Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To refuse to take DS to hospital for a sprained ankle

290 replies

Paurie · 11/03/2020 10:47

He twisted it badly enough that it can’t weight bear. I’m confident it’s not broken. Strapped it up, iced, elevated - & picked up a crutch so he can be mobile without stepping on it while it heals.

School say the crutch can’t come to
school unless it’s signed off as necessary by a doctor and is fitted by a professional.

AIBU to refuse & just keep him home?

It seems really not sensible in this climate to burden doctors with signing off on a self-limiting problem that I’m confident I’ve treated correctly - and batshit crazy to take a healthy child to sit being sneezed on in minor injuries unit for however many hours it takes to be seen.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
jimmyhill · 11/03/2020 11:21

You can’t see a scenario where a hospital won’t want people turning up on spec at A&E...?

That's what A&E is for

CecilyP · 11/03/2020 11:21

What would the hospital ‘do’ different to what I’m doing over the next day or two while I see how it pans out?

They would perform an Xray to confirm whether it is sprained or broken. If just sprained then what you are doing is fine. If broken they will put on a plaster. If badly broken it might need operated on.

tearsandtiaras · 11/03/2020 11:21

Social services would be very interested if you haven't sought medical advice and an x ray

What would they do that your not ?

The hospital would x ray it to determine fracture or a sprain

LIZS · 11/03/2020 11:21

You could go to minor injuries. Many have xray facilities. My last sprain was not xrayed and advice was to walk in it and keep flexing. The ligaments are still stiff 18 months later.

MrsClatterbuck · 11/03/2020 11:22

When I broke one of my toes I couldn't weight bear at all. Called with doctor on call (this was years ago before out of hours) and was told to go to A&E. DH thought it was overkill and was proved wrong. Foot was stepped and I was given crutches. Also when I broke a bone in my foot DH again said no point in going to A&E but I insisted and appeared with leg in plaster and using crutches. When I broke my elbow he suggested I see doctor next day. I knew our doctor would just say go to A&E so we went and yes it was broken and very painful. They strapped it up and it was at least several weeks before I could return to work. I also needed a lot of physio to get the movement back to normal.

The thing is I could advocate for myself and knew I needed to get professional medical help. Take him to A&E and get him seen to

NoveltyFunsies · 11/03/2020 11:23

Why have you posted on here for advice when you’re not listening to anyone’s advice?

I thought I’d sprained my ankle, the next day I went to get it checked out and I’d broken it in 2 places. I feel sorry for your son

Justyouandme34 · 11/03/2020 11:23

I think OP, the point is that he may need surgery if it’s a bad break. The surgery will need to be done ASAP as the bone could start setting itself in the wrong position. If you wait a few days it could be too late and he could have a lifetime of problems with it.

Nannewnannew · 11/03/2020 11:23

Please take him to hospital, if he’s fractured through the growth plate it could be very serious. You are saying he has a crutch, hospitals don’t normally give out one crutch, you need a pair to be non weight bearing.
People saying a fracture or a break- they are the same thing!!

Porcupineinwaiting · 11/03/2020 11:23

Good decision. A colleague of mine hobbled around on a "sprained" ankle for a month before heading to a&e because it just wasnt getting better. Turned out it was a break.

FrancisCrawford · 11/03/2020 11:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CakeAndGin · 11/03/2020 11:24

You don’t get appointments! 111 will direct you to the best facility to give help, that may be A&E or minor injuries if there is one near you. 111 are currently swamped with coronavirus calls at the moment, so you could google if there is a minor injuries unit near you.

Just because 111 and A&E are busy at the moment, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take him in. Do you think it’s going to be less busy in a few days? The whole coronavirus is just going to blow over in a few days and then A&E will be back to just a 4 hour wait? This isn’t going away anytime soon and your son’s ankle needs looking at by a professional. With every ankle injury I’ve known that has gone to A&E there has been an x-ray there and then. Sometimes people are given a temporary bandage for a few days to allow for swelling, but IME people are x-rayed.

FudgeBrownie2019 · 11/03/2020 11:24

DS2 twisted an ankle at school - no big thing, he walked home with me that night, went to football practise and it was only when he went to bed that night he asked me to look at it as it was painful - we popped down to A&E as it had swollen, they were convinced it was simply a sprain but x-rayed to be sure and found a fracture. I'd never have guessed at it being a fracture at all - he wasn't in excessive pain and it didn't 'look' to me like anything damaging.

You need to take him for an X-ray, as painful as it will be spending time in A&E. Some things you just can't guess at.

BoreOfWhabylon · 11/03/2020 11:25

I understand OP not wanting to add to the workload of an overstretched NHS, but inability to weightbear following an ankle injury definitely needs examination and possibly an XR.

Someone upthread(sorry can't scroll back) has also pointed out that, even if there is no fracture, it's important that a sprain is properly assessed to avoid permanent disability from ligament damage.

PrayingandHoping · 11/03/2020 11:26

I went to a&e after I went over on my ankle a few years ago and days later I still couldn't weight bare and it was swollen. I was sent home after triage!!! No doctor. No x ray

Ligament damage can take a long time to heal

They don't always x ray!

If u can't get through to 111 call your gp practise and ask for him to see a nurse there. If it needs an x ray they will send u.

Or find a local walk in/urgent care centre.

Ren495 · 11/03/2020 11:26

I don’t usually post but felt I needed to. A year ago I dislocated my knee something I have done a fair few times before but still followed the same procedure of phoning 111 who said I needed to be seen and it’s a good job I was because I had done lots of damage so although my kneecap put itself back walking on it without seeking help would have caused a lot more damage. I sprain and strain ankles feet wrists etc regularly and am always told if the pain isn’t vastly improved in a couple of hours to get it checked because not doing so can do a lot more damage. There are so many ligaments tendons and other soft tissue that can have some pretty severe injuries from a sprain. I’ve since had to have surgery on the very same soft tissues in my knee because of the damage I did to them and all I did was turn while walking. I’m glad you’ve called 111 but accident and emergency is there for injuries such as this not just deaths door cases. He definitely needs an X-ray and then if you’re instinct is right at least a set of crutches from the hospital will mean he can be in school. Good luck! I hope in the end your instinct is right but if not it’s always best to get it looked at.

Butterwhy · 11/03/2020 11:26

It's good you're taking him in, the GP can sometimes leave a note at reception for you to take to the paeds team at the local hospital if that makes it quicker (might not be everywhere though). I didn't get a 'sprain' checked out and I have issues with it now which I probably wouldnt have had otherwise. I do worry that people who need medical attention will avoid it because they are worried

Herpesfreesince03 · 11/03/2020 11:26

By all means leave your child with a potentially broken leg op, so other people’s children can have the appointments. And where did you get the ‘do not x ray for at least 48 hours rule’??? That’s complete bollocks. Also you’d better hope that nothing happens to his leg in future (a good possibility now it’s already been injured), because if he does eventually get x rates and an old break is discovered that he never received medical attention for, you’ll g wet immediately referred to social services

ViveLEntenteCordiale · 11/03/2020 11:26

If he can't weight bear at all he needs 2 crutches not 1. He also needs 48 hours resting it properly with it elevated - no school! And it still could be broken.

I sprained my ankle and didn't get it checked out because I 'had' to got to work. I've had 3 major surgeries and now I have severe post traumatic arthritis and can't walk more than 3000 steps a day, ever. If you're happy for his life to be changed like this then go ahead and don't bother with the doctor.

Scarlettpixie · 11/03/2020 11:26

Glad you are taking him in. We have a local hospital which xrays vit sometimes they send you on to a&e after X-ray so it’s always a toss up whether or not to just go straight to a&e which is a bit further.

In my job, I deal with Injury claims and no end of people hobble home for a day or two before going to get an X-ray and finding a fracture.

You can’t know so best to check sooner rather than later.

NoWayNoHow · 11/03/2020 11:27

What would the hospital ‘do’ different to what I’m doing over the next day or two while I see how it pans out?

Xray it, obvs.

Even if it's not broken, it may be more severely sprained than you in your clearly expert opinion realise.

I ruptured the ligaments in my ankle, and was initially misdiagnosed as a sprain. The delay in the correct diagnosis extended my recovery period by weeks, and the treatment was different from a sprain.

For goodness' sake, OP, stop ignoring the 92% of people on this thread who think YABU and get a grip. Help your child.

Scarlettpixie · 11/03/2020 11:27

They will also give him 2 crutches if he needs them. In my experience 1 is neither use nor ornament if you can’t weight bear!

AudacityOfHope · 11/03/2020 11:28

Do you honestly think that a&e will stop treating broken bones due to one person with CV in a different part of the hospital?

Get your bloody son some help!

BeansOnToast4T · 11/03/2020 11:29

You are being ridiculous!!! Unless of course, you are a doctor with x-ray vision!
My DH has been non weight baring for 8 weeks with a broken ankle that we thought was sprained!!!
You are risking more damage.

BoreOfWhabylon · 11/03/2020 11:30

OP has said she's taking him to A&E. Time to back off I think, she was trying to do the right thing.

chinateapot · 11/03/2020 11:31

I AM a doctor and can’t tell if a patient who can’t weight bear has a broken or sprained ankle. Inability to weight bear immediately and in ED is in the Ottawa ankle rules (commonly used for decision making) and suggests imaging needed.

Take him.