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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take my 24 month old to a pharmacist instead

60 replies

Emmmie · 08/04/2023 17:35

My 24 month old has woken up with a slight redness in the white of her eye and a bit of mucousy discharge. I am suspecting pink eye.

NHS suggests that this can be treated by a pharmacist for children over 2. However, the 111 is sending us to the A&E! I don't want my otherwise healthy baby to pick up a more serious illness in the A&E waiting room. Besides, we would be able to see the pharmacist sooner.

Am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
Aerosarethebest · 08/04/2023 17:39

Try the pharmacist first. You may as well. Worst that will happen is they’ll say no they’re not allowed to prescibe to under 3s and you go to a&e. They’ll be one near the a&e.

Morningcoffeeview · 08/04/2023 17:40

You are not being unreasonable but I wouldn’t have called 111 in the first place.

Busybody2022 · 08/04/2023 17:42

I would just take your 2 year old to the pharmacist. 111 will always be overly cautious

Original poster
Emmmie · 08/04/2023 17:43

Morningcoffeeview you are absolutely right. I was thinking the same thing.

I just called our pharmacy and they are completely out of medicine used to treat pink eye😕 They suggest I phone around.

OP posts:
GuineaPigPosie · 08/04/2023 17:46

Worst case you can order the drops online which is what I did when I picked it up. For some reason pharmacies seem to be short at the moment. But yes, do not take your child to A&E for conjunctivitis. If you really can't get drops after phoning around, wait until Tuesday and speak to your GP. I hope your DC feels better soon

blebbleb · 08/04/2023 17:47

I bought some online recently. My mum managed to get some from Sainsbury's recently. It's worth trying the supermarkets.

FlowersAndBonnets · 08/04/2023 17:48

When my little girl had this and was under 2 the pharmacist refused to treat her.

Yellowrosesmakemehappy · 08/04/2023 17:50

Was it 111 online? Or on the phone?

Cant imagine on what grounds or answer that was given they would have referred to A&E!

Can you travel to a different pharmacy? One in a large supermarket?

Lordofthebutterfloofs · 08/04/2023 17:50

YABU for saying 24month old instead of 2 year old.

tiredhadenough · 08/04/2023 17:52

Lordofthebutterfloofs · 08/04/2023 17:50

YABU for saying 24month old instead of 2 year old.

And for saying pink eye 🤣

Sorry OP I felt like I had fallen into an American drama!

Hope you got some help!

FlowersAndBonnets · 08/04/2023 17:52

Yellowrosesmakemehappy · 08/04/2023 17:50

Was it 111 online? Or on the phone?

Cant imagine on what grounds or answer that was given they would have referred to A&E!

Can you travel to a different pharmacy? One in a large supermarket?

They will have suggested A&E because GPs are closed over Easter and pharmacists won’t treat under 2s.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 08/04/2023 17:55

24 month olds are two. They are not babies either. If you used the correct language OP you would get better advice. Ask the pharmacy for advice on your TWO YEAR OLD

Original poster
Emmmie · 08/04/2023 17:59

24 month old - I wanted to make it clear she is over two years old as only GPs can prescribe for children under 2 and not pharmacists.

Pink Eye - I am sorry if I had offended anyone by saying this. I am a Canadian living in the UK which may explain it.

The 111 operator was asking me what concerns me more - the redness or the discharge. I said I believed they go hand in hand. She advised we have to be seen in A&E within 6 hours.

Happy to phone pharmacies or oder online but can we afford to wait until Tuesday? I am afraid there could be complications.

OP posts:
Lordofthebutterfloofs · 08/04/2023 18:03

Stop dicking about and get calling some local pharmacies. It's 6pm now you will be limited as to who is open.

Yellowrosesmakemehappy · 08/04/2023 18:04

FlowersAndBonnets · 08/04/2023 17:52

They will have suggested A&E because GPs are closed over Easter and pharmacists won’t treat under 2s.

Show quote history

but the child is 2?

tiredhadenough · 08/04/2023 18:06

@Emmmie you didn't offend me, sorry my comment is unnecessary really just made me chuckle!!

FionnulaTheCooler · 08/04/2023 18:09

The pharmacist should be able to prescribe something, my GP surgery refused to see DD the last time she had conjunctivitis because apparently its not worth their time bothering with when a pharmacist can do it instead. Hopefully you can find one thats open tomorrow morning.

PanettoneMoly · 08/04/2023 18:14

Crikey! DD is 2.5 and prone to conjunctivitis - she’s had it a few times under 2 where we used Brolene drops, which I think are anti bacterial and now the Optrex drops as she’s over two. However one of my friends treats her same age DD by just keeping eyes clean with cooled boiled water on a cotton pad on the advice of the local GP’s (and NHS website it would seem). Obviously would take further action if it persisted or got worse.

HiImTheProblemItsMe · 08/04/2023 18:19

My 3 dc have all had conjunctivitis under 2 - I've just wiped them with cooled boiled water and it's always cleared up within 48 hours. I'd just do that.

PinkButtercups · 08/04/2023 18:19

Pharmacy. They can give eye drops to over 2's over the counter if they need them.

Also if 111 have told A&E they've referred you over you might want to phone A&E and explain you went to pharmacy instead.

Ilikewinter · 08/04/2023 18:21

There will be late night pharmacies open and there will be some open tomorrow but you will have to go online to find out which. Pharmacists can treat children over 2.

DappledThings · 08/04/2023 18:22

HiImTheProblemItsMe · 08/04/2023 18:19

My 3 dc have all had conjunctivitis under 2 - I've just wiped them with cooled boiled water and it's always cleared up within 48 hours. I'd just do that.

Same. We've been through conjunctivitis 3 timed and only ever treated by wiping with cooled, boiled water.

Buggysleeper · 08/04/2023 18:23

Ointment is loads easier for a toddler, just say they are over 2. Drops are an impossible nightmare!

NannyR · 08/04/2023 18:24

HiImTheProblemItsMe · 08/04/2023 18:19

My 3 dc have all had conjunctivitis under 2 - I've just wiped them with cooled boiled water and it's always cleared up within 48 hours. I'd just do that.

Agree with this - if it's not making the child distressed, I would just keep the eye clean with cool, boiled water and if its still persisting by Tuesday see a pharmacist.

samqueens · 08/04/2023 18:38

Sorry OP but you’ll struggle to find a pharmacy over the bank holiday, so if 111 advised A&E I think you should go…

I’m sure it’s nothing/easily treatable etc but you won’t find it easy to access any medication via a chemist between now and Tuesday, and if there should be something serious with her eye(s) you do not want any delay.

Eyes can get really easily infected - when my DS hurt my eye and I was trying to tough it out, I was told by a GP friend to get the hell to the eye hospital in no uncertain terms!

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