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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not take DS to A&E

176 replies

IAmADancer · 09/01/2023 13:09

asking for your thoughts.

DS has dropped a 2kg dumbbell on his foot. He thought he would ‘try and see if he could lift it’

I have iced it, raised it and tried to get swelling down. He originally said it didn’t hurt but he’s now saying it’s painful to touch and he is walking in a funny way. DH said to take him to A&E, I feel this isn’t best course of action. GP won’t do anything.

I have attached a picture, am I being a bad mother not taking him to A&E? It is swollen but I think they’ll just say to ice it and give painkillers

To not take DS to A&E
OP posts:
Patineur · 10/01/2023 11:34

Longleggedgiraffe · 10/01/2023 10:57

Why are you seeking advice on medical matters on here? Your son has had a nasty accident. Take him to either A&E or at the very least, your GP. This isn’t any time to be fanning around and I’m amazed at your reluctance to seek professional medical attention.

OP took her son to A&E yesterday afternoon.

GettingItOutThere · 10/01/2023 11:44

any news OP?

id have gone in too with that

Notgoodatchoosingnames · 10/01/2023 12:16

I hope all is ok. My son had a similar injury and I was sure it wasn't broken but took him the following day, he had a broken foot 😏better safe than sorry

Dailydripfed · 10/01/2023 12:54

Forgooodnesssakenow · 10/01/2023 03:10

I wouldn't rush to a and e in the current climate for that. I'd ask myself if it was life threatening or unmanageably painful and what the consequences would be if waiting to call 111 and get their advice. Then I'd hope they'd send us to a minor injuries or advise wait until the morning for a GP referral to an x-ray clinic.

3 reasons for this

  1. What are they realistically going to do about a broken pinky toe that can't wait 24 hours if he's not in horrific pain while we rice the foot.
  1. There are up to 12 hour waits in some a and e departments, does this belong in that backlog? Does it serve a child in pain to do that wait rather than have pain relief etc at home then have x-ray tomorrow via GP?
  1. Is it bad enough to risk catching the 50 different communicable diseases we'd leave the hospital with? But then I have a kid with febrile seizures so I worry about this above all else.

Seriously though I'm shocked ho many would attend a and e for this

It needs an x-ray to check for any fractures. You can’t tell just by looking, but definitely has the potential and correct symptoms to be a metatarsal fracture. I’m seriously shocked that some people wouldn’t take their child to A&E when they potentially have a broken foot. You’d just leave them in pain and leave the fracture to start the healing process when it’s out of place and will heal wrong and cause more pain and complications further down the road? Isn’t it classed as neglect to not have your children seen by a doctor when it’s needed?

IAmWomanHearMeRoar1 · 10/01/2023 13:01

I've had two fractured foots (one on the left, one on the right), both hairline metatarsal fractures, and I was able to half walk on my heel and side of my foot (I looked completely stupid, but, hey, it was easier than using the crutches). I was in a bit of pain, but I could walk on it in a specific location and way. It is a complete and total myth, an absolute load of steaming bullshit that 'if you can walk on it, it's not broken'. Biggest load of heaped steaming bullshit! That people still believe this, in 2023, is astounding. When I fractured my feet (2000 and 2009 respectively) it shocked me even then that people truly believed that because I could (sort of) walk on it, it wasn't fractured. Where do people get these lies from, and how in 2023 are people still repeating them as if it's true? It's like an old wives tale that won't ever go away.

MrsMitford3 · 10/01/2023 13:07

here for the update @IAmADancer how is he?

Forgooodnesssakenow · 10/01/2023 13:43

Dailydripfed · 10/01/2023 12:54

It needs an x-ray to check for any fractures. You can’t tell just by looking, but definitely has the potential and correct symptoms to be a metatarsal fracture. I’m seriously shocked that some people wouldn’t take their child to A&E when they potentially have a broken foot. You’d just leave them in pain and leave the fracture to start the healing process when it’s out of place and will heal wrong and cause more pain and complications further down the road? Isn’t it classed as neglect to not have your children seen by a doctor when it’s needed?

Show quote history

I would call 111 who would send me to our local minor injuries for an x-ray
If I didn't have a minor injuries 111 would advise on the best option.

A and E is not the best place for an injured child whose injury just requires an x-ray. If it was an arm or a leg or a head injury where significant harm could come from leaving it it's different.

Also, what pain relief do you think a and e will provide a child while they wait for 6 hours? Calpol and neurofen same as you'd give at home but you'll wait in a queue for it to be organised for you.

It would absolutely not be neglectful in ops case to call 111 or depending on the child's symptoms wait for a GP appt and x-ray referral the next morning.

What would be the difference in outcome and experience for the child either way?

Forgooodnesssakenow · 10/01/2023 13:44

IAmWomanHearMeRoar1 · 10/01/2023 13:01

I've had two fractured foots (one on the left, one on the right), both hairline metatarsal fractures, and I was able to half walk on my heel and side of my foot (I looked completely stupid, but, hey, it was easier than using the crutches). I was in a bit of pain, but I could walk on it in a specific location and way. It is a complete and total myth, an absolute load of steaming bullshit that 'if you can walk on it, it's not broken'. Biggest load of heaped steaming bullshit! That people still believe this, in 2023, is astounding. When I fractured my feet (2000 and 2009 respectively) it shocked me even then that people truly believed that because I could (sort of) walk on it, it wasn't fractured. Where do people get these lies from, and how in 2023 are people still repeating them as if it's true? It's like an old wives tale that won't ever go away.

I don't think anyone is saying it's definitely not broken, just questioning whether IF it IS broken, does it require aa and e with a long wait etc or are there better options?

Dailydripfed · 11/01/2023 02:17

Forgooodnesssakenow · 10/01/2023 13:43

I would call 111 who would send me to our local minor injuries for an x-ray
If I didn't have a minor injuries 111 would advise on the best option.

A and E is not the best place for an injured child whose injury just requires an x-ray. If it was an arm or a leg or a head injury where significant harm could come from leaving it it's different.

Also, what pain relief do you think a and e will provide a child while they wait for 6 hours? Calpol and neurofen same as you'd give at home but you'll wait in a queue for it to be organised for you.

It would absolutely not be neglectful in ops case to call 111 or depending on the child's symptoms wait for a GP appt and x-ray referral the next morning.

What would be the difference in outcome and experience for the child either way?

Show quote history

Perhaps things are different where you live, but where I am our minor injuries Centre doesn’t have an x ray machine. They’d just send you straight to A&E in the city. When my eldest broke their 3rd metatarsal, our wait time in A&E was about 30mins in total, 20 min to wait for the x ray and another 10 mins waiting to see the doctor after who confirmed it was broken and sorted a special shoe that had to be worn for 6 weeks. None of this could be done at our minor injuries, it would be a waste of time to go their and waste the staff’s time too as they’d just tell us to go to A&E.

malificent7 · 11/01/2023 02:32

The ottawa rules are used in healthcare and they suggest anyone who cannot weight bear should have an xray but i think they need updating

Mommybunny · 11/01/2023 17:56

Last October my DD15 snapped her neck and was in a fair bit of pain on and off. Her school insisted I take her to A&E because “they could manipulate it back into place” 😳 so I dutifully did with dread (and a fair bit of scepticism) in my heart. The waiting room was overflowing but when we went to triage they sent us through to the paediatric section which was much less crowded and we were in and out in less than two hours. The doctor who ultimately saw her gave me a polite wtf look when I told him what the school had said and I apologised profusely for wasting his time but that’s another story. The point is when you take a child to A&E you may not wait as long as you would with an adult.

Am also curious to know about OP’s DS!

PennySc · 11/01/2023 17:59

Because the waiting hours in a&e are horrendous 😥

BradfordGirl · 11/01/2023 18:04

@Dailydripfed That is a pain. Our minor injuries unit has an x-ray machine.

TheWitchOfShields · 11/01/2023 18:08

Get it checked!

I dropped a full 500ml bottle of shampoo in the shower on the top of my foot and broke bones in the top of my foot, which only hurt when I touched it/walked. I also had a huge marble hearth fall over on my other foot and broke bones - thankfully not at the same time but within months of each other.

I remember my uncle telling my parents not to take me to A&E when I fell off the top of a slide as he was sure I'd 'only bruised it' because I wasn't screaming in pain.... 30 odd years later I'm still suffering after actually breaking my shoulder and collarbone in 4 places! Luckily my mother saw sense and took me to A&E

niugboo · 11/01/2023 18:10

That definitely needs an x ray.

J3001 · 11/01/2023 18:11

I would say A&E if no walk in our walk in center has a xray part

niugboo · 11/01/2023 18:13

@Forgooodnesssakenow GP or 111 will not advise going to minor injuries or if the local doesn’t have x ray then A&E, because bones heal fast and need resetting. Broken bones can also lead to circulation issues and loss of limb. This is terrible advice.

NeedWineNow · 11/01/2023 18:18

ClemDanFango · 09/01/2023 15:43

Glad you decided to go in. I hobbled around for two days on a similar injury and it ended up being a broken 5th metatarsal.

Same. I fell off a step and my foot turned underneath. I was away at the time but got home a day or so later with a bruised and swollen foot and DH whisked me up to our Minor Injuries unit where an x-ray revealed a minor fracture of the 5th metatarsal. Luckily I didn't need any plaster or a boot, it was just strapped up and I was advised to wear supportive shoes like my trainers for a while.

Icantfindmykeys · 11/01/2023 18:20

Ahh well done for taking him. I didn’t take my DS when a tin of paint fell on his toe…. He is now in his 20’s and I’d say he did break it as it now sticks out and a funny angle!!! I hope you don’t have to wait too long.

ortonym · 11/01/2023 18:27

Wasn't at a gym, was he
As in this thread

MerryMarigold · 11/01/2023 18:30

Son broke his hand recently. We didn't take him for several days because he didn't seem in that much pain, but then phoned the GP when it went improving and he said to take him straight away for x-ray. It was broken through!

Bookloverjay · 11/01/2023 18:32

Hope he's okay.

Do please let us know how he is

RachaelN · 11/01/2023 18:36

This is what minor injuries is for. Not a&E

Borgonzola · 11/01/2023 18:40

I once broke a small bone in my wrist. I wasn't screaming in pain but it was still broken. The threshold for A&E isn't loud vocalisations. Agree per PP that MIU would be your best bet.

Fluffycloudland77 · 11/01/2023 18:52

My big toe looked like that when I broke it. I didn't go to a+e as I was a podiatrist at the time & reasoned it was ok but I'm an adult.

I could walk on it, painfully.