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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take two year old back to A&E?

77 replies

FridgeCut · 21/04/2018 15:24

On Thursday my 2 year old fell over and hurt his wrist, I wasn't with him but his dad and grandmother say he was beside himself but then was ok, just very quiet. He was very upset that evening and struggled to sleep.

Friday morning my husband took him to A&E, he was holding his arm against himself and using it as little as possible. He said it was poorly. A&E had a quick look, told my husband it was soft tissue and sent him home.

He is still very reluctant to use it, husband has taken him to a party and has rung to say he isn't using it and was in pain on the bouncy castle and had to come off holding his arm.

Would it be unreasonable to take him back and ask for them to do an x-ray? This boy is a trojan, he cut his face open two months ago down to bone, he cried for ten seconds and didn't bat an eyelid during gluing and steri strips being applied.

Is this just how toddlers are with bad soft-tissue damage? There is no bruising to see so it all seems really odd. He's protecting it a lot and is obviously in pain poor boy :(

OP posts:
Gladysmum · 21/04/2018 15:27

Absolutely reasonable, poor love - please take him back.

Cornettoninja · 21/04/2018 15:28

Definitely. There's no way they can dismiss or co firm a break with just a quick look.

Oysterbabe · 21/04/2018 15:29

Maybe rest it for a while and see how he does. Bouncy castle might not have been the best idea.

SirVixofVixHall · 21/04/2018 15:29

Agree, take him back. When my dad was like this she had dislocated her elbow. It does sound like something that warrants further checking.

SirVixofVixHall · 21/04/2018 15:30

Dd not dad..

Mrsknackered · 21/04/2018 15:33

I’m surprised he wasn’t x-rayed actually.

I’d take him back, my mum had a broken arm for a fortnight when she was 4, it had to be rebroken and set because it was left so long :(

Original poster
FridgeCut · 21/04/2018 15:33

Yes, he went on following his big brother at a birthday party, he's now being distracted with other things apparently (i've just had surgery so I am at home being fed info by text). He's happy enough currently and would be more upset to be taken out of the party. I think once he is home we will review, might just have been too much too soon. I've never had a child injure themselves like this, normally they start using a limb again immediately.

OP posts:
supercalifragilisticexpiali · 21/04/2018 15:34

Take him back. It's worrying when they go quiet.

LaDilettante · 21/04/2018 15:36

Yep, take him back and ask for an X-ray. A friend of mine’s DS fell over and hurt his wrist. It didn’t swell up that much but caused some discomfort for a couple of days. I told him that from experience it really swells up and hurt like hell when you break it. He took his son to hospital to check after two days and it was indeed broken. It looks like kids can get different symptoms than adults. The good news is that they also heal a lot quicker than adults.

Original poster
FridgeCut · 21/04/2018 15:36

He definitely doesn't have a pulled / dislocated elbow, DS1 has done that a couple of times.

I was amazed they didn't do a couple of xrays, they didn't think he was in enough pain. He's got a speech delay and isn't very good at expressing himself like that. Of course, I don't want to waste time or resources with unnecessary examinations, but it did seem an odd call.

Oh and before anyone says Minor Injuries not A&E, we don't have one here.

OP posts:
ghostyslovesheets · 21/04/2018 15:36

yes take him back - DD2 fell at a party when she was 6 - took her to minors who said it was a sprain - 24 hrs later took her to A+E - she'd broken it in 2 places :(

BrutusMcDogface · 21/04/2018 15:36

Yes I agree, take him back.

Minisoksmakehardwork · 21/04/2018 15:37

We had similar with Ds1 when he was 3. I think we visited minor injuries 3 times over a 2 week period. Eventually after about 3 weeks Ds1 began to use his arm again but I fretted myself silly for the whole period. They wouldn't X Ray at all.

Personally I would want to go back. But I'm sure they will have told your Dh to come back after X number of days if nothing had changed (which was why we kept going back). Ring 111 and ask for their advice before attending minors as you may find they still refuse to x Ray.

AnnaMagnani · 21/04/2018 15:37

Totally worth taking him back. Sometimes it isn't obvious until later.

Bambamber · 21/04/2018 15:38

Soft tissue injuries can actually be more painful and take longer to heal than broken bones in some cases, it can be incredibly painful

But saying that, I absolutely would want an x ray to rule out a break

SinkGirl · 21/04/2018 15:38

Shocking they haven’t done X-rays. I’ve had several fractures and in many cases there was less pain and swelling than with a bad sprain - you can’t tell from looking at it, especially the wrist as some fractures are hard to see on an X-ray as it is. Kids are very good at compensating. I would take him back today.

Glassofredandapackofcrisps · 21/04/2018 15:38

No X-ray? No get him back too many hospitals dismissive. Get the poor soul properly looked at.

SoupDragon · 21/04/2018 15:40

ISoft tissue damage can be as bad as a broken bone but I agree that it warrants another check if he’s making no effort to use it. IME very young children are quite robust with injuries and think nothing of using a limb whereas an adult would be worried about hurting it. (They turn into drama llamas eventually though!!)

Anythingforacatslife · 21/04/2018 15:40

Pain is not a good indicator of whether a bone is broken or not, especially in children where ‘buckle fractures’ in wrists are relatively stable. My dd broke hers in two places but was in no pain unless it was actually touched at the point of the break.

FinnegansCake · 21/04/2018 15:41

DGD was like this with a dislocated wrist when she was 2.

Bumbumtaloo · 21/04/2018 15:41

I would take him back and insist on an X-ray, I’m currently in a cast, my 8th fracture in 3yrs - 6 of them were from one fall and I have never had any swelling or bruising but very clear fractures on X-rays. I do take lots of heavy duty painkillers (other health issues) but when I had the six fractures (slipped on a wet floor and put my hands down behind me) they were not going to X-ray me at all but changed their mind, I’m glad they did!

SeaToSki · 21/04/2018 15:44

The key is that he is still refusing to use it after a couple of days, its a big red flag. Offer him a sweetie but only if he takes it with his hurt hand and see how long he takes to decide. Any hesitation at all and you should insist on an xray. Its important because if he has broken it, it might be in a growth plate and should be treated very cautiously and watched for the next few years, you cant just watch and wait with that kind of injury

Original poster
FridgeCut · 21/04/2018 15:51

Thank you all for the reassurance, I'll ask DH what he was told about going back when he gets home in a short while. If he seems ok I think I will ask DH to take him back early doors tomorrow. Saturday afternoon in A&E will be horrendous.

OP posts:
Elphame · 21/04/2018 15:53

Yes take him back. A&E missed my toddlers broken leg on the first visit so mistakes do happen.

Bluelonerose · 21/04/2018 16:00

Yes do take him back ds1 fell down the stairs one Sunday night when he was 18 months. Stray down a&e who said come back next day for x-ray. X-ray was clear but a week later I had a call from the hospital saying they had found a hairline crack so had to take him back to have a cast on.

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