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Original poster

5yo likely got tonsillitis but refusing medicine/water/food

22 replies

CreatingHavoc · 22/04/2022 22:53

My 5yo is very unwell with what I suspect is viral tonsillitis. I posted a couple of days ago about her urticaria rash and being unwell. The rash has now gone but she still has a temperature and a very sore throat with smelly breath and very swollen glands in her neck. She is stuffed up and very snotty and can only breath through her mouth. It is a battle to get her to take meds at the best of times, she managed 2 doses of calpol mixed with juice yesterday but today has refused it completely despite feeling absolutely awful. She has slept a lot today and has to be distracted when awake otherwise she just cries. It's heartbreaking, I have tried mixing it with juice, ice cream, bought a different brand, all to no avail. She is even refusing water now, although has had a bit with persuasion, and has only eaten a bit of melon and half a banana today. She's asleep now but very restless and hot with flushed cheeks. Is tonsillitis always this bad? She's had it once before but honestly can't remember how bad it was as I had massive sleep deprivation for a long time when she was younger and my memory is terrible. I'm starting to worry it might be something else like glandular fever or something and wondering at what point do you get that chacked? I'm a bit of a worrier but she's not been this ill in ages. Even when she had covid it wasn't this bad. (have tested her twice these last 2 days, both negative)

OP posts:
Hawkmoth · 22/04/2022 23:01

Call 111.

Annoyedandirritated · 22/04/2022 23:07

Use your phone torch to look at her tonsils, if they are yellow or you can see puss she will need antibiotics.

WRT calpol and nurofen, use a syringe and physically restrain if need be, and direct to towards the corner of mouth and hold chin to make sure she swallows. Sounds awful I know, but needs must with medicine

Matchingcollarandcuffs · 22/04/2022 23:10

Hmm this could be scarlet fever, esp with her rash and being stinky. I really think she needs seen, understand if you don’t want to go tonight but get her OOH for tomorrow.

There’s surge in cases and it needs antibiotics, DD was really unwell when she had it

poor thing

Original poster
CreatingHavoc · 22/04/2022 23:21

It would have to be A&E tonight as no out of hours after 10pm here. Her rash was urticaria /hives. Took her to gp about it but they just said classic urticaria. I could call 111 again but they will likely just say if worried take to A&E as that's the only option we have right now. I'm not really sure what to do. Her temp isn't sky high according to our thermometer, it says 37.8.

OP posts:
nocoolnamesleft · 22/04/2022 23:26

Main concern is fluid intake. How much has she actually drunk today? Is she still passing urine?

Original poster
CreatingHavoc · 22/04/2022 23:36

She is still weeing and is crying tears but her lips are a bit dry. I'm not 100% sure how much she's had today, maybe 200ml ish. Not a huge amount.

OP posts:
Original poster
CreatingHavoc · 22/04/2022 23:37

She just woke up and had a bit of water.

OP posts:
Snowraingain · 22/04/2022 23:54

Tonsillitis is awful! You can get a spray to ease the pain in her throat. Then she might tolerate the calpol. Can you syringe some water into her mouth?
When my dd was 3 she had awful tonsillitis and I ended up in A&E with her. The dr sprayed her throat and it was like a miracle. She then took the antibiotics and calpol. Within 24 hours she was almost normal.

Original poster
CreatingHavoc · 23/04/2022 00:03

Oh yes, I remember the spray from last time she had it. She hated it but it does work.
If she's no better tomorrow I'll take her to the walk in first thing.

OP posts:
BergamotandLime · 23/04/2022 00:04

Tonsillitis is horrible. DD had it many, many times before eventually getting them out. Try ice lollies - I used to do ice lollies and favourite programme, she would get distracted enough that I could then just give her the calpol without her really noticing and the lolly had a slightly numbing effect.

Hope she feels much better soon!

JengaTower · 23/04/2022 00:24

It might be acute laryngitis or something similar with an infection and a very sore swollen throat and not tonsillitis. She'll probably need IV antibiotics and IV fluids pretty quickly so I'd be visiting A&E fairly sharp ish. The pain will be incredibly high

MrOllivander · 23/04/2022 01:41

Ice lollies and also the opposite - warm drinks can help if she would drink warm vimto or hot chocolate or something (definitely not a time to worry about nutrition!)

Tonsillitis can be awful, I've had it so badly before that the doctor has said "oh lord" at the state of my tonsils! I tend to eat salted crisps as the salt helps and the crisps scratch the crap off them

Original poster
CreatingHavoc · 23/04/2022 09:17

Thanks all, she perked up slightly in the middle of the night, ate a tiny bit of banana, went back to sleep and then threw up at 5.30am. She's mostly complaining of tummy ache now but her throat is still sore and her glands are still swollen. She's asleep again now so will see how she goes on when she wakes up.

OP posts:
JuneOsborne · 23/04/2022 09:19

My son always vomits with tonsillitis. She sounds poorly, I'd get her seen.

Jelly is water. As are icelolls. I'd try to get her to have something like that.

Hope she's better soon.

Original poster
CreatingHavoc · 23/04/2022 09:25

I think the biggest issue is that she won't have medicine so won't eat or drink much and is very tired because of her temperature not going down. I really hope she will cooperate today!

OP posts:
choosername1234 · 23/04/2022 09:31

Could you try paracetamol suppository? Very easy to insert, much more effective than oral medicine and avoids painful swallowing?

Matchingcollarandcuffs · 23/04/2022 09:45

OP please get her seen, tummy ache combined with other symptoms is likely to be mesenteric adenitis. My DD had month-to-month tonsillitis for two years necessitating antibiotics each time and said that the tummy ache was often worse than the throat. And for her was always a sign she needed antibiotics.

endofthelinefinally · 23/04/2022 09:51

I agree with pp that the smelly breath and the rash is worrying. Call 111 and meanwhile offer ice lollies and try to syringe some calpol.

endofthelinefinally · 23/04/2022 09:53

Put some vaseline or lip balm on her lips.

Original poster
CreatingHavoc · 23/04/2022 20:35

Thanks for the advice everyone, we are in the children's ward having been here since this morning. She has a very bad case of tonsillitis and was dehydrated. It is a constant battle to get any kind of medicine in her but she managed some ibuprofen and improved slightly. Just hope she keeps having it. Difflam and the antibiotics are traumatic for her but we will have to persevere. Her hives came back so back on the Antihistamines as well. So much medicine to give to a medicine-phobic child!

OP posts:
bloodywhitecat · 23/04/2022 20:42

Poor little mite, is there a play therapist on the ward? They might be able to help with her fear of medicines. I hope she feels better soon

Matchingcollarandcuffs · 23/04/2022 20:42

Goat to hear your update but Ssrry she's ill and you're in hospital but glad you both are as she really didn't sound well poor thing.

Hope she picks up quickly now she's in on the meds

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