NHS told me I wasted my time taking my child to hospital.

[Lililoox]

Yesterday afternoon I called 111 for some advice as my daughter was slightly struggling to breathe and she had a bad cough similar to what she had in December when she had RSV and Bronchiolitis and had a 2 night hospital stay. I was told to take her to a urgent treatment centre which I did and the doctor who saw her said they would like her to go back to the hospital and he confirmed it was Bronchiolitis most likely caused by RSV again but the hospital would be able to do the swab to confirm. Fast forward upon arrival to the hospital the nurse at triage was lovely, she said my daughters ribs were sucking in and to take her round to paediatrician ward. They done her observations and her SATS were sitting at 95 which they were happy with. They said to go back to the waiting room for the doctor. My daughter then had a feed and vomited it back up pretty much straight away which again, is what she was doing in December when she was admitted. She is such a smiley playful baby even when she’s poorly. She was even happy with an NG tube in her throat in December, it’s just how she is. The doctor came round, her SATS were now at 93/94 which is apparently ‘very good’ and listened to her chest. He confirmed Bronchiolitis and said RSV swab is only done if child is admitted. My daughter was happy and smiling at the doctor and he said ‘I’m happy with how she is, she is happy and playful which shows she’s healthy so I have no concerns, to be honest it was a waste of time you coming here, there was no need”. I was completely taken back! My daughter had vomited after her feed, struggling with her breathing, and belching when coughing, and they think that’s wasting their time? They said to come back if she presented further symptoms but to be honest I’d rather drive the extra and take her elsewhere next time. Am I stupid to feel she’s been neglected or am I taking it the wrong way as she’s my baby? Thankyou if you got this far

She’s 6 months old, was 4 months old when she had it the first time. I’m glad to get some second opinions I really didn’t know how to take it. Obviously my baby’s care and well being is my top priority hence why I took her there in the first place I would 100% rather be safe than sorry

I had an out of hours GP tell me that my happy chilled smiling baby just had a virus and could go home.
She was unwell with an untreated allergy, and had caught Bronchitis on top. We hadn't had a wet nappy in over 12 hours, plus a sunken soft spot.
She was indeed smiley, and happy at 4 months old whilst in front of that doctor.

But I refused the doctors opinion, and had her seen by another doctor and fortunately I avoided her becoming seriously unwell (because of her allergy the actual bronchitis was managed without intervention).

Always trust your instincts OP, and my actual GP has always told me I'd rather you came in and it be nothing, than it being something and you don't seek help.

Because of your baby's history you did the right thing and got her checked. If your unhappy with how she's presenting please don't let that doctors attitude put you off going back!
Its possible he was saying he felt sending you to him after the last doctor was wasting your time, as in the hospital were wasting your time not that you shouldn't have gone.

I had a nurse speak over me whilst I was in A&E for myself and announce my diagnosis to a nurse opposite, when they hadn't even told me what was wrong (which was actually quite serious). Sometimes health care isn't as gentle as we'd like.
I hope your little one picks up soon!

so this actually happened last time! She ended up being admitted in December but 2 days prior I took her in and she was sent home for the exact same reason of her being happy and playful. I’m glad you stood your ground and got your daughter the diagnosis and help she needed!

sounds like a bad approach from that doctor after all other professionals supported and referred you on.

we've always been told it's never a waste of time to bring a m young child in, and kids can seem ok until they're suddenly not. I'd def try a different hospital if you feel the need for a second opinion and have that option.
However if you did go back it's fairly unlikely you'd see the same doctor again.

They shouldn’t have said waste of time. I’ve gone into A&E with an unresponsive baby, who then has acted normal after getting a heel pricked and spends 3+ hours looking normal. Whilst the nurses see a baby that’s normal, the ambulance saw a baby that was barely breathing. I would hate to think that the A&E staff think I’ve wasted their time. But the language they’ve used has been “better to come in to be safe”. Which sounds nicer than “you wasted your time”.

Some baby’s are generally just happy babies! I definitely can see now he could’ve meant after taking her to the UTC she didn’t need a second opinion sort of thing. At the time I was so taken back and angry I didn’t stop to think the possible reasons he meant🤣

I think you’re right and that it was just poorly phrased. In that mindset though at 12am I was just completely blindsided

I’ve never known a paeds doctor, or any doctor, to say anyone was wasting time taking a child in. Children are generally fine until suddenly they’re not, so doctors would always rather see them and find them well, then it be too late and wait until they’re very unwell.

I’d probably email PALS.

You didn't waste your time and he phrased it poorly.
Am I stupid to feel she’s been neglected or am I taking it the wrong way as she’s my baby?
She wasn't neglected at all.

Thankyou for your responses everyone. I feel a lot better now after reading through, just wish it was worded in a way I didn’t feel like an idiot after spending 6 hours there🙈 my baby is the same this morning although isn’t working AS hard to breathe so definitely feel more relaxed today. I think because I hear so many horror stories about RSV and I’ve already watched her go through it once I go into panic mode. It’s scary to watch them like that

Some doctors are like this. My daughter was ill when she was one, she'd been poorly for weeks, not eating, falling asleep in noisy rooms, was magnolia coloured: took her to the dr, who called another dr in and they both said they were concerned about sepsis- drive her to hospital because it was quicker than an ambulance. Got to hospital and the dr basically laughed at me, because it wasn't sepsis. (Which i never thought she had, but I knew she was ill). Took a few months to diagnose her as being 'dangerously ill" with undiagnosed cealiac

I see sometimes that some doctors say - it’s a waster of time that you came to the surgery/hospital. As if we have a crystal ball. It’s what the NHS are like sometimes- and I stress “sometimes”. There are good enough teams out there, go to a different hospital. (You followed the advice of the doctors and took her to the hospital, how is it a waste of time? Damned if we follow the advice and damned if we don’t!)

I think what the doctor has (poorly) said was the advice from the 1st doctor you'd seen, telling you to take her to them was a waste of time. Not that you'd wasted their time.

I actually had a similar time when the GP arranged for my son to be seen at our local hospital on the same day. Yes, my son did need an op, but it was not urgent for that day. They probably wanted the GP to refer to the appropriate surgeon, not send us up to the urgent child assessment unit. They couldn't do anything other than refer us to the surgeons.

You were only following the advice you'd be given. Hope your little one is on the mend soon.

Well when my daughter had an asthma attack and her SATs fell to 93 we were blue lighted into a&e and admitted for 3 days….

i would want a second opinion.

God it’s like the bad doctors’ go to phrase - waste of time. Do they teach it in medical school I wonder

My one year old child got really horrible spots with chicken pox. I asked a GP friend who said the spots looked infected and to take them to out of hours. The OOO sent us to A&E as he felt they needed IV antibiotics. The A&E doctor considered admitting for an IV but sent us back home with liquid saying to come back next day if we couldn’t get it into them. We couldn’t get them to take it so went back to A&E the next day as instructed, waiting a long time. Finally saw another registrar who told us the spots weren’t infected, he’d seen much worse in other parts of the world and we were over-worried parents with a small problem, and sent us home.

To be fair, the spots did heal (with scarring) without any systemic illness developing, but it was fairly infuriating to get that treatment after following the clinical advice of three other doctors!

Glad your baby is recovering, OP. Sounds like you did the right thing.

My youngest was hospitalised for 6 days on high flow oxygen for RSV bronchiolitis, but he was only 3 weeks old at the time and got very sick very quickly.

In terms of vomiting after feeds, they will be mucousy and won't be able to tolerate their normal amount of milk as their body is working harder on their breathing and a full tummy makes this worse. Try smaller feeds more often. DS wasn't able to tolerate even 10 ml of milk in a feeding tube and was on iv fluids only for 2 days.

I was told sats under 90 was really bad, 92 and above was acceptable in bronchiolitis cases. Keep an eye on wet nappies, if they dry up then take her back to hospital. She will survive on much less milk than usual for a few days while she recovers. That doctor sounds a bit lacking in bedside manner, but I'd like to believe he was trying to reassure you that she wasn't sick enough for hospital, rather than telling you off for bringing her in!

if I didn’t take her it would’ve gone as a referral to social services for not listening to a health care professional’s advice to take her to A&E, and after hearing them say she needs hospital you go into panic mode thinking what does she need there that you can’t do here sort of thing. I’m glad I took her and would never regret getting a second/third opinion as her safety will always come first to me😊 Thankyou for the response!

Just don't let it put you off ever going to A&E again

I'd say it was frustration at the UTC for sending you to the hospital was a waste of your time. If she didn't need intervention they shouldn't really have sent you there. Even if you got RSV confirmed today, they'd have to do it again tomorrow if you were admitted.

That would be key, did he say wasting your time or wasting the hospitals/his time.

thankyou for the outlook on SATS they didn’t explain anything after I asked they just said they’re fine. If I know what to look out for and what is considered a normal range when on the poorly side then I can stay calm instead of the heart dropping at the sight of them lowering🤣 children know how to make you panic that’s for sure, bless them. Yes I definitely see now he most likely meant after the UTC she had the diagnosis and could’ve gone home. I went into mum survival mode and was speechless after initially hearing it🤣

He didn’t specify which just said waste of time but can definitely see now he could’ve easily meant UTC, just could’ve been worded in a way I’d have understood who’s time it was 🤣

That doctor is very offhand. I’ve seen it numerous times.

for what it’s worth my GP sends us to hospital with stats of 93 for our toddler. Whenever she’s had that she’s had a chest infection and needed antibiotics.

its right to go when they suck in as they can get exhausted from the effort and stop breathing. I’d reiterate what the other healthcare told you and ask for management advice. Our kid goes from bouncing to serious hospital care within an hour so smiling has got nothing to do with it!

You did the right thing and should feel no guilt whatsoever. Bronchiolititus is horrible. Mine had better sats than yours when she went in for it and they still suctioned and tested the mucus. She had a secondary lung infection and needed antiobiotics ans then spent 2 weeks vomiting every day. It nearly killed me.

I remember though how kind the paediatric doctors were. They said they’d always want to see babies if they are struggling a bit with their breathing and it’s their job not the parents to know what is really serious and what can be managed out of hospital.

Life is too short, op. Try to forget about it. You have enough on your plate.

However please don't let this affect how you behave in the future. You did exactly the right thing and if it happens again and you are worried you should bring her in again, for her sake and your own peace of mind. Better to "waste time" than have regrets.

Even if he meant that you were wasting his time (which I don't think he did) he'd just have to suck it up.