To think I wouldn't be overreacting if I took DS to A&E?

[kege]

DS is 17, he struggles a lot every winter with illnesses etc, he has ARFID which makes getting vitamins etc into him harder, he's supposed to take a vitamin supplement but I've tried everything dietician has suggested to give it to him but he knows and it makes him vomit.

He's been unwell since Monday although he seems to have gotten worse the past few days, on Wednesday night I was working and he refused to have any dinner and was in bed for about 6:30/7 DP says, I woke him up when I got home and gave him calpol as he had a temp and he threw it up not long after and went back to bed until 10am yesterday when he got up took his meds and went back to sleep and was asleep on and off all day, I tried to give him some toast last night, he took 1 bite and was nearly sick again. He was asleep early again last night and woke up today at about 12 and hes not had much to drink today apart from a bottle of water and a can of fanta (not ideal but I use this as a bribe for his meds) he seems very lethargic and is complaining he feels sick as he has what seems to be a chesty cough and he just looks poorly in his eyes etc.

DP has said I'm overreacting and to let him sleep as much as he wants as he'll sleep it off etc.

AIBU?

Are you on your break?

@KalvinPhillipsBoots, how lovely for you that you are able to make a diagnosis via the internet.....

No but I'm an A&E nurse who knows this is not the right place for him to be. It's not an Accident or an Emergency

But for a young person who has ARFID who has not eaten for some time, it could be an emergency. It is a serious eating disorder.

I didn't get him seen sooner as he seemed fine in himself Monday Tuesday and Wednesday, yesterday was the first day he seemed unwell in himself and I just thought he needed sleep, however today he's hardly drank and hasn't eaten at all.

I'm giving him calpol as he refuses to take tablets probably due to the ARFID or other sensory issues. He also has ADHD and suspected autism.

I posted below that it was a quote fail and tagged you in that.

And no, I asked a valid question, you have inferred that I was saying she shouldn’t take him but that is not what I actually said.

I’m not sure what your beef is with me here. I think it’s helpful to consider whether A&E is an appropriate setting, you don’t. nitpicking at me and putting words into my mouth is not going to change my opinion that I think it’s helpful to consider whether A&E is an appropriate setting.

Yes, it is up to him what he drinks but when he's well I let him have one can of fanta a day (mainly as that's all he'd drink if he could and it’d get expensive) so I give it him with his meds in the morning as a way to get him to take them. I have offered him another can of fanta but he's refused.

There are other adult liquid paracetamols.

He's had a bottle of water and a can of Fanta. That's fine when he's feeling poorly. Have you done a covid test?

Give him some paracetamol. Can you not see that him feeling worse coincides with the days you stopped giving him the calpol?!

Some posters seem to think he must be underweight. Is? If he is underweight it makes all the difference... .

He’s fine to have calpol for more than three days. My SIX year old had tonsillitis in the summer and was given calpol (and nurofen) for 10 days.

Yes, he is underweight

We give people paracetamol permanently at work, they’re prescribed 100 a month. It’s a standard med for pain relief etc.

Calpol won’t touch the edges of an almost grown man, if he has significant issues then a GP should be able to prescribe liquid paracetamol for him.

I’m truly surprised that with 17 years behind you you’re unaware that you can use paracetamol for more than three days.

Whilst I see he has issues I actually still think you’re babying a bit too much. Stack the Fantas up next to him, along with water and let him choose to drink.

I don’t think this is an A and E trip though. 111 at a push or if he shows significant signs of dehydration over the weekend, GP Monday if no better.

Bloody hell they still scare the shit out of you as teens don't they. Will he take dispersible paracetamol like panadol? Or Ibuprofen liquid?

Take some deep breathes and think it through logically. Write all the food/drink/meds/symptoms out with times. You will need this for any medical help layer anyway. Add in his current conditions/diagnoses.

Then you can decide at what point you need to seek advice and what level. Have his drs told you any timings about when to seek help?

Calling 111 could be done anytime you are worried. Write down any questions you need to ask about when to seek.furthet help.

Good luck.

I very recently took my DS (25) to A&E because he was writhing in agony with what we thought was his appendix. 999 said he didn't merit an emergency ambulance and phone 111 or the GP. 111 went through Umpteen questions before saying the same. I drove him to A&E and he was admitted. They found he had a bowel obstruction which have either ruptured or caused necrosis.

I had to Google ARFID (it would have been helpful if you had explained that in the original OP but I understand if you're so used to it you may not have thought of it).

You know your child best, I'd take him to A&E if you can do that yourself rather than calling an ambulance.

Second this. I know several people with Covid at the moment. All have intense V and D

Kege, if he's underweight I really wouldn't worry about how many Fantas he's having, especially if he's unwell.

Ds was significantly underweight with ARFID and had a risk management plan. Going to A and E was written into that, if he wasn't eating and showing signs of becoming unwell because of it.
I would go by any advice you have been given regarding this.

I don’t know OP - I think I would call 111 first - but do you have a plan because of his ARFID? How long has it been since he’s eaten and how underweight is he?

Having a chesty cough, very tired, no appetite wouldn’t normally be A & E but you have an additional health complication so I think I would call someone or at least go to the GP first thing tommorow.

Fizzy water or soda water helps settle my daughter's stomach when she has an upset stomach. Offer little sips through a straw though. Gulping it down will just make him sick again. The main thing is he drinks. He might need IV fluids though especially if he can't keep his meds down. I would be going to A and E. I've been there with my daughter who has an underlying health condition. Sickness bugs always seem to hit them worse than us. Hope he's better soon.

Whatever he will drink, give him it. Doesn’t matter if it’s fizzy and sugary as long as he is having fluids. When I feel nauseous the only thing that doesn’t make me want to throw up are fizzy drinks. If he has a raised temp he is fine having calpol for as long as he needs it, though there is adult strength liquid paracetamol which would be far more helpful at 17. As long as he has the correct dosage there’s no need at all to stick to 3 days. Having a high temp will make him feel sick and exhausted, he wants to sleep that’s fine as long as he isn’t drowsy and is easy to wake. Sounds a nasty virus.

I have a weird covid version right now with the nausea. I have been wanting to drink a lot less and not wanting to eat. Everything makes me nauseated except for Campbell's Vegetarian Vegetable soup. I just craved it. Give it a try. It might be called Batchelor's soup there.

I'd definitely try and get a GP appointment, I'd probably avoid A&E unless he suddenly declined as it doesnt sound like he needs emergency intervention. Dehydration is a concern tho so probably worth calling 111

Yeah I agree with this. I think his general issues are colouring your thoughts here.

you do know that A&E stands for accident and emergency which AFRID and vomiting are not ?
yes you are massively over reacting and that is partly why A&E waiting time are so long. This is a GP /dietary issue

I also think that it’s kind of odd you’re so worried you’re considering A&E but won’t let him have more Fanta or source some age appropriate painkillers. Get a 2 litre bottle for £2 and let him drink it. Ask a pharmacist about a paracetamol solution for adults or dispersible options.

You don't have to justify your nearly adult child drinking a fanta daily.

The advise with calpol is essentially to ensure you get a small child checked if they have a fever for longer than 3 days. It does not apply to adult bodies. Give him some paracetamol, you can't get dispersible paracetamol rather than calpol as I think the amount of calpol needed for an adult would make anyone sick!

I wouldn't take him to ED tonight. He's drunk both water and Fanta today, he's lethargic because he has a nasty virus but he's also 17

Keep giving him the Calpol, he'll be fine to have it for more than 3 days.

I've used Calpol myself when I've had tonsillitis - you just dose it to the equivalent of a tablet. Easier on the stomach for me too.

Don't take him to A&E though. There are a lot of flu type bugs around at the moment, DD and I are just recovering after 10 days.