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Original poster

8 year old has headache and sore neck and doesn'g like light - NHS direct says fine - come reassure me <<needy>>

130 replies

NormaStanleyFletcher · 07/01/2008 22:14

That's it really

I am a bad mum and sent him to school this morning. He got up and said he had a headache but was happy otherwise. By 10.30 he was in tears and I left work to collect him.

He has been floppy and hot and his head and neck hurt, and he doesn't like light (though he still wanted the telly on )

He is asleep but unhappy

It has been really hard coping with him and his teething sister

Just come and pat me on the back please??

OP posts:
emkana · 07/01/2008 23:14

Best wishes for a speedy recovery

(can I just say what the f*ck was NHSDirect thinking?????)

hatwoman · 07/01/2008 23:14

good that you've gone. let us all know when you can. thinking of you

boringiknow · 07/01/2008 23:16

1

mummylin2495 · 07/01/2008 23:16

hope he will be ok nsf

MargoWishesYouAHappyNooNooYear · 07/01/2008 23:17

Good luck - I'm hoping it's just a bad 'flu virus

AngeG · 07/01/2008 23:17

Glad out of hours Doctor has called an ambulance, I cannot believe NHS Direct.

Hope all ok.

rachaelsara · 07/01/2008 23:19

Good luck Norma, really hope you get sent home cos it's just a bad cold! Lots of positive thoughts xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

boringiknow · 07/01/2008 23:19

sorry but these threads always go the same way
mild to moderate hysteria - i am pretty darn sure he will be fine and would have been better left asleep with fluids and calpol

he was watching tv earlier!

berolina · 07/01/2008 23:19

Now's not really the time, but I too am utterly staggered at NHS Direct. Really shocked.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 07/01/2008 23:20

Thank gawd an ambulance is on the way.

lulumama · 07/01/2008 23:20

do you think the doc would have called an ambulance without due cause, boringiknow? his call to make really.

rachaelsara · 07/01/2008 23:20

boringiknow I hope you're right.

ShakeysGirl · 07/01/2008 23:21

Good luck, hope all is ok.

paulaplumpbottom · 07/01/2008 23:21

Norma I hope we are all overreacting and you can come and tell us as much in the Morning. Good luck to you and your little man.

berolina · 07/01/2008 23:21

boring, the thing is these symptoms ARE the symptoms of meningitis. It doesn't HAV to mean meningitis, but if meningitis is left untreated it will probably kill. I think 'hysteria' is justified in these circumstances, don't you?

And wrt 'watching tv' - another feature of meningitis is extremely rapid decline.

berolina · 07/01/2008 23:22

doesn't HAVE to, sorry

rachaelsara · 07/01/2008 23:23

Are car seats for small people hysterical? How often do you actually crash? What about safety belts?

Monkeybird · 07/01/2008 23:25

boring, let's hope you're right, eh? Will feel good for you. Let's hope you're not wrong cos then we're all gonna feel like shit for Norma and her family.

My baby was admitted last week with a swollen fontanelle. Another sign of meningitis. Ya know what? A diagnosis of a bad virus has never felt so bloody marvellous. But kids die from meningitis so please don't be pompous.

lisalisa · 07/01/2008 23:26

Message withdrawn

rachaelsara · 07/01/2008 23:29

Lisalisa your courage is amazing and your conviction inspiring. Why take a risk with a life?

PortAndLemonaid · 07/01/2008 23:48

Fingers crossed, NSF.

Marvellous that you are pretty darn sure he will be fine, boringiknow. The doctor thought it justified calling an ambulance, but I'm sure you must know better than him.

Although I suppose he probably will be fine. If someone's having heart attack symptoms they will probably be fine, but it needs to be treated as a heart attack until you are sure it isn't. Similarly if someone is having meningitis symptoms they will probably be fine, but it needs to be treated as meningitis until you are sure it isn't.

Frizbe · 07/01/2008 23:53

Ooo just seen this, fingers x'd for you that its a false alarm, defo best to go hospital though, as all have said. I have a friend who recently had to admit a little girl to A&E who she knew the second she saw her, that her mother had left it too late

chipmonkey · 08/01/2008 00:29

Well, boring, I hope your're right. But with those symptoms, her boy had to go to A and E!

Alambil · 08/01/2008 00:45

Lisalisa - you weren't forceful - you were simply drawing on your experiences and the advice/symptoms you have unfortunately experienced. Absolutely do not judge yourself as being pushy - you were not.

Boring - there was no hysteria. People have drawn on their own experiences and the advice from the meningitis group people that you should NOT ignore this combination of symptoms.

Norma, I hope everything is OK.

Are NHSDirect accountable to anyone? Could this massive mistake be reported anywhere because even if it isn't meningitis - who knows whether the next call will or won't be... and who knows if they'll have the same guidelines.

TheMadHouse · 08/01/2008 01:09

Just wanted to add that I hope all is OK, please let us know. I am up with DS1 currently and I know how hard it can be with two, especailly if one is teething.