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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Another A&E thread

534 replies

MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 12/10/2023 21:53

AIBU to take granddaughter to hospital this evening or will it wait?

She's been having headaches regularly this year. She describes pounding and pain in eye. GP said eye test - optician immediately said that she could see a large prescription. DG had glasses then three months later had another checkup and a stronger pair prescribed. She's due back in December. So I'm assuming that they're increasing the strength of the glasses in increments.

Her headaches have persisted. This current one she's had since last Friday. I picked her up from school on Monday and could tell that each footstep was making her wince with pain. She couldn't sleep Monday night because of pain and feeling sick. We've been alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen for pain relief. Saw GP on Tuesday who said it was nothing sinister but was referring her to paediatrician. This evening she was complaining of eye and nose pain and appeared to be light sensitive. She's woken in pain a couple of hours after she went to bed and her eyelid is drooping.

Is this worth a trip to A&E?

We're very worried.

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Mirabai · 14/10/2023 19:17

Mumloveswine · 14/10/2023 19:03

Hello, optometrist here; I haven’t read all the post but if they’ve ruled out Horner’s syndrome, then she needs an MRI ASAP. The eyelid shouldn’t droop and the pupil shouldn’t be smaller. Prescriptions change, or we prescribe lower to help adaptation etc, ignore this for the time being; wrong prescriptions don’t cause the physical symptoms you describe.

It may be that one of the pupils is dilated rather than one is smaller.

Somuchgoo · 14/10/2023 19:23

As I strongly suggested the other day, you need to push for a scan. She met the criteria then, even more so now.

Original poster
MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 19:31

Think we will wait until we get the new prescription but look into finding a private paediatrician in the meantime. Closest one seems to be Leeds Spire.

Her initial headaches seemed to coincide with mine and her aunty's - which are more prevalent spring and autumn @Superscientist

She's only just 7 yrs - youngest in yr 3.

Will be asking teacher to mover her to the front of class on Monday - she couldn't see the board on Thursday. (Assuming she stops being sick.)

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Jasmine222 · 14/10/2023 19:33

OP, she needs a brain scan right now. I'm not a doctor but all these symptoms including the high blood pressure and the drooping eyelid point to some kind of increased pressure in her brain. It's not normal for her to be suffering like this. You need to go back to A&E and demand an MRI.

Username82y · 14/10/2023 19:34

Cluster headaches are genetic. It may be the poor soul has been struck with them extremely young. Spring and Autumn, for some reason, tend to be when clusters strike.

Mirabai · 14/10/2023 19:38

MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 19:31

Think we will wait until we get the new prescription but look into finding a private paediatrician in the meantime. Closest one seems to be Leeds Spire.

Her initial headaches seemed to coincide with mine and her aunty's - which are more prevalent spring and autumn @Superscientist

She's only just 7 yrs - youngest in yr 3.

Will be asking teacher to mover her to the front of class on Monday - she couldn't see the board on Thursday. (Assuming she stops being sick.)

Like, Monday.

need2findwork · 14/10/2023 19:38

Sometimes, you really need to self advocate. I think this is one of this occasions. I would go back to a&e and not leave without a scan.

Jasmine222 · 14/10/2023 19:40

Increased pressure in her brain would also explain the sudden loss of vision that's getting worse. It also explains the high blood pressure, drooping eyelid, vomiting, severe headache... as a parent I'd go straight back to A&E and Im no hypochondriac... the only time Ive taken one of my kids to A&E is when he was vomiting for 2 days straight and passing out from dehydration-they put him on a drip.
I really feel this is more than a migraine and far more urgent.

Chimpandcheese · 14/10/2023 19:41

As a paediatric nurse of over twenty years, I definitely think she needs to be seen urgently by a consultant paediatrician /neurologist . That’s quite a rapid deterioration in her vision, and the other symptoms are persisting beyond what you might expect them to if it was a migraine. I don’t wish to alarm you but I think as a family you need to start making a fuss; if we’d had her in my hospital she would have had an urgent CT or MRI scan. They can’t dismiss this as migraine in a child this age with these symptoms - other causes need to be ruled out. Please let us know how she gets on. If you get seen by the right doctors you won’t need to go private. Ask GP for an urgent referral to a paediatric neurologist, or go to a big hospital ED like Leeds or Bradford.

Zippedydoodahday · 14/10/2023 19:42

I would be wanting an MRI to rule out anything pressing on the optic nerve. My friend had similar as a child and after many years a benign tumour was eventuality diagnosed.

pashminadreamer · 14/10/2023 19:46

MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 17:45

So granddaughter still has headache and pain in right eye is more severe and lid continues to droop for hours at a time. She has been sick twice today (was not at school yesterday).

She's been to the optician today - her eyes look healthy. Optician said to wait for paediatrician appointment, they will probably order scans. Wonder what for?

Her first ever appointment at the optician was in June this year - her prescription was +1.25 and +1.75. In September it was +2.25 and +2.5. Today +3 and +3.5. She goes back in January for her next appointment. When asked how the prescription can change so much in a short time, they said the eye is still growing 🤔

The optician says that it could be her eyes causing the pain but it also could be something else.

This headache is taking some shifting.

Her new glasses are usually ready mid week - hopefully they will relieve the pain.

She needs a brain scan. Take her back to A&E. Raised intracranial pressure can cause these symptoms.
Needing glasses wouldn't result in a headache so severe that she winced when taking a step. Insist on a scan.

Original poster
MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 19:48

DGD was in hospital Thursday night/Friday morning. She had photos of eyes done today. They're insisting she's fine?

I'll get mum to ring GP on Monday.

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Jasmine222 · 14/10/2023 19:49

MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 19:48

DGD was in hospital Thursday night/Friday morning. She had photos of eyes done today. They're insisting she's fine?

I'll get mum to ring GP on Monday.

Did they do a brain scan, lumbar puncture, blood tests etc? Her eyes will look fine if it's raised pressure on the brain - it's behind the eye, not in the eye.

pashminadreamer · 14/10/2023 19:49

MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 19:48

DGD was in hospital Thursday night/Friday morning. She had photos of eyes done today. They're insisting she's fine?

I'll get mum to ring GP on Monday.

I really think you should take her back tonight. They can insist she's fine and your daughter can insist they scan her.

Peachy66 · 14/10/2023 19:55

Have they ruled out a brain aneurysm????? I suffered from one and had the same symptoms as your GD. It started off as constant headaches, sickness, drooping eye. Initially, it was diagnosed as sinuses!!!!! It wasn't until I lost my vision a couple of times for a few seconds, then one morning I woke up and could not open my eye, when the eyelid was prised open my eye was pointing to the right. I had a MRI & CT scan where one showed the brain aneurysm but the other didn't, sorry I can't remember as I was in too much pain to care. I was operated on immediately. Please push for both scans as if they hadn't operated when they did the aneurysm could of burst at any time,

Marcipex · 14/10/2023 19:56

You’ve been palmed off, I’m afraid.

She needs a scan of her head, to try to ascertain the cause of this.

No one can assure you that she is ’fine’ without a scan. And clearly she is not fine.

Take her back and insist on a scan. Insist. Tomorrow if tonight is impossible.

Castlereagh · 14/10/2023 20:03

When my child had raised intercranial pressure causing optic nerve swelling it could be easily seen by high st optician by taking photos of eye and hospital eye doctor using torch shining in eye and some sort of magnifying thing you rest your chin on. 2/3 people did the same exam.Has anyone done those things? I would hope so as she went in to a and e with an eye issue and headache. If not, or that was done ages ago, ask for them to be done. Specifically ask whether they think it could be a brain tumour or anything else in the brain causing this. If they have done those things, then unlikely to be this..

Newuser75 · 14/10/2023 20:04

@amusedbush so sorry to derail but I'm very interested in your mention of irlen syndrome. My son is suspected to have it and currently undergoing assessments.

I have read -as you mentioned- that there is doubt it exists. He also has suspected ASD but has no issue with reading, he is an excellent reader. Can this still be irlen syndrome?

Also can you explain at all (no worries if not) how the coloured glasses/lenses make a difference?

Thanks!

Bookloverjay · 14/10/2023 20:04

Has your DGD been tested for irlen's syndrome?

Newuser75 · 14/10/2023 20:07

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche I really hope your granddaughter feels better soon. They are such a worry when not right. Poor thing must be fed up!

Mirabai · 14/10/2023 20:11

MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 19:48

DGD was in hospital Thursday night/Friday morning. She had photos of eyes done today. They're insisting she's fine?

I'll get mum to ring GP on Monday.

No-one can possibly rule out a tumour without a brain scan. An optician should be able to see pressure on the optic nerve or swelling in the optic disc but absence of those don’t rule it out.

Best case scenario is that it is some type of extreme migraine but I would want a scan asap to be sure.

Original poster
MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 20:12

Bookloverjay · 14/10/2023 20:04

Has your DGD been tested for irlen's syndrome?

No
But mum had it

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Original poster
MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 20:14

The pain is on the right - she punches her head when asked to describe the pain. She's seems light sensitive.

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Original poster
MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/10/2023 20:15

@Mirabai

Hospital said it was migraine.

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