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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take our 12mo DS to A&E?

291 replies

Parkingmoan1 · 08/11/2022 19:43

We've already decided he's going so DH is getting ready to take him now but I would appreciate some feedback / WWYD? Also - does this sound familiar to any of you with your DC?

DS is 12mo and has had diarrhoea for the past 4 days. He isn't sleeping properly dispite being absolutely exhausted, I suspect something is hurting him which is stopping him from getting off to / staying asleep.

His temperature was last recorded as 37.7.

He isn't eating or drinking as well as he normally does which is a concern for dehydration. He's such a food baby usually and loves his milk. It appears (atleast to me) that swallowing liquid / food might be causing him some pain so I've asked DH to raise the possibility of tonsillitis. He is salivating much more than usual. I've had to put him back in bibs which we haven't used for months.

I might be way off but it's worth being queried right?

He's crying. Alot. He's usually such a happy boy but he's unrecognisable at the minute. Inconsolable.

So do you think we're doing the right thing taking him to A&E or do I sound like an anxious mum and it doesn't sound that serious to you? I couldn't get him in the doctors today hence the jump to A&E.

I'm going to feel like a massive idiot after all of this worry they come back and say something trivial like teething...

OP posts:
SleepyRich · 09/11/2022 08:02

Parkingmoan1 · 09/11/2022 07:44

No resolution unfortunately.

As worried as DH was to take him there he clearly wasn't worried enough to wait to see a doctor as he "cancelled" their place and left when he saw other people doing the same after a 5 hour wait.

He justified himself by saying there was a child throwing up all over the floor, multiple people complaining etc.

I'm furious because now I have to restart the process all myself. I'll ring my GP in 10 minutes as they told me to do yesterday and I'll plead my case for an urgent appointment.

What a fucking idiot. If a child is so unwell as to need A&E (even if you're just being cautious) they're unwell enough to need to wait regardless

I wouldnt be too harsh on your DH, often sitting there in the ENVIRONMENT at hospital you can realise maybe a regular gp appointment is all that's required. Plus when you see how busy everything is first hand you soon see how over stretched the resources are and not wish to add to it.

EricNorthmanYesPlease · 09/11/2022 08:17

BryceQuinlanTheFirst · 08/11/2022 20:33

Every time I've called 111 about a baby they have told me to go to A&E.

If you're worried about dehydration that's the best place to be

Sadly it depends on the day. My 18 month old got a really baď whack to the head at a play centre. I rang them straight away whilst driving in the direction of the hospital. 1st she wouldnt speak to me as i was on hands free, 2nd it took 4 minutes to determine what road i was on (pointless as i wasnt calling on ambulance), 3rd they ask ridiculous queations. Do they have a sore neck, or their speech affected..... finally i was told id get a call back from a medical professional. I did get a call back 8 hours later telling me to keep an eye on her.
Utterly utterly ridiculous.
Thankfully she wad fine but i was trying to avoid the A and e scenario and had we not lived next door to the hospital i would have taken her in.

Original poster
Parkingmoan1 · 09/11/2022 08:19

He has an appointment at 9.40am and im taking him myself, I've let my work know that I'll be late in and why.

OP posts:
Justisme · 09/11/2022 08:22

Good OP. I know how horrible it is to see your child sick so you must be going through it right now. I hope the gp can help shed some light and provide treatment

YukoandHiro · 09/11/2022 08:25

Good luck OP. Hope everyone is feeling a little better this morning. Looking after a sick toddler is not easy x

PutOnAHappyFace · 09/11/2022 09:10

Hope your DS is feeling better soon, illness or teething both are awful and just as worrying to see your baby so unwell.

arethereanyleftatall · 09/11/2022 09:10

WRT going to a&e for this. It isn't just about weighing up whether you're wasting resources are not. It's also about what's best for your baby. As a&e is stressful and bug ridden vs his comfy bed.
I wouldn't be too angry at your dh bringing him home. If he's been triaged and isn't being seen 5 hours later, that would indicate it's not that bad. He also probably realised the environment wasn't doing him any favours.
Good luck at the gp today.

Dinkyboo · 09/11/2022 09:10

Good luck hope he's OK x

HotCoffee22 · 09/11/2022 09:14

EricNorthmanYesPlease · 09/11/2022 08:17

Sadly it depends on the day. My 18 month old got a really baď whack to the head at a play centre. I rang them straight away whilst driving in the direction of the hospital. 1st she wouldnt speak to me as i was on hands free, 2nd it took 4 minutes to determine what road i was on (pointless as i wasnt calling on ambulance), 3rd they ask ridiculous queations. Do they have a sore neck, or their speech affected..... finally i was told id get a call back from a medical professional. I did get a call back 8 hours later telling me to keep an eye on her.
Utterly utterly ridiculous.
Thankfully she wad fine but i was trying to avoid the A and e scenario and had we not lived next door to the hospital i would have taken her in.

Show quote history

That wasn’t ridiculous, their questions sound entirely appropriate as does their response.

Cantbebotheredwithchores · 09/11/2022 09:16

@EricNorthmanYesPlease those questions are appropriate as they rule out head injury red flags

purplemama1990 · 09/11/2022 10:25

You're not being unreasonable to be worried about your son. If you feel like something is off then it won't do any harm to take him to be checked. But I would honestly prefer to wait until morning and ring the GPs rather than sit in A&E for hours on end...

Lollypop701 · 09/11/2022 11:13

Hope you’re little baby is ok op. Ignore the haters

Original poster
Parkingmoan1 · 09/11/2022 11:51

Update: He has bacterial tonsillitis.

He also has multiple teeth coming through so a bit of a double whammy for him and its no wonder he's feeling miserable.

I didn't know this but apparently the immune system is weakened when teething and babies are much more likely to pick something up then.

Prescribed AB's for the tonsillitis, dioralyte to replenish his fluids and recommended anbesol for his gums which may well help the pain of the tonsillitis too.

OP posts:
Wheresthebeach · 09/11/2022 11:52

Glad you got the help you needed and hope your little one starts to feel better soon.

ChecoPerez · 09/11/2022 11:52

Glad he's been seen OP. Let's hope he's on the mend soon

LookItsMeAgain · 09/11/2022 11:54

I read that he had been recommended anusol for his gums and I was thinking that's not right! Took a second read and was mightly relieved that it wasn't that.

Delighted that you got sorted and that your son will be on the mend in no time. Hope the teething goes well too.

3sthemagicnumber · 09/11/2022 11:55

Glad he's been seen. Tonsillitis can be awful in babies and toddlers - we had hospital admissions with it with DS when he was little. In my (sadly considerable) experience of it, it's one of the things where the antibiotics really do work fast, so I hope your DS is on the mend soon.

Bywayofanupdate · 09/11/2022 11:57

GP

Original poster
Parkingmoan1 · 09/11/2022 11:57

LookItsMeAgain · 09/11/2022 11:54

I read that he had been recommended anusol for his gums and I was thinking that's not right! Took a second read and was mightly relieved that it wasn't that.

Delighted that you got sorted and that your son will be on the mend in no time. Hope the teething goes well too.

Oh god that has tickled me 😂

OP posts:
User963 · 09/11/2022 12:08

Did the GP think the diaharrea was from the tonsillitis or the teething?

YukoandHiro · 09/11/2022 12:09

Your poor little baby! Hope he starts feeling much better soon

WitchyOsmansXraySpectre · 09/11/2022 12:12

Glad you sorted it eventually!!
Hope he's on the mend soon.

The NHS needs a serious overhaul. Having to beg to get a GP appointment for a sick baby or waiting 6 hours in A&E, where did it all go wrong?

BabyGrooverBug · 09/11/2022 12:40

Parkingmoan1 · 09/11/2022 11:51

Update: He has bacterial tonsillitis.

He also has multiple teeth coming through so a bit of a double whammy for him and its no wonder he's feeling miserable.

I didn't know this but apparently the immune system is weakened when teething and babies are much more likely to pick something up then.

Prescribed AB's for the tonsillitis, dioralyte to replenish his fluids and recommended anbesol for his gums which may well help the pain of the tonsillitis too.

Thanks for reporting back. Hope he feels better soon.

HotCoffee22 · 09/11/2022 12:41

Glad you have an answer OP - the Antibs work really quickly with tonsillitis .

Peashoots · 09/11/2022 12:53

Glad he’s sorted op and hope he’s better soon 💐
I wouldn’t be harsh on your husband though. Tonsillitis is something that can be sorted by your GP, and guaranteed your baby will have felt better at home tucked up in his bed overnight with calpol than sat in a noisy bright (and yes, germ ridden) A&E For 5 hours+. I think he made the right call.