A few weeks ago, my child came home from daycare with a horrible cough. I watched and monitored it over the coming days and was not concerned as it was just a cough, however, it was getting worse by that weekend. My child started developing fevers low grade, however, still fevers. I monitored them again and started giving 4 hourly Panadol. The fever would come down, however, spike back again when Panadol had worn off.
The next day, my child's fevers started spiking to 40+ degrees. I recall the highest it got was 40.2 - again Panadol would bring down but spike straight back up. By the start of the next week, I rang multiple doctors in town who advised me I couldn't bring my child to the clinic due to covid-19 and I would have to attend the hospital. I phoned health direct as I couldn't even get a telehealth call because of my child's age and symptoms. Health direct advised me to take them to the hospital.
I presented early in the morning and was advised both myself and my young child had to wear a mask. The triage nurse triaged us and although my child was presenting fine due to the pain relief. I had told them why we had come and what had been happening and it was starting to become a bit scary given their fevers were so high. We were then left in the waiting room of the emergency for 5 hours I believe. I had to go and ask for my child to have more Panadol as their fever started to spike again because the Panadol was wearing off. Their temp/obs were not taken again at this time.
After being told twice on two different occasions that my child was next we finally got seen by a doctor for what felt like all of 2 minutes. They looked at my child's breathing and listened to their chest and told me it's a virus, nothing we can do, thank you for coming. I advised the doctor that my child had been complaining of sore ears and sore arms and legs and their response as I recalled was, it's a viral infection it needs to run its course. The doctor did not take my child's temperature, do a set of obs, nothing. They told me to go back to my GP and get bloods if I am concerned with my child being unwell all the time. I would have thought after the mistreatment of Aishwarya, I believe doctors would be a little bit more thorough with children.
My child is still ill at the time of writing this story, and still have high fevers of 39+, surely Panadol 4 hourly since that weekend cannot be maintained. The last two times I have presented with my young child, the doctor was amazing. I felt they were thorough and very caring, explained everything to me and my child and I cannot believe the vast difference in the care we got this time. If that was all the doctor was going to do why could they not and come and complete their 2-minute visual assessment of my child in the waiting room and save me and an unwell child having to wait in emergency for 5 hours. I understand that the department was busy and there were other more important cases but to be made to feel like the way I felt that day was horrible. I tried my GP and health direct and as advised presented to the hospital due to my child's high fevers.
My child ended up representing to a doctor days later with no improvement, still high fevers and was diagnosed with a nasty chest infection and put on antibiotics and steroids.
"Disappointed with ED care"
About: Karratha Health Campus / Emergency Department Karratha Health Campus Emergency Department Karratha 6714
Posted by paprikayz54 (as ),
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