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Children's health

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Original poster

Just been to hospital with DD.

160 replies

FourFortyFour · 21/03/2011 12:25

Following on from this thread

She has had a chest x-ray but the doctor just said to rule things out. What are they looking for? He said her chest was clear when he listened to her.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

moosemama · 21/03/2011 14:30

Could be wrong, but I think they're probably checking for a missed chest infection/pneumonia.

You can get atypical presentation, this has happened to ds2 twice and also to me as a child.

The first time ds2 complained of leg and stomach pain - no coughing - turned out he had severe pneumonia that, if we hadn't caught it when we did, would have encapsulated, making it even more serious. The stomach pain was from the swollen lung pressing on his stomach, the leg pain was referred. Second time, no pain or coughing, just vomiting every night when he lay down.

With me I never had a cough and was ill for 6 months before I collapsed and after lots of xrays from different angles they discovered I had life-threatening pneumonia.

The good news is that in all cases it was easily identifiable by xray and we were both fine after the right anti-biotics.

If they're not sure what it is, they're probably just trying to rule things out.

Only other thought I had about right side pain is the gallbladder, unusual but not unheard of in children. Not sure if that could be seen on an xray though - they usually do an ultrasound to check it.

Hope they get to the bottom of it and she's feeling better soon.

Imnotaslimjim · 21/03/2011 14:35

I agree, probably looking for a chest infection. dr at hospital told me that quite a lot of the time, you can't hear it through a stethoscope. I took DD at 20 months, she was near collapse, couldn't walk, wouldn't eat or drink and was just miserable. We'd seen the dr earlier that day and she'd said it was a viral infection. DD ended up on rehydration drip, oxygen tent and spent 4 days in hospital before being sent home on 2 types of anti-bs. It took her weeks and weeks to get over. Now, if I think they are ill, I push it, I'm slowly learning to have more faith in my intuition

Imnotaslimjim · 21/03/2011 14:35

Sorry, meant to say, hope she's much better soon, its scary when they are ill

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 21/03/2011 16:34

I haven't read your posts, will do but I needed to get this down or I will forget. She says she can't lie on her back as it hurts and she said last night she couldn't cope with the pain. She is so stoical though. I asked her if she still hurt when she came out of school and she said yes but with no complaining.

I have made the cake of all cakes for her as a little cheer up.

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Original poster

FourFortyFour · 21/03/2011 16:37

The next 2 weeks will be agony, waiting.

Thank you for posting.

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moosemama · 21/03/2011 17:47

Is it going to take two weeks for the results? That's ridiculous considering in A&E they can assess them there and then. Xray results can be emailed these days, there's no excuse for it to take that long.

If she's in that much pain I would push them. Especially if she is stoical and yet is saying on this occasion that she can't cope with the pain. It could be something simple like a muscle or ligament, but I'm not sure I'd be happy to wait that long for the results.

Didn't they give her anything for pain relief?

Could you perhaps arrange a telephone consultation to talk it all through with the GP, what he/she thinks it could be, what they were looking for with the xray etc?

Bless her for managing school without complaining. Ds2 was the same, we seriously had no idea how ill he was, only clue was when his temperature suddenly shot up and he had a febrile convulsion. He'd seen four different GPs before the out of hours GP blue-lighted to hospital.

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 21/03/2011 19:12

We can give Calpol for as long as we need but yes, the GP said 2 weeks and the hospital staff said 10-14 days. I assumed if it was anything sinister it would be really obvious and they would tell us then. I have been dreading the phone ringing.

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moosemama · 21/03/2011 19:48

Have you tried giving her some Calprofen/Neurofen at all?

Just a thought, but if it is muscular this should give better relief than Calpol/Paracetamol and if it does, you and the GP might have a better idea of what you're looking at.

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 21/03/2011 20:05

We have just given her Calpol. The GP doesn't think it was muscular as the deep heat didn't help and there was no tenderness when he pressed where she said the pain was. I have no idea what is wrong with her .

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larrygrylls · 22/03/2011 07:19

FourF,

What on earth is going to take 2 weeks? A chest X ray can be interpreted immediately, assuming there is someone to do it.

If your daughter is still in pain, go back to A&E and ask her to be properly assessed by a paediatrician. If they need to do more tests, they can get them done.

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 22/03/2011 12:11

I really don't know. I dropped her at school and then went and got her some calpol as she was in pain again. I know the GP said I could give calpol until the results but 2 weeks on calpol seems a lot to me.

I don't know what to do and I am trying to not get myself in a state but she is my daughter.

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Original poster

FourFortyFour · 22/03/2011 13:27

I just phoned the hospital. They won't tell me the results, I have to wait 10 days. A GP could ring and ask for them sooner but not guaranteed. If I had taken her to A& E and they had x-rayed her I would have got the results then.

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miniwedge · 22/03/2011 13:30

Take her to AandE, go to a different hospital if necessary.

If she is in that much discomfort/pain then she needs to have some sort of relief sooner than 2 weeks.

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 22/03/2011 13:34

I am picking her up soon. I need to ask her if it is constant pain as she isn't one to complain.

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moosemama · 22/03/2011 14:08

If she is in still in constant pain, I'd second larrygrylls and miniwedge, take her to a&e and say she can't cope with the pain.

Its not acceptable for a doctor to expect a 7 year old to suffer in pain for two weeks while results come through and then if the xray doesn't show anything, you still won't be any further towards finding out what the problem is - what is he going to do then, order bloods and wait another week/two weeks.

What are your instincts telling you. I've learned the hard way that I need to listen to my intincts more when it comes to my children. If you feel in your heart that she's suffering that much, then trust your own judgement and push to get her seen again.

I'm so sorry she is going through this, poor thing. Really hope you manage to get someone to listen and they find out what's causing it.

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 22/03/2011 14:32

I don't know what to do. Sometimes I have followed my instincts and have been right. Other times I have taken them to the doctor and there has been nothing they could do.

DS1 is also poorly and I don't know what to do with him either though DH has just bought a humidifier in the hope it will help his night time coughing.

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larrygrylls · 22/03/2011 14:54

I think that if you are worried about your child (and serious pain is a real concern) you have to fight to get the treatment you feel that you need. Calpol will do absolutely nothing for the underlying cause.

I am 99% sure it is nothing serious and most parents (including me) worry too much. On the other hand, if a stoic girl is in serious pain, there is clearly something going on. At the very least, go to your GP and insist on a full blood count, so you can eliminate other things in the interim. Or, if you have the money, a private paediatrician would be more helpful.

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 22/03/2011 16:18

My husband has phoned the surgery and asked if the GP is willing to ring the hospital to get the results sooner. DD said the pain is the same and it is there all the time.

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Original poster

FourFortyFour · 22/03/2011 18:23

The receptionist didn't pass the message on correctly to the doctor so we are no better off.

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thisisyesterday · 22/03/2011 18:42

i was wondering how she was fff

i would take her to a&e. if the pain is constant, and she has been crying from it and can't cope then she needs something NOW.

take her up to the hospital, say she had x-rays done but that you just can't wait 2 weeks and she needs something doing right now

Original poster

FourFortyFour · 22/03/2011 19:09

It is hard though as she is being normal - rude to me, reading, talking constantly, just ran past me. DH isn't keen to go to A &E for another x-ray as she has had 5 already in her life and has an MRI booked for next month. ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHHH.

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Original poster

FourFortyFour · 24/03/2011 07:53

Can someone please help me?

DD has woken up and says everything hurts. She has grown 1cm since Feb 20th so we were wondering if it was growing pains. She says the pain is a bit like when you have done a lot of exercise. She did run around in the park a lot yesterday after school. She says she doesn't want to go to school. I can't help panicking worrying. I have given her Calpol.

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Northernlurker · 24/03/2011 08:12

There are lots of possible explanations for her pain. I think if she is saying she is in pain and doesn't want to go to school you should take her to A&E. She can have another x-ray without any ill efffects and frankly it sounds like the worry this is causing you all more than justifies this.

caughtinanet · 24/03/2011 09:17

You know your DD best but if it was me I wouldn't be happy with such a long wait for results and I would go to a different A&E and get another x-ray.

I agree with northernlurker, are you worried about the radiation from the x rays? I really don't think that would be a problem and you can check with the doctor when you get there.

I hope you get some information soon.

Pinkjenny · 24/03/2011 09:26

Two weeks for x-ray results? Or am I getting the wrong end of the stick? My ds had an x-ray last year and we waited for the results there and then, they only took about half an hour.

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