DS (19) has basically been ill, off and on, for over 6 months now. He has some learning disabilities which means that I have to help him access healthcare etc. It's also a problem as he's not very good at explaining and advocating for himself and gets easily fobbed off.
He's basically been ill with various things such as covid (x 2 July 21 & Feb22), sore throats, swollen glands (neck), sore tongue, tonsilitis.
Had antibiotics twice. Second time we think they caused oral thrush, which has only just gone after a month.
He's at uni, so I expected some of the 'run down in the first term' thing, but this seems beyond that. He has been home for two weeks and is still struggling (sore throat, swollen glands, sensitive tongue (citric stuff stings)), fatigue too, as all the other things disturb his sleep.
He has had phone consultations, sent videos/ photos etc, but he can't seem to get a face-to-face appointment, or any tests anywhere, and now he's home our GPs here won't see him.
I honestly don't know how to help him? Where to go? The NHS seems shut unless you're an emergency. When they hear he's young, 19, and it's 'just' a sore throat they just redirect to a pharmacy for yet more paracetamol.
I think he needs a throat swab and perhaps blood tests? How/ where can we access these? We could pay to go privately, but we don't have huge savings.
As his mother, my gut feel is this is something more serious than just an on-going cold/ sore throat!