To take dd to A&E or wait to see GP

[Dewdrops1]

Hi all?

I know you can’t diagnose on here but concerned I may be wasting A&Es precious resources instead of waiting to see GP tomorrow.

we’ve just come back from holiday in Europe. 2 days ago DD who is teenager woke with a big egg sized lump on one side of forehead. No injury. She said she did squeeze a spot gently but not sure if that did it. Nothing obvious seen other than swelling. Yesterday the lump went down but the swelling spread to center of forehead and in between eyes and top of nose. The swelling has ‘flattened’ out but over a larger area and makes her forehead look slightly distorted. There’s no redness but is slightly warm to touch and tender. Dd said it’s giving her a slight headache and uncomfortable feeling.

Im worried it could be some sort of infection and it’s going near her eyes, or could it be a bug bite and I’m overthinking. So would you take her to A&E or go to GP tomorrow? The swelling isn’t massive but never experienced swelling spreading on forehead like that before (moved away from original lump) so not sure if it’s something I need to be concerned about (also nothing similar on google).

thanks for your advice in advance 🙂

GPs, as we all know, are called GP because they are not specialists. Lots of them quite frankly are not great. If someone sees something day in day out they are obviously going to be better than someone who doesn't. If she's still got the swelling tomorrow I'd be asking for an urgent scan and/or as a PP suggested trying a private dermatologist. Hope you can get it sorted OP.

I genuinely would present at A&E, given the location of the swelling and the course of symptoms. Your nasal cavity is so close to the brain and it really isn't normal to have that swelling in that location.

@Dewdrops1 please consider getting this checked again.

If the antibiotics haven’t reduced the swelling then I think a visit to A&E might not be a bad idea

Gosh, this sounds awful - I just googled a picture. If I were the OP, I would probably go to A&E now specifically to rule this out. Given the potential seriousness, i'd say better safe than sorry...

OP - get this checked at A and E. please.

Totally missed @ApiratesaysYarrr post.

Strike dermatology get that checked out.

And that's why A&Es are overloaded.

It's nothing to do with the brain, it's external.

Have you read up about PPT? Have you seen the potential impact on the brain itself even though the swelling is external?

I second this. Hope everything gets sorted for you all asap 🙏🏼

I had something similar years ago - it started with what I thought was a spot which became infected (I'd slapped foundation over it for a night out) it turned out that it was the start of shingles. I honestly looked like Quasimodo it was so awful! Doctor prescribed antibiotics and anti viral medication. Has your DD had Chickenpox?

Come on.

I'd be a bit worried too OP.

Swelling moving down and sideways like that. I'd want to see someone else.

Honestly OP, if you're on day 2 of ABs and it's still as swollen, I'd just take her to A&E. the pictures are very worrying.

https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(20)30355-3/fulltext

Pictures look similar to you? The swelling is external because it has nowhere else to go. The damage is internal.

I would also get it seen again by a doctor asap. Good luck x

It really, really isn't. It's totally fine to take a child to A&E where there is a legitimate reason to think there might be an emergency. Most potential emergencies turn out not to be emergencies, but that's okay. The A&E Drs know that and it's how they catch the actual emergencies. It doesn't mean you shouldn't go if you're genuinely worried and are not sure it can wait until morning. The reason why A&Es are overloaded are the people who have had a cough for a fortnight and decide it's not going away, so they rock up to A&E. Or the people who have a standard fever that could easily be treated at home and is not actually alarming in any way. If you're genuinely worried about your child - A&E is always fine and you are not the problem - any A&E Dr will be happy to see you and equally happy to reassure you and send you home if it's nothing serious.

Hi,

I work in ED at our local hospital as a receptionist. I would go to A&E as they will probably want to fo bloods and Urgent Care centres don't do bloods well ours don't. They will always refer you else where if need be

Genuinely worried in a "I don't know if this can wait until morning and I'm feeling scared" kind of way that is

It's not scaremongering- posters are sharing things that happened in real life, in the hope that what happened in their story can be avoided for the OP's DC.

If anything, it's poo-poohers that are the problem. Minimizing her condition or the possible outcomes is dangerous. Orbital cellulitis can blind someone in 12 hours. The arteries in the face are really close to the brain; the ones in the eyes are unprotected, and and any sort of infection could spread from there to the brain very quickly.

My DC's pediatrician told me to never wait and see for any possible infections on the face. If the GP in this case is wrong it may become critical.

🤦‍♀️

Really hope DD is improving or you've taken her to A&E @Dewdrops1 If she had a cold a couple of weeks ago it would worth getting her checked out as it does look worryingly like PPT.