3 year old unwell and lethargic - Husband thinks a trip to A&E is needed but I feel staying at home is best. Please help and advise

[Biosblbay]

Our 3 year old has been very unwell since Saturday late night/ early hours Sunday. He hasn’t eaten since Saturday late afternoon, refuses everything, won’t eat yogurt, toast, ice cream, no fruit, nothing, but he is drinking plenty of water. His temperature is very up and down, currently it’s 37.5. He won’t take calpol, as per my previous post it is impossible and tried every single method and way possible! He hasn’t moved in 2 days, when he tries to get up he just lays straight back down, hardly talking, sleeping lots, but still watching TV/ films and able to focus on that (not sure if this is classed as lethargic). My husband is really concerned he isn’t eating, I am not as concerned as he is drinking water still and we are only on day 2, tomorrow will be day 3. I would rather avoid A&E if it is not necessary, I don’t want to spread whatever our son has and do not want to make him feel worse.

Can I have some others input please on what is best. A little unsure what to do. Thank you

They're like cats. You have to wrap them in a towel and force it down them. Needs must.

I do think you possibly misinterpreted the guidance somewhat?

You quoted the below as suggesting you shouldn’t need to see a doctor:

“You should see a GP for a child's fever if they are under 3 months with a temp of 38°C+, 3-6 months with 39°C+, have difficulty breathing, seem dehydrated, are unusually drowsy/irritable, have a non-fading rash (check with a glass), aren't eating/drinking, have a stiff neck, or if the fever lasts over 5 days;”

My reading of that suggests it advises seeing the doctor in situations like yours. Your child was unusually lethargic and wasn’t eating and hence the advice says to see a GP. The five days bit refers only to a (milder) fever lasting longer than that.

@Biosblbay
I had been feeling very sympathetic towards you and annoyed at some of the replies suggesting you'd been negligent.
Then I read all of your replies and I no longer feel sympathetic.

I'm not overly cautious and certainly don't run to the GP or anything like that... but I'd be very worried if my small child was lethargic, not eating and I couldn't get pain relief in.

My first action would be go the pharmacy and get advice on how to get pain relief in...

OP keeps referring to NHS guidelines which she hasn't even read correctly. And somehow keeps insisting the doctors did nothing to help and the child had a miraculous recovery (despite the doctors getting pain relief and antibiotics into the child).

Make it make sense 😂

@Biosblbay
I’m sure it’s been mentioned already, but it’s usually easier to give the antibiotic in syringes than on spoons. I used to use the calpol syringes if none were provided with the antibiotic. Just in case it helps at all.

Did they do a finger prick glucose test in a&e? Drinking lots, wet nappies but being severely dehydrated is a bit of a red flag for diabetes. In the news recently, was a little girl who got sent home with a diagnosis of tonsillitis and died shortly after because she was in DKA and it wasn’t picked up in a&e, because they missed this simple test. I don’t want to scare anyone, but it needs ruling out. Hope little one feels better soon

For the antibiotics you could try mixing it in yoghurt or similar, this is what we had to do with my son. He’s 11 now and can be coaxed/bribed into taking medicine but at 3 he was an absolute nightmare. Sneaking it into something is less traumatic than forcing it into him and they can still spit it out.

This hadn’t occurred to me but they are flags to watch out for. I’d ask gp about this, and also take him back fo get looked at if the lethargy isn’t substantially improved in a day.

You didn't do anything wrong. On social media you'd be criticised whatever action you decided to take. So ignore the MN battalion of judgemental arseholes and concentrate on your wee one. Hope they're better soon. 🌸

Apart from giving him antibiotics you mean? The drug that will actually heal him?
Your son was dangerously dehydrated and you're still banging on that A&E was extreme. Yes it was.. Had u taken the kid to the GP it wouldnt have been necessary.

Just wow! 3 full days of no food whatsoever, unable to move for 2 days, no pain relief at all, hardly talked, slept lots … he was so dehydrated they couldn’t put a cannula in him to help him .. that’s severe. You still don’t think you needed to go 🤯🤯 They didn’t make him worse! They gave his antibiotics and pain relief. You don’t just have to give him water ffs. You need to continue with his pain relief and antibiotics. He’s only eating and more alert now due to the care the hospital has given him!

You’re not a bad mother, but my goodness please don’t keep trying to justify why you didn’t seek help for your very poorly child any longer.

Just for future reference op, when you say Wednesday could have been a nightmare, my little boy used to get nightmares when he had fevers as a toddler. (Night terrors actually it was horrible but always a sign he was getting poorly.)
Hope your little one feels better soon.

What a bunch of horrible comments. I suggest you request the thread is deleted, OP.

Why? Posters are speaking the truth .. others will learn from what went on here. Just because you don’t like some comments, doesn’t make them invalid or mean the thread should be deleted.

I know the threads moved on but drinks with sugar ( not sweetener) is a good drink to avoid the scenario the @Biosblbay found her son in.

Apple juice, orange juice ( even diluted ) cordial with sugar not sweetener in its content. Many kids won’t drink rehydration drinks so drinks with a sugar content are fine.

Many people believe that water will avoid dehydration not realising if they are not eating they need extra in their drinks. Water won’t do it.

Ice lollies, ice pops, yoghurts, jellies too but with a sugar content not sweetener.

https://www.nhs.uk/baby/health/is-your-baby-or-toddler-seriously-ill/

Clear NHS guidance which says you should have sought help.

You are right that you maybe didn’t need to go to A and E but that would have only if you have taken him to GP earlier.

God. He clearly needed GP earlier

If he was really that dehydrated, they would've found a way to insert a cannula. Drinking water every 2 hours wouldn't have cut it.

I think it is right that he went in but he clearly improved rather quickly if they were happy to go without a cannula.

@Biosblbay I have just seen the post about your child having a night terror, I would say that was a sign your child was poorly on the Wednesday..Almost a full week with no medication to treat his pain, but you still stand by that you did everything right. Your poor boy.

FFS to all those saying he didn’t need medical attention. Water is not enough for a child that is dehydrated, lethargic and not eating at all for a few days!Paediatric staff would rather review and send home if not needed esp when a child hasn’t eaten for days.

I find it hard to believe after multiple cannulation attempts doctors are happy with just water. But anyway the fact they were trying so hard to get fluids in meant he was absolutley right to be in A&E. Also if children are not taking a/b orally, a couple of iv doses if a line is present (and if needed) will help too.In more severe/serious cases they can give it pain relief too. It wasn’t them just trying it for the sake of it. It’s a vicious circle, pain not eating, water, so no energy, lethargy so won’t eat etc.

The reason the little boy is improving is probably due to actually having some effective pain relief and then being able to eat. Then the a/b will kick in as long as they are being taken.

It's up to the OP, not me.

I think you are adhering too closely to what you are reading online, you have to follow your instincts not follow what is on the NHS advice to the letter. Having a fever for five days or more is just ONE reason why a child should have medical attention, it’s not saying don’t take them to A&E unless they have had a fever for five days. Do you see the distinction? Being unusually lethargic for a period of time is another reason.

If there is a lesson to be learned from this thread it’s to always phone 111 or the GP if in doubt. There is absolutely zero glory to be had in resisting medical attention.

Guidance is general guidance it is not set in stone. You have to follow your instincts which I think you lack. You had all my sympathy until I read your few last messages.