I want to take him to a&e

[MumofHennHals]

Am I being unreasonable? I want to drive to a&e

My 5 month old has pin prick marks on his fore arm, he's constantly sucking his arms ( photo of wet sleeve ) my husband says 'he's given himself hickeys from constantly having his arm in his mouth!'

Could it really be this simple?! He's fine in every other way and he really does have his arms in his mouth 24/7.

I have health anxiety.

You need to get your health anxiety dealt with before you create a little hypochondriac in your Son

You poor thing- I've had health anxiety over my little girl so i feel your pain! It's horrible. Just as a side note, my DD is 17 months now and I'm definitely miles less stressed than I was- I hope it gets better for you too! I think those marks definitely look like sucking marks and I wouldn't be worried about that symptom is isolation. Is he okay in himself? My MIL got me onto a great app by the Lullaby Trust called the baby check app. It helped calm me down a few times! I would recommend you have a nosey and hope his arm marks fade quickly to put your mind at rest 😊

Sounds like teething to me. Get some teething rings/toys that you can cool in the fridge first and see if that takes the focus off him sucking his arms and everything else he can wrap his little gums around!

Have a long chat with hv about danger signs for babies
This has no danger signs
No fever
Happy in himself
Eating peeing pooing

Is this your 1st baby? What mental health support are you getting OP? If none, PLEASE speak to your GP ASAP for your own and your babies sake.

Don't be cruel. For some it IS a hard journey for this reason. There's no point being so flippant about it. You're not helping this parent at all.

OP, they only really worry about marks on the trunk around the midline. My eldest got pettichie (or however you spell it) whenever she had an extreme crying season. It's not always the worst thing.

If you're really worried go to a late opening pharmacist

I'm sorry op health anxiety is honestly hell on earth. Try and trust your husband on this he won't let anything bad happen xx

This looks exactly like the marks my baby got when she sucked on her arm overnight.

They faded away over a few days with no medical interventions.

Our local children's A&E says the threshold for going to them is that you are concerned. Especially with babies and young children. I took my second when he was 2 months because of a heat rash. But I could not be sure it was a heat rash, and he was too little for me to be clear on that. The doctors were kind, checked him over, reassured me and we went home. Hospitals tend to be very understanding about parents of babies.

I wouldn’t be concerned over this.

Babies/kids will have marks on them every now and then.

A&E is not a nice place for babies.
You’re also taking them somewhere where people are poorly and you’re risking your baby getting poorly too.

It’s always worth going to the gp or a walk in centre before A&E unless it’s an actual emergency.

Get a forehead thermometer and take his temperature whenever you think he’s unwell.
When babies are poorly they typically have a temperature.

I agree with your husband, but I'm also a big one for trusting your gut instinct. If you genuinely believe something is not quite right, take your child to be seen by a Dr.

Thank you 🫶🏼 my little boy ( the one in question ) was premature, he spent 2 weeks in intensive care on a ventilator for a collapsed lung and then turned blue so needed to be rushed to hospital because he held his breathe because of the pain of reflux so now needs thickened milk.

My anxiety has come on since then, he worries me massively and I know it's in my head - he's perfectly healthy now and been discharged from Neonatologist - it's just I feel im waiting for the next thing to happen to me.

I'm being treated for post natal depression ( my son was rushed away from me and I couldn't stay at the hospital over night - leaving your poorly baby in hospital while you leave will never leave my feelings and thoughts )

He's my 2nd child, my eldest if 4 and was a full termer and no issues.

He's defo going to keep me on my toes, I hope for all the right cheeky reasons, but my anxiety is overwhelming. I wish I could wrap him in bubble wrap Xx

This is the problem with health anxiety your gut is in overdrive and doesn't work

Anxiety doesn't leave me with a gut feeling, I rely on my un anxious husbands gut 99.9% of the time.

Logically it's where he's been chewing his arm / sucking - but anxiety wise, I'm diagnosing him with a blood c/disorder.

As I said in my earlier post, I hope you are getting some mental health support?

Have you considered doing a paediatric first aid/CPR course? It might give you more confidence to know when something requires A&E, and tips on things to look for.

Thank you, I really am. Lots of family support and help from a therapist, I'm under councilling through the intensive care unit my little boy was born in. It's most certainly on the up for me.

Still allowed to have some blips within the journey though, and my son's health is a huge trigger. Xx

A&E isn't the place. It looks like it's a rash from constantly sucking his arm. But if you're concerned, call your GP in the morning and they'll see you as he's so young. In my opinion, it's because he's not leaving the arm dry.

They are little bruises aren’t they? He will be fine OP, just try to redirect him next time by giving him something else to suck.

I have heath anxiety too and I don’t think he even needs to go to the pharmacy.

@MumofHennHals teething!! absolutely nothing to worry about!

Oh, love. So many parents whose babies have gone through the NICU rollercoaster (or indeed PICU) are left traumatised. It isn't unusual for that to make you more anxious about any possible health issue. And sadly there is sod all psychological support for such parents (wouldn't that make a great mumsnet campaign?). That really does look like sucking marks.

Sounds like he's teething already to me, my DS had 1st tooth at 6mths. Feel his gums, try some baby bongella if he has any lumps. Usually bottom front teeth are 1st to emerge. X

This definitely looks like a suck mark to me! I’m with your husband.

I hope everything is ok. My DD Gave me high hickies on my breasts as a baby so they can certainly do this
I'd suggest if you're worried, just call non emergency or go to a walk in centre
Take care

No, really, you genuinely can't seek medical attention for this, especially not in a facility which is designated literally for accidents and emergencies.

I had to zoom in on the photo and even then it's not hugely obvious what you're talking about.

Ah OP I have health anxiety I can really relate. The first year is a hard one to get your balance and work out what’s instinct and what’s anxiety talking.
if you’re genuinely concerned call 111. But if it fades under a glass, no fever and he’s otherwise well, keep an eye on him but it doesn’t sound like an A&E issue.

i once had a breakdown about a malfunctioning thermometer where I convinced myself hypothermia was happening (everything else was fine no symptoms) so I really sympathise. Once gripped by an idea it’s hard to let it go.