DS quickly very ill =/

[MetalSian]

Wondering whether to ring NHS direct again before the nurse calls =/.

My DS, aged 2.5, has been sick 3 times in an hour, going from being seemingly fine, if a bit tired, to looking reallly ill in no time.
He was a bit tired before going to his playgroup at 2, but seemed fine other than that.
He was fine there for about 20 mins then got really cuddly, took him to the toilet and he was sick.
Was sick again on the way home and again when we got in the house.
He had no colour in his face whatsoever.

He has a temperature of 38.9 under his armpit.
He is not himself and is fast asleep at the moment.

He was so tired when we got home he was falling asleep sitting up.
Even me talking to him wouldn't keep him awake.
Really not himself.

Have rang NHS direct, the nurse should be calling within an hour but now I have checked his temp I am even more worried.

And yes I rang NHS direct before posting here, just wanted some reassurance?

=[

If you have any doubt take him to a &e.

If it were me I would take him now.

I would be worried about the not waking up more than the vomiting but yes, take him to a&e.

FWIW, my DD did something similar at about the same age, just really not herself and very sleepy. I rushed off to A&E, she woke up because of hte fresh air and became little miss perky in the waiting room. A& E staff couldn't have been nicer or more reassuring.

I'd phone NHS direct back as his temp is climbing.

I think the sleepiness would worry me, unless he's usually tired by this time?

Do you have another adult with you if you need to go to hospital? Ime that's what NHS direct normally advise.

Have you given calpol? I'd only be concerned if it was still rising 30 mins after calpol.
Little ones do this sudden deterioration... but get better equally quickly.

Shiney

It is the sleepiness that bothers me. Dd had this at 2 years and the dopiness, my inability to rouse her, was the symptom that concerned me then and bothers me now.

I have seen my dc tired because they have been barfing but this was different.
Hopefully the nurse called and reassured the op.

I agree with Pagwatch

If a child is very listless and cannot keep themselves awake, coupled with sickness, its time to take action

A drowsy child with a temp and vomiting a and e definitely.

My DS had something similar at the same age and it turned out to be tonsilitis. Your DS could be coming down with some sort of virus and the vomiting is a result of the fever. Try giving ibuprofen - Calpol very rarely works for controlling temps ime.

Personally I would wait for the nurse to call back. She shouldn't be much longer surely? I was worried enough to phone the doctors surgery and the doctor came out to DS when he was ill. He just said sickness bug but the sore throat wasn't apparent at that point and the tonsilitis was diagnosed later. The problem with 2 year olds is they can't really say what is wrong so you just have to watch.

However, be on the look out for other symptoms and rashes and if something appears don't hang around waiting for NHS Direct, just go to the hospital.

I'd only take to A & E if I was worried about dehydration. Lethargy and falling asleep is totally normal for a D & V bug

Any rash? Aversion to light, headache? Can't be too careful really.

It's better to go to A&E and for it all to turn out to be nothing than to have a child who needs medical attention getting worse at home. Children can get sick (and recover) very quickly. If he's very sleepy or unrousable, or even just 'not right' & you're worried, don't be afraid of going to A&E.

have you given calpol? sleepiness could just be a reaction to being unwell and being really hot....
but it could be something more serious. I don't want to worry you unnecessarily but one of the children I used to look after had meningitis and his ONLY symptom was excessive sleepiness...

so, if calpol/ibuprofen isn't bringing the temp down or altering his sleepiness at all then I would def go to a&e

they would rather see a child who is actually ok than not see a child who is very poorly.

IME NHS direct will err on side of caution and will not only suggest A&E but will send an ambulance .

have you given him any calpol/ibruprofen? you should see if that helps with his temp first imo.

I think A&E is a bit much at the minute. Do you have an out of hours GP drop in you could go to instead?

This is why it's so hard to give advice on a thread like this (really not having a go, OP, just qualifying posts above). Frankly it's why NHS Direct is often not much help in making this kind of diagnostic decision.

Vomiting child, sleepy, with a fever = Calpol, keep at home and keep hydrated.

Drowsy, non-responsive child = A&E

But I would always say a dr (face to face) if in doubt. Better safe than sorry and all that.

Hope he feels better soon

Thanks all.
NHS direct said to take him to see the duty doctor.
He had decided to wake up alot more when his dad arrived.

Doctor said to just keep an eye on him.

He seems much better after a 2 hour sleep.

That's great news. Hope you don't all get the bug

That is good news.

And barbarawoodhouse is right. This is difficult over the Internet, most children are a bit sluggish when they are ill.
But having had 'drowsy, non responsive' child who spent three days in intensive care and came close to not pulling through, I am always worried by a child that you can't keep awake.

So I am glad the doctor saw him and that all is ok