Any idea what this could be, Dr doesn’t know!

[hubbabaloo]

DD (8) has had swelling in her face all week. Drs originally thought it was down to her dermatitis so they prescribed some cream but it hasn’t made a difference. The swelling has been getting worse everyday, to the point this morning she could barely open her eyes, she also has swelling around her nose so she’s breathing through her mouth. It starts off worse in the morning and gets slightly better through the day but there is still some swelling there at the end of the day.
When we saw the Gp this morning her neck was also really swollen and he said every gland is up. She has no temp but a raised heart rate and says she doesn’t feel well but can’t really describe why. Dr said he has no idea, it could be something viral but her body is obviously trying to fight something as her glands are up. He said it will either get worse, in which case go to a&e or the body will fight it on its own.

anyone else’s child had this and have any clue what it could be?

Gps are so useless aren't they, hedging their bets with 'go to A&E if it gets worse'. Has he done even basic tests like bloods etc? The fact her heart rate is up would concern me so I'd ring 111 and get an out of hours appointment for a second opinion.

Echoing A&E. Hope you get some answers, OP. x

OP you might not feel like it but make a note on your phone of everything that has happened so far. Your GP sounds useless and if you need to make a complaint you’ll struggle to remember details if you don’t jot them down now. Good luck with A&E.

Sinus or tonsil abscess. Definitely A&E.

I'd ring 111, we had a different symptoms but similar situation of a badly ill child, and 111 said they could book us an "arrival time" at a&e which took the pressure off waiting time.
Once we arrived we did get seen by lots of people very quickly (but we might have anyway based on how ill my child was.)

I had major swelling around my forehead, eye and cheek last year. It came on really quickly and was quite painful. Turned out it was sinusitis. Despite the fact I had no runny nose or anything like that. I had had a nasty cold beforehand though. Antibiotics helped really quickly, but I needed a full two weeks worth before it was under control, and I had a couple of mild flares afterwards.

i had quite a high temp as well.

Hopefully A&E will be able to pinpoint the cause and help xx

edited to add I couldn’t really open my eye at all, and the swelling was worse in the morning but got better during the day as I was moving around. Take pictures to show them in A&E if you have any.

I would go and get her checked out in a&e. Request a blood test to rule out any underlying kidney issues causing odema. This is just from my point of view and I don't want to worry you but my daughter is diagnosed with a kidney condition and when she retains fluid it always effects around her eyes and is worse in a morning and then decreases throughout the day.
Hope you can get to the bottom of it xx

Are you sure it was an actual GP you saw ?
Sometimes surgeries will book you in with all manner of medical peeps only to learn later on they are not GP’s at all.
I know receptionists try to triage but serious errors can be made if they give less weight to an issue than it should be given.

Definitely worth getting her checked out but if it helps, my daughter has just had adenovirus- her eyes were really swollen, she felt a bit short of breath and her glands were up (as well as sore and stiff joints, achey muscles, jelly legs, 10 day blinding headache, high temp, terrible rash). Apparently there’s a lot of it going around.

Mumps? Very rare nowadays but possible 🤔

Mast cell activation syndrome?

It’s the right time of year for mumps. My brother had it a couple of years ago and they called every doctor in the vicinity at the hospital to come and look at him as most of them had never seen it in real life before.

Please go to A&E. I can't believe the doctor fobbed you off! I hope she's ok

Allergies can also make the lymph nodes react.
Is there something in her room, new pillow? Anything to explain why it happens at night near her head?

Tbh, I would take her to A&E in the morning, wouldn't wait til it gets worse. Not being able to breathe through her nose and the swelling getting steadily worse should be looked at properly. Good luck, hope on the med very fast.

Mumps, or a kidney issue? It can cause puffy eyes

It sounds like mumps. My friend had it as a kid and it seems just the same.

As poster above said - mumps?
I was exactly like this with mumps, aged 10.
Hope she's feeling better soon, bless her.

She's seen a GP. Don't take her to A&E.
I think some Mumsnet users watch US shows and think we have the same health system and you should attend the hospital for everything 😅

Please dont trust a GP for your child with something like this. Go to AnE, preferably a children's one if you have one.

AnE???

Swelling and a raised heart rate should necessitate a basic blood screen. I'm the last person to advocate a&e but there is a happy medium and the gp doing fuck all is not it.

I agree with going to A&E.
But, can a child catch mumps if vaccinated? This is worrying if so.

For things that are not as serious:
My 3.5 yr old grandson had a rash on his chest, I was so worried. We took a good picture and showed it to ChatGPT. It told us what it wasn't and what it might be. Suggested some lotions. It worked well for us.

I'm not one to dash to A&E but as PP have said a child with swelling around airways should be seen. I had similar symptoms years ago ( but still an adult) saw one GP who fobbed me off basically, insisted on being seen a few days later and the second GP was very pissed off that I'd been fobbed off as it was cellulitis of the face and i needed high dose antibiotics. Its probably nothing worrying but perhaps best to go now as opposed to going at 4am or something more worried. Hope shes OK.

Swelling and a raised heart rate should necessitate a basic blood screen

Why? They're just evidence of an infection. The GP has seen the child and thought it was viral.

Hope you get OK okay OP.

Sounds like severe sinusitis although could be adnovirus, seems to be everywhere just now