worrying about meningitis

[Wincher]

My 2.7 year old DS is really poorly, I've never seen him like this before. He was whiny yesterday and then threw up dramatically in the night and was feverish. Today he didn't wake up until I woke him at 12ish - he was easy enough to rouse and I got some water and calpol into him. He then just wanted to lie down again. I changed his nappy and checked all over for rashes but he looks ok. His temperature is somewhere around 38-39 degrees and he was very listless, just lying in bed and not talking or anything except the occasional "want a drinka water". he wss breathing more rapidly than normal but not struggljng to breathe. He fell asleep again within about 45 minutes and is still asleep now. This is so unlike him, he's got me worried -normally when poorly he is whiny! I called nhs direct but his symptoms didn't come up as urgent so it will be 12 hours until I get a callback. I thought I might take him to the gp, but there are no appointments until the urgent drop in in the morning.

I'm sure he's fine and it's just yet another virus but can anyone put my mind at rest?

I am not a dr, just a Mum. My Son is alot older now, but I know exactly what you feel, you don't want to over react, but you don't want to leave it just incase. You have to trust your own judgement and if you do before more worried then take him to a walk in clinic (as you have to pre-book your illness to get a DR appointment). My Son was quiet unwell and feverish when he was cutting teeth and got a lot of ear infections that knocked him out, making him quite sick. Sleep is good for them, just keep checking on him every 30 minutes and when looking for a rash, remember when checking for a meningitis rash use a plain glass, if under the slight pressure of the glass the rash doesn't disappear then call 999. It can be very lonely when your young children are ill and you are worried.

I don't want to worry you, but you can have meningitis without the rash. The rash may only come at a very late stage of the disease.

Does his temperature come down when you give calpol/calprofen?

Does he hurt anywhere, eg head, how is he with a bright light?

Can you lay him flat on his back (no pillow) and then lift his leg totally straight up and then lower it and bend it in the knee so his heel goes against his bottom, same with other leg (this is one of the tests the paediatrician did in hospital with suspected meningitis).

How are his lips (nice and pink or a little pale/bluish), if you push on his nailbed of one of his fingers and push your finger towards his finger tip so that his nail becomes totally white, does it turn to pink again within 2 seconds? (you can google capillary refill test).

Meningitis can be deadly or result in lifelong disabilities. So if you are concerned to take him to A&E.

I am not a doctor BTW.

I'd get him seen urgently.

Agree get him seen urgently.

I hope you've had him seen, it just isn't worth the worry. Hope you're both ok, that sounds very stressful.

Thanks all, sorry, I've only just seen these responses. I woke him again at 3.30 yesterday and got him downstairs in front of the TV, and he perked up fairly quickly and started asking for food, so my mind was eased somewhat! I then had a useful chat to the nurse from NHS Direct who called back. He had a terrible night's sleep, probably because of sleeping most of yesterday, and then today he is grouchy and irritable and still feverish, but this is all far more normal for him when he's ill, and I'm not worried any more!

dikkertjedap, thanks for that very helpful list of things to check for - I will keep that in mind for next time. It's all very well them asking if he is complaining of a severe headache or joint pain but his speech isn't great yet and he's never really been able to tell me where it hurts (this is something we're working on!).

Glad he has improved and hope he is continuing back to his old self again.

Just to say for anyone else reading this thread in the future...trust your mummy instinct please, even if your child has seen a medical professional already and you have been told things are OK. If you are worried then get further medical help. Our daughter is only alive today because I went back for a 3rd time after being sent away 2x before in the last 2 days with "a viral infection". Meningitis and septicaemia are rare and ultimately in more cases than not it will be an over-reaction to see a doctor urgently, but better that than missing a serious problem.

Totally agree with beautifulgirls, doctors make mistakes and sometimes mistakes can be deadly.

Nothing wrong with being a nuisance, doctors may be cheesed off with you but you may be saving your child's life. Ultimately, we as parents, have to live with the consequences, not the doctors.

Glad your DS has perked up a little but I agree with pp - always trust your instincts and it doesn't matter if you're wrong, far easier to live with that than the 'what ifs' of not getting a drs opinion.

Also just to add - if anyone ever thinks their child may have meningitis then do not wait for a rash to appear/discount it because there isn't a rash. If your child has meningitis with septicaemia then by the time the rash has appeared it could very well be too late. My mother was told this when I was rushed into hospital aged 12, unconscious with meningitis and already had the rash, I was very lucky to survive and even luckier to not have any long term disabilities as a result.

And if you're not convinced by the first drs reassurances then seek a 2nd opinion, you know your child best :)