Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to have got it so wrong

72 replies

HalyardHitch · 01/12/2019 09:18

Took ds1 to the gp on Thursday morning. The GP checked him and called an ambulance. It was there within minutes and were taken into resus.

I got it spectacularly wrong. I didn't realise he was that sick. Considered OOH overnight but didn't consider him sick enough to justify it. I ignored the uneasy feeling I had.

OP posts:
Ffsnosexallowed · 01/12/2019 09:19

Impossible to say from that information

Newbie1999 · 01/12/2019 09:20

What were the symptoms?

BuildBuildings · 01/12/2019 09:20

Well it depends what was wrong and what his symptoms were. I'm sure this was a shock for him to be so unwell. Hope he's doing better now.

Trust your gut in future.

FenellaMaxwell · 01/12/2019 09:20

It’s not possible for anyone to say from the information you’ve given. Hope they’re on the mend now.

ScreamingValenta · 01/12/2019 09:21

You didn't ignore it - you took your DS to a doctor. You're not a doctor - that's why we have doctors, because we can't diagnose ourselves and our loved ones.

I hope your DS recovers Flowers

Quartz2208 · 01/12/2019 09:21

I hope he is ok now OP. Its easy to do but you took him and he got the care he needed

Original poster
HalyardHitch · 01/12/2019 09:22

We were released yesterday. He has bronchiolitis. I just thought he needed antibiotics for a chest infection to be honest.

I guess I knew he needed to be seen quickly as I asked for the first available appointment and told my husband if we had to wait more than an hour I'd phone 111

OP posts:
Original poster
HalyardHitch · 01/12/2019 09:23

His oxygen levels were low, his heart rate high and he was "working to breathe"

OP posts:
HigherFurtherFasterBaby · 01/12/2019 09:24

How is he now OP?

I once sent DD to school, she had a mild temp but was otherwise fine, and she insisted she wanted to go.

Few hours later her temps 40.9, took her straight to GP who phoned the Paeds ward and we were admitted immediately, didn’t have to go via A&E.

Severe UTI. She was so ill, had 3 weeks off school due to it. I have never felt more guilty in my life.

Youngmamaa2 · 01/12/2019 09:25

Honestly don't beat your self up about it, you did what you thought was best

bumblybumblingbee · 01/12/2019 09:25

It's like anything in life - you try to do what you believe is right at the time. Don't beat yourself up in hindsight. I'd have probably done the same.

Dontunderestimateme · 01/12/2019 09:26

I don't see what you think you did wrong. He needed medical treatment, which you made sure he got, and he has been treated. Don't beat yourself up! Hope he feels better soon!

Original poster
HalyardHitch · 01/12/2019 09:29

The gp told me off for "leaving him so long"
Perhaps I should have taken him the night before but I didn't

OP posts:
Arriettyborrower · 01/12/2019 09:29

OP babies and young children can be ‘well’ whilst being unwell, they compensate then fall off the cliff v quickly.

Don’t beat yourself up, you knew he wasn’t right, you sought medical attention. DC being taken into resus immediately doesn’t mean you missed a moribund child, it is more likely an excellent medical team who recognised the potential for rapid deterioration and managed it aggressively and quickly.

I would hazard a guess he improved quickly?

MatildaTheCat · 01/12/2019 09:29

YABU because babies’ conditions can deteriorate quickly so he may we’ll not have been as unwell for long before you saw your GP.

GP won’t mess around hence the swift admission and equally nor will A&E hence the resus.

If he was in hospital from Thursday to Saturday, with great respect, he likely wasn’t that sick. And he’s now on the mend so put the unpleasant experience behind you and thank god we still have free health care.

Arriettyborrower · 01/12/2019 09:30

Did you tell the GP you considered OOH overnight?

MustardScreams · 01/12/2019 09:31

Don’t beat yourself up, you’re not a dr. Sometimes we make mistakes as parents and that is ok.

At the end of the day he is fine, and got the right treatment.

KatherineJaneway · 01/12/2019 09:34

Perhaps I should have taken him the night before but I didn't

Why didn't you?

FenellaMaxwell · 01/12/2019 09:36

By “working to breathe” do you mean their abdomen was sucking in under their ribs? If so, to be perfectly honest yes it’s a bit crap that you didn’t take action, but there’s no point bearing yourself up about it now - you’ll know what to look for next time. It might be worth you taking a paediatric first aid course?

Soubriquet · 01/12/2019 09:36

My dd had this at 13 months.

We actually called an ambulance because she wouldn’t stop crying and had been crying for hours. We thought it was just a cold.

We were in the ambulance on the way to OOH doctors when we spotted she was sucking in her breathing. We were then taken straight to A&E where an x-ray showed her lungs were completely clouded over.

She need IV antibiotics, nebulisers, oxygen and was kept in for 4 days

It’s impossible to see how ill they are sometimes

Don’t beat yourself up.

EmmiJay · 01/12/2019 09:37

I did something similar with DD and felt just like you did. However, because the symptoms came on so suddenly (started as a slight tickly cough that morning and she was struggling to breathe by midnight) I was confused as to what was happening with her (no asthma diagnosis, other coughs usually develope over days before wheeze sets in, this was hours) so whisked her straight to A&E. It was a viral induced wheeze and like your son her stats were scary low. Always follow your gut when something feels wrong, I'd rather be wrong than sorry now!

Original poster
HalyardHitch · 01/12/2019 09:37

I didn't take him to ooh because dh felt he needed a decent sleep and we could take him to the gp. I agreed.

He was worryingly sick on Thursday but recovered quickly. He had a couple of nebuliser and oxygen. He didn't need oxygen after the Thursday

OP posts:
whatalovelytub · 01/12/2019 09:37

OP I had exactly the same scenario last winter. I'd never even heard of bronchiolitis and delayed taking him to the doctor as I thought it was just a heavy cold, not helped by people like my mum saying that people fuss too much these days and he just needs some time to get better. Anyway when I took him to the GP I was glared at & told I should have brought him much sooner. She didn't call an ambulance but only because she thought it would be quicker for me to drive him!! He was taken straight through at A&E and put on oxygen, we stayed in for a few days.

All in all- it was a lesson learned. I'm far more cautious now. Sounds like no harm done in your case so please don't beat yourself up about it. It really won't do any good ThanksThanks

Original poster
HalyardHitch · 01/12/2019 09:39

He wasn't struggling to breathe the night before. It must have changed at some point in the night. My husband slept with him.

In the morning I knew his breathing was quick but that was it

OP posts:
Ski4130 · 01/12/2019 09:40

If it makes you feel better op, I’ve done exactly the same. Dc2 was 12 weeks old and I thought he had a heavy cold, luckily dh felt otherwise and took him to A & E at 3am, I thought they’d be home within the hour, but he was put on breathing equipment and blue lighted to the nearest children’s ward. He was there for a week, and was really unwell. It was crazy scary and I’m thankful he’s now an annoying, fit healthy 12 year old, but my maternal instinct definitely let me down on that occasion. Luckily dh’s spidey senses were better tuned in. I hope your dc gets well really quickly, don’t beat yourself up, brochiolitis is really quick to come on, and it’s easy to put symptoms down to a cough/cold.