To be pissed off with my experience at the hospital

[Lostmum72]

I need to rant, my dd did something to her leg last night just seemed to twist it really, but she was in real pain and had a bit of a funny turn, dizzy, clammy etc, anyway she recovered but her leg was still sore but no swelling or bruising. This morning she still felt funny walking on it so I said u better stay at home we’ll keep an eye on it and take u Drs if gets worse. So then later on in the day she got up to go the loo, when she came back she had another funny turn, and said her leg really hurt! So I rang the Drs, they said to go to the hospital as it needed an X-ray. So off I go knowing I was in for a long wait, 3 hrs later a dr who hardly examined her, told me there was nothing wrong with her, they don’t X-ray that sort of thing and the fainting was unrelated 🤔. I explained again that every time she walked on it she went funny! They did some obs and sent us home! I so annoyed at his attitude I know they’re busy and the NHS is stretched but I feel really let down and haven’t a clue what’s wrong with her. To make it worse her dad (who is my ex) is moaning at me for not doing enough, and my current partner just thinks she’s been exaggerating for a day off school! Neither is helpful and I feel so annoyed and let down. Would you?

I would feel the same as you OP.

I know it's not quite the same, but my DD fractured her wrist at school (year 5) and she went to no less than 5 different members of staff (including two first aiders) who all told her she was fine.

None of them thought to tell me about it (TA at the same school) and she wasn't allowed to come and find me. As i walked back into school after lunch i spotted her coming towards me in tears and even from about 30 meters away i could see she was pale and grey/green looking and from the way she was holding her arm i thought 'she's broken her bloody wrist'! I'm not a first aider.

To cut a long story short: A&E there and then. Bad break. Sincere apologies from the staff members in person next day. All done with now, but i'll not forget it. If you think there's something wrong then keep at it.

Fingers crossed she gets her X-ray today - just be really pushy. A and e doctors can be very dismissive if they don’t see the illness in front of them. Try and record her in your phone and show them or make her walk about in front of them

The tibia is a pretty tough bone and I think a fracture is unlikely from a simple twist. It's a fairly common injury in things like motorcycle accidents, and in football where one player gets their leg caught between another player's legs, but I've never heard of it happening just from a twist. I'd expect the knee or ankle to be badly sprained or dislocated before the tibia went, tbh.

Is there any bruising visible bruising or swelling? Does it hurt when you touch the affected area?

But you're right to get a second opinion, it's clearly very painful when she puts weight on it.

Hope she's ok.

Hope you get some answers today

Lakie yeh I can’t see it being anything serious either tbh from what she did it’s just the fact she feels weird when walking on it that worried me, it’s so scary seeing your dd like that. It does hurt when I touch it yeh and she says this morning it’s all tingly and burning!

It don't know if you have one but my local minor injuries unit does X rays, saves waiting hours at a&e.

I've seen a 12 yr old break a leg coming off a scooter at low speed in a playground, so yes it can happen surprisingly easily. Ongoing symptoms is the big clue that something is going on, hope you get some less frazzled, better checks today.

It’s pretty normal to faint after breaking a bone I think. My MIL had her foot broken by a shelf falling in a shop and she fainted later walking home. My mum broke her leg falling down the stairs and fainted later when she went to the loo. Also you don’t necessarily get a lot of swelling. I would definitely want an X-ray.

Yeh it would of been better if I’d of gone to a minor injuries unit but I don’t know of one and at the time I was a bit frantic tbh I didn’t really know what I should do but it was the dr that said to go to A&E

But there was no bruising or swelling of any kind? Is there still none?

TBH it's not odd that an A&E doc would take a look at what appears to be a perfectly normal limb, no swelling, no bruise, not a mark on it and say you don't need an xray, is it?

CardsforKittens twisting and falling during sports would make it far more likely that the tibia is fractured rather than just simply twisting it. Infact sports injuries are very common cause of fractures. (My example of a car accident was perhaps a more extreme example.)

It impossible to say from not looking at it. But from simply twisting your leg, no impact, swelling or bruising, I can understand why the A/E doctor didn't want to x-ray. (X-rays give a dose of radiation and for children it is particularly important to minimise these and x-rays are only done under strict control.)

Do let us know OP how your daughter is. I hope the fainting and her pain stops.
Your GP can request an x-ray if they have cause for concern.

Is the pain just below her knee? As it was a twist injury it is possibly a fracture of the tibia tuberosity, she is the right age for it. I'm not a doctor, but given you are concerned for her reaction to the pain means you should pursue it, I would go to hospital though not GP as an x-ray would be needed.

She has a really bad migraine and being sick now, I don’t know what’s going on! Gp at 1

And no a dr may not feel an X-ray is needed by looking at a limb that has no swelling or bruising, I get that, but the bigger picture is when she stands on it she has a funny turn, passes out is now throwing up etc. I wouldn’t of just gone if she just twisted her leg otherwise we’d all be there at some point every year!

themorus that’s what I was told yesterday but well ..... so trying a different way today

Also Osgood schlatters disease should ruled out if the pain comes and goes.Yes x-ray in children should be used with caution but given your concern for her ongoing pain and fainting issue I think the dose can be justified. I'm a radioographer too and I would accept the request.

Unlikely to have done anything especially as it’s her shin.

Tell her to rest and take her back if it’s the same in a week

Perhaps ring the GP for advice given the ongoing sickness, obviously you know your daughter best and whether she can wait until 1PM, but I think they will still say she needs an x-ray. A&E or minors and explain the situation. I rarely endorse insisting on an x-ray but I think this case is probably justified

YNBU.

Pain can definitely make you feel faint and indeed, actually faint. DS once obtained an injury at schooo which needed sorting out by a nurse (we went to the GPs - it was too embedded in his skin and we couldn't get it out manually without making it 10x worse). The minute he stood up after the nurse had got it out he dropped like a sack or potatoes, he was right as rain five minutes later, he'd simply passed out from the pain.

Hope your DD is feeling better soon OP.

Just cross-posted with you Lostmum72.

Hope the docs appointment goes okay.

Gosh no way BumWad you should see the state of her now, I’m actually worrying how I’m gonna get her to the dr

Would a broken bone cause a migraine?

Laiste we had similar with our DD.

First aiders and staff said she was fine, our locum Gp said she was fine at the weekend (she was on a residential when it happened and already had an appointment for something else when she came home) we ended up at the A&E on the Monday.
She'd broken her bloody foot!

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevate

It could be a sprained ankle. Best to get the swelling down if it needs an xray. There's nothing else to do with a sprain.

Go back to the doc and focus on the funny turns and migraine etc. The leg may just be a red herring! Mention it to the doc but don't focus on it. A sore leg is not really an issue, funny turns are. So don't lead the docs in the wrong direction.

Ring the Dr now op as her condition has changed.

Hope she's OK.