I can't go back to A n E immediately, can I?

[InTrussWeTruss]

Ds (14 months) has been having a bad cold and high temperature for 5 days. I just took him to A n E because he's just sleeping and csl%ol and nurofen aren't really bringing the temp down significantly and he hasn't eaten anything for days. Anyway we spent ok afternoon there and they checked him over and said it's just viral (probably rsv) and he should be better in a few days. I asked them when to worry and they said no wet nappies, lethargy and cold hands and feet.

We've been at home for an hour and now he's worse than ever. He's having chills. His temperature is 40.3C and his hands and feet are cold. His skin is mottled. I have just given him nurofen again and he's sleeping now. I don't know what to do. Surely if they've just seen him it can't be that serious right? Chest, ears and throat they said are fine. No UTI.

I'm sure if I call 111 they'll send me to a n e. They always do for small kids. Ugggh.

There's too much other shit going on as well but I'm really worried for Ds.

Even his feet are warm now.

Some children get a mottled skin with fever. Ditto cold hands and feet w a virus. But whether it's normal for your child only you can say. If your dh wants to get him checked out again you should let him. If your gut says he's OK he quite possibly is but he won't be less OK because another doctor looks at him.

Dear lord - we are all telling you to go. Please, listen. You need to go. Listen to your husband. Listen to us. Sepsis is no joke.

OP WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU???

Take your child to A&E!!!!

You'd have probably be seen by now if you actually went to A&E instead of making this post fgs.

Op if something is seriously wrong are you going to look back and think 'but at least I got the washing done'

Now his temperature is down to 38 as well

The forehead thermometers are not accurate they don’t take the body temperature. The ear one’s are better. Cool him down with a tepid flannel he’s at risk of seizures with a temperature. Most important is he drinks fluids, milk is actually best to keep you hydrated. Because it takes longer to pass through and he will get some nutrition from it. Let him eat what he wants even if it’s biscuits it’s better than nothing.

I literally just got back from the hospital 2 days ago for my child being treated with suspected sepsis.

Her temperature was 38 and they didn't send us back home. They treated her as though she had sepsis even though she didn't. Everything came back clear.

I couldn't imagine how awful I would have felt if I delayed going in and something happened to her.

OP, trying to get medical advice from an online forum is useless in these circumstances. If you're concerned, absolutely go back to A&E because nobody can diagnose online and seeking confirmation that it was fine for another poster once upon a time is quite a risk that I certainly wouldn't take.

Listen to this lady and stop dithering OP!

Emergency care nurse here - take him back. Now. Honestly, no nurse or doctor worth their registration would blame you for it or think any less of you my lovely. Cold extremities plus mottling needs ruling out irrespective of anything else and a temp of 40+ not reducing with regular meds is a sign something isn't right x

When I measured her temp at home it was 37. But my instincts told me to go in so I did.

Hope you've gone back by now but I'm another one saying yes of course you can. And should.

You're his mom.
You get to make the final decision.
You don't need our permission to not take him but don't expect it either.

Imagine if you didn't get medical help on the advice of somebody here?

You posted this nearly an hour ago asking whether you should go, everyone has said yes and yet you’ve spent the whole time arguing about why you shouldn’t go. Not sure what you were hoping for from this thread if you were just going to ignore all advice given

Not necessarily. All three of my kids got a temp over 40 every time they were ill when they were little. Never needed an a&e visit, was just how their bodies managed infections. Had
a 42.3C at home that didn’t need a hospital or doctor visit as child wasn’t unwell with it. Temp on its own doesn’t mean a lot- it’s how the body naturally deals with trying to kill of invading bacteria and viruses.

He doesn't have these symptoms anymore, no cold extremities, no mottling and his temp is down to 38

Exactly what they said to us yesterday and gave us open access to the CAU until DS feels better.

Mottled skin, cold hands and feet are signs of temperature the temperature is now under control that's why hands have warmed up and skin back to normal. My dd was very sickly baby in and out of a n e for for this very reason most times it was viral some times it was chest/throat/ear infection.

Hi OP,
I’m a consultant paediatrician. Please take him back to A&E. If you’ve recently been discharged and they have your record as such, they may suggest admitting you directly to ward, or prioritise seeing you - it depends on local policy. The reason they ask you to come back if things get worse is because we know it is just a snapshot when they are seen - kids change quickly.
Chances are, they are right, and it is a virus. But, there is a small but significant risk of sepsis. The actual level of temperature makes little difference (well, that’s what the textbooks say, although most of us crack at around 40C!), and having a high temperature isn’t harmful in itself. The problem is, they look and feel awful when they’re that hot, so differentiating from sepsis is trickier. The mottled skin, cold peripheries - signs of fever, or also septic shock?
A test you can do at home is press down hard enough to blanch his skin over the breast bone then release - the colour should snap back in under 2 seconds if the blood is circulating properly. If it takes significantly longer, that is urgent and could be a sign he is shutting down. Unfortunately, a quick refill time isn’t necessarily an indication all is well; I’d still strongly recommend getting him rechecked. Returning as per safety net advice is perceived as a good thing by the medics.
I prefer a longer, grumbling duration of illness to a rapid recent onset, as sepsis tends to progress quickly. However, if I had sent him home, I’d still be asking him to come back.
Good luck with this! Hope he bounces back in that “what were you thinking, imagining I could be seriously unwell” way they have!

I would take him back 38 is high. If they send him home again could you possibly get him to a childrens hospital?

Mine would have died if I hadn't he was negligently sent home. Trust your instincts.

You obviously don't want to take him but as your husband is worried why can't he take your son?
If he's had ibuprofen surely it's just masking the symptoms and they could return once the medicine wears off.
Tell your husband to take him. It's probably fine but you know you'll never forgive yourself if something happens to him because he wasn't checked out.

Opposite to my child who got sent home really ill. Glad yours was OK.

I hope your DS is okay. I remember contacting a medical professional I knew once for advice on whether I'd be seen as a time waster to take DD to A&E about something. He said anything with kids tends to be justifiable, because a mother's intuition is almost always right, so please take him back. Thinking of you x