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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think they should have Xrayed

85 replies

Starlight86 · 12/11/2021 11:04

DD age 6 had an accident on the trampoline in gymnastics on Tuesday.

She hasn't been able to weight bare properly since then, only able to limp on her toes. The pain is specifically her heel.

The pain has got worse and today she was crying, so her dad took her off to A&E for an x-ray ....... her foot has swollen but not extreme, enough though that the nurse commented on it.

Anyways a doctor came and looked at it, said she wont have broken anything as to break a heel you need to fall from a height and said probably a sprain and sent her on her way.

Husband did try to say about an xray but they said no need...

OP posts:
Sixgeese · 12/11/2021 11:57

@longtompot Thank you for asking. She limped for what seemed like ages but in reality probably less than 6 months after the plaster was taken off and she couldn't enjoy her first snow as her leg was in plaster.

But she is now 14 and there were no long lasting effects and I have learnt to trust my gut more of I think there is something wrong.

longtompot · 12/11/2021 12:01

@Mrbob

Sometimes they can't X-ray if the area is too swollen No.

Doctor (A&E) here. She needs an XR
Calcaneal fracture potentially. Yes it may be normal but that’s a weird clinical presentation

It's what I was told when I broke my ankle in 4 places. It was 15 or so years ago, so things might have changed.
WaltzingBetty · 12/11/2021 12:04

@Darkstar4855

Yes, the qualified doctor can’t possibly know what they are talking about. Complain to PALS, OP Hmm
Well I broke my heel falling from a height of about a metre. So either I'm a medical miracle or it's possible the qualified doctor is wrong

Interestingly when I arrived at A&E I was told the same thing.
They were wrong

Original poster
Starlight86 · 12/11/2021 12:04

Did they x-ray you straight away @WaltzingBetty

OP posts:
WaltzingBetty · 12/11/2021 12:05

They did
But I had to push for it as 'we only see calcaneal fractures in 17 year old boys jumping from a height'

Obviously that's bollocks

NameChange74567 · 12/11/2021 12:12

I thought they would have x-rayed it. Dd (7yo) fell a few days ago and her ankle was extremely swollen and bruised. She could walk on it but it was sore. They took one look at it and sent her for an x-ray. It wasn't broken, just a bad sprain.

Winniemarysarah · 12/11/2021 12:13

@Darkstar4855

Yes, the qualified doctor can’t possibly know what they are talking about. Complain to PALS, OP Hmm
Oh fuck off. I had a doctor misdiagnose an ovarian cyst as an ectopic pregnancy when I was pregnant with my now 8yo dd. If I hadn’t have gone private for a second opinion then they would have aborted and killed her. And only last month a child in our nursery fell into a diabetic coma and was less than 24 hours from death after the doctors fobbed her off for 3 whole months telling her parents she had a virus. You idiot.
EatYourVegetables · 12/11/2021 12:17

In our A&E the threshold for Xraying kids is pretty low. We’ve been, urm, multiple times 😳

DeedIDo · 12/11/2021 12:23

I fractured my calcaneus and I still don't know how. No fall or impact involved.

Injured in November, two x rays showed nothing even though I couldn't weight bear etc. Scan in January showed the fracture, but I wasn't told until February. Apparently I should have had a boot and crutches, but by the time I got together with someone who knew it was fractured, it was too late.

JustAnother30Something · 12/11/2021 12:24

Could you not maybe go to Urgent Care?

That's where I'd have gone initially tbf given it was a few days old?

Original poster
Starlight86 · 12/11/2021 12:25

@JustAnother30Something

Could you not maybe go to Urgent Care?

That's where I'd have gone initially tbf given it was a few days old?

Our urgent care doesnt see children - its only A&E im afraid.
OP posts:
comfortablyfrumpy · 12/11/2021 12:28

When my daughter broke her ankle she could still move her foot up and down... I think you're right to be questioning this, and I'd be asking for a second opinion/Xrays if I were you. I hope your daughter is OK.

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 12/11/2021 12:31

I'm an A&E doctor/urgent care GP. It is unusual to break the heel with a fall onto a soft surface but, if 20 years in A&E have taught me anything, it's never to say never.

We try not to x-ray when there is a low risk of a fracture, especially with children, because of the exposure to radiation. If I had seen your DD on the day of her injury, I might not have x-rayed then and there (depending on my examination, obviously), but - if I hadn't x-rayed, I would definitely have told you to come back if there was no improvement within 48 hours.

In your case, the fact that the pain has got worse after 48 hours is a red flag. I would definitely return to A&E and request a consultant review - or go to a Minor Injury Unit if you have one locally that has an x-ray facility .

It is still most likely to be a sprain - they can be extremely painful in the foot. But, if it was my DD, I would want her x-rayed at this point.

StaplesCorner · 12/11/2021 12:33

A&E is often reluctant to X ray they will want you to wait and see if it heals/gets worse. Didnt happen to us but a friend's daughter had a similar injury age 11 (the calcaneal fracture others are talking about?) and she got fobbed off for months, ended up there was a long term problem - can you get a telephone consult with your GP and see if they will ask for/arrange an x-ray so you don't have to go through A&E again? Even so, if you need to then go, choose a quieter time maybe so the wait isn't so long but ultimately A&E make mistakes over these supposedly smaller injuries as others have said.

StaplesCorner · 12/11/2021 12:34

Actually today, now, might be a quieter time - don't go over the weekend and then Monday morning tends to have the fall out from the weekend too - so maybe today?

MrsAvocet · 12/11/2021 12:34

Heel fractures are usually really obvious
Well mine was misdiagnosed as a sprained ankle for 48 hours when I was an inpatient on a trauma ward so I wouldn't bet on that! Fortunately a different consultant was on at the weekend and she arranged an x ray then a CT scan which showed a complex calcaneal fracture that I am still awaiting further surgery for years later. I'd previously been more or less told not to be so soft and to walk on it.

wanttomarryamillionaire · 12/11/2021 12:37

I would be taking her back and demanding an x- ray! My dd did this a few years ago and we were told no need for x- ray blah blah blah. We spent the weekend with her sobbing and hobbling about and eventually took her back. She had broken a growth plate in her foot and spent the next two weeks on crutches with a special boot on.

SingingSands · 12/11/2021 12:38

Did she land on the trampoline or on the floor/mat? is what helped the Dr reach his decision that an X-ray wasn't required?

Even if it's not broken, soft tissue and ligament damage can be really badly painful and 3 days is still very recent. Does pain from a break increase with time or does it remain at the same level? I had a really bad ankle and foot sprain last year that definitely got worse before it got better.

Hard one to call - could you give it the weekend with strictly enforced rest and R.I.C.E (be absolutely clear to DD that no walking/attempts to weight bear at all)? Then if no better on Monday another trip to A&E?

Irishfarmer · 12/11/2021 12:39

I would take her to the minor injuries unit, not A&E. Here they are very good anyway at dealing with broken bones/ non life threating stuff. And are usually way quicker!

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 12/11/2021 12:45

@Irishfarmer

I would take her to the minor injuries unit, not A&E. Here they are very good anyway at dealing with broken bones/ non life threating stuff. And are usually way quicker!
But only if the MIU has an x-ray facility. Otherwise they will have to refer the OP to A&E, so she'll end up there anyway.
Rainbowsew · 12/11/2021 12:46

As they A&E doctors have said X-ray may not be done initially with small children (radiographer here) however the caveat is always to seek further advice if pain worsens and as parents know their children, I would think most professionals would take into account a parent saying their child is not improving.

Calcaneal fractures are more likely to be caused by falls from height, but with trampolines particularly there is risk of soft tissue injury or more complicated fracture dislocations due to the mechanism of injury, so I'd want to check her out despite radiation doses etc.

Did she fall from trampoline to floor? That'd be an equivalent force to a fall from height. Or did she twist her foot whilst bouncing? That'd be more likely to be a soft tissue injury (and they can be very painful and slow to heal). Children's bones are soft and pliable a high bounce with a twist as she came down does have potential to injure the bone. Take her back and explain your concerns and as best you know the way the accident occured.

CrotchetyQuaver · 12/11/2021 12:55

Take her back! Or to a different hospital. My DD had similar with a broken wrist they said wasn't (no X-ray done at first visit) they gave her a Velcro splint thing and of course it did nothing. I took her back a week later and guess what they xrayed and it was broken but years later I still feel bad that I didn't push harder at the first visit and she was in a lot of pain because I hadn't been firmer with them.

justswaying · 12/11/2021 12:58

I went to a&e after I thought I broke my foot and they refused to X-ray. "We don't just give out x rays to anyone that wants one. You seem to be in a lot of pain, a break wouldn't cause that much pain so it must just be a bad sprain"
A week later I still couldn't walk, went back for second opinion and lo and behold it was broken in two places.

They do sometimes get things wrong

Original poster
Starlight86 · 12/11/2021 13:13

From what i gather,

She was on the trampoline, she was jumping and someone else came on and jumped so it made it like a double jump if that makes sense....so when she landed the trampoline was springing back up from someone that had already jumped therefor it wasnt as springy.

Does that make sense lol

OP posts:
Original poster
Starlight86 · 12/11/2021 13:14

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow

I'm an A&E doctor/urgent care GP. It is unusual to break the heel with a fall onto a soft surface but, if 20 years in A&E have taught me anything, it's never to say never.

We try not to x-ray when there is a low risk of a fracture, especially with children, because of the exposure to radiation. If I had seen your DD on the day of her injury, I might not have x-rayed then and there (depending on my examination, obviously), but - if I hadn't x-rayed, I would definitely have told you to come back if there was no improvement within 48 hours.

In your case, the fact that the pain has got worse after 48 hours is a red flag. I would definitely return to A&E and request a consultant review - or go to a Minor Injury Unit if you have one locally that has an x-ray facility .

It is still most likely to be a sprain - they can be extremely painful in the foot. But, if it was my DD, I would want her x-rayed at this point.

Thank you, ive written a more in depth about her landing above.

it happened tuesday at 6pm, we took her to A&E today at 9.30am.

OP posts: