Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

GP won’t see 4yo for 2 weeks [Title edit by MNHQ - Please read beyond the OP before responding]

573 replies

trombolese · 12/01/2024 12:03

Hi, just need to get an opinion on what people would do in my situation.

Some background on my 4yo - severe silent reflux from birth which meant awful awful sleep and feeding. This went undiagnosed for 7 months which then led mega tonsil problems, golf ball size which then caused severe obstructive sleep apnea. Tonsils out at 2.5. Grew back 5 months later to full size, if not bigger (didn’t think possible, consultant at Evelina said she’d never seen it happen that quickly) - constantly infected, had them out again at 3.5. Never weaned properly due to feeding issues, always bad with food. Quality of life crap due to tonsil problems. Since having them out it has only very mildly improved to be honest. He has also suffered with constipation the past year due to poor diet.

Since beginning of October he has had a fever at least once a week, sometimes explained, sometimes completely unexplained. The longest he has had fever for is 8 days with no other symptoms. GP not interested and said these things happen (we have 2 other kids…it doesn’t happen). So many lots of antibiotics, a couple of long lasting chest infections and since November an ear ache that hasn’t gone and he is still suffering with today. Yesterday he spiked another fever of 39, no other symptoms but sent home from nursery. He barely eats a thing, some days he will only eat 2 squares of toast. The rest of the day he drinks like a fish, just water other than 1 x cup of milk before bed and sometimes 1 x in the morning. He’s lost about 3kg so far. He’s so so unbelievably pale, puffy eyes and big bags under his eyes too. He’s recently taken to crying a lot. A lot, a lot. Over things very trivial to the average person but these crying episodes can last up to an hour. He’s extremely irritable and sad. He seemingly can’t walk longer than about 15 minutes without complaining his legs are hurting loads (to the point where he will just crawl along the floor instead if we let him!) and more recently he is waking in the night complaining of itching. His tiredness and lethargy some days is another level.

Seeing as this is his 10th fever in as many weeks (I am keeping a diary now) I contacted the GP with a massive list of his symptoms as I am now actually really concerned. They can’t see him for 2 weeks and have told me to “contact the HV” for advice in the meantime. What advice can they possibly give?! I am really concerned he is lacking something important in his diet or god forbid, something even worse.

AIBU to call 111? Do I take him to a&e?! This just seems crazy now. He has missed so much nursery and it just breaks my heart that his QOL is so shit.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
lunarleap · 13/01/2024 20:16

CluelessPepperoni · 13/01/2024 20:03

Yeah, this would probably be a good idea. That and asking everyone to stop posting 'read the full thread' over and over again. The OP can ignore the posts that aren't relevant but the thread policing is tiresome.

Fair point. I'll stop saying it.

ImaniMumsnet · 13/01/2024 20:18

Please read all of the OP's posts before responding. The OP has gone to A&E with her child.

PfizerFan · 13/01/2024 20:25

Hope everything will be ok with your little boy OP xx

Delaire13 · 13/01/2024 20:31

No need to be rude is there .... There is no limit to the times a sick child can attend a,&e

BlueberryPancakes17 · 13/01/2024 20:31

I think you should call 111. The lethargy and in particular the itching do not sound typical and I would ask for blood tests in particular full blood count

OhwhyOY · 13/01/2024 20:36

I'm so sorry to hear your son is still so unwell, I do hope the hospital are getting him back on track.

Savedpassword · 13/01/2024 20:37

BlueberryPancakes17 · 13/01/2024 20:31

I think you should call 111. The lethargy and in particular the itching do not sound typical and I would ask for blood tests in particular full blood count

RTFT or at the very least the OP’s posts.

Ami3 · 13/01/2024 20:40

Sending you hugs OP hope you’re little one gets the treatment he needs xx

sarahnurse · 13/01/2024 20:46

All Gps do Paediatric and A&E rotations.Lots of inaccurate info on this thread!

0rganisedchaos · 13/01/2024 20:56

Sorry to see your latest update, so glad you listened to your gut...best wishes to you both

BillyNotQuiteNoMates · 13/01/2024 20:56

Just wanted to wish you both well, and I hope you get answers soon

EmmaLouu · 13/01/2024 21:03

Take care; be the unstoppable, unreasonable mama you are. You’ve got this and you are your child’s best advocate. Well done you. I wish you both all the best.

Andthereyougo · 13/01/2024 21:07

A&E. is the best place to be, he sounds really unwell.
I don’t want to scare you but my friends dc was admitted to hospital aged about 3 , maybe just 4. She’d had a sore throat , seemed under the weather, suddenly much worse and it had affected her kidneys.IIRC ( long, long time ago) whatever was attacking her throat could also attack kidneys. She made a full recovery but was in hospital for a while.
Everything crossed you get the proper help your LO needs.

Questioffs · 13/01/2024 21:11

ImaniMumsnet · 13/01/2024 20:18

Please read all of the OP's posts before responding. The OP has gone to A&E with her child.

Maybe edit the title/ first post with this (or similar in the case of the title) message?

katepilar · 13/01/2024 21:21

Best wishes for you and your little boy! Hope he feels better soon!

Nanny0gg · 13/01/2024 21:24

Andthereyougo · 13/01/2024 21:07

A&E. is the best place to be, he sounds really unwell.
I don’t want to scare you but my friends dc was admitted to hospital aged about 3 , maybe just 4. She’d had a sore throat , seemed under the weather, suddenly much worse and it had affected her kidneys.IIRC ( long, long time ago) whatever was attacking her throat could also attack kidneys. She made a full recovery but was in hospital for a while.
Everything crossed you get the proper help your LO needs.

Edited

If you don't want to scare her (and hopefully she won't read the majority of this thread IF she bothers to come back) what was your post in aid of?

rosiejaune · 13/01/2024 21:24

Could be PFAPA or FMF? Though there are other causes of recurrent fever too (most are genetic).

EconomyClassRockstar · 13/01/2024 21:25

At least you're now in the right place to get the help your DS needs, OP. I hope you have lots of real life support and he improves soon.

momonpurpose · 13/01/2024 21:26

Questioffs · 13/01/2024 21:11

Maybe edit the title/ first post with this (or similar in the case of the title) message?

I agree. It's obvious many are not reading the mumsnet message considering the comments after it. If I were OP I don't know if I'd come back because of the take him to be seen and call emergency much less the posts about ohh maybe its leukemia. I seriously do not know what is wrong with people. OP needed support and while she's getting it from some I think the other posters have taken a hard situation and made it worse

Giveandtaketime · 13/01/2024 21:27

You are doing all the right things. I hope everything turns out well.

Nambypambypoo · 13/01/2024 21:31

Hi OP, I hope you are getting the help you need at the hospital, it sounds awful, poor little mite. You have to push for everything with the NHS. I know this might sound left field but have you ever considered dairy allergy? Lots of the issues you describe can be linked to it in some way. Not trying to trivialise as it all sounds very serious. Best wishes.

Unforgettablefire · 13/01/2024 21:39

@momonpurpose I'm ashamed at some of these posts and the ghouls scaremongering why do this to a mother worried about her small child? like the OP hasn't got enough to deal with.

OP I hope your little boy is feeling better quickly I'm sorry you're going through this 💐

3luckystars · 13/01/2024 21:46

My advice would be to get a notebook and start writing everything down.
Dates.
Times.
What doctor said what and all information and conversations.

it’s such a stressful time. My heart goes out to you.

Giveandtaketime · 13/01/2024 21:48

Lougle · 13/01/2024 18:44

In the UK there are 17.3 million people under 25, and each year 3755 get diagnosed with cancer. That's a rate of 0.02%. Most GPs will never see a child with cancer, and even if they do, they won't see a child with the same cancer. A lot of cancer symptoms are vague and could be viral, 'growing pains', or indicate a minor ailment. Most parents of children with cancers don't pinpoint classic symptoms. They have a growing, nagging, sense that 'something isn't right' and, as you will know, it takes an expert to sift through the 'teething last week', 'cold virus a few days ago', etc., to see the common thread.

I think it's grossly unfair to make such comments about a health professional who has less than 10 minutes to go through everything a parent says, filter it, weigh it up, and decide whether to add to the overloaded hospital system.

I know a child who had nagging arm pain for around a year. It was vague, it came and went, the child was young and it was unclear how bad it was. Finally, when the child was screaming in pain at night, they were sent to hospital and diagnosed with a very rare cancer.

The GP can learn that if a parent is worried, they should be worried, but it's not fair to compare a specialist diagnostician with all the tools at their disposal, with a GP who has a computer, a urine dipstick and a blood pressure monitor.

I can't believe the derogatory posts aimed at GPs who have to deal with referrals to specialists in every hospital department. This means they have to have an all encompassing knowledge in every single area of medicine and know where to send their patients. I have a highly esteemed relative who is a GP with specialities. He has often given specialists his views on extremely unusual symptoms and on numerous occasions they've thanked him for leading them in the right direction. I sincerely hope the OP finds answers to what must be a very worrying time.

Whatmeagain · 13/01/2024 21:51

I hope you are all ok and your son’s now getting the care he needs x

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