GP won’t see sick toddler in case Covid

[SupaTeddy]

My 3yo has some sort of flu bug and is vomiting clear liquid, runny nose and cough, he hasn’t eaten since Wed and is drinking very little. The bug started on Sat but eating and drinking didn’t stop till Wed. Multiple LFT tests are negative. I have the same bug.

GP said they will telephone today but won’t see him unless he has a negative PCR. That could take another day or two to get a result and I’m worried.

AIBU to think they should see a sick child regardless when he’s vomiting and not eating? What should I do if they won’t see him?

I mean, OPs first sentence
Did you miss the part where I said a hospital doctor already diagnosed an allergic reaction plus a flu bug? And didn’t mention Covid at all? I didn’t do a PCR test because the doctor had already diagnosed something else and didn’t even mention Covid.

Government guidelines are very clear on this. Take a PCR test if there are any symptoms not LF. As soon as there were any symptoms I would've booked the PCR test. The results are usually back within 24 hours.
My GP is the same, any covid symptoms and you need a negative PCR to be seen.

@SupaTeddy

I mean, OPs first sentence Did you miss the part where I said a hospital doctor already diagnosed an allergic reaction plus a flu bug? And didn’t mention Covid at all? I didn’t do a PCR test because the doctor had already diagnosed something else and didn’t even mention Covid.

But you did repeated LFT’s?

@SupaTeddy

I mean, OPs first sentence Did you miss the part where I said a hospital doctor already diagnosed an allergic reaction plus a flu bug? And didn’t mention Covid at all? I didn’t do a PCR test because the doctor had already diagnosed something else and didn’t even mention Covid.

I completely agree with you. A dr should see your little one. My toddler is currently going through exactly the same an I spoke to a go this morning, he asked me to bring Ds in this afternoon to be checked over. He never once asked us to do a COVID test first, he was more concerned that there was a potentially poorly dehydrated toddler that he would rather assess

There are 2 issues. The first is that your poor son is clearly ill and you are, understandably, concerned. The second is that you should have done a PCR instead of multiple LFTs but that’s by the by. You can’t go back in time.

Are you able to get any fluids in him? Syringe water or juice into his mouth or try ice lollies.

@ItsSnowJokes

Drs can see patients even if they have covid as my daughter was seen in person by our GP over the summer when she was covid positive. They thought she may have Guillain Barre Syndrome and wanted to see her as a matter of urgency after I did an econsult. I spelt it out over and over again that she was covid positive and they said they still want to see her.

Get a covid test, and then get back on at the GP and say you need to be seen.

Bit of a difference between a kid who has COVID symptoms compared to one with a potentially serious condition who ALSO has covid.

@Crunchymum

But the child has a cough, the OP says so in her very first sentence?

But not a continuous cough

Most bugs will give you a bit of a cough, that's not the same as a continuous cough

The government shouldn't assume that everyone is constantly reading up on all the other symptoms and will get tested for those too

Take him to A&E or call 111 who will most likely send him there. Virtual appointment are in no way appropriate for anyone who can’t communicate effectively be it a child or an elderly person. I would be making an official complaint. What’s the point of a GP who won’t see a sick child? Delaying treatment of a sick child for a PCR test is negligent. I’d be fuming

It's a bit pointless now for posters to keep banging on about how the OP should have got a PCR test earlier. Ideally, yes, she would have, and maybe in future if this sort of thing happened again, the OP will do a PCR test straight away. But that ship has sailed, her young child has been ill for quite a while, and delaying medical attention while they wait for a PCR test is unreasonable. Yes the GP might not see them, but someone will, either at an urgent care centre or A&E. I don't think that suggesting the OP wait for the results of a PCR test taken today is good advice at this stage, it could be a couple of days before the results come back. I really do think the only appropriate course of action is to call 111.

The GP is just being cautious. If it turns out the child does have Covid, bringing him in could cause multiple staff to fall sick and may affect vulnerable patients

I totally agree with this

How about those patients waiting at the practice who are immunocompromised for various reasons or those 8 week old babies coming in for their first immunisations/baby check.

If you were one of these patients or parents, would you really want to sit in close proximity to other patients who have fever/cough etc.

OP I agree with you that it’s absolutely shit. Nonsense this like is creating systemic failings that will harm patients. He’s clearly unwell and the PCR is neither here nor there. If he did have covid would they just leave him at home until he became so unwell he needed an ambulance and hospital admission? There needs to be systems where untested or positive patients can still access care. And no a phone appointment for an unwell toddler does not cut the mustard, it’s not safe. Take him to A&E again if he stays so unwell for much longer. People on these threads are so fast to put health systems first instead of actual children.

Rabid posters love to get all frothed up calling people stupid and wailing FFS. They’ll be asking you why to took him to A&E to assess whether you are indeed an idiot, never thinking that as his mother you might be best placed to judge how unwell he is. Ignore them, fuck the shitty system and do whatever is needed to keep your kid safe.

@KloppsTeeth

I am amazed that we are so far along in the pandemic, with messages everywhere and yet people still don’t know that is is any one of the symptoms for a PCR test. I’m sorry your child is unwell, but you need a PCR test and a check to see where your nearest service is to be seen by someone who is prepped to come across covid positive people.

This

"a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)"

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/main-symptoms/

A continuous cough doesn't mean coughing all day every day.

I really wish the NHS would change the wording for this, because so many people are not recognising that the cough they or their child has qualifies as a COVID symptom.

I think your GP is being ridiculous

And I REALLY do not agree with this statement at all

@thatsnotmyzoo people aren't putting health systems ahead of children. Say the OP's toddler does have Covid, passes it onto the health care professionals who then have to isolate/take time off. That will affect the NHS even more and there will be less medical staff to see other sick children/patients.

The reason the GP can't see the toddler is because they're displaying a Covid symptom. All that had to be done was a PCR test, that's it.

I'm sorry your child is unwell OP, I don't think the GP was being UR

It’s all right says what about the immosuppressed but what about the OPs child? One is not more deserving of care than the other. One should not expect to give up care so the other can access it. Systems should be in place to see all types of patients and reduce the risk for everyone. Whether that’s red hubs or the like. No one thinks that everyone should share the same areas but that’s not the only option. 18 months in we should be getting this right for everyone.

You keep saying he has a flu bug, did the doctor test him for the flu? Did they offer Tamiflu?

@thatsnotmyzoo

OP I agree with you that it’s absolutely shit. Nonsense this like is creating systemic failings that will harm patients. He’s clearly unwell and the PCR is neither here nor there. If he did have covid would they just leave him at home until he became so unwell he needed an ambulance and hospital admission? There needs to be systems where untested or positive patients can still access care. And no a phone appointment for an unwell toddler does not cut the mustard, it’s not safe. Take him to A&E again if he stays so unwell for much longer. People on these threads are so fast to put health systems first instead of actual children.

Rabid posters love to get all frothed up calling people stupid and wailing FFS. They’ll be asking you why to took him to A&E to assess whether you are indeed an idiot, never thinking that as his mother you might be best placed to judge how unwell he is. Ignore them, fuck the shitty system and do whatever is needed to keep your kid safe.

A PCR test for a child displaying covid-like symptoms is neither here nor there?

OK then.

@Thevoiceofreason2021

Take him to A&E or call 111 who will most likely send him there. Virtual appointment are in no way appropriate for anyone who can’t communicate effectively be it a child or an elderly person. I would be making an official complaint. What’s the point of a GP who won’t see a sick child? Delaying treatment of a sick child for a PCR test is negligent. I’d be fuming

Agree that 111/the NHS 24 thing is the best course of action, they will be able to advise.

I am wondering if your GP thinks you are an over-anxious mum and that your child is rarely as ill as you appear to think? The reason I wonder is that you went to A and E because you said your child's head swelled up like a balloon, and he was given antihistamine and sent home. This seems an underreaction by A and E according to your description and is more what I would expect if a child had slightly swollen cheeks.

Systems should be in place to see all types of patients and reduce the risk for everyone. Whether that’s red hubs or the like. No one thinks that everyone should share the same areas but that’s not the only option. 18 months in we should be getting this right for everyone

But have you seen the size of your average GP surgery waiting room? there is usually not much space.

A&E and walk in centres can segregate patients much more easily- hot & cold areas etc

@Balonzette

I feel like British GPs are behaving as ridiculously right now as soldiers who refuse to go to war because they might get shot. It's disgraceful. They're literally risking lives (and also costing lives) with stuff like this.

I agree. My local a&e had 15 ambulances queued up outside yesterday when I walked past it. It will be partly down to situations like this because people are getting fed up of being fobbed off

@thatsnotmyzoo

It’s all right says what about the immosuppressed but what about the OPs child? One is not more deserving of care than the other. One should not expect to give up care so the other can access it. Systems should be in place to see all types of patients and reduce the risk for everyone. Whether that’s red hubs or the like. No one thinks that everyone should share the same areas but that’s not the only option. 18 months in we should be getting this right for everyone.

The OP has been to hospital, they said a virus. Surely then since the child has stopped eating OP can go back to hospital to get him checked again.

The GP cannot due to the covid symptoms. Obviously hospitals have different ways of seeing people with symptoms that GP's don't.

I agree. My local a&e had 15 ambulances queued up outside yesterday when I walked past it. It will be partly down to situations like this because people are getting fed up of being fobbed off

Yes, this was the case prior to covid anyway. GPs fob people off/won't give appts, so people go to A&E. It's a shocking state of affairs. Covid has only worsened it.

@SupaTeddy

The NHS website says fever, cough and loss of taste or smell. We’re coughing but no fever and we can smell and taste just fine.

Fever OR cough OR loss of sense of smell.

18 months in and I’m really surprised that people don’t know this.