Sepsis in older children, symptoms

[Peppersandrice]

DD1 age 6 has been very poorly with tonsillitis and been in bed since Wednesday. Really struggling to keep control of her temps. Going up to 40 odd every few hours. When it’s down it’s 38 odd. Still waiting for antibiotics to kick in.
What’s the difference between normal tonsillitis symptoms and sepsis? She is achey, headache, nauseous and had a single bout of diarrhoea tonight. She’s sleeping in bed now. I just thought she would have picked up by now. She’s had tonsillitis a lot before when she was younger but she just seems really bad this time round.
Thanks for any advice.

[BigBairyHollocks]

60 ml over what period?Whats your gut saying?

[applesandpears56]

sepsistrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Inpatient-5-11-NICE-Final-1107-2.pdf

[applesandpears56]

I don’t want to give you a sleepless night in a and e but if it were my child I would be taking her to hospital
It’s a hard call isn’t it
If you think she’s fine def just get some sleep

[Peppersandrice]

The 60mls since she went to sleep just after 8.30.
She had tonsillitis a lot when she was younger and has been like this before but only for 2/3 days not the 5 days it’s been now.
Her temp has came down slightly to 38.1.
I’m thinking leave this calpol another half hour to work then do all her numbers again.

[BigBairyHollocks]

Good plan OP.Do you feel worried about her?

[applesandpears56]

I would just take her op - you’ll get more sleep that way? Otherwise you’ll be awake all night worrying and checking
From the documents I’ve posted her hr and her breathing rate are too fast but that could be temp related?
She’s also had a temp for a long time and antibiotics don’t seem to be improving it much

[Peppersandrice]

Thank you apples for the chart. Her heart and breathing do seem too fast. Especially for an asleep child. I’m just thinking about what the red flags on the chart would be for her.

[Peppersandrice]

Sorry just checked the chart again and fast heart and breathing are red flags. 🙄

[applesandpears56]

So she’s got two red flags on the sepsis chart. Sorry think the other nice chart is more meant for slightly younger children looking at it? Mine are little hence this is the one I use. They might do one for older children?

[applesandpears56]

Yes hr and breathing

[Peppersandrice]

Just done it again and heart rate is down to 110, temp is down to 37.3 so calpol is kicking right in. Even her breathing has slowed. Thank goodness!

[applesandpears56]

Oh that’s much better!

[applesandpears56]

But do go on your instincts whether you think she is getting better or worse - rather than just the numbers

[Peppersandrice]

Yea definitely. I won’t get much sleep with her next to me anyway. Hands in the face and kicking!
Maybe it is glandular fever as that is more prolonged than tonsillitis and AB’s don’t work on it at all.

[GlitteryFluff]

How's she doing?

[Peppersandrice]

Slept fine for the rest of the night but her temp 40 at first waking, now 39.5 and calpol just given. Heavy eyes. But watching tv giggling at it and sipping away at water. Trying a bit of yogurt to cool her down as well which she’s not interested in.

[BigBairyHollocks]

Morning OP,glad to hear she is laughinga away. Might do no harm to see if you can get an appointment with your own GP of even a call with them today to seek their opinion on her.Hope she improved through the day.

[Peppersandrice]

Going to phone just now. She can’t swallow. She’s teary as she feels there’s something on her throat. Her airway is tiny!

[applesandpears56]

I would go to hospital and bypass the gp - gp can’t do any tests and probably all they’ll do is send you on to hospital anyway

[applesandpears56]

It’s not overreacting given her symptoms

[Quartz2208]

It sounds like it could be an abcess that needs draining

[Haudyerwheesht]

She could have quinsy throat. I would take her to a&e

[Grumpyoldwoman007]

This sounds very similar to my daughter. She was diagnosed with tonsillitis on a wednesday, by Friday was worse and I rang the gp but couldn't get past their triage system. I took her to ooh on the Saturday and they said it was just a bad case of tonsillitis and to continue the antibiotics. By Monday she couldn't swallow her own saliva. I struggled to get past the telephone triage system again at our gp but insisted on being seen. The gp took one look and sent her straight to hospital. She had a quinsy and glandular fever.

[Peppersandrice]

Just been to doctors who said to keep pushing fluids and keep going with the ABs. He looked in her throat and said her tonsils are big.
She had a really sore tummy and vomited just before docs.
But she has perked up with calpol and ate some bread.
Don’t know what to do with her.
It’s like when we go to docs it’s timed with working medicine and they haven’t seen her at her dipped stage.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

These dips, do they coincide with when she takes the anti biotics?

Look at the side effects on the instructions.

Dd was pale clammy neaueus she was throwing up and her stomach hurt. She was weak and dizzy. Worse than the tonsilitis itself.

Went away when the antibiotics were changed