When to go to A&E?

[TheletterZ]

My 15 daughter is suffering from very low mood and suicidal thoughts. She is very distressed and agitated right now, saying she feels scared and unsafe (the house has been completely proofed and she is not being left along so is safe).

I just don’t know if we should go to A&E or not. On hold on 111.

Take her now do not let her suffer she needs help and they will ensure she gets the right help.

I have no experience of this but it sounds to me like she needs some urgent help and medication so I would take her. The alternative is for you to sit up all night with her whilst she is distressed and agitated which is obviously not possible. If you have concerns for her safety, you need to get help. for you both and I hope you get the assistance you need

I’ve been to a&e with exactly same things
After sitting in waiting room with everyone else for 3/4 hrs, then questioning for an hour
They sent me home, told me to see gp next day
So if you’ve made it safe at home, I’d say stay there.
Make appointment at gp tomorrow tell them it’s urgent and don’t take NO
Gp may say go to a@e but they will tell you to go to gp they just pass the book
Just listen to her, let her get it out, cry, just be there for her till tomorrow

Have you done the triage questions with 111 yet or are you waiting for that? Normally after triage if she's at risk of acting on suicidal thoughts they will have a mental health nurse call back to assess and either agree a way forward that eases the distress or ask to attend a&e for assessment or call an ambulance. Sometimes being able to talk things through, problem solve a bit and know there is some kind of plan (e.g. A referral) can be enough to resolve a crisis in the short term.

If she's safe to go through phone assessments I would be inclined to do that first as a&e can be a distressing place and most likely after being assessed she would be sent home unless she presented an immediate danger to her own life. They don't do a whole lot more than make that decision and potentially make referrals to community teams.

Does she feel unsafe from herself or because she's scared of something happening to her?

Another thought, do you have out of hours walk in centre
I would go there

Unless she as actually tried an attempt of suicide they will do nothing!!!! Even if you do
They keep you for several hours then send you home unfortunately
The mh is in dyer straights, it’s disgusting really
I’m a 62 yr woman who as had anxiety depression most of my life on/off
And been to a&e in desperation numerous times thinking I’d get help just to be sent home. No resources these days

With my sister who is a teenager if we take her up with either suicidal thoughts or self harming they admit her to childrens ward until she can see Cahms please take her up.

If you’ve got out of hours, take her there

It will be less stressful for her than A&E.

All good wishes to you both

111 got back to us and we are now waiting for a mental health clinical to phone back. My concern is that A&E will just make it worse, long wait etc... there isn’t a walk in centre near here.

We have made the sofa bed up in the lounge and I will sleep with her.
Thank you for all your support.

Oh that’s good
Is it likely you’ll get a call tonight?

Depending on your area, if you go to a&e the camhs crisis team will come and assess and they may offer short term support to help her manage,and may link her in with more formalised camhs support if she isn’t already getting any.

Sorry just saw your update, that sounds good.

I work in AED mental health. What happens varies area to area. PM me and I’ll see if I can offer specific advice.

We had 2 calls back and have been sent to the new gp clinic (didn't know it was here, it wasn't last time we came this way). Just waiting to be seen now.

Great, hope he follows it up for you with camhs for you

She has been admitted tonight and will see camhs in the morning.

That's good, I hope you got some rest too

Oh wow that’s excellent news, hope she gets the relevant help.

Still waiting to see camhs, lots and lots of waiting! Thank you everyone for your support.

So slow, but that is a good thing. She has seen the camhs lady who is now in touch with head office and then we will put a plan in place. I was worried that we would just be dismissed and quickly sent home.

Any news of a plan to go forward, just hope they don’t put you on waiting list!
But having said that you got a bed which is a massive 👍
How is dd doing?

She is staying another night and we have a phone appointment with psychiatrist this evening. Tomorrow the aim is to get her home safely.

Is dd on a psych ward or normal kids ward
As why hasn’t the psych seen her on the ward?

How is dd in her self? Any change?

Normal children's ward. We have only seen camhs nurse. We are caught between private and state. We went private as initially she wasn't too bad and go said the wait would be very long.

Problem is psychiatrist is in London and we are about 1hr away. We use him for my son's adhd from before we moved and stayed with him. So he could see us quickly and we already knew him. Now I am second guessing everything.

She is much the same good at times then a very sudden down turn where she gets very distressed. She is asleep now, not surprising last night she went to sleep 1.30 and night before was also gone midnight.

Just wish I knew what to do. It is so hard seeing her in such distress.

So is it the priory ? I bet that costing a fortune. But when it’s your kids you’ll do what it takes.

There’s no right or wrong thing to do, just be there for her, listen, cuddles, obviously on her terms as she may want it one min then shove you away and yell the next.
Is her appetite ok?
Question to check out first
Please get her Hormones checked get a blood test, they may well be well out of zinc !!
Maybe gp could get this done, as you will be charged for blood test.

She is in our local hospital on a children's ward. The private psychiatrist is from London based clinic. She has slept well tonight so fingers crossed that helps a bit.

She doesn't want to come home as she says she is unsafe there, but both camhs and psychiatrist say that home is the best place for her.