To take our 12mo DS to A&E?

[Parkingmoan1]

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...

I don’t think it’s an A&E issue. Call 111 for advice, they will book an appointment with out of hours if necessary.

I’d phone 111, they may be able to get you an out of hours GP appointment and save you from a&e. Is there a reason you didn’t take him to a GP during the day? Has he gotten worse this evening?

Everything you've said sounds like teething. Even the diarrhoea is a classic teething.
I can be an anxious parent and tend to err on the side of caution but YABU to take your child to A&E for something that is neither an accident OR an emergency.

Reading back it sounds like teething 12 months prime time for molars which can be painful.
Is he passing urine ok??

My little one hates calpol and other types of paracetamol but took the Ashton and parsons teething granules and teething gel and they worked like a dream

Not an A&e situation. Temp not that high and sounds like eating and drinking a bit. Is he taking enough fluids ie sufficient full nappies?

I wouldn't go to A&E, I'd call 111 as they can often arrange an out of hours GP appointment for kids.

Sounds like teething to me, have you given him anything for the pain like calpol or nurofen? I wouldn’t take either of mine with those symptoms. As long as he is still getting some fluids and have wet/dirty nappies I’d wait and see the GP in the morning if you are still concerned.

Teething doesn't cause diarrhea. Op is it proper diarrhea? Ie is every stool liquidy? Not just one or two loose stools? Is he retaining anything at all? Is he retaining water?

If you think he might be dehydrated then I do think that's worth going to A n E. They will probably do a water or juice challenge to see if he retains anything and to get some fluids into him.

He doesn't have a high temperature so unlikely to be a very severe infection.

By the way every single time I've called 111 when the kids were babies they always sent me to A n E. They don't take a chance with babies.

I think if you are worried then do go to a n e. Better safe than sorry. I've been many times (pretty much always after being sent there by 111) and it's always turned out to be nothing and the doctor's always said that if in doubt they'd rather we go to A n E and get the baby checked out even if it turns out to be nothing. Prepare for a long wait though especially if his case doesn't sound serious.

Hope he's ok. Baby illnesses are so stressful.

I wouldn't have considered A&E for this. A gp appointment maybe at a push but it just sounds like teething. I imagine your husband will spend a few hours at A&E to be told the baby is fine.

"Some people think that teething causes other symptoms, such as diarrhoea, but there's no evidence to support this"

www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/teething/baby-teething-symptoms/#:~:text=Some%20people%20think%20that%20teething,no%20evidence%20to%20support%20this.

I can factually state that my daughter had terribly diarrhoea when she was teething…

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm aware that teething can cause a change in bowel movements but he's going through nappies at a crazy rate. He's probably taking in about 25% of his usual liquid intake so that coupled with the diarrhoea has me worried about dehydration.

I hope it is just teething but my gut says tonsillitis which ok can be treat easily with AB's from the GP but they're not likely to be able to help with dehydration in the surgery if he is indeed dehydrated.

I feel slightly reassured by the amount of you saying it doesn't sound serious though, so thank you. I do refute being called selfish because a poorly baby should always be checked out and I'm sure they'll say the same to DH.

You’re not unreasonable to want him seen but you need to call 111 for out of hours gp, not a&e.

Sorry, posted too soon.

I tried to get him in with our GP this morning. I called bang on 8am when they ask you to, waited on hold for about 45 minutes only to be told to call back tomorrow.

He has got worse as the day has gone on hence the sudden trip to A&E. He has been inconsolable, screaming, sobbing, refusing any liquid at all now. I've had to blow on his face just to get him to swallow some water.

I had exactly this last week with DD. And I mean exactly what you're describing. I called 111 and was sent to out of hours and it turned out to be an ear infection.

Call 111 and see if you can get an out of hours appointment. Sitting in a&e with him all night is not going to help.

I hear you are worried about dehydration, but again out of hours can check on this for you and will send you on to A&E if necessary.

Has he had Calpol/ibruprofen?

Gosh I really feel for you, it's horrible when they are like this. Especially at night. The long wait in A&E is almost unbearable tho, are you sure now is the right time to be going? Have you got some ice lollies or something he really likes? Have you dosed with paracetamol/ibrobufen (I'm sure you have). If it were me I'd try and wait till morning. It's a hard judgement to make. Even if you go to A&E in the morning after a few hours sleep.

You don’t need anyone here to justify your taking him to A&E, in our A&E you’d be triaged to the out of hours GP based in the hospital and you’d have a longer wait than someone who has called 111 and got a scheduled appointment.

Be prepared for a very long wait. DD once had a temp of 41 and a heart rate of 222bpm (yes you read that right) and it took 3hrs for her to even be seen by a nurse and this was 7 years ago.

Definitely do 111 as they will give you somewhere to go and a time.

You want to try get the best night you can not be trekking him out.

You know your child best - if it feels like a&e to you then take him. They always say they'd rather see a relatively well child than miss a very sick one.

If he's having regular wet nappies then I wouldn't. If he isn't then yes as he is likely dehydrated.

I think it would be silly not to call 111 first and potentially avoid hours of sitting in a waiting room. Last time we rang 111, they gave us a timed appointment at hospital for DD so we just turned up and were seen immediately. God knows how long we would have waited in A&E!

When your normal GP told you to call back tomorrow did you try a walk in centre or phone 111???

Proper diarrhea yes, every stool is just liquid and is varying from green to yellow.

I don't think he's retaining anything but not completely sure. He seems to have a constant supply of poo/liquid dispite not drinking much at all.

That's what I've always heard too - doctors would rather examine and there be nothing wrong than a parent not bring them in and it turns out to be something serious.

Thank you x

Could well be teething but you know your baby best. If you are worried about him take him to hospital - though it might be worth trying 111 first assuming there’s not a long wait. Hopefully you have a children’s A&E near you.