What's your threshold for taking little ones to the dr's

[DillyTante]

Just wondering as DD2 (27 months) is hot, crabby & a little shaky. I have just let her lay down watching TV but DH says take her to the docs. I probably will if she is not better in an hour. Just wondering what your general threshold for taking toddlers is. Hard to tell what's really wrong at that age & don't like to seem a precious parent.

Also with it being a Friday I might be more inclined to take her, but if it were earlier in the week I might give her a day to see if she improved.

Don't worry, this isn't a "help dr mumsnet" thread, more a general query about toddlers.

Personally, I would not take them for about 3 days unless I was actually worried that it was something other than an infection or they had concerning symptoms (breathing, consciousness, meningitis rash etc). I tend to take them on the 3rd or 4th day unless they are improving, even though I do know that it just for my own reassurance and that it is still likely to be a viral infection. On the other hand, I don't get the attitude of people who don't want to bother doctors for a long long time if it seems to be "just a virus". They are the professionals, after all, and examining a sick child and providing reassurance to the parents is, IMO, a part of the job.

yes, on Fridays I err on the side of caution and take them.

Although I wouldn't take them just for a temperature. Is it an ear infection or something that needs a GP to investigate?

These days, docs seem to think most ear infections are self resolving viruses (v different from my childhood!). Obviously, though, you must follow your instinct as a parent. If you think (in a calm considered way) that your daughter may have something that needs medical treatment, then you should take her to the GP.

I tend to use a private GP now (for ease of appointments and having the time to always properly examine my child). They are open Saturday mornings and will come out pretty much any time if necessary. There is also always A&E in case of real emergency. So, time of the week is not really a factor.

I never thought of using a private GP... If you don't mind me asking how much does it cost for a visit to them?

I think I'll just try & get some calpol down her (battle!) & see how she is. Actually we have a 7 day a week walk-in centre in the nearby city so you are right, day of the week needn't be a factor.

I think it is just going to be a Peppa Pig day!

Twilight,

The ones I use have a system where you pay £120 annual membership and when you go to them it costs £60/appointment. You also, reassuringly, get a 24/7 mobile number which is answered by a doctor and up to 3 free telephone consultations a year (ideal for late night high fevers!). I think call outs are the same as going to see them, though once things are at that stage I don't tend to be too focused on the money!

I wouldn't be taking on first day of an illness unless he was REALLY poorly.

With DS (3) most illness tends to be asthma/chest infection related so I tend to be pretty good at knowing when further help is needed and what is needed (way to much practise)

Hot and crabby wouldn't have me rushing to the GP

Roughly:
Dd1 and dd2 (as toddlers) would b 2nd-3rd day of temperature that wasn't improving, wheezy chest or unusual symptom (eg rash that is coming rather than going)

Ds is a bit different because he suffered from ear infections, which if he didn't get antibiotics quickly his ear drum perforated. He also tended to get non-fading rashes with viruses. So if he had a temperature or a non-fading rash, I would get in as quickly as I could. Luckily the receptionists were lovely and would just let me in if I turned up with him.

She was sick earlier so obviously feeling unwell but not worthy of dr's. Ear infections are my worry as they are so painful but I suppose they'd be crying a lot if in pain. DD has just lain on the the sofa all day.

Thanks for the replies.

Mine have only been when they needed a hospital referral as pretty much all childhood stuff is self limiting. Also I often have a GP in the house (dh) so he checks them over if they're under the weather. They're 12, 10 and 9, and youngest is about to start taking abs as having an orthopaedic procedure on Friday next week. That is the first time any of our kids have had antibiotics!

Lol weegiemum, so your threshold for getting a gp to look at them is set at "ooh, you look a bit off-colour" then? [ponders - shoulda married a doctor; what use is a computer geek, really?]

A temp that didn't come down with calpol or a child in pain on a Friday afternoon would have had me hotfooting it to the gps - there were far too many times when I said "ooh, lets see how it goes" and ended up driving the hour to the OOH centre in the middle of the night. And being misdiagnosed/fobbed off, because the OOH gps were mostly awful.

My threshold is still pretty low. Mind you, ds2 was diagnosed with diabetes last year, and every hospital doctor we saw told us how impressed they were at how early we got him to a doctors, and how much much worse he would have been had we waited another day. Since then, I am completely paranoid, rather than just slightly paranoid ...

Thanks larrygrylls that's not bad at all really.. If be happy to pay that so that I can get the children seen straight away, anytime mine have been really unwell always seems to fall on a weekend/holiday when GP is shut. Out of hours is a nightmare to get an app.

Twilight,

We are in SW London, so if you happen to be close (statistically unlikely, I know) I will PM you the details.