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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have taken this child to a and e

56 replies

UncontrolledImmigrant · 08/01/2017 09:39

One of my children, in the space of a couple of hours developed what led him kee last me an infection - heavy swelling around one eye, and around the mouth, with facial paralysis on that side as well. The eye was running uncontrollably, it loasked as though that one eye was crying heavily

I took dc to a and e as it was 10 pm on a weekend, there is no longer an out of hours service in our area.

Is this the kind of thing that I should have waited and tried to get a gp appointment for? It was the day before New Year's Eve

OP posts:
Original poster
UncontrolledImmigrant · 08/01/2017 09:39

Apologies for the first line, it should read, develop what looked like and infection

OP posts:
100milesanhour · 08/01/2017 09:40

I would have taken my child to a and e for that.

Ilovecaindingle · 08/01/2017 09:40

I would have gone straight to a & e also. Sounds terrifying -

Justme3 · 08/01/2017 09:41

Wow yes i would have !!! What did they say ? Are they ok?

mrssmooth · 08/01/2017 09:42

Not quite sure what the point of your post is, given that this happened a week ago? What was the outcome? [FWIW, I would have taken my dc to a&e had they presented with the same symptoms as you describe. ]

neolara · 08/01/2017 09:43

Yup, definitely reasonable.

Afreshstartplease · 08/01/2017 09:43

Yes I'd have gone to a+e

HerBluebiro · 08/01/2017 09:44

Why are you worrying now?

Tbh it really depends on what you mean by facial paralysis and swollen.

As your op reads then no perfectly appropriate place to go to. A possible orbital cellulitis which can kill.

If it was a conjunctivitis with a bit of swelling and a sticky stuck down eye then yeah Yabu.

Why are you worrying now a week on? Who made you feel bad? If there is really no ooh coverage (where are you?) That needs highlighting to your mps.

Hope your child was OK and that it was something minor.

witchofzog · 08/01/2017 09:46

Yes definitely not in the wrong with symptoms like that

mrssmooth there are not time limits to asking about previous events on here. How do you know the dc wasn't kept in or poorly all week?

Thingvellir · 08/01/2017 09:47

OP I hope your child is ok - sounds like a scary experience Flowers

This is the second thread I've read this morning with OPs clearly in need of emergency treatment but hesitating to get the help they need due to the issues with the NHS - I sincerely hope the actual time wasters are now thinking twice before going in - this situation is awful.

PacificDogwod · 08/01/2017 09:47

Not at all unreasonable to seek urgent medical help - I suppose I would have gone via NHS24 in the first instance which I thought was nationwide?

I too am interested why you are asking this question now?
Were you made to feel uncomfortable when you presented with your child?

I hope they are better now.

Thingvellir · 08/01/2017 09:48

Oh, I missed the detail it was a week ago, but my comments still stand.

Justme3 · 08/01/2017 09:53

From the NHS:

An A&E department (also known as emergency department or casualty) deals with genuine life-threatening emergencies, such as:
loss of consciousness
acute confused state and fits that are not stopping
persistent, severe chest pain
breathing difficulties
severe bleeding that cannot be stopped
severe allergic reactions
severe burns or scalds

Minor injuries units and urgent care centres can treat:

sprains and strains
broken bones
wound infections
minor burns and scalds
minor head injuries
insect and animal bites
minor eye injuries
injuries to the back, shoulder and chest
If there is not a minor injuries unit in your area, these services will also be provided by an A&E department.

If there was a minor injuries clinic you could have gone to that would maybe have been the better place but as this states if there isn't then a&e provides this service. Therefore as there wasn't minor injuries yes, you should have gone to a&e

Original poster
UncontrolledImmigrant · 08/01/2017 09:56

We weren't made to feel uncomfortable, no, but having read all of the posts recently here and articles elsewhere about the nhs and how overstretched it is, I feel like we were time wasters- dc wasn't gouting blood, didn't have a railroad spike through a femur etc. We called nhs 111 and were directed to a and e though. I think I am confused about when it is appropriate - obvious things like hemorraging from a limb amputation, sure, but how do you know when you are meant to go otherwise?

They admitted him and he was on iv antibiotics over 24 hours. The paralysis persisted for the last week - no movement on the left side of his face at all. It is now showing gradual improvement

OP posts:
Justme3 · 08/01/2017 09:57

Why worry at all then? You followed 111 (the NHSs) instructions.

BadKnee · 08/01/2017 09:59

Glad he is recovering and I think I would have done the same. But what was it?

Catzpyjamas · 08/01/2017 10:00

UncontrolledImmigrant, IMO, NHS24 should be the place to ask advice on treatment, describing symptoms in the first instance for many situations unless immediately life threatening (999).
Sounds like you did exactly what you're meant to - seek professional advice then follow it. It was NHS24 who made the decision that it was serious enough for A&E and it sounds like that was the right call since he was admitted.
Hope your DS continues to improve.

Original poster
UncontrolledImmigrant · 08/01/2017 10:00

Thank you Justme3. That is helpful. If we are unlucky enough for this to happen again I guess we will look online to see where there is a minor injuries unit

Should we not have rung nhs 111? They were the ones who told us to go to a and e

OP posts:
steggers123 · 08/01/2017 10:00

You did exactly the right thing, don't think for one minute you wasted anyone's time. He was admitted and put onto iv antibiotics so quite clearly there was a problem that needed urgent attention.

gunsandbanjos · 08/01/2017 10:02

Agree with justme, had there been a minor injuries clinic available that would have been appropriate, seeing as there wasn't then A&E was the correct option.

PacificDogwod · 08/01/2017 10:02

Well, you followed the suggested path to accessing medical help - 111 told you to go to A+E - stop fretting!

The true time wasters don't fret, they don't ask that question "Do I really need to go to A+E?", they don't phone 111, they just go.

Sounds like he needed to be there to access urgent inpatient treatment.
Glad he is improving.

Justme3 · 08/01/2017 10:02

If it happens again.... I hope it doesn't.... I Assume you'd recognise - if he was admitted this time don't go to minor injuries now you know !!!! A&e again!!!

HerBluebiro · 08/01/2017 10:02

Why worry? You were clearly appropriate. They don't just keep kids in for IV antibiotics willy nilly.

Your child clearly needed seeing and treating.

The nhs will always be under strain under a tory government most of all. Until it gets more funding or until their mates win and it is privatised. But the point is that if it needs seeing it needs seeing.

And sounds like even if ooh were available to you, a+e would still have been the right place. From your op it developed really quickly. Waiting for ooh to call back 8 hours later may have been too late.

Original poster
UncontrolledImmigrant · 08/01/2017 10:03

Periorbital cellulitis and the paralysis Bell's palsy which is now improving with steroids.

I am not worrying now exactly- I did the right thing for dc I think, but the wrong thing for the nhs possibly. This is the only time we have used a and e for dc, hopefully that counts in our favour?

OP posts:
JerryFerry · 08/01/2017 10:04

Thank goodness you did do A&E as he must have been very unwell to be admitted.

Is it Bell's Palsy?