GP or Hospital for Daughter?

[AskingforAdvice87]

My daughter is 8 and has autism and has always been healthy and had a good immune system.

Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed she always seems to be unwell, particularly with feeling sick and being sick, it’s now getting to the point where she is physically sick once a week and feels sick every other day.

She was vomiting over the weekend and now she’s up again this morning after being over a sick bowl for the last 2 hours. I have spoken to the GP and they haven’t really said or done much but it just doesn’t seem normal?

She’s definitely not lying to get out of school or has anxiety about school etc - because of her autism her mental age is probably half of her actual age - I don’t think she actually knows what a lie is if that makes sense! Plus she enjoys being at school because she hates being stuck at home.

Something just seems not right, do I try again with the GP or there is a specialised children’s A&E unit at one of our local hospitals… do I try there instead?

I’m just getting quite desperate now, and it’s always in the mornings this is happening and I know that can be a bit of an alarm bell for perhaps some more serious things going on (although highly unlikely I know, not to be dramatic!)

Also keep an eye on her histamine intake as that can also be a trigger. Lots of crossover between IBS and histamine intolerance.

Yes if she is constipated she could be throwing up as no more space. Mine was too, def get referred to paediatrics. If bad enough celiac can be diagnosed with a blood test.

It could be anxiety especially if it's just in the mornings. My DD has this for a while, partly anxiety and partly constipation. It took 3 GPs and a trip to A&E, she was vomiting everything up and in bad pain. Could also be a food allergy or if she's had a tummy bug recently there can be ongoing effects for quite a while. My DS spent 6-8 weeks vomiting every few days after a tummy bug, though it wasn't only in the mornings. Some kids can be sensitive to lactose after a tummy bug too. While I wouldn't say it's normal there's a lot of potential causes that don't necessitate a trip to hospital.

I'd try and find a good GP and maybe keep a food diary to see if you can find any connection. The tricky part is it's not always the last food they ate. Also if it's more often on certain days, my Autistic anxious DD found days where they had a different specialist teacher or PE much harder and she'd feel sick from anxiety a lot more often on those days. Writing it all down could help, both to look for connections and you can show a new GP how much it's effecting her and how it's ongoing.

GP and get her tested for coeliacs. Its terribly under diagnosed

Of course you wouldn't mind a patient taking their child to A&E opposed to speaking to their GP.
That is why over 300 people sat in our A&E yesterday the majority with GP level complaints. 🙄

OP has tried the GP route already as per thier OP.

GP not taking a child with persistent sickness seriously. That doesn't leave a parent with too many options.

Not sure why you're taking this tone. Although GP is the best route here, this child may well need an urgent scan, so personally I don't think it would be too inappropriate for a concerned lay parent to present to A&E with this - Mum has said in her OP that she is worried about malignancy.

What is your role in A&E?

Ask GP for blood test for coeliac, it is common, under diagnosed and associated with autism too.