Ever since he was 4 weeks old and cried pretty much non stop for a week, I’ve said he’ll be the one who we’re taking to the A&E the most, I can see it now!
I think perhaps I tempted fate.
In the past 2 weeks I have been to the A&E four times. Firstly he fell and split his chin. Personally I wanted him to have stitches, but was told nowadays children don’t have stitches as they wiggle so much and glue is just as good if not better. 4 hours later I was back getting the glue re-applied as he had rubbed it off. I asked for stitches again, he was laying as still as a doorstop for the glue, but no told the same thing. We all know it’s cost cutting.
I huffed and puffed as she put a huge band aid over the glue and I said that will be off before we get to the car! And it was and several hours later so was the glue. So me being me steri-stripped it and did that day and night, he’s teething and constantly wet the glue just didn’t have a chance!
Then on the weekend we went to a friends house, and they have one of those big trampolines with the safety net thing. Jerry loves them. We don’t have one for the simple reason we’re paranoid parents and know accidents happen and there’s enough in the home without adding more. Like I said Jerry loves them and he was on it as soon as we arrived. Once more kids got on we should of got him off, me and my husband both said better get him off, and “look at him, he thinks he’s one of the big kids” but we let him stay on there he was having such a good time.
We both sat facing the trampoline, little while later I hear Jerry screaming and crying and sent my husband to get him, he was holding his arm all funny, I said to my husband. ” I think his arm is broken” and was told “you said that would happen in the car on the way here. I checked him all over asking him where it hurt, but within 5 minutes his tears had stopped and he got back on the trampoline and continued happily bouncing around.
So we though he must of just bumped himself and he was OK.
Sunday came he was holding his arm a little bit, but no bruising and he didn’t complain about any pain.
Monday came and he had, had a very unsettled night, he’s just started sleeping through as well! So I closely watched him for a couple of hours he was barely using his arm, he couldn’t hold any toys with any weight in his and, he couldn’t grab my hand and he couldn’t straighten it.
So I took him to the ER 7 hours we spent there. He was incredibly well behaved and a “big boy” as I am pregnant I couldn’t stay with him in the x-ray he sat there all alone with his arm on the x-ray plate as still as anything for a good 5 minutes for his x-rays. 4 hours later we were sent home with a “nothing is wrong” but no improvement in 2 days bring him back.
Last night my husband and I were beside ourselves with worry he flinched if you touched it, now had a black bruise around it. I contacted a friend who is a DR and asked him his thoughts. And went back to the ER this morning EARLY armed. Actually got asked if I was medically trained LOL
So here’s what happened. Jerry got his x-ray done by someone who does childhood x-rays. They checked it and so did the DR. They saw nothing so sent me home.
Here’s what SHOULD of happened All the above except in the middle a radiologist is meant to check the x-ray and report to the DR, this didn’t happen. Apparently until they think the next day. And their report is saying that the humerus close to the elbow is surrounded in fluid and has significant swelling and bruising. Due to the difficulty of x-rays in small children and the angles the did they can’t see a fracture, but the fluid suggests that there is one at the base of the humerus. Probably a greenstick. He should of been put into a sling, as this is the normal treatment in children and adults. Then as an adult you use it as much as possible rest when needed. Children naturally either use it or don’t. So as he is now using it,no sling and to carry on as normal.
Except my gorgeous boy is left handed. We can’t afford for him to not have full mobility in that arm. So after placing my concerns onto the DR at the A&E and basically saying I don’t care about “I think it will be OK” I want to see a Paediatric Ortho DR, my wish was granted. After this was organised he went and spoke to a Ortho DR and then came back to me and has said he’ll probably need physio to gain full mobility back into his dominant arm.
I can’t tell you how frustrated I am at the fact I had to return to the A&E to get this information. Nor the fact I have to actually get bossy and say I want a Ortho DR. It’s just stupid in my eyes.
So hopefully all will be fine and in a few months he’ll have full mobility in his arm. In the mean time it’s been great in other ways. Eliza who pushes him away a lot has become a lot more friendly as she “doesn’t want to break his arm” LOL
Hope J regains the use of his arm quickly. Poor little man. Loads of hugs to you xxx
Poor little J 😦 I won’t have a trampoline either – and won’t let my children go on them – I have trampoline phobia!!! My children fall over their own shadows…..
Oh gosh, how terrible and of course NEGLIGENT! Well done to all of you and I hope he gets better quickly x
I want to punch your local NHSTrust in the face. Hard.