To ask if A&E is overreacting.

[CoconutSky]

A week ago on Wednesday DD had what I thought was a viral infection. Temp, off food etc. it seemed to go by the Friday so I thought nothing of it

On Sunday I had symptoms of strep, sudden sore throat, headache so ended up on penicillin

Wednesday just gone I took her straight to the walk in centre as she was really lethargic, fever and swollen glands. Dr said there said swollen throat with some white streaks so tonsillitis, prescribed Pen V 4 times a day. I gave her 2 doses on Wednesday which I’ve had to conceal in Coca Cola as it’s the only thing that masks the taste.

She seemed abit better yesterday but today the temp seems to be creeping back up. She’s got some diarrhoea the same as me so I know the PenV is getting into her system. She’s not eating properly. Maybe chocolate stars and mini cookies but aside from that nothing. Drinking with encouragement and weeing.

She’s not lethargic til the temp creeps up. I’m worried re the not eating and the fevers, she won’t open her mouth either and I know she has an adult molar that just came through with a big white patch on the gum and I think it’s making her abit dribbly.

She also keeps getting a really flushed face, and I’m almost certain she’s got strawberry tongue so I’m thinking more scarlet fever. Im not sure what to do, should the antibiotics have kicked in by now? I’m really anxious re sepsis etc and I do suffer badly with health anxiety.

I am awaiting counselling. I can’t get antibiotics into my child who has strep. I don’t know what to do. I cannot help being anxious.

As brutal as this sounds, to get my kids to take oral meds when younger and refusing, I’d lay them on my lap. Arms tucked under mine like a one armed hug, lay them back, tickle them to open their mouth if they weren’t opening it and squirt the medicine into the back side of their mouth. Just make sure you have everything ready before you do it, ie meds in the syringe.

Granted it’s not nice, but it gets it into them.

As above-.wrap her in a bath towel, with her srms by her side and put her on your lap, hold her tight and put the syringe in her mouth, squirt and hold her nose. Had to do this with my daughter then aged 4 who had strep throat. Only had to do.it once, she took it herself the other times because I said if she didn't I have to do it like that again. Gave her a lolly after.

I’ve tried everything. Absolutely everything. She’s 5 and she’s strong as hell.

I've even hid a capsule in a milkshake. She can taste it. I am just slumped now.

Will she drink chocolate milk. You could try chocolate slim fast disguised in a different bottle or just in a glass. It sounds daft but it's actislly packed the the nutrition she's missing out on at the mo

Munchausens is not health anxiety. Christ.

I’ve tried milkshakes, fizzy pop, yoghurt, ice cream, everything

Honestly you are not helping this. Force feeding a child things like calpol which she did not need is going to have caused resistance like you’re describing. Adding in your evidenced and obvious panic and the poor love is probably terrified.

She isn’t showing any signs at this stage of serious illness, most of the posts are you in a notable heightened state.

Step 1 needs to be you calming down or removing yourself and letting someone else take over.

Step 2 needs to be sitting with her doing something relaxing. For hours if need be. And tiny amounts at a time. I suggest the 1ml syringes where you’re putting in a small amount and then squeeze it in (let her if she will) followed by something to hide the taste. It takes time. And calm effort.

Step 3. If the above doesn’t work contact 111. They can advise. She might need to be admitted for IV.

You wrap her in a blanket or towel, like you would swaddle a baby and then you pop the liquid into the side of her cheek, toward the rear and then she swallows it. It’s this or an IV I imagine.

Phenoxmethel is gross I totally agree and will taste anything you put it in. I had big convos with my dd about a cup of chocolate milk being gross is hard to drink, better to have one nasty swallow from the string then a whole cup of nice milk. Probably totally the ring thing to say but I also said to her it’s a nasty syringe or we go to an and e for an iv of it- she then chose the syringe. He baby brother had been home with iv lines and ng lines os she was well aware of all the medical stuff

stop putting the medicine in things, i’m surprised you are still doing it even after a medical professional told you not to. You need to wrap her in something tightly so she can’t move/swat you away, administer the medicine via a syringe and if necessary hold her mouth shut to ensure she swallows. sounds traumatic but it’s better than the alternative of potentially needing an IV. Also just an fyi strep and tonsillitis aren’t the same thing.

My son needed paracetamol suppositories when he was younger. I don't know if they do antibiotic ones but if she gets the paracetamol at least that will control her temperature.

My son is now 11 and cracks up when I tell him we used to have to shove them up his bum rather than take the Calpol!

Also it's not as simple of just forcing them as some people have suggested. With my son he would spit it out straight away and if I actually managed to get him to swallow it he would make himself sick.

https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/streptococcus-a-strep-a/

If it's causing this much stress might be worth having a discussion with the GP about whether the antibiotics are actually needed/essential to take. They're often given on a balanced decision that maybe they'll ease symptoms a little earlier, as opposed to being essential for cure or avoidance of complications.

For strep throat/tonsillitis. The majority of cases are mild and resolve on their own without treatment, with antibiotics only reducing symptom duration by 24hrs at best.

Of course there are occasions where they are needed hence the discussion with GP first.

They said just to keep trying and if she gets any symptoms of quinsy to take her back. I’m so worked up. She isn’t eating still
This is just an absolute nightmare.

She hasn’t spiked a temp since yesterday morning and hasn’t taken anything for it. So I dunno if that’s a good thing. I’m getting tiny bits of antibiotic in via milkshake which they said I can do but I dunno if it’s enough.

This thread seems to be my online journal atm. She’s sleeping a lot. Not eating and her throat is still sore. Hospital said she doesn’t meet the criteria for an IV but if she starts with quinsy to bring her back. I’m so bloody scared. The notes they sent described her as streptococcal tonsillitis so I’m assuming that’s strep A?

My mums going to try the clarithromycin for me today. Other than that I just have to wait to see if it resolves or gets worse.

To help with her throat freeze some fruit purées/smoothies my little lived off lollies like that yoghurts warm weetabix porridge etc for a few days til could eat again and try to stop feeling the mama guilt yes it’s strep throat you’re not trying to hurt just help and we unfortunately can’t explain that very well to them when we know they need the meds

i have been given open access to the community team and I spoke to them earlier they said because she’s not spiked a fever since yesterday it could may be that the infection will just self resolve. She is now accepting difflam so that’s an upside

Her gums are also abit red and swollen cos she’s not brushed her bloody teeth since Thursday and the new molar is coming in. Shes meant to be at the dentist tomorrow

Same here but you have to force it in them for their own sake.

When dd had tonsillitis the doctor at a&e said her temp will still be high for 2-3 days after starting antibiotics

They’ve said I can try speak to the GP and swap for amoxicillin but that won’t be till tomorrow
She seems a lot brighter today as well.

OP are you a single parent?

Yes