Urgent paediatric referral - any words of wisdom?

[Jo2508]

My dd (9) has just been referred by GP to paediatrician for further investigation/blood tests. She has been unwell for over 3 weeks now with fatigue, fever, aching joints and weight loss (3 kgs in 3 weeks). I am trying not to panic but feeling very worried and just wanted to know if anyone had any similar experiences or words of wisdom. Thanks very much

Thanks, I don't know whether to go back to GP and ask them if they will redo blood tests or test specifically for glandular fever. I feel like they just aren't interested now that the blood tests showed nothing serious. But I am concerned about the daily headaches as well now. I wish I could keep her at home for a week but I work full time and I haven't got enough annual leave to be able to do this. Would it be wrong to go back to GP and try to pin down a diagnosis?

Definitely insist on pursuing a diagnosis. Is she still having fevers?

You are absolutely right to pursue this until your daughter is well. If she is not really able for school she has to be seen.

I hope you get to the bottom of it soon. I feel your pain x

Jo could you keep a note of when the headaches occur (time of day, area of head that hurts etc) and also take those notes back to the GP - even if you only have a few days info. that should help. I wouldn't worry about going back, she is still unwell and obviously needs further attention.

Good luck.

It sounds a bit like the strep infection wasn't totally cleared up by the antibiotics and has come back (and headaches can accompany a strep infection). If she didn't have a full 10 days of penicillin, then you need to ask for that. X

If shes still poorly I would take her a+e where they wont send you home until they know its safe to do so. Theycan do bloods, swabs, mmore urine testing etc.
its horrible when they are ill. Tonsillitis makes my ds really ill.temps wont budge, heart rate too fast, lathergic, sick to top it off he has sn and health problems so he isnt the easiest patient. Hes had meningitis and septecmia in the last and we caught it just before it got hold of him.

If she is still going to school it could well be that she just needs to rest ,I appreciate it is difficult when you are a working parent but you may well be extending the longevity of this illness and opening your dd up to more illness by sending her to school . Sorry to sound harsh but I say that as the parent of a teenager who got CFS at 11 and has been out of mainstream school for 2.5 years .

I second A and E. I would sit there until they make a diagnosis,which they surely will.

I really hope she's the treatment she needs x

Oh your poor dd.. I had glandular fever and it didn't show up in blood tests..
Are you entitled to any carers leave at work?

Hope she feels better soon

Thank you again for your replies. I have got another doctor's appointment for dd next week, I will ask them if they can redo blood tests. I will also talk to work about the possibility of carer's leave-the problem is I have only been working there for 5 months and they are not very keen on people taking time off for anything. As Easter holidays are coming up I am planning to make sure she gets lots of rest but she will also be travelling to spend a week with her dad which I know will be busy. I have asked him to bear in mind that she needs rest but as he doesn't see her very often I don't think he realises how much this is affecting her at the moment. I feel so helpless, still not knowing what is wrong with her.

Im not trying to be horrible but if that was my child no matter what the circumstances were I would have been down to a+e
kids are too precious
I almost lost my baby twice
can you not take her after work ?

Oh no! I am so sorry that this is still going on. There are so many horrible viruses around at the moment. I hope she starts to feel better soon x