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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

Do I take DD to the doctor tomorow or not?

29 replies

zebraX · 24/04/2005 20:50

Really don't want her to take a course of antiBs if she doesn't genuinely need them, but...
She is 3.5 yo. Last summer she had (first ever) a UTI which took weeks to clear.

She has some infection type thing, now. Last few days tending to sleep a lot, come & go bad fever, complaining when she goes to the loo... but she's a whingy child, anyway, not sure if she's complaining because she doesn't like how she's sitting on the loo or because she got a bit chapped down below so it hurts when we wipe her clean (usually has wet knickers on, because she fights going to the loo).

She had high fever 2 hours ago, gave her some Nurofen, she's bright now. She seems better the more often we take her to the loo, but she has had a few spells of needing to go every 10 minutes or so.

When she had the UTI before she woke up in middle of night to go to loo & screamed in pain about it, she's sleeping thru fine in last 2 days, wetting her nappy comfortably in her sleep. On that basis I think it's not a UTI and we can just monitor... or should I be more cautious?

Sorry for the essay!!

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WideWebWitch · 24/04/2005 20:54

I'd monitor I think Zebra, if she's sleeping the pain can't be that bad presumably? Can you just let her go knickerless for a bit if she's sore? And keep an eye on temp? I think that's what I'd do but it's so hard to say about someone else's child. Is your instinct that she's very ill or just a bit off? If it's the latter I'd see how she is tomorrow and take it from there. No exp of UTIs though.

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mckenzie · 24/04/2005 20:55

I think only you can judge really ZebraX. I was told by a lovely doctor (after one visit long ago to the emergency surgery) to assess the child, not the symptoms.

So if you think your daughter is poorly then take her to the doctors but if you think she's okay even though she has certain symptoms then dont bother. Does that make sense?

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mckenzie · 24/04/2005 20:55

btw, I wish her better.

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NotQuiteCockney · 24/04/2005 20:56

Can you do anything for the chapping? A bath with some oil in it would be an easy way to help heal the skin.

It does sound like a uti, maybe. You can make them go away with loads of fluids, particularly if they're not too bad.

Knickerless sounds like a good idea, anyway, to keep the area healthy.

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SenoraPostrophe · 24/04/2005 20:56

If I were you I'd take her to the docs anyway. (at least you'll get a diagnosis - many docs now tell you not to give anti-Bs initially anyway).

You may remember though that I am super cautious about this kind of thing now, but that's partly because I've found a doctor who shares my suspicions about anti-Bs - if she says give them, then I give them.

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bensmum3 · 24/04/2005 20:58

Zebrax, could your practice nurse give you a sample bottle in which you could collect a clean specimen of urine, which she could then test for blood and protein which would be evident if dd has a uTI ?

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Aero · 24/04/2005 21:01

Have to say i'd have her checked especially as she's had UTI before.
Dd had a fever on and off and was off colour for a fortnight, but nothing too much, so I didn't take her. That is, the fever went down with calpol etc and never got so high that I was worried, but, one night, she totally refused her food - pushed it away and the next thing I knew, she was blue and covered in goosepimples and shivvering, but when I took her temp, it was almost 40degrees at which point NHS direct advised me to take her straight to A&E. I did and it turned out to be UTI. I'd never have thought of it though..........so def worth her at least being seen I think, at least to settle your own mind if nothing else. They won't give abs unless it's necessary I'm sure. HTH

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WideWebWitch · 24/04/2005 21:02

Based on aero's post I'm going to do a complete u turn and say take her Zebra!

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QueenEagle · 24/04/2005 21:02

You may know from other threads that my dd had serious UTI's which hospitalised her on IV's and kidney/bladder problems so hope I can offer you a few words of advice.

Encourage her to drink plenty of squash type drinks (not fresh orange as this will sting when she wees) or water if she likes it. This may help to flush out any bugs which may be lurking and even if it is a UTI you may get away without having antibiotics. If it really stings when she wees, would she tolerate you pouring a jug of warm water on her bits as she wees? If not then get her to wee in the bath.

If she is still very sore after a day or two of doing these self-help measures, then take her to the docs to be on the safe side. I wonder if it might be worth getting a sample now that can be sent off just so you can be sure one way or the other whether this is in fact a UTI even if you don't get any medication for it???

HTH

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hoxtonchick · 24/04/2005 21:03

i'd get her checked out. they might not even give you antibiotics anyway.

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zebraX · 24/04/2005 21:03

We have been more diligent about chucking her in the bath every night (not necessarily a daily event in DD's life ), & letting her go knickerless, so the chafeing has mostly cleared... she really likes to wear tights, though, which dont' help the bits below breathe! And we frog-march her to the loo whenever we see her strain to hold her wee in, but with 3 kids I can't keep a very close eye on any of them...

Yes, what you're saying makes sense, Mckenzie. The thing about UTIs is in theory they can (very occasionally) travel up the tubes to infect the kidneys and cause permanent damage, bad enough to lead to need for kidney transplant (no, I'm not kidding).

What I'd like to do is take a urine sample in to have it tested for infection, but am afraid that GP will be brusque with me...

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zebraX · 24/04/2005 21:05

Thanks, Aero & Q'Eagle -- I forgot, DD has had some shivering moments in last 2 days, too, apparently from fever but I wasn't really sure. One of them sorted itself after she had some cereal, so I reckoned it was partly her just not being a morning person.

Damn, I wish she would just go have a tinkle when she felt the need rather than always fight it!

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QueenEagle · 24/04/2005 21:08

Zebra, is your dd prone to UTI's?

If she does seem to get them frequently, then it's worth pushing to get an US scan of her kidneys to make sure all is well.

My dd had her 1st UTI when 5mths old and suffered badly and frequently with them. She was investigated, scans, tests, camera inside her etc and all the UTI's had scarred her kidney so badly she had to have half of it removed just before she was 3. Admittedly she had a congenital kidney defect as well, but all the UTI's still did a lot of damage.

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Aero · 24/04/2005 21:10

Just testing the wee will put your mind at ease , so I wouldn't worry about what the GP thinks - they'll have forgotten about it by the time the next patient walks in! If you actually take a sample in with you they can hardly not check it can they?
Sorry - after a bad experience of not speaking up when (another case in the Aero household) ds1 ended up in hosp with pneumonia following tonsilitis when the over the phone triage nurse assessed that we didn't need an appointment (like I don't know when my child is really unwell), I speak up about my concerns and make sure I'm heard and I don't take them to the GP unless they're really ill (which is why dd suffered longer with UTI).
WWW

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zebraX · 24/04/2005 21:16

DD has had only the one diagnosed UTI before, QEagle, but I am well aware of how dangerous they are at this age. I would go on how she seems (bit poor on and off, but not too bad), but I know (partly from experience) how really nasty a UTI is in a child this age.

I will take her tomorrow... Believe it or not, given all the rucks I get in on MN, I am not that assertive IRL, wish me luck with the GP!

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Aero · 24/04/2005 21:17

ps dd had her kidneys scanned too following UTI and all was fine I'm relieved to say. Also I felt like a total fraud when we took her to A&E as the calpol had worked its magic and she was running around like she normally does, but the doctor assured me that calpol only masks the symptoms and we were right to have her seen and I was then relieved to find out she was ill and I wasn't a paranoid mother!

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Aero · 24/04/2005 21:18

Good luck at GP's and let us know how she is.

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QueenEagle · 24/04/2005 21:19

Well, prob best to be on the safe side. Good luck and hope dd is feeling better soon!

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coppertop · 24/04/2005 21:21

Good luck for tomorrow. Hope dd is feeling better soon.

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suedonim · 24/04/2005 22:15

I'd err on the side of caution and take dd to the dr. I'm not sure if it applies to children, but my friend, who's had lots of uti probs, was told by a Dr that you get the acute, screaming-with-agony-type symptoms when the infection is lower down but an infection higher up doesn't necessarily have such a dramatic effect, it can be more 'silent'. I myself once had a kidney infection where the only symptom was fever and diarrhoea. Hope she's better soon.

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nappybaglady · 24/04/2005 22:19

I would definitely get her checked out. Can you take a sample with you, eg sterilise a potty with boiling water then catch her first wee in the morning.

UTI are definitely worth getting checked out

Hope she's better soon

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coppertop · 25/04/2005 14:47

How did it go, Zebra?

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Aero · 25/04/2005 14:50

Was wondering that too ct.
Hope she's ok.

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zebraX · 25/04/2005 18:55

Thanks for asking ct, Aero.

Am pretty cheesed off, really. We are no further along.

The GP's examining room was very warm, so much so that I flushed & the cheeks of DS2 turned crimson, too. So no surprise that DD, who has been suffering mild fever/chills, her temp. went sky high (39.9). On that basis -- plus some ketones in her wee, no obvious other cause, & my concerns, GP prescribed antiBs. Said she would send the wee off to check for infection, but we hadn't collected enough wee (long story), so might not get a result. GP was very concerned we get DD some Nurofen as soon as we got home.

About 50 min. later, no longer in over-heated environments, by the time we got home & DD is back down to no temp/mild temp. She is ill with something, but we still don't know what. It could be glandular fever, a virus, all sorts of things can lead to ketones in the urine (AFAIK).

Sigh. So, things no clearer. I got the antiBs but (I think) we have decided to not give them, just yet. Will wait until Friday (when it will next be easy for me to go to doc). If she's not really better we'll get more of a wee sample, take her back for a 2nd opinion & I'll try to be more assertive this time...

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WideWebWitch · 25/04/2005 21:15

Oh no! I was wondering how she was today too.

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