Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

I know internet strangers can't diagnose but the doctor has no idea what's going on

17 replies

Helptoddlertroubles · 19/10/2022 17:17

I don't really have a clue what to do next.

I am speaking to our GP in the morning again. Im just looking for anyone who's maybe had a similar experience or can give advice.

So DD is 17 months.
She is generally well and no underlying health issues.
Tuesday last week she seemed a bit under the weather, not herself, bit of a runny nose.
Wednesday was similar and she was really off her food, not drinking much water or juice and generally cranky. She had a 3 hour nap this day which is unusual for her.
Thursday she worsened to the point of constant crying day and night, and refusing anything to her mouth, even medicine. She was sick a couple of times during the day and when crying I noticed her throat was very red looking. She went around 12-14 hours with a totally dry nappy. Around 10pm Thursday night she woke and vomited around 5 times in 20 minutes. She was really unwell seeming so we phoned out of hours.
They advised they wanted to see her mainly due to her age and dry nappies.
We went to that appointment and they did all the usual obs, ear chest throat etc. her throat a little red but no swelling, everything else perfect. Her blood sugar was low at 3.6 so they gave her a sugary drink to try and increase this and also get her passing urine. She drank this well and she was let home but she still hadn't passed urine. They put a bag on her to collect a sample in case we had to go back but it wasn't ever tested.

Friday was much of the same, vomiting and not being happy/settled and crying a lot. We gave her sugary drink as advised and gave her 2.5ml syringe of fluids every 10 minutes throughout the day.
Saturday, Sunday most of the same but not vomiting as often. Hardly eating but drinking enough. Vomiting after a few nibbles of dinner. Eating breakfast fine (weetabix or toast)

Monday she seems more herself, eating more, less crying, happier.
Tuesday same.

Today she is back to crying alot, vomiting and now has developed a cough too. Still runny nose etc. she hasn't been very steady on her feet today either.

Couple of things to add.. she has had no raised temperature during this time at all.

Its not covid.

When she is vomiting she is first just opening her mouth really wide and then out it comes, like she is gagging on something.

Obviously she is too young to tell us if her tummy hurts or head or anything.

Any ideas what this could be or what's causing it to last so long?
I will see what GP says tomorrow but they just said viral before. Its now over a week and she's getting worse not better.
She is still napping ok-ish and sleeping alright at night, taking longer to settle but generally sleeping ok. The first few nights she was vomiting during the night too but this has settled and we're down to about twice a day.

Any advice appreciated

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
CuckooWrasse · 19/10/2022 17:23

Could she possibly have got hold of and swallowed a button battery or similar?

GilbertlovesAnne · 19/10/2022 17:34

I’m so sorry you’re going through this such a worry.

my first thought was has she swallowed something. Any small foreign object could cause lots of vomiting like this I think.

Helptoddlertroubles · 19/10/2022 17:40

Im so glad I posted because that would never even have crossed my mind.

Obviously we are as careful as possible but these things do happen don't they? Im not aware of her swallowing anything but I will ask the gp if she thinks it's worth checking.
Do you think we should wait til tomorrow or try and get her checked tonight?

OP posts:
Allmarbleslost · 19/10/2022 17:43

Reflux?

CuckooWrasse · 19/10/2022 17:44

I would take her to A&E, do you have a hospital with a children's A&E? They deal with toddlers possibly swallowing things all the time and would have the equipment to check her properly. The GP tomorrow would probably want you to go there anyway if you raised this and best have her checked asap if it could be something stuck.

Helptoddlertroubles · 19/10/2022 17:46

I don't know if our a&e has a childrens a&e

It feels strange to take her when I don't know for sure that she has? But now I'm really worried

OP posts:
Helptoddlertroubles · 19/10/2022 17:46

Allmarbleslost · 19/10/2022 17:43

Reflux?

Possible but it's never been a problem before

OP posts:
ChakaKhanfan · 19/10/2022 17:50

CuckooWrasse · 19/10/2022 17:23

Could she possibly have got hold of and swallowed a button battery or similar?

I thought this or perhaps iron supplements, but surely if that was the case it would have come out after all the vomiting?

I would do as you are doing OP, go back to GP and if you aren’t satisfied that they are hearing you, I would go to A&E. A child doesn’t vomit for a week for no reason (disclosure I’m not a doctor but a childminder of ten years so I’ve come across my fair share of illnesses)

DeliberatelyObtuse · 19/10/2022 17:50

It's been over a week now and it sounds like she's no better

I think in your position I would go to A&E in case she has swallowed something

Sending big hugs

BuryingAcorns · 19/10/2022 17:53

My first thought was that she has swallowed something. Not sure why that would cause dry nappies though. Definitely go back and ask for an x-ray.

Anoooshka · 19/10/2022 17:56

Did they swab her throat? It might be strep throat, treatable with antibiotics. DS has had it without a high temperature. It can cause vomiting in young kids.

Helptoddlertroubles · 19/10/2022 18:32

I rang nhs24 just now just for some advice. She is really tired now and I don't want to go and sit in a&e if they think she will be ok to wait and see gp in the morning.

We keep all medications out of reach but she does have older brothers and im worries about lego or something. We do really try and be careful and they always tidy it up and it's kept in their room but it never even struck me that this could be a possibility.

They didn't swab her throat or offer antibiotics. They just said her throat looked very red but no swelling.

Ive never known any of my kids to be so unwell for so long.

We have an appointment at 7.20 at out of hours. They said 7 days of vomiting is too long for her age.

OP posts:
ToFindNewWays · 19/10/2022 18:37

It is probably NOT this but:

I recently learnt of a condition called ADEM (Google it for symptoms, which include vomiting, nausea and loss of coordination). It’s very rare and kids can make a full recovery after a massive course of steroids but I just thought I’d mention it.

It’s an inflammatory condition affecting the brain/spinal cord.

GilbertlovesAnne · 19/10/2022 18:52

@Helptoddlertroubles so glad you’ve got an appointment OP. Really thinking of you and let us know how you get on x

Helptoddlertroubles · 19/10/2022 20:39

Thanks everyone.
We have seen the out of hours GP.
All obs were normal.
They seem to think that DD is constipated hence lack of thirst/appetite and that anything she is eating is just coming back up.
We have a laxative to try and if not passed a decent movement within 24 hours we have to speak to our own GP for review.
She's never had any issues in that area so this seems a bit random but my eldest son does suffer with and is medicated for a similar issue. When he is really impacted he does vomit and refuse food etc.

The Gp seemed confident that if she had swallowed anything she would have passed it by now, and if not then it would be more obvious in her breathing or when listening to her chest.

Thanks for everyone's advice.

OP posts:
Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 23/10/2022 22:52

What happened @Helptoddlertroubles ? Did she do a poo

I'm intrigued by this as I have dealt with a lot of constipation with my two sons but never to the point of vomiting

Helptoddlertroubles · 25/10/2022 00:10

Hi @Hungrycaterpillarsmummy
She did, yes but only because the laxative ran right through her and gave her diarrhoea. She wasnt constipated at all, it turned out to just be viral as both my other children came down with something similar a few days after this post. It hasn't lasted as long with them though. All are better or on the mend now.

Re your sons & constipation. My eldest genuinely does suffer chronic constipation and has been on a maintenance dose of Laxido for over 5 years now. Every time we cut it down or take him off it he has a serious flare up which leads to a severe blockage, causing overflow diarrhoea and vomiting. Its a real thing to look out for if your child has a similar problem, it just wasn't what was wrong with my daughter.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page