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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Chickenpox and a&e

78 replies

Iloveanimals · 05/11/2017 12:45

So I was on antibiotics which made me come out in a huge rash from head to toe. Servere allergic reaction and was told to go up. Whilst there, a couple with a child came in. Child with a few spots. Mum announced to everyone that daughters class had chickenpox last week with few being sent home. They'd brought child in just to "check" if it was chickenpox. Daughter seemed fine in herself. Low and behold she's seen and yes she has chickenpox. Now the whole waiting room (full of tiny babies) has been contaminated. If I'm being unreasonable then I apologise, but isn't this dangerous?? If a child's really ill with it then I completely understand but just to check?? Is this OK or AIBU?

OP posts:
NeedsAsockamnesty · 05/11/2017 13:57

So you expect people without a medical training to know that their kids have chicken pox? What are parents supposed to do? Wait a week or 2 to get an appointment with their GP?

Well most people apparently have a tiny bit of sense so yes I would expect most people to be able to work it out in exactly the same way that they do with a cold.

Even the nhs advice is most children will not need to see a doctor.

And no helpful chicken pox doesn’t stop being contagious when the spots appear.

endofthelinefinally · 05/11/2017 13:58

helpfulperson
That is completely wrong advice.
Chicken pox is very infectious both before and after the spots appear.
The risk remains high until the very last spot has crusted over.
There may be several new crops before this happens.

Changerofname987654321 · 05/11/2017 14:01

I took my toddler to see the pharmacist when I thought she had chicken pox. Pharmacist was not completely sure either as she only a couple of spot. There was no one else in the chemist at the time.

Once when we took her to see OH GP (situated in minor injuries) as she has a temp, sickness and rash and this has been going on in circles for weeks we told the receptionist that we were concerned she was continuous so they put us in a side waiting room.

steff13 · 05/11/2017 14:01

So you expect people without a medical training to know that their kids have chicken pox?

When there were kids in the child's class who had chicken pox last week, and her child then came out in spots, it seems like the logical conclusion.

Bubblebubblepop · 05/11/2017 14:02

Why would you need it medically diagnosed anyway?

ClaryFray · 05/11/2017 14:03

Oh dear. The reception staff should have at least had them wait elsewhere.

coddiwomple · 05/11/2017 14:04

not even 20 years ago, it was standard to have a doctor's home visit when the kids had chicken pox. Expecting people to "work out" what is wrong with their child is terrible advice. The lack of care and help in this country is appalling, no wonder our rate of PND are so horrendous, and it doesn't get better when the kids get older.

No one should be reading that they are wrong to seek medical advice for a sick child, this thread is outrageous. (Yes, avoid A&E and stick to less walk-ins or your GP, but do not become a home-google doctor!)

soontobemrsmckeown · 05/11/2017 14:05

I had to take my dd to the hospital with them as advice by my gp as she had them that cl9se to her eyes think on the bit that meets when you lose your eyes and they were infected. If she didn't go she could have lost her sight. Iv antibiotics and a 3 day stay in a individual room. No waiting in a and e when we got there straight into the room we stayed in for the stay.

ginswinger · 05/11/2017 14:08

This summer I was stung by something in the garden. When it started to get very red and inflammed, I went to the pharmacist who kindly drew a line on my leg and told me if it got bigger than that, to call 111. I asked him if I ought to go to A&E and he said yes, when it drops off.

He was being flippant but there's so many levels of healthcare in the UK that can be used to check on non life threatening emergencies, people ought to know more about what's available.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 05/11/2017 14:13

Coddi

Being able to work out pretty basic things is and has always been part and parcel of parenting,

You don’t go running off to a HCP everytime your kid has a sniffle or a minor rash or a graze do you?

And no it hasn’t been fairly standard to get a GP home visit for chicken pox not even 20 years ago I’ve got kids ranging from 28-1. Yes it happens but standard it’s not

CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 05/11/2017 14:13

Let me get the this straight - they tool their DD to A&E to confirm a diagnosis of chickenpox? Chickenpox (without complications) is not even reason enough to see your GP, nevermind hospital!

What a pair of fucking idiots. And the triage nurse who sent them to wait with everyone else isn't much better.

And yes, I would expect them to have self-diagnosed, unless they had learning difficulties - Dr Google is a nightmare with regards to diagnosing your condition I agree, but the NHS website has very comprehensive, yet easy to understand information regarding CP and rashes in general.

coddiwomple · 05/11/2017 14:14

there's so many levels of healthcare in the UK that can be used to check on non life threatening emergencies, people ought to know more about what's available.

very true, but there's not enough information available.
I am always amazed by the level of the pharmacists when I go on holiday in France, they are available to give you real medical advice. Here, they just tell you to go to your GP, I have never had a decent answer, even had to google a medication last weekend before buying it - thanks to the totally unhelpful pharmacist.

It would be helpful to have updated lists of your local walk-in clinics, out of hours doctors etc.

MuggaTea · 05/11/2017 14:21

I went to Gp to get mine diagnosed (single blister, not other symptoms, told it couldn't be chicken pox from gp friend).

considering i would have to strip off, i never considered a pharmacist.

I went to walk in centre to get shingles diagnosed.

Original poster
Iloveanimals · 05/11/2017 14:22

The mother openly admitted infront of everyone that she had brought her daughter there just to check that it was chickenpox.

OP posts:
GreenTulips · 05/11/2017 14:22

She could have taken them to a local pharmacy to be checked for chicken pox

Could've, but didn't really need to!!

DD was sent to hospital while she had chicken pox, I also had 2 other kids with chickenpox with me

The nurse in children's wards was horrified if been sent!!! (we'd been sent by the doctor for an unrelated issue) we were seen and packed off really quickly

MuggaTea · 05/11/2017 14:22

how can you self diagnose and get a sick note for 2 weeks off work?

Sirzy · 05/11/2017 14:24

Self cert for the first week and then make a call to the drs and explain and ask for a sick note?

VivaLeBeaver · 05/11/2017 14:24

Maybe the kid is immunocompromised, has had a transplant, etc in the past as I know from a friends kid that they may get admitted to hospital with chicken pox even if they seem quite well.

The waiting room thing is up to the hospital. My brother had mumps recently and had to go to the gp.....he warned the receptionist he thought he was infectious but was told to sit in the waiting room.

MrsBonato · 05/11/2017 14:28

YANBU

Recently a parent with shingles was taking their DS into nursery and openly saying the child may now have chicken pox. I couldn't believe that no one told the parent not to be there as shingles is dangerous to pregnant women and that they were then boasting that their ds would at least get chicken pox out of the way.

BewareOfDragons · 05/11/2017 14:28

Unless there are complications, children don't need to be seen to 'confirm' they have chicken pox!

What a stupid woman.

steff13 · 05/11/2017 14:29

I wouldn't want my immunocompromised child sitting in a hospital waiting room full of people incubating God only knows what.

Mintychoc1 · 05/11/2017 14:29

I'm astounded that anyone would take a well child with a chicken pox rash (easy to identify, use google, friends, grandparents, anyone really if you can't tell yourself) to A&E. Or to a GP for that matter. coddiwomple luckily most people are able to correctly diagnose chicken pox in their kids, and manage it appropriately - otherwise the NHS would crumble in a day!

CannotEvenThink · 05/11/2017 14:30

pretty shit. One of mine was taken to ooh at the hospital with chicken pox (very poorly and needed admitting straight away) and we were ushered immediately to a side room and kept separate from the rest of the waiting room.

deadringer · 05/11/2017 14:32

A and E is for accidents and emergency isn't it, unless it means something else in the UK? Hardly the place for common illnesses like chicken pox, as a pp said why the need for a medical diagnosis at all. Obviously if the child becomes very ill you would seek medical help but that is not the case here. Yanbu.

Mintychoc1 · 05/11/2017 14:32

Oh and I've been a GP for over 20 years and there is no way I would ever have visited a child to confirm they had chicken pox!

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