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Abdominal pain for weeks

Posted By Anonymously

"Abdominal pain for weeks"

About: Kalgoorlie Health Campus / Emergency Department Kalgoorlie Health Campus / Paediatric Service Perth Children's Hospital

(as a carer),

My adolescent child has been suffering from abdominal pain for many weeks (they are saying pain is 8 out 10). We have seen 13 doctors (this includes paediatricians), they've been admitted twice in the past 4 weeks. My child is too scared to eat as 45 mins to an hour later they're in tears. They have dry eyes & mouth, fevers, constipation, diarrhoea, blood & mucus in their stool. 

Recently, we noticed the blood so I immediately took them up to ED. The doctor examined my child, they called the paediatrician, they came back and said my child will be on a liquid diet, they are starting the process and we will be getting transferred to Perth for further investigation.

Finally, get up to the kid's ward. One nurse said about going to Perth, another one said that's being queried?

Paeds come and saw us the next morning and said they're phoning Perth Children's Hospital. PCH got back to them and said no need to get transferred to Perth, we will have a telehealth appt. So there is mucus & blood in my child's stool but it appears that doesn't seem urgent?

My child has been on a lot of pain relief, tramadol being the highest, but I believe nothing takes the pain away.

They have only attended 3 days of school this term, 1 full day & 2 half days. My child has gone from being an active teenager to bedridden.

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Responses

Response from Peter Tredinnick, Executive Director, Regional Office, WACHS Goldfields 3 years ago
Peter Tredinnick
Executive Director, Regional Office,
WACHS Goldfields

Executive Director WACHS Goldfields

Submitted on 16/09/2020 at 12:52 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 12:54 PM

picture of Peter Tredinnick

Dear Anonymously,

Thank you for sharing your story with us regarding your experience at Kalgoorlie Health Campus. We would really appreciate being able to speak to you to learn more about what has happened. This will enable us to undertake a full review of your child’s care and assist with their ongoing treatment.

If you are happy to do this, please contact Dr James Harris, who is the Regional Director of Medical Services on 9080 5710 or by emailing James.Harris@health.wa.gov.au

I do hope that we hear from you soon.

Kind regards

Peter Tredinnick

A/Regional Director

WACHS Goldfields

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Response from Cathy Mews, Child and Adolescent Health Service - WA 3 years ago
Cathy Mews
Child and Adolescent Health Service - WA

Submitted on 16/09/2020 at 12:55 PM
Published on Care Opinion at 12:57 PM

Dear Anonymously,

Thank you for raising your concerns with us. At Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) we aim to continually improve the services we provide and your feedback is invaluable in assisting us to achieve this goal.

I am very sorry to hear of the pain and suffering that you and your child are going through.

I have investigated your concerns with my team and understand that the PCH Gastroenterology Department received a phone call, followed by an electronic referral, from Kalgoorlie Hospital Paediatric Department regarding your child. After we received the referral, an endoscopy and colonoscopy as a priority 1 category was booked by PCH staff for the following month. A telehealth appointment was also arranged with gastroenterology at the next available emergency gastroenterology clinic. To my understanding, we did not receive a request to transfer your child to PCH.

I believe you were not able to attend the planned telehealth appointment, and we contacted you over the phone to get more information regarding your child’s symptoms. Fortunately, due to changes in theatre availability, your child’s procedures have been rescheduled to an earlier date.

If you require any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the Consumer Engagement team by phone on 08 6456 0032 or email cahsfeedback@health.wa.gov.au.

Kind regards,

Dr Cathy Mews

Head of Department – Gastroenterology

Perth Children’s Hospital | Child and Adolescent Health Service

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