This is what I use to determine how serious an illness is now.

A temperature and not feeding in a young baby is serious so make sure you keep taking her back to the drs if you don't think she is right. I would be taking her to the hospital not gp if I were you.

FurryLittleTwerp · 16/12/2016 08:54

Saline drops are fine at that age. Agree she needs to be seen, in case there's anything else going on, like bronchiolitis.

Floridasunset · 16/12/2016 08:55

Mine had a cold at that age and we used the saline spray and steam in the bathroom and then changed them immediately so they aren't in damp clothes.
Hope she is feeling better soon

Starsandcars9 · 16/12/2016 08:56

Ps how is her fontanelle (the soft spot on the top of her head) if bulging then a worry or if depressed then might indicate dehydration

Starsandcars9 · 16/12/2016 08:57

It's the temp that worries me - young babies (under a month) don't get raised temperatures for colds...

ClarissaDarling · 16/12/2016 08:57

Like florida says steam in shower room is good- hope all is ok.

DartmoorDoughnut · 16/12/2016 09:01

But if she doesn't want to be put down stars that body heat sharing could lead to a raised temp. The OP is getting her checked there's no need to worry her unnecessarily!

shinynewusername · 16/12/2016 09:02

I'm a GP. Any GP will be happy to check over a baby this young. Hope she's better soon Smile

londonrach · 16/12/2016 09:03

At that age take her in. I took my daughter in for no other reasons she was very hot and had been high pitched screaming all day (not like her normally) and refused to settle. They gave her a complete check over by which time she was back to her smily self and started to charm the doctors. Felt so bad but was quickly told not to as they much rather see a heathy baby than one whos mum or dad has left it too long to take in. Even though there was nothing wrong with her im glad i did as i was able to relax that night. Take her in. Shes struggling to fed anyway. X

shinynewusername · 16/12/2016 09:06

PS Don't worry about the temperature (but still get her checked out). Ear thermometers are only accurate to plus/minus half a degree so a reading of 37 could actually be 36.5 or 37.5. She may not have had a temperature at all.

londonrach · 16/12/2016 09:07

Op...i also got fast tracked through a&e as my dd was very young like yours. Seriously didnt have time to get a seat before she was called in. Xx

guiltynetter · 16/12/2016 09:15

hope she's okay OP :)

Starsandcars9 · 16/12/2016 09:16

Shiny I'm not worrying her unnecessarily - serious illnesses in young babies can have very subtle symptoms. She wasn't sure about even getting her LO checked out so wanted to make sure she understood it could well be more than a cold.
My own baby presented at 5 days old with not feeding, slightly noisy breathing and skin mottling and she nearly died from heart failure from myocarditis or sepsis (they can't be sure what it was). I too wasn't sure about bringing her in but if I hadn't she would have died.

Now I'm 99% sure the op's baby doesn't have anything serious but no healthcare professional would think badly of you for taking a 3 week old baby in to be checked.

I wouldn't go to the gp because they don't have the tools to be able to assess young babies - they can't measure their Bp, or take oxygen saturations or do the quick blood tests.

A gp told us our baby was fine 20 hours before she collapsed and her heart failed - he just didn't have the right experience with babies.

Now op - I'm sorry for telling you this and now scaring you - don't be scared - what happened to us was very unusual. Your baby does likely have a cold and the snuffy nose stopping feeding. But listen to your instincts - the one that's telling you to get your bsby checked- if after the gp has looked at her you still aren't happy or she gets worse - your instinct will tell you whether you can relax or worry! Xxx

shinynewusername · 16/12/2016 09:48

Stars you have clearly had a terrible experience. But the advice you are giving is irresponsible and alarmist. GPs assess thousands of babies and children every day. The typical GP has far more experience of doing this than the typical A&E junior doctor, who may be only a year out of medical school.

If everyone did as you suggest and took every child with upper respiratory tract symptoms to A&E, far more children would die as A&Es would be so overwhelmed with minor illness that they would not be able to focus attention on critically sick children.

The OP is doing the right thing by taking her DD to a GP.

AHedgehogCanNeverBeBuggered · 16/12/2016 10:12

Agree with what Shiny said (although I can understand why Stars feels that way Flowers)

Do take your baby to the GO or OOH, but don't rush to A&E unless something more alarming occurs.

However, if your baby EVER becomes difficult to rouse or you can't wake her dial 999 immediately.

Bellaposy · 16/12/2016 10:15

Sitting in the bathroom with the shower on helped my LO at the same age. Makes their nose run like a tap. I fed her in the bathroom to make it easier. Saline spray is great too. I'm sure she's absolutely fine OP but as everyone has said there is no harm getting her checked out.

RhodaBorrocks · 16/12/2016 10:33

Do take her to a GP. People said my DS 'just had a cold' and it turned out he had a chest infection. He was older, at 4 months, but my instinct was right and he needed treatment.

Original poster
LittleLionMansMummy · 16/12/2016 11:26

They think it's bronchiolitis and were really good - said I was right to take her in as because she's so little, newborns sometimes need additional help to get over the worst of it. They've told me to have a low threshold of what is acceptable before taking her in again if necessary over the weekend when services will be stretched, as apparently she might be at her worst on Sunday. She said she was hopeful that as she's fighting it well so far she'll get over it ok if I continue as I am, but told me the warning signs of severe deterioration and to take her in immediately if I can't get any milk down her and her nappies dry up.

Thanks all for your helpful advice, including those who have warned me about worse scenarios. I'd hate to be one of those who ignored the warnings, she's so precious to me.

OP posts:
Starsandcars9 · 16/12/2016 12:45

Well done op and hope she gets better soon.

Shiny - I'm wasn't suggesting everyone with a cold goes to a and e - the temp and being sick and not wanting to feed all indicated something more serious than a cold. I just know myself how dangerous the false reassurance of a gp can be - when they often don't have the tools or treatment for the littlest babies. They aren't baby specialists like you would get at a children's a and e.

FurryLittleTwerp · 16/12/2016 12:50

Ooh, bronchiolitis - I was right

Stars - the GP who saw your baby may well not have missed anything obvious - babies deteriorate very quickly & that's why it's important to seek help if the situation worsens.

Agree with Shiny - most GPs have a lot more experience with babies than A&E juniors, who are the first doctors to see children in A&E, before the Paeds are called (if necessary)

Sweetpotatoaddict · 16/12/2016 13:22

Sounds like you got some very good advice from your gp. I've learnt from experience to trust your instincts, if you are worrying I would not hesitate to seek further help.
DO NOT worry about services being over stretched, a professional will assess what response is appropriate for your baby.

Starsandcars9 · 16/12/2016 14:16

Furry - she was grunting - we only found out later that's a red flag as we didn't know at the time. Also had he have been able to take her blood pressure he would have been able to see it was sky high.

Not the first time too - with my older child we were sent home with antibiotics with another gp sure it was a chest infection - she had viral wheeze and needed several rounds of 10 puffs - the antibiotics would have been useless.

A 3 month baby yes of course take to gp first - a 3 week baby take to the best possible medical care and don't worry about whether services are stretched or not - that's not your concern your baby is.

Starsandcars9 · 16/12/2016 14:18

Ps it's not about the drs - it's about the equipment and resources too - gps do not have the equipment the a and e do (eg even a basic sats probe to check oxygen levels) - you'll be luckily if they even count their heart and breathing rate.

FurryLittleTwerp · 16/12/2016 14:19

Stars - yes, agree, grunting is a worrying sign & it's a pity the GP didn't recognise it for what it was Sad

Starsandcars9 · 16/12/2016 14:20

Yes - I wish I could say gave trust in the gps but it does just depend on getting a good one. They are much better for older children and babies not neonates.