Baby lumbar puncture

[showmethegin]

Only here for more traffic. Can people please help me in calming down. My tiny DNiece has been taken into hospital tonight with a fever and now they are doing a lumber puncture. Can't stop crying. The poor little thing and terrified abut what this means.

My little girl had one at 7wks old. Absolutely fine now, will be 3 on Thursday.

As pp said, it’s standard procedure where a baby had a high temp, mottled skin etc. I think it rules out menigitis?

Not a nice procedure to watch and I was sent away but certainly the quickest (and only) way to ascertain what’s going on and what antibiotics to use.

My wee girl had urinary sepsis, 10 days IV antibiotics but she’s right as rain.

Hope your wee niece is ok xx

My ds had this done at 2 days old. Absolutely terrifying and I was a mess sat in my hospital bed for 45mins whole time he was gone, I wasn't allowed to go with him and the whole time he was gone I couldn't think or speak or anything.

But he was fine and I'm so glad they were there to check everything to make sure he was OK.
Thinking of you and your family op

My DD (now 9 weeks) had one at 3 am last Sunday morning - I'd taken her to be checked out because she just wasn't quite right. We were transferred to the regional Children's Hospital where LP, bloods and urine were taken (urine showed white cells on dip). We had 48 hours on IV antibiotics and are now back home with her back to her normal smily, nocturnal self!

I wasn't allowed to be with her when they did the LP but I'm not sure I would've wanted to anyway!

My son had one at 12w. We weren’t allowed in either. Apparently they give them some sugar syrup in a sachet which distracts and relieves pain. He had sepsis and they had to rule out meningitis. He’s completely fine now. He was angry when they brought him back to me, but fine 5 mins later (anc fine now 2 and a half tears down the line).

I feel for you, my baby had one at a few days old and like pp said it's to rule out serious infections. I was distraught but the doctors were so kind and gentle. I rationalised it by thinking that babies live in the moment at that age and there would be no scary build up unlike for an adult. I think the first results came within 24 hours but it's all a bit of a blur. Hope all is well and you can give your DN some cuddles soon.

Years!

What Olicat says is right. Babies live right in the moment. If it’s painful for her it will be very short lived, and then she’ll get a lovely cuddle and will be fine again

I've held many babies for lumbar punctures. It's then you realise just how incredibly strong tiny babies are. It is really really hard to keep them in the right position. It's horrible for drs to have to perform but even worse for parents to watch. But has to be done unfortunately.

Sucrose on the dummy really calms babies down.

My DD had one at 1day old. I had worked at a hospital and had seen the procedure carried out (and others) but despite this they would not let me come in with my baby. They said it was too upsetting for parents (it was late at night too and my partner had gone home. I sat alone in the tiny tearoom feeling nothing, just that my baby was v poorly and I had been through a crash c/section, I think I was just on autopilot preparing for the worst) but DD did not have meningitis (she did have pneumonia caused by strep b and we had to spend two miserable weeks in hospital but none of that matters now as she is a beautiful, fine, healthy 10 year old who remembers nothing of that trauma, and nor do I really, better the lumbar puncture, awful as it is, than something being wrong and it being missed.)

This is all for the best, baby is in good hands.

My eldest had lumber picture at week old as he had suspected meningitis. He didn't nd now he's a stealing 10 year old. Dr thought later it was probably a kidney infection

My daughter had one at 12 hours old. She was showing signs of infection and so they did it to rule out meningitis. We had to wait in the parents room in NICU and I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here was on the tv. Someone was eating some massive live insects no idea who it was. I just remember being cross that such pish was still happening. My daughter was fine, showed her anger by peeing all over the table and then furiously latching on to my boob. She is 5 years old now and after a scary few days in and out of NICU she has been a healthy happy girl.

Hope everything hoses ok OP. All of pp stories show you just how strong little ones can be x

My tiny newborn had this and was in hospital for a week. It wasn’t meningitis. It was just a normal common virus that was nasty to a tiny baby. It was horrible and scary at the time but my now utterly gorgeous toddler is absolutely fine. Either way, they are in the best place. Try not to worry. Sounds like you are a lovely auntie!

I should have said, they thought it was meningitis. So I do remember how frightening it was.

DD had one at 8 months; I was with her. It was horrible, but I was massively grateful to the doctors who were so kind. They had given her antibiotics straight away, even before the lumbar puncture, and she'd started to recover before we got the results the next day.

A month later we were in a restaurant and when she spotted the chef in his whites, she screamed. We had to leave, she was distraught. I think she thought he was another doctor about to give her another lp. It took about a year for her to stop crying every time she saw someone dressed in white.

I forgot about the sucrouse... Dd had to have a few ongoing tests in her early months... that stuff was like magic...docs even sent me home with some to help settle her!

Hope your DN is ok op

Hi everyone. Thank you all for your kindness at such a horrible time. She's awake this morning, just spoke to my sister. She's smiling apparently and the doctors and nurses had been angels; really makes you appreciate the NHS (even more than I did already!!). I'm going to see her shortly. Can't wait to see her. They will be keeping her in for a couple of days

OP I feel for you.

Remember that tests are necessary for drs to find out what's wrong, and they'd never do the test unnecessarily. It sounds like they're being very thorough, scary as hell as a parent to see your little one have to go through these tests.

Not to steal your post OP but my son was only 3 months when he needed an MRI, Lumbar Puncture and every scan they could think of due to seizures. 14 of them in the space of 6 days, it ruled out brain injury and infections.

After an EEG they discovered he was epileptic. I was more scared of the unknown, why the seizures kept happening.

Hope your LO is better soon, so you can all go home.

I've been reading this thread - so sad to see so many affected by meningitis. Had it myself & Meningitis Now (the charity) are pretty good to talk to if you have questions, concerns or need general support. The helpline number is 0808 80 10 388, give them a call if you need them. Whenever I've spoken to the team they're really lovely & helpful.Hope your niece is improving & recovers quickly.