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?

@kege in terms of getting vitamins down him, have you tried paediasure? It tastes like a Yazoo milkshake, but has vitamins in. If your child needs more than the vitamins already in it, buying them as liquid drops and sneaking them in isn't too bad

I'm worried as hes not eaten for a few days and he's already underweight, think he was just over 6 stone a couple of weeks ago but he might be under that now

Calpol six plus is 250mg per 5ml so 10ml Is the equivalent to one tablet

Some posters are complete dicks.

I once posted about my very unwell ds (16 at the time) and giving him calpol and all anyone focussed on was his age and why I was using that.

Even when I said it wasn't relevant to post and he had a degenerative neuromuscular condition and therefore can't swallow tablets because of his oral muscular difficulties people posted advice about how to teach him.

It's as if most parents of older children haven't worked out for themselves they could give tablets and don't for a reason 🤦🏼‍♀️

Anyway OP. I hope he's feeling better today. It's such a worry when they are so Unwell at a older age because they seem so child like and are ill like a child and it's unusual when they are pretty much adults.

Despite all the issues presented with ARFID,

Have you parented a child who is very unwell with ARFiD and severely underweight? At that stage it is as dangerous as anorexia. ARFID is really not just fussy eating and can be very serious.

I'm pretty sure if this was an anorexic teenage girl the advice would be different and it shouldn't be. Lots of comments about him being a grown man and being babied. The OP also mentioned that he is maybe autistic. Autistic young people can be far more emotionally immature than their peers.

He may of course not need A and E but none of us are there to make that judgement. And advice from posters who don't understand ARFID, saying that a young person who is not eating and who has a serious eating disorder, shouldn't go to A and E is really quite concerning.

OP I would ignore advice on here and follow any plans that you have been given around his eating and drinking. We have a risk management plan from the team that treated Ds's ARFID and I would follow that, if you have one.

Have you called 111 yet? They're your first port of call rather than A&E.

Call 111

Would a paracetamol suppository be more suitable than oral medication?

You must be worried out of your mind OP. Your gut is telling you a&e, go with it. Sounds like he is dehydrated and malnourished as well as being severely unwell.

Well it never had much effect on my kids past the age of 12. Which is why I asked our pharmacist if there was an alternative as they won't take tablet's. And he recommended soluble paracetamol.

have you tested for Covid?

at 17, is calpol still suitable? How big is he?

OP has said he's under 6 stone!

That's very slight for a 17yr old boy.

OP, mine used to throw up calpol- it was the calpol itself that caused the problem. Is there anything else he can take instead? Have you tried an off brand liquid paracetamol?

Same with the people I know who have Covid currently.

OP - you've tested him the other day, but it is def worth testing him again. I know loads of people who tested negative for several days when they had Omicron, then positive. My sister only tested positive on the 7th day of feeling ill.

How is he today op? I have ARFID so totally understand. It does sound very much like Covid, we’ve all had the same symptoms. Would you ds take effervescent paracetamol in a small amount of whatever he likes to drink?

My sister was the same Roomba, she had terrible D&V for a full week, constantly testing negative then a strong positive on day 8.

The instructions on calpol are for children, not grown men. He can likely take a higher dosage and for more than 3 days when ill.

You can get liquid paracetamol for adults which will have an appropriate dose on it. He do

He doesn't sound like he needs A&E, it's just a virus. Rest and fluids will likely sort him out.

Not eating for a few days won't kill him as long as he is drinking. I wouldn't bother trying to bring down his temp either if the calpol is making him sick. It's not dangerously high and is serving a purpose.

Not eating for a few days won't kill him as long as he is drinking.

As he has a serious eating disorder and is underweight, it could make him very ill.

As he’s already underweight and getting medicines and fluids in him are difficult i would call 111/out of hours GP. Watch for signs of dehydration. Not sure you can use sachets to rehydrate. Get some advice.

Not in the space of 2 days when he is still drinking calorific drinks like Fanta. Its far from ideal but as long as he is taking in calories from somewhere, I'd give it a bit longer before taking him in to hospital.

I'd quit the calpol too, he's bringing more up than is going in otherwise and unless his temperature is out of control, it isn't worth it.

If it comes to it then the next step would be a suppository.

Are you a medical professional though?

I think OP needs to speak to 111 for some guidance. That's what it's there for.

Neither are you. She asked for opinions. Presumably she isnt going to be acting on JUST those opinions. 111 is a good shout. But the question was should she take him to A&E? In my opinion, he isn't quite at that point yet.

OP, you could also try ready salted crisps. For some reason they're a bit easier to stomach when feeling sick and the salt would do him good. The headache won't be helped by not drinking enough, would he suck an ice pop or lolly?

OP, you could also try ready salted crisps

He has ARFID, people who have this serious eating disorder have a very limited and restricted diet. And are unlikely to eat something that is not on their safe list.

They might well be on his safe list. Why are people so argumentative? If he won't eat them then he won't eat them, if he does like them then he might.

Not argumentative at all. Just concerned that a parent whose child has an eating disorder and is very unwell is being told to give him crisps instead of seeking the medical care that he may need at A and E.

Having had personal experience of severe ARFID, young people with eating disorders can go downhill quickly. The very specialist team that we worked with would always advise A and E if there was concerns that intake was poor. People significantly underweight with an eating disorder can have numerous medical complications that can be life threatening, if not treated.

For a 17 that doesn't have an eating disorder, then I agree it really wouldn't seem like an A and E situation at all and the advise to give fluids, sleep it off and phone 111 if concerned, seems completely right. But this could be different and he might in fact be far more unwell, due to his underlying condition.