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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to have taken DD to A&E

47 replies

GloriaMumble · 02/04/2008 19:30

DD had been happy as larry all day. As i was doing her pre-dinner nappy change she seemed a bit hot so I took her temp, was 38.2. I gave her some calprofen and then I noticed a rash on her tummy, not much of a rash but a rash nonetheless. I did the glass test and what rash there was didn't go away. She also seemed a bit dopey so I took temp again - 39.5.

So I freaked, loaded her in the car and took her to A&E. When we got there, triage nurse examined her said its just a viral rash, its not "worth" seeing a casualty doctor so go and see the out of hours GP (luckily just down the corridor). He couldn't find any evidence of infection so sent us home to try an get a urine sample (from a 16 month old!) to rule out UTI.

Don't get me wrong, I v happy there's nothing seriously wrong, I just feel like a bit of a numpty and I get the impression the nurse thought I was wasting her time... was I too pfb? it was the glass test thing that freaked me...

OP posts:

princessmel · 02/04/2008 20:33

Just wanted to say that I'm not sure if the tissue thing would be ok. My friend tried to pour wee from a potty into a bottle and they wouldn't take it. As it wasn't sterile. Just wondering if tissue would not be sterile either.

KerryMum · 02/04/2008 20:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MiMao · 02/04/2008 20:43

If it was just temp then you need to give an hour for calpol etc to work,

I would give calpol then 30 mins later nurofen.

Viral rashes are common with temps but if I did the glass test and it did not go away like you experienced then I would go a&e even if her temp went down so you are not a numpty at all and most parents would do the same.

better to be safe then sorry.

agennaro · 02/04/2008 20:54

One Saturday last month my DD had temp of 39.1, gave her the beloved capol and it went down, however it went back up again quite quickly and hit 40.2. There was no rash at all but she seemed quite lethargic. As Sat and no GP called NHS Direct, and they rang back and said even with no rash at that temp to take her into hospital.
The Dr seemed to think we were loopy but as NHS had referred really could not have cared less - even if she had not referred why should anyone be allowed to make people feel silly for looking after their daughter!

YANBU & Good luck with project wee-catch.

phoebebouffet · 03/04/2008 00:26

No YANBU at all, I've been to my Dr's with what i considered to be quite minor things with my lo, and the Dr's are always very happy to see us and always state 'keep an eye on him if anything changes don't hesitate to come back, I'm sure you're lo will be fine but if you need to go back now or in future don't let that insensitive person put you off. Go with your instincts thats what I say to myself in thoses situations.

Purplepillow · 03/04/2008 00:37

I had a similar experience last year with my dd (then 7yrs), temp over 40, light annoying her but no rash.
Phoned out of hours and they sent an ambulance, thankfully was viral

So NO yanu

BEAUTlFUL · 03/04/2008 00:42

YANBU! I'm forever skulking out of A&E feeling embarrassed but soothed.

madamez · 03/04/2008 00:46

No YANBU. There are leaflets and posters and all the baby books everywhere saying: fail the glass test, go to A&E. How the fuck are you supposed to know it was only a viral rash? Hope she is better soon but if she remains ill and seems to be getting worse, and the rash is spreading, go back to A&E if you're worried. That's what they are for.

pinkyminky · 03/04/2008 00:57

YANBU. When my ds had his first set of jabs his legs went all purple that evening and he ended up with little red flecks all over his legs. I rang the out of hours doctor and she set us to A&E. They kept him (us) in over night for observation. It was just a reaction to the jab resulting in some burst blood vessels on the legs- but it presented as a non-blanching rash, so was treated as such and no-one made me feel silly. I would always err on the side of caution in these situations - not get in a big panic but get it checked out to your satisfaction-how can a mother be criticized for that?

luvaduck · 03/04/2008 00:59

YANBU
this makes me cross.
The triage nurse was VERY unreasonable. It sounds like she is a bit above her station - meningitis rashes can start off looking like a viral rash and you need to do a thorough assessment of the child - not just a cursory glance. i can bet my bottom dollar that she didn't do a thorough assessment. she certainly should NEVER have made you feel like you were wasting her time - children can deteriorate very quickly and you absolutely did the right thing. she was probably having a bad day and is a wee bit arrogant in thinking she has the skills to make a decision like that. (FWIW I'm a Gp and hope I'm not sounding too arrogant here sorry about the shouting)

however there is a new system in A+E where more minor things can be seen by GPs, if there hadn't been a GP there you would have been seen by A+E.

most doctors have nightmares that they might miss menigitis. it starts off looking like a flu like illness and can change rapidly, - which is why there are often stories about docs missing it (there may be no clues initially apart from a fever). early menigitis is a very very difficult diagnosis to make. if she failed the glass test then she needed to be seen straight away so you did the right thing - now luckily the rash wasn't sinister but how were you to know that? a mothers instinct is very powerful - if you think there is something wrong with your child then get them checked out and don't let some silly triage nurse or even a junior doc tell you otherwise. if they make you feel bad then they have the problem not you.

one other thing it sounds like the doc didn't find the focus of infection - not that there isn't an infection at all - there clearly is with a fever of 39.5

rant over.

urine - sadly yes has to be a clean catch so not to contaminate...basically follow round with a sterile bowl etc...

if she deteriorates over night call NHS direct for advice - ie floppy/unresponsive/breathing changes etc or even if you are worried.

i'm sure she wil be fine though!

Original poster

GloriaMumble · 03/04/2008 08:54

She seems much better this morning - still a bit of a temperature and a bit whingy but better.

I unpacked the sterile bowl and started "project wee-catch" but she snatched it off me and put it on her bear's head (whilst furiously signing hat with the other hand!). Presumably this means the bowl's no longer sterile and project wee-catch is now pointless?

Never mind bloody knitted uteruses (uterii?) they should cover useful stuff like this in ante-natal classes!

OP posts:

milliec · 03/04/2008 09:05

Message withdrawn

Libra1975 · 03/04/2008 09:48

I know some docs who work in A&E they get annoyed by people who come to A&E and complain they have had stomach pains for THREE days (or even months, that is what GPs are for!) or that they have been drinking and now their head hurts. However they would never get annoyed at a parent bringing a baby or young child in, they would stick firmly to the better safe than sorry mantra.

chrissnow · 03/04/2008 10:04

YANBU. Like other posters have said parental instincts are very powerful. My dd1 fell over last summer and was crying in a way not normal to her so we took her straight to A&E. The triage nurse was lovely but didn't think anything was seriously wrong and gave her some calpol for pain and booked us in none the less (saying if you feel she's not right, then its worth checking) We were seen by 2 doctors both of which upon examining her said that on the physical exam nothing seemed wrong. BUT the more junior of the doctors (a woman) dug her heels in and said "Yes, but mom isn't happy. Book her in for x-ray" The senior dr raised an eyebrow but did it (I suspect he had words with her later as well). Anyway as it turned out she had fractured her arm. No-one overly made me feel I was wasting their time but tbh I was a little like a pit bull with a bone that night and I'm not sure I would have noticed anyway!!

stleger · 03/04/2008 10:27

You were right to go. I have just returned from a 2 day stay in hospital with dd2. She is 11, not a pfb. If you feel you need a medical opinion, get one.

ALMummy · 03/04/2008 18:27

I am really shocked to hear this. On two occasions when I have taken DC to hospital with high temperatures - not even a rash with DD, just a temperature, we have been fast tracked in immediately and given a bed in casualty and then is DS's case onto the Childrens ward. They took their temperature and examined them every hour for 6 hours and only then let us go home after temperatures had responded to baby nurofen and calpol. We were asking when we could go home and then said that they were considering the possibility of meningitis and it was best that we were in the hospital rather than at home just in case. They could not have been nicer or more efficient. I sort of thought that this was standard where babies and children were concerned. What a crappy attitude from this nurse not to mention dangerous.

MsHighwater · 03/04/2008 23:14

YANBU. If my dd had a rash that failed the glass test I'd be at A&E before she could draw breath.

I'd be tempted to let someone know that you were made to feel that you were time-wasting.

sparklyfairypie · 04/04/2008 00:26

yanbu

callmewhatyoulike · 04/04/2008 00:29

You should ALWAYS seek medical advice on the presentation of a non-fading rash.

Please don't be put off going back if she gets worse tonight. I hope she's ok. x

scottishmummy · 04/04/2008 00:39

triage SN made you feel bad. you are the mum trust on your instincts.better safe than sorry.dont let that put you off going A&E again

windygalestoday · 04/04/2008 01:24

definitely YNBU- this happens to us all- another time you will think somthing is nothing and it will be serious i dosed ds2 up on cough meds for a week until i realised it was a chest infection- you live and learn .

callmewhatyoulike · 04/04/2008 13:56

How is she today?

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