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Original poster

So MN Jury...who is right?

33 replies

chirpygirl · 03/03/2007 19:43

DD is 13 months.
Last night she woke up at 3 screaming and sobbing, managed to get her back to a fitful sleep at about 5 by bringing her into my bed and then woke up at 7 as she was burning up. Checked her temp and it was 39 degrees. She was so listless she just lay there feebly waving her arms and didn't try to struggle or get away when I changed her nappy, stripped her and sponged her to try and cool her down.

Now I don't know about you but our out of hours GP service is NHS direct, who are crap, so we went straight to A+E where her temp was now 39.3. Cooled her down gave her paracetemol and she has a raging acute ear infection. In and out of A+E in 57 mins (Hah! only had to pay for 1 hour parking!)

NOW - my mum says I did a good thing as you never know, she is my first and it was better to get her checked and it solved asap.

MIL, however, says I totally over-reacted and should have stayed at home with Calpol and watched her for a few hours.

So, is MIL being a cow or did I over-react?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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FunMumm · 03/03/2007 19:45

you did the right thing, MIL is a cow...

FluffyMummy123 · 03/03/2007 19:45

Message withdrawn

Original poster
chirpygirl · 03/03/2007 19:46

1-0 to me then!
thanks cod, that's exactly what I said seeing as how she is 200 bloody miles away and has no clue what is going on here!

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issyissyissy · 03/03/2007 19:48

Your mil sounds devine, so helpful! I probably would have done the same if there was no out of hours gp, and temp still high. good job you went as ear infection would have only got worse. Hope she feels better soon

Bozza · 03/03/2007 19:48

TBH I would have given the calpol in the night and then some neurofen and then seen, so maybe an over-reaction. But I have over-reacted in the past. Also I suppose you would have ended up there anyway with it being the weekend.

Kbear · 03/03/2007 19:49

Your baby, you decide. Why wait if you're worried? Ignore MIL! Hope DD is better soon.

FluffyMummy123 · 03/03/2007 19:49

Message withdrawn

WideWebWitch · 03/03/2007 19:49

agree with cod
I'd have given Calpol and waited but if YOU were worried you did the right thing.

Bozza · 03/03/2007 19:50

Also I have only given my opinion because you asked. I would not have said that you shouldn't have done it, had you just told me the story as to a family member.

MorocconOil · 03/03/2007 19:55

You definately did the right thing. Our 7 year old had an ear infection last week and was howling in agony. He could tell us where the pain was, but I was still really worried. When a baby of that age screams and screams and has a temperature you need to get her seen. What exactly was MIL's problem with your course of action?

Original poster
chirpygirl · 03/03/2007 19:55

Thanks guys, to be honest she wasn't hot at 3, she went back into the cot each time after a cuddle but kept waking 20 mintues later, it was 5 before I gave up and 7 before she was hot.

I know it is my call and DH was terrified, he didn't make it to hospital that fast when I was in labour, but MIL has already rung my SIL to bitch that I am panicky, luckily SIL is a love and rang me straight after to grass her up!

OP posts:
Bozza · 03/03/2007 19:59

I think I would have resorted to calpol much sooner but that is not necessarily a good thing.

Original poster
chirpygirl · 03/03/2007 20:03

I didn't have any calpol in the house!

I will now though.....

Oh and MIL has now rung DH's cousin as well as I have ahd a text off her.....she REALLY needs to get out more!

OP posts:
TheArmadillo · 03/03/2007 20:03

you were worried and so took your child to be checked out. NOthing wrong in that.

MIL should have kept her mouth shut.

paulaplumpbottom · 03/03/2007 20:05

MIL is a cow

issyissyissy · 03/03/2007 20:06

Sounds like mil has (or is!) a big problem. best to ignore her!

NotanOtter · 03/03/2007 20:08

i would not take a child to a and e unless serious at that hour but if you were worried.....

mil should butt out

JodieG1 · 03/03/2007 20:10

You did the right thing. What it if was something worse and by waiting it became more serious? Not worth the risk with lo's.

edam · 03/03/2007 20:11

Agree with you. MIL is being snotty IMO. Ear infections are very painful and it must be especially horrid for small children who don't know what's going on. Yes, maybe you could have waited it out with calpol, but a. you didn't have any and b. it was entirely reasonable to go to the docs (and given your oohrs GP service is useless, to A&E).

Hope dd feels better soon.

Twiglett · 03/03/2007 20:16

Well personally I'd have given calpol and nurofen and waited for temp to come down.

I think you should get nurofen for the house as well as calpol (also if you don't have a good first aid box get plasters and savlon spray and an ice pack to keep in freezer) .. you can use both at the same time so you have something to dose them with every 3 hours... they also work slightly differently

BUT

I would also listen to my gut and take a child to A&E if I think that's the right thing to do. A&E staff would always prefer you took them to rule out anything

Twiglett · 03/03/2007 20:19

if you're interested (and not relevant to anything) I've come to the conclusion that it is only when a temperature is approaching 40 that it is worth worrying (ie 39.8 / 39.9) ..

I wouldn't worry about either of mine at 39 (but would dose them)

I wouldn't dose at 38 but would keep an eye on it (unless obvious pain)

HTH or is of interest

lady007pink · 03/03/2007 20:22

MIL wasn't there to reassure you when you and your DH were worried about your DD. Your DD wasn't able to tell you what was wrong with her. What would your MIL have been like then? Bet she'd have said "Er, maybe you should bring her to the hospital".
But now she knows what the problem was and the panic is over, it's easy for her to say you over-reacted. I can't believe she's doing so much bitching about you - she sounds like she hasn't much happening in her life!
I'd've done the exact same as you.
It's such a worry when your child is sick.

Bozza · 03/03/2007 20:25

Actually I think that is very useful twig and I am that I didn't think to post it. The fact that you can give both calpol (paracetemol based) and neurofen (ibuprofen based) medicines alternatly spaced out is very useful. If you just have calpol and give it at 4-hourly intervals you get through the daily allowance in 16 hours, but if you give both at 3 hourly intervals (so not having to sit out that last hour) they last right through 24. This is info that I first got off MN but have shared with lots of friends/family. Also I personally think that neurofen brings down a temp more effectively.

tortoiseSHELL · 03/03/2007 20:34

With ds1 I would have taken him to out of hours doctor, whatever arrangements your area have. With dd and ds2 I'd have fretted a bit, given calpol and brufen, and seen what happened. But if you're anxious you go, it's not worth risking anything with kids.

If it makes you feel better, when ds2 went floppy after throwing up when he was about 3 months, we phoned NHS Direct and ended up in an ambulance going to the hospital. There was nothing at all wrong with him but imo was very worth checking, and the doctors said they prefer seeing a baby who's recovered than a limp floppy one!

MuminBrum · 03/03/2007 20:42

Eh? How would waiting for a few hours have helped? You'd probably have ended up not being able to get a GP appointment quickly and have ended up in A&E anyway, at a much busier time, when you'd have had to wait again. Anyway, she's your DD, and you were quite right to go with your gut instinct.

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