18mo with suspected meningitis

[RubyrooUK]

Boo. I'm in hospital with DS (18mo) who has suspected meningitis.

Left home this morning with no money etc and a child wearing no socks. Went to GP after a few days of vomiting, seesawing fever and intense sleepiness and expected to get told "it's a virus like everyone has" in much the same way that DH had on Monday.

Instead the GP said he seemed really unwell - and worryingly out of it - and sent us to hospital. Then the paeds doctor said his symptoms were all potentially those of meningitis (no rash though) and with him appearing so ill, he sent DS for a lumbar puncture and blood tests.

Anyway, he has now had some antibiotics on case it is meningitis. And he is still burning up above 39 degrees so we have a fan on us and I'm cuddling DS who is pretty depressed about the whole thing.

Anyway, I'm just posting here because I am a bit scared and worried. And I can't sleep as DS will only snooze if I am in the most uncomfortable position of all time. So here I am stressing on Mumsnet instead....

Oh gosh, poor you. How frightening. But it's good that your GP was so on the ball and good that DS is already on antibiotics.

When do you get the test results back?

We had the provisional results back and they were inconclusive. The doctor said either he has meningitis in the early stages or some nasty infection making white blood cells. To be on the safe side, they are giving him the medicine but it will take 48 hours to say definitely one way or the other.

Thanks for replying. I think I might be off my head at this point in time.

Plus everyone keeps asking what happened to DS' socks and I am too embarrassed to say I ran out of the house in February without them.

You poor thing! What a rite of passage. I think you will be forgiven for the lack of socks.

Thanks purple. We have an hour before our next observations so am going to try and sleep a little and forget the sock shame.

Hope your DS is much better by the morning. I'm glad that if it is meningitis it seems to have been caught really early. Wishing you all the best.

Yes, hope you get some sleep.

And socks schmocks!

Hope he's better soon.

Fwiw I went through almost the exact same situation as a toddler myself and am fine.

Oh dear how horrible I hope you get some good news today. Don't worry about socks that's the last thing you had on your mind!! We were in hospital for the night last week my dd had tonsilitas and was sick over her socks so we had none either every time she woke up she said socks when we left hospital next day everyone stared cause I carried her to car with none on . First thing we done when we got home was put socks on . So hope it all goes well for you today

Hope your DS is doing better now he's on abs. You must be so worried.
Sending you love, hugs and lots of prayers

How scary for you. Sending best wishes for a speedy recovery for your DS

Thanks everyone. He seems better today but they are keeping him in until tests are back. Either he has meningitis which is responding to treatment or some nasty infections which are also getting cleared up.

I've left the hospital for a few hours to pick up stuff from work as DS is now allowing his dad to feed him a rank banana pudding and custard from the lunch trolley.

Also I need some new clothes. The socks are now the least of my problems as DS has urinated four times on my only jeans in our attempts to get a urine sample. I smell peachy.

Hmmm, I bet you do
But stinky jeans and "sock-gate" are the least of your worries. I'm chuffed to bits that he's responding well (regardless of cause).
Have a lovely bath and look after yourself. Keep us updated xx

How awful for you. My little girl was rushed to hospital last year because she was fitting and they gave her a lumbar puncture and diagnosed pneumococcal meningitis. She was in 2 different hospitals for 2 weeks having various tests etc Thankfully she recovered and has had no problems since. Hope your little boy gets better soon

So sorry to hear that mrscee. Although my son has been very ill, he doesn't sound as bad as your daughter. We are being released from hospital this weekend and he can have any further antibiotics from the community nurses at home.

The tests have come back "inconclusive" for meningitis but definitely positive for some acute infection so they have to wait a few more days for the results but in the meantime he is getting lots of antibiotics.

Although the lumbar puncture was awful, the catheter (inserted by junior doctor who had never done it before) was the worst part for DS and he now goes crackers whenever anyone changes his nappy or goes near his groin. I personally had to restrain myself from violence towards the doctor as I did appreciate she was trying to help DS but the primal urge was strong.

His poor little hands are hideously bruised and cut from so many cannulas (inserted by same doctor). And he still can't walk yet as his legs are wobbly and weak and he gets terribly upset.

The good news is that he is being disagreeable rather than limp and pathetic, which has to be a good sign. Although he has given up using words and taken to pointing at things and grunting loudly till I understand what he wants.

Oh bless him, fingers crossed for you all. He's certainly had a rough time bless him
Big hugs to you all xxx

Oh your poor DS :( I hope he's feeling much better soon x

Thanks everyone for all the nice words. Hopefully he will be on the mend soon. He is a million miles better now. I'm destroyed from all the stress but so so happy he is better. I am going to eat a lot of chocolate as a recovery strategy (for me).

Hope he's better soon.
On the not speaking, ds reverts to signing if he's an ear infection and stops speaking, and always has done. He's 4yo now.

Eat lots of chocolate-you need it.

So pleased to hear your ds is getting better it's so horrible watching them doing all the tests when we were in they tried every hand and foot to get blood from dd it was awful it made me feel ill and like you felt like hitting doctor. Don't think they should have junior docs doing that on children !! Hope you get some rest at home and your little boys recovery is fast

Sooooo sorry ur little one has been so ill really hope he makes a full recovery very soon x sending hugs x

Just wanted to let you know that www.meningitis.org/ is a really helpful website for info and also very supportive both and and after you get home if you want someone to talk to about things. I would also like to suggest you get a hearing test done asap after he is discharged as meningitis carries a risk of hearing issues that can be helped if picked up early. With an inconclusive result it is just possible they may not consider doing this with him and not give you that info at the hospital.

If you want to talk at all to someone who has been there done that (septicaemia rather than meningitis, but scarey as hell) then feel free to inbox me here.

Thanks for the advice beautiful. Much appreciated.

He seems much better today and his hearing seems pretty good (he heard the Angry Birds theme tune from another room ).

He has started using his words again too, although he is still keen on the grunting/whining combo to alert me to his needs. But I'll get his hearing checked by the doctor just in case.

Fingers crossed he will soon be himself again. Thank you again too for all the messages. It has helped with my sanity over the last few days!