Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

to ask if your child has ever been seriously ill...

60 replies

StarryNightChina · 09/12/2018 18:08

...and what advice you would give to someone who's 7 week old was just admitted to hospital after a seizure?

Not sure why I'm on mn but out of my mind with worry and don't know what to do. We feel so helpless.

OP posts:

Quartz2208 · 09/12/2018 21:14

If he has a fever it is likely to be due to that particularly at that age. They will want to figure out what is causing it

jellymum1704 · 09/12/2018 21:15

Sending positive thoughts your way OP. My DS 3 had a major surgery as a newborn after a fairly uneventful pregnancy. I remember being absolutely terrified and unable to function for a while, now he’s a typical 3 year old driving me round the bend. He has also had couple of episodes of febrile seizures which he has hopefully grown out of. I can imagine how you must feel- I wish you the very best outcome. Hope you have family and /or friends around for support.

silvercuckoo · 09/12/2018 21:16

My oldest was admitted with febrile seizures at 1 week old. He has some health issues now, but nothing connected to that episode.
They will likely want you to be out of the room when they do the lumbar puncture. They are right, it is much more stressful for you than for tour child.

Merename · 09/12/2018 21:17

for you and your wee one OP. Hope he is himself again soon.

Daisychainsandglitter · 09/12/2018 21:21

DD1 had sepsis at 3 weeks old. It was bloody terrifying and the speed at which she deteriorated was really rapid. Thank goodness for the team at the children's hospital who saved her life when she stopped breathing. She also had two lumbar punctures as the first failed and endless blood tests and IV antibiotics.
Your DS is in the right place and please do not blame yourself.
Lots of to you and your DS. I hope you are home soon

eurochick · 09/12/2018 21:23

My advice is take some time to look after yourself - particularly if you are breastfeeding make sure you are eating and drinking plenty to keep your supply up.

ItWasntMeItWasIm · 09/12/2018 21:27

Lovely advice Bamchicabaawaa

GinIsIn · 09/12/2018 21:47

I say this already knowing that nothing we say will make it better, and that you will blame yourself anyway, because we all do, but: the medical staff will look after your baby now, the best thing you can do is to look after YOU, because your baby will need you once you are released from hospital. You need to make sure you eat and drink, and try to occasionally get some fresh air.

We are nearly 2 years out now from DS just stopping breathing at 4 weeks. He’s a shouty, giggly toddler now. And I am still not ok.

Try just to focus on what is happening right now. Get a notebook and make notes of what the doctors say to you as the terror haze makes it easy to forget important things. Rest if you can.

AnyFarrahFowler · 09/12/2018 21:50

Exactly a year ago, my then 3 week old DD was admitted to hospital with suspected Meningitis. Sky high temperature, rash, very floppy and grisly. I was out of my mind. She was in isolation, endured a lumbar puncture and so many blood tests, and had a drip in her arm to administer drugs. I thought I’d never stop sobbing. I still get very upset when I think about it. So firstly, I’m sending you all of my best wishes for you and your little one.

Write down any questions you have - I was too upset to get my words out sometimes when speaking to the doctors.
Keep drinking, and eat if you can.
Do you have someone who can bring you clean clothes and a wash bag if you’re going to be in hospital a little while? Getting freshened up and brushing your teeth will help you feel a bit more “with it”.
Stay off Google!

AnyFarrahFowler · 09/12/2018 21:56

(I should add, DD is now asleep upstairs, after a day of wreaking havoc!)
The doctors will be doing everything they can and you are in safe hands.

minipie · 09/12/2018 21:59

Various issues with DD1. My main advice would be, do not google - it is always the worst stories that end up on the internet, not the thousands of times everything was fine. Best wishes.

BlackWatchBelle · 09/12/2018 22:06

My son at aged 2 had a huge asthma attack in bed, I thought his coughing was down to recent tonsil surgery and thought nothing of it. Went to check on him and he was blue in a pool of sweat, paramedic when he saw him snatched him up and ran to the ambulance. He had 40% blood oxygen, his heart stopped and he was put on life support. He is now a strapping great 9 year old addicted to football.

My advise would be stay positive and look after you, beating yourself up does nothing. Also, no one knows 100% what will happen, no one, and be prepared you may be given the worst case scenario. I remember when a student nurse hung onto me and said they were turning my sons sedation down hoping for a response. The look in her eyes told me she didn't think there would be one. Well his eyes shot open and he tried to get off the bed

Take all the support offered and and I prayer all is well

peachgreen · 09/12/2018 22:12

My DD had a febrile seizure with a (fairly mild) temp when she had a UTI. It was utterly terrifying and I felt like the bottom was falling out of my world. But she was absolutely and completely 100% fine and it was nothing to worry about at all. They can be totally benign and quite common. Sending you love OP

londonrach · 09/12/2018 22:24

My neice stopped breathing aged 3 months in her cot her first xmas at my parents, went blue and floppy, lucky my bil was sitting reading next to her, he pretty much got her back whilst shouting for us. Bloody ambulance failed to come so we rushed her into hospital still struggling to breath and without a car seat. One night in hospital she was ok. Never forgot my sister that night. She went helpless unable to react to anything. Niece now healthy 11 year old going on teenager. Hope your little one ok.

Lookatmemeow · 09/12/2018 22:30

DD2 had suspected meningitis at 12 weeks old. Them taking her off for a lumber puncture whilst I sat in the corridor and cried was probably one of my darkest moments.
Be kind to yourself, take each moment as it comes, ask for help, write down how your feeling, take a breath. Hugs to you x

Gunpowder · 09/12/2018 22:34

DD3 had a lumbar puncture when she was admitted for suspected sepsis at 11 weeks. It was so scary. (She’s a crazy one year old now and got better so quickly) Agree with writing stuff down and eating and drinking yourself. Please don’t beat yourself up. You did the right thing getting her to hospital. You have nothing to feel guilty about.

Gammeldragz · 09/12/2018 22:36

My son was blue lighted to resus as a toddler with very low oxygen after asthma being exacerbated by a virus, was fine by the next day.
My neice nearly died at 4 weeks from Sepsis (secondary to bronchitis). That was a bit longer recovery but little ones do bounce back quickly. Only advice is stay calm, and make use of all available support from friends and family.

SD1978 · 09/12/2018 22:39

It sounds like a febrile convulsion, not the same as a neurological seizure and very common in children- although at 7 weeks they are very young to have one- hence the lumbar puncture which he'll never remember. All it is the physiological response to a sharp rise in temperature. Kids can't cope with it. Would have made no difference whether you were in the room or not. He's where he needs to be and getting the care he needs

Somewhereovertherainbow13 · 09/12/2018 22:53

No words of advice I’m afraid but sending you both lots of love. Hope you’re both doing ok

TheDarkPassenger · 09/12/2018 23:27

My boy had seizures as a baby but hasn’t had one in about 7 years. He took it like a king, I was a fucking mess. Kept telling the doctor I’d broken my baby.

Fingers crossed for you, hopefully it’s just the fever and once they bring it down they should stop. I think they’re quite common in babies and toddlers

MissyCooper · 10/12/2018 01:54

OP is everything ok?

knittedjest · 10/12/2018 02:22

I would advice you just to breathe and take it one hour at a time. And try to remember that seizures are actually a lot more common than gets spoken about, especially in little people and babies, and there are so many causes, most of which are not that sinister or harmful. It's easy to assume the worst but it's often not as bad as we have built it up in our heads.

MaverickSnoopy · 10/12/2018 03:20

I hope you and he are OK. I know how you're feeling right now. DD3 was admitted to hospital at 4do after taking her to see the GP for oral thrush. He was worried about the rash on her face that two midwives had said was newborn rash. She was immediately admitted to hospital where they did blood tests and put her on IV antibiotics. She'd lost 14% birth weight, was jaundiced and had an unknown infection. They did 2 lumber punctures to try and find out what the infection was - both of them failed - the first one because they couldn't get fluid out where she was thrashing around and the second because it got contaminated with blood. In the end they just treated it for longer. She was in hospital for 4 nights but it felt like weeks. The hospital were amazing.

My advice. Make a list of everything you'd need for several nights in hospital and get someone to bring it to you. Include food like flapjack, fruit, cuppa soups, instant porridge pots etc. At least then you'll have it. Prepare mentally to be in for several nights. I kept a list of every medical thing in my phone. One for symptoms and observations and another for questions for the doctor and outstanding things. It helped me to keep her care moving and get answers faster. On a ward you might see the doctor twice a day and you want to utilise that time. If they do a lumber puncture ask if they can somehow do a half swaddle of his arms - might keep him still. It was a thought I only had weeks after being discharged.

Fwiw my DD is now 7 weeks old and is doing so well. They are very resilient when little. I had a seizure when I was a baby, they never found out why and I've never had one since. Please don't blame yourself for being in the other room or for missing his temperature. If you blame yourself for that then I should blame myself for not insisting that DDs rash was more serious. We can only do our best.

Extrastout · 10/12/2018 03:39

My only advice would be to seek support from family.
Hope your little one is feeling much better soon.

jessstan2 · 10/12/2018 04:05

So sorry, can feel your pain .
Really hope he gets well soon.

Flip

1 2 3

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.