My Grandaughter

[chrissie2]

I have an 18 month old Grandaughter who has been having very high temperatures (40c) for the past 3 days, she is very quiet, wont eat and although is drinking not as much as usual.She will perk up after some calpol but once it wears off goes back to being ill. She has been waking in the night so hot her hair is sticking to her face, and crying.

My daughter took her to our local hospital as it was after surgery hours and the receptionist wouldnt even take her name, and refused to put her down to be seen, she said get the doctor out. My daughter then phoned the surgery and a doctor spoke to her and said it sounds like a virus and to just give her calpol.

Yesterday she was really bad again, wouldnt move, her hands and feet turned purple, very high temperature, and refused food. She was taken to the surgery and the doctor said there was nothing wrong with her.

My daughter, as we are, is very worried about her, she is still getting very high temperatures, not eating and very very lethargic. Have any Mums had the same experience and if so do they know what it could be. I am just so worried she will get so hot she will have a fit.

ahh, lou, doctors can be worng, and things can change...

and it's shit that the world doesn't work 24hrs a day- but kids sometimes can't wait.

I am not a doctor- and therefore would not give out any advice on this forum, but poor circulationad fever can be signs of sepsis which needs to be addressed quickly- in hospital, as an emergency....

none of us can see the child and i think as such weshould say tot he OP to go and get further advcie etc if they are still worried.

If you are wrong, it may be catastrophic.
if i am wrong, then minimal harm done.

Sorry- a bit offf topic, but it is something that this thread has thrown up-

I do feel that on the net even the professionals have a responsibiltiy to make sure that the worst case scenario is dealt with.
You can't see the child, you can't really tell what is going on and if the parent is still worreid, the the ONLY sane advice is to get further attention- be that at hospital or another doctors.

We hahve no idea about the viral diseases going on around in the area the OP's grandchild is in- no idea if the child is vaccinated/immunesurpressed/whatever.

As you do say, lou, you can't diagnoses over the net- and equally one should be firm and reassurinig, but not too far IYSWIM.

I recently killed a thread about whether or not to vaccinate pets (I'm a vet) becuase it was all getting out of hand..
i'll see if i can find the post- but the gist of it is, get local advice from somebody who can see you, the pet (child) and knows the local disease issues.

If we do this every time, then we won't get it tragically wrong- ie advise that maybe it's not necessary to seek further attention whilst something pretty worrying is happening at the end of the internet.

actually, lou, I apologise.
I see the main gist of your reply is that maybe not to go to a and e but to the GP oout of hours service.

Fiar enough.

I'd got a bit hot headed about the "it's a nasty virus" thing, and misread from that point on.

Aorry, OP too, I'm sure a row on here re who to get to see the little one would be the last thing you need.
I'm going to step away now and I hope all is well.

I would ring up NHS Direct, carefully describe the symptoms and ask if it is OK to use an alternating Nurofen for Children and Calpol regime on a child of this age.

Several doctors have told me that this is the recomended regime for a child with a persistent high temperature where the effect of Calpol is wearing off.

However, you MUST check the correct dosage with a medical professional and I would NOT do it on a very young child without specific permission and direction on timing and dosage.

Hi I just wanted to update you on things. My Grandaughter did get worse last night, she was so hot it hurt to touch her. My daughter rang the emergency doctor this morning and told him everything.

He said he wouldnt make a home visit purely for the reason that if one doctor could find nothing then the chances are he would, BUT he said take her to A&E, he would ring ahead to let them know she was coming, he said that its best she gets seen by a specialist as Doctors havent got all the answers and the first Doctor she saw should have told her the same thing.

He also said that only a mother knows her child and knows if he/she is very ill, and always follow your instincts, take them to A&E they wont mind if its nothing, as if it is something serious then the longer you leave things the longer it takes to treat.

Hope she's ok

Sorry should have read before I posted, I meant the doctor said if one doctor could find nothing the chances are he would find nothing as well

Daughter has just got home, my grandaughter has severe tonsilitis, left any longer and it would have developed into a quincy and she wouldnt have been able to swallow her own saliva! and would have had to be admitted for intravenous antibiotics and dehydration salts.

My daughter has been told to write a letter of complaint about the doctor who said there was nothing wrong with her.

I'm so sorry for your granddaughter and daughter Chrissie. Saw this too late, but it's worth putting down here than 4 GPs saw and dismissed my DD when she was barely a year old with a "cough and cold". She was eventually given antibiotics which she threw up and still didn't get better.

Eventually, I decided to take her to A&E. They x-rayed her chest. She had a massive shadow on her lung and was admitted with pneumonia - didn't eat or leave hospital for a week.

You have to trust your instinct, and screw anyone who gives you the disapproving eye. Well done to you both for looking after your LO so well.

Glad she's being looked after now. I have learned from experience that when I take the dcs to the doctor with a fever (which I don't usually do, but will if it's lasted several days or they are worryingly unwell) I usually have to ask them to check their throat. Often it's tonsillitus but for some reason it doesn't seem to be a standard check - dd got really quite ill last time before it was diagnosed.

I can so relate to this. In my experience you have to be very pushy in this situation. The fact that they don't home visits for babies makes me so . make sure you complain hope she feels better soon.

So glad that you got some answers and treatment. Wishing you all a swift recovery.

I am so glad your grand daughter got the care she needed and your daughter got the answers too.

I was worried that you ahd been put off by some of the posts here.
as you so rightly say, and so did the doctor- you KNOW when it's seriosu and you MUST follow it up, whatever us on the internet say.

Poor wee girl, am so glad you didn't wait till monday.

I hope she gets better soon

[hugs]

The exact same thing happened to me last year, the Doctor told me I just had a sore throat and it couldnt be treated with antibiotics, I knew it was tonsilitis as I have suffered with it for years, a couple of days later it was so bad I could hardly stand up and went to A&E, they said it was too late for normal antibiotics and I was admitted for intravenous ones and they whipped my tonsils out.

I just dont know why doctors are so dismissive of parents, we know our own kids and know when they are acting off colour and down, but I guess they dont listen because THEY are the doctors and we are mere mortals. Not all doctors are the same though and thankfully most are very nice people who do listen.

This site is very good and friendly, everyone willing to help. My daughter brought a book written by netmums, a general one about bringing up kids and it is very helpful.

Im glad you have a diagnosis.

I had the same thing with DS1 he had a fit and i rushed him to dr's only to be told i was worrying over nothing, i went to a different doctor for a second opinion and found he actually had a severe throat/ear/eye infection and he was admitted to hospital for i.v's.

I hope she is feeling better soon and once again i am glad you got to finally see someone who cared enough to make a proper dx.