At what point would you take them to the doctors

[Mummymumm]

My dd3 has some random symptoms. Can't maintain weight. Keeps complaining of belly aches and foot pain. Keeps getting random fevers. I've taken her to the doctors three times and they've always fobbed it off as a virus. The symptoms aren't improving.

Recently the fevers have been getting more frequent and she's complained of tummy aches everyday for three weeks. There's no sickness or diarrhea.

Obviously Google hasn't been a massive help and I feel I need to take her back to the doctors but I feel we'll just get fobbed off again. What would you do?

Do you have anything written down from any of the fevers? How long they lasted, the situation around them, specific temp readings? Or even a track of her weight, when loss started or when gain stopped? All of this is so useful to the docs and going without it written down can mean you forget or get confused and seem like you are not being clear headed in your assessment of the severity of the situation. If not, take the time to loosely write out anything significant, anything you can remember. If you are unable to do this and so long as you feel that they are not in any great danger, start recording relevant things down now and set a time in your head when you are going to go to the docs. If by then everything is looking better, maybe reassess on a day to day or week to week basis.

If you feel like the situation is too bad already, for either yourself or for your child to cope with, just go and tell them as much as you can but insist it's at a level where you are not comfortable going home without some sort of action, maybe tests, a referral etc. I really would listen to my gut when it came to my own child esp if I was the one with them the most.

Sorry can't be much help specifically, but that is what I would do.

Also bear in mind that virus can happily kick around for three weeks and that now is the time to look for even small improvements, but even if they improve but there is a specific lingering worry, just go back

I've been keeping a record of the weight since January. The fevers have been occurring since then as well. Just within the past couple of weeks they have gotten more frequent.

I think moodybum's advice is spot on. Write it down with dates.
Go back to the GP and show them the list, emphasise the length of time, and your concerns and the increasing severity.

Think about the conclusion you would like - some tests? referral to consultant?
Be polite but firm, this time you want to follow up on these symptoms.

I think most parents do know when you have passed the point of normal vague illness. My dd had headaches, and it just got to the point where we went - hmm, this is not normal. We were lucky in that our GP took us seriously.

Try and go with just you and her, if you have other kids, see if someone can sit with them so you can give the GP undivided attention over this.

I am shocked that they are not taking those symptoms more seriously. I would ask them why they don't think it's worthy of more investigation and insist they document their answer.

The last doctor I saw said he didn't want to do blood tests incase it was too traumatic for her.... I definitely feel like something is off. They've noticed a change even at nursery. ☹️

Realistically, a blood test taken at the point where the most likely answer is a virus is not worth the small trauma, however if you feel you have past that point and the quality of living has gone down significantly, it's surely worth it

I’d definately go back to the gp. And as others have said, write it all down first so they know how serious you are. A mums intuition should be followed up. Mention that nursery have noticed too. Maybe say that they’ve mentioned you should get it checked out. The gp might see this as validity to your concerns.
Let us know how you get on x

With the ongoing stomach pain and issues with maintaining weight, I would be asking for a coeliac blood test. I can see the GP's point about not wanting to do unnecessary blood tests, but you are obviously worried enough to have been back more than once. How long has it been going on?

You need to push for more tests. A blood test for a toddler is not ideal but it is doable, especially if you can go to your local children's hospital where they will have an experienced phlebotomist (DD had to have many blood tests from 14mo onwards and this is how we got them done). Anaemia is common (and easily treated) in young children and the blood test can also rule out a few other things.