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Will I be wasting GPs time? Please help

8 replies

BlueEyesUltimateDragon · 16/10/2022 16:54

DD3 (nearly, bday in Nov) hasn't been herself for weeks. First she had a bog standard cold but then just under 4 weeks ago had an ear infection. Cleared up nicely with anti-biotics but she seemed a little off still (more tired and sensitive than usual). A week later she went off her food (very very unlike her!) And a few days after that the stomach bug started. We all got it and it was horrid. A few days of being more normal and she picked up a cough early this week, seemed okay until Wednesday when she suddenly got really irritable. Thursday nursery sent her home at 1:30pm, she was boiling hot and they said very listless and upset. She then had a temp between 37.5 and 38.5 up and down until Saturday. Saw a doctor on Friday due to ongoing temp, off food, being listless and bad cough (last time she was like this she had a chest infection). Tested negative for Covid at this point. GP said everything was perfectly fine with slightly inflamed throat (but nothing to worry about) but to drop in a urine sample if she continued to be unwell. DD complained that it hurt her "front bottom" this morning when she passed urine but hasn't since.

I really feel like something isn't quite right but in between bouts of being irritable, crying, refusing food and horrible coughing, she plays totally normally and is happy as well.

She has a horrid cough which, at night time can sound like a bark but I'm not sure if is croup since it doesn't stay as a bark during the day and she doesn't really have stridor, although during her coughing fits her intake of breath sounds horrible. She hasn't slept well for days as she is coughing so much all night. Her temp has stabilised now and has been normal for 24 hours. She looks pale and exhausted but is still able to talk and play and then will suddenly crash and become very emotional and clingy. When she is like this, DH and I agree I can't possibly send her to nursery tomorrow, but then she brightens and we are both thinking that yes there is something off about this but should we be keeping her home?

I'm worried I'll be wasting the GPs time by calling again tomorrow and seen as an anxious mother but DD has had many many colds (been at nursery since 9 months) and has never been like this. She always just cracks on with a smile. Equally, I'm worried about ignoring it in case it is something else.

Sorry for the essay but it's been a long few weeks and I just needed to get it all down. Has anyone had their DC have anything similar? Do you think I should continue to wait and see or call the docs tomorrow again?

OP posts:
Thrownunderabus · 16/10/2022 16:57

Maybe retest for Covid? But yes, it is worth speaking to the dr if still negative and you are concerned.

justloveandlightx · 16/10/2022 17:01

Agree with PP re test for covid and then ask for another appointment, trust your instincts and let them know you feel like something isn't quite right! Flowers

hashbrownsandwich · 16/10/2022 17:01

HCP here. I would I do a covid test just to make sure it's not that but I would then ask for an appointment for someone to check her ears again as sometimes more than 1 standard course of antibiotics is needed.

Does the ear have any discharge?

BlueEyesUltimateDragon · 16/10/2022 17:05

Thank you for you quick replies! Yes I'll retest for covid (will have to get another LfT tomorrow now)

@hashbrownsandwich no discharge from the ear, no visible discomfort from it either. Just remembered that the GP didn't check her ears on Friday though. After the 3rd dose of the anti-biotic she was pretty much right as rain but we finished the course as prescribed. It's mainly this cough that is troubling her and the fact that she has these bouts of lethargy and being miserable when it just isn't like her, and the struggling to sleep.

OP posts:
Sago1 · 16/10/2022 17:56

Could this be whooping cough?
I had it as an adult, the symptoms seem similar.

Aconitum · 16/10/2022 17:58

Have you done the urine sample?

BlueEyesUltimateDragon · 16/10/2022 18:06

@Sago1 no real whooping sound from the cough, I listened to videos of croup and whooping cough and seemed closer to croup.

@Aconitum not yet, going to collect in the morning and drop it in first thing

OP posts:
BlueEyesUltimateDragon · 17/10/2022 17:43

Thanks for all your comments yesterday, DD covid test came back negative, GP saw her, listened to my long winded history and checked her all over - the opposite ear to the previously infected one is red and inflamed now and she said it's likely that the first course of anti-biotics didn't fully clear the infection.
We've been given a different course of antibiotics to help. I'm so glad I went back and the GP took us seriously rather than dismissing us because DD happened to be in good spirits when we were there (she quite enjoys a doctor trip by now!)

OP posts:
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