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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Daughters unwell, AIBU to take my daughter back for a third time

30 replies

mummagirl2 · 23/02/2020 00:19

First time posting. Looking for any a&e staff/ nurse /Paediatric advice please. My daughter is 7. Has the odd sore throat but have always been told it’s viral. She’s never had antibiotics in her life, I’m not normally an overly worrried Mum until last night. Last week she had a sore throat, high tempt etc. Gave her the usual calpol and rid it out thinking no point of going to docs unless she gets worse. She was feeling better for a couple of days then Friday morning woke up with a really sore head, facial pain, stiff neck and wobbly on her feet. Took her to docs and was told she has a bacterial throat infection and prescribed penicillin. From 4am she then started severe stomach pains and diarrhoea. This is still ongoing every hour or so for nearly 24 hours. She hasn’t ate a thing since Friday morning. Taking sips of water only because I’m forcing her to and does not want to get out of bed. It takes a lot to make her upset and she’s always been a tough wee cookie but these pains have her screaming and crying. Called nhs Saturday morning. Finally got back to us in the afternoon and we got an appointment for our of hours at 11:30pm. Ended up going early as her pain was so bad. The docs checked her over and said she looks too ill for any viral infections and he thinks she has scarlet fever. She has no rash at all. I asked him serval times what I can do for her stomach but he said nothing and that we’d need to ride it out and to continue taking the penicillin. I asked if it could be a reaction to the medicine and he said it couldn’t be ruled out. I’m now home and really worried. AIBU to take her up for the third time or even bypass my local hospital and take her further afield to the sick kids hospital in the city centre. They have there on A&E department. Our local hospitals children ward is closed at the weekends. Will I be wasting the staffs time? I can’t help thinking something is really wrong but tonight’s doc doesn’t seem to think so.

OP posts:
mummagirl2 · 23/02/2020 00:21

So many typos. Sorry! I’m sitting in the dark at the end of her bed while she has a sleep.

OP posts:
finished31 · 23/02/2020 00:22

You never waste staff time when a child is ill. Sounds like she could be allergic to Penicillin.
I'd make another appointment OP.

EffieIsATrinket · 23/02/2020 00:27

Reasonable to get her seen in children's hospital tonight.

I work in ED and as an OOH GP. Three presentations to primary care within a single illness episode would make me a bit twitchy especially within a short time frame.

Abdo pain may be due to lymph nodes (mesenteric adenitis) reacting secondary to viral illness but facial pain is definitely an odd symptom in a child.

fairislecable · 23/02/2020 00:29

One of my DDs never had antibiotics until she was aged 10, she had a bad reaction face swollen up etc.

It turns out she is allergic to penicillin and even now she is an adult who suffers with tonsillitis frequently the antibiotics she can take give her severe stomach pain and sickness (on top of the tonsillitis)!

Hopefully the penicillin will do the trick for your DD and next time she is ill they may have a different medication with less side effects.

mummagirl2 · 23/02/2020 00:33

This is what I thought. He said he couldn’t rule it out but wanted to push on with her taking it just now. I think just seeing her little face so unwell (she’s absolutely no colour, even her lips are white) has got me panicking it’s something more sinister like sepsis. I did ask about it sepsis but he said no. It just seems to me he’s taken a guess as to what’s wrong. In his words, she looks too unwell for it to be viral so he thinks it’s scarlet fever but without the rash. The stomach pains are normally every 1-2 hours then she sits in the toilet for half an hour passing nothing but yellow water. If it happens again after this sleep, I think I should just go. He told me to leave it a couple of days and then take her back if she’s still the same.

OP posts:
jadey0885 · 23/02/2020 00:33

Hi I'm a nurse,

Hearing all the symptoms that your child has does sound like a viral infection. My daughter who is 5 had a really bad headache, vomiting,temp and feeling weak and achy.

However doctors won't prescribe Antibiotics for this as it should clear up working 7 days. Keep giving your child calpol.. I also recommend giving fresh honey and lemon as a cold drink and a hot drink.

Keep me posted x

SomethingBlue22 · 23/02/2020 00:34

Trust your gut instinct. If you feel she still isn't right then take her to a and e. No one will think you are time wasting.

mummagirl2 · 23/02/2020 00:38

@EffieIsATrinket this morning she sat up and brown liquid came out of the nostril the same side as her facial pain/headache. It wasn’t like normal mucas and she hasn't had stuffy/runny nose at all. The doc said it’s probably infection from sinus as well as the scarlet fever.

OP posts:
ofwarren · 23/02/2020 00:38

@Jadey0885 the child has already been prescribed antibiotics. They must think she needs them as they don't hand them out willy nilly.

TheoriginalLEM · 23/02/2020 00:39

I'd not wake her but if you are still concerned in the morning or she wakes up poorly I'd go in. What is her temperature?

Poor wee mite - I hope she is better soon x

jadey0885 · 23/02/2020 00:40

@ofwarren
I must of mid read that part.
Sorry @mummagirl2
If her symptoms are worrying you more please do take her a&e.

Saturdayrollerskatingjam · 23/02/2020 00:43

Hi, am a nurse practitioner.

Second advice above re taking to ED. Although I don't work there now, would happily always see any parent with concerns about their child. No one will mind you taking her up there to be seen, and absolutely won't think you are wasting their time. Best of luck OP

TheHagOnTheHill · 23/02/2020 00:45

The stomach pains and diarrhoea and the timing sound like a side effect of the penicillin,I would stop that if I were you as if she is not drinking much she will be getting dehydrated .
So stop penicillium ,encourage fluids and Calpol for any temperature rise.
If you feel she is getting dehydrated then go to a&e.(not seeing or very concentrated or just more diarrhoea out than fluid going in).

SimonTheFox · 23/02/2020 00:47

Sounds like a v bad sinus infection and the stomach ache could be a reaction to the antibs? Sounds like they might need to change the prescription

TheHagOnTheHill · 23/02/2020 00:47

Weeing not seeing.

mummagirl2 · 23/02/2020 00:56

Thank you everyone. Fingers crossed she sleeps but if she wakes up again in agony then I think for my own peace of mind I’ll just take her to the other sick kids hospital. Hopefully they won’t mind.

OP posts:
Bluerussian · 23/02/2020 00:57

I think taking her to the children's unit will be the right thing to do. Poor little love, she does sound poorly.

Here is information about scarlet fever:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/scarlet-fever/

It's possible to have a mild form - scarletina - without rash.

It is a Streptococcal infection necessitating antibiotcs.

FeeFee832 · 23/02/2020 00:59

Go to sick kids.

You'll never regret it.

SnowyRacoon · 23/02/2020 01:00

Antibiotics sometimes make you have D&V, read the patient instruction leaflet. I would ring 111 and ask for a GP home visit if you are concerned, however you have took her 3 times, I am not quite sure what a further visit in the middle of the night would achieve.

MadamHattie · 23/02/2020 01:15

Take her if you think it's necessary. When my ds was little we were back and forth to different GPS I think he saw 7 in the space of 3 weeks. Every doctor said something different, he even had a convulsion 2 weeks into all this but was put down to slap cheek Hmm. Our last visit was to ooh and it actually turned out to be pneumonia and was rushed to London, put into hdu and had chest drains inserted. I'm not saying that what your dd has is anywhere as extreme but it can take seeing the right doctor to get a correct diagnosis. I really hope she manages to sleep (and you) and that things start improving for her Smile

OvertheUnicornRainbow · 23/02/2020 01:23

Take her to A&E if you are worried.

The diarrhoea could be a reaction to the antibiotics. Kefir can help with this if you can get her to drink some. Hope she is better soon.

wobblywinelover · 23/02/2020 01:23

Dont bother ringing 111 they will just end up deploying a 999 ambulance because of the symptoms you describe over the phone will tick too many red flags for them to risk anything else. Just take your LO to the children's hospital nearby if you are worried, that's all the ambulance will do anyway.

SorryDidISayThatOutLoud · 23/02/2020 01:36

If she is vomiting and can't keep anything down, then let her suck an ice lolly, something like those tiptops. It will help keep her hydrated. Sucking ice takes a while so usually doesn't cause vomiting.
Poor little thing, I hope she is okay, and better soon.
Trust your gut instinct, and take her.

Mummyoflittledragon · 23/02/2020 01:38

I am not a doctor. However, I wouldn’t want to see my child ride it out with the antibiotics. What is she supposed to do, not eat for a week? For me this is a sign her gut bacteria is being trashed. This in itself I would have thought will make her weaker and more susceptible to infection. When I had terrible diarrhoea and stomach pains from a something or other mycin (anotibiotic), I went to the ooh gp and changed my prescription to an amoxicillin based one.

ScabbyBabby · 23/02/2020 01:42

Please just take her to the hospital to be seen.
You’re thinking sepsis- her lips are white, it doesn’t sound like something you should be waiting any longer for to be perfectly honest.

I hope she is ok.
Best of luck.

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