"I felt the paediatrician didn't care"

We presented to Bunbury ED with our young child. They had severe abdominal pain, we were seen fairly quickly, and pain relief was given, looking back now it probably could have been given a little quicker but really that is the least of our issues. We went off for an xray to rule anything urgent out. The xray showed that my child’s compaction in their bowels had gotten worse.

Once we had seen the Paediatrician Carson in the ED (who may I just say is amazing) we were transferred to the children's ward. Unfortunately, this is where it went downhill.

We saw a clinician, who advised we were going to start a decompaction on the ward but they also advised we needed a surgical consult. - they then advised we can't transfer to another hospital even though they would like this to happen, but they will refer us.. this concerned us and we asked many times if we should just take our child to the other hospital ourselves. I suppose when your child is in this much pain and needs something like Nasal fentanyl to get it under control you want to get to the bottom of their pain. Now also factor in this constipation has been an ongoing issue for around two years, not a huge amount of investigation has been done other than a few months ago when we were instructed by gp to attend the emergency dept after having an xray that showed severe impaction. Fast forward to now we are in the exact same position except my son has reduced fluid and food intake progressively over the months.

After we were advised the other hospital ‘would likely send us home' numerous times - which did seem insane to us, we decided to stay on the ward.

My child had very limited fluid intake while on the ward however they did eat everything and everything it was quite bizarre given my child had not eaten the few days before taking them into the hospital.

We finally started the decompaction which was one large scoop of osmolax - I did advise on numerous occasions that their usual dose is 2-3 large scoops this was ignored. They decided to do a fleet enema? To try and unclog from the bottom, over the next couple of days - both times this was a success and removing a clump of poo.

The following morning came around keeping in mind our child was still limiting their fluid intake I asked if their osmolax could be given with their brekky juice so it's in their belly doing something from morning not lunch time - as the dose from the day before was given somewhere around lunch time.

I was advised that it wasn't written up, we need to wait for the dr to attend the ward, write it up then it could be given, - what a mess around🤦‍♂️ all it seemed this did was delay everything moving. That day the second fleet was given which my child did another poo with. I raised my concern about the dose of osmolax and the fact they had not done a poo from it. The only time my child has poo'd was after the fleet. I'll add Jo, the nurse she was great she listened to my concerns the entire time! Along with another nurse who's name I can't recall; however she was super tall! And lovely.

This brings us to the following day, my child refused their breakfast juice but ate half a bowl of rice bubbles with some yoghurt. We're now at 12 hours since their last fluid intake

Mid-morning a clinician walked in and I recall said Go home, you don't need to be here you can manage at home. I was sitting on a chair, and they said hop onto your parent, when I suggested my child hop onto the bed I recall the clinician said no my child can sit on me, before I could explain I've recently had surgery and they can't just sit on me the clinician had walked over and was basically pushing my child onto my lap.

The clinician had a quick feel and repeated themselves, for us to go home.

Now this came as a complete shock, I tried to explain where we lived, was a very remote town with no hospital services, the clinician cut me off and wouldn't let me talk. It seemed they didn't want to hear about how my child hadn't drunk anything in the last 12 hours. They didn't want to know about my child’s behavioural issues, this clinician advised not to try and toilet train my child - which the two Paeds had suggested. They didn't want to hear anything I had to say. Then they walked out. I was in utter disbelief.

Who on earth walks in and is seemingly so rude, doesn't listen to a parent or a child.

I got teary, I was so concerned. I reached out to a nurse and said I'm concerned,

The nurse advised they would try and talk to the clinician, they came back and said the clinician said to go home and shrugged their shoulders. Upon leaving the ward I had more then one nurse suggest we attend a different hospital - one person even said not to leave this is how kids die.

I feel the clinician failed us and our child and the medical system.

I'm disgusted with the way we were treated.

Not once did I feel any paed on the ward take into consideration our child’s whole picture - their Impaction, their behavioural concerns our location of where we live.