NHS direct are useless!

[tigwig]

Hi all, last night my 3 year old had a high temp of 40 and I wanted to know how I could safetly give her both calpol and nurofen as I was struggling to bring it down. I phoned NHS direct and after being asked the usual questions like is she breathing or blue round the lips I explained what I wanted and was told the wait time for a nurse to call me back was 3 hours! Since it was already 10.30 I didn't particularly want to be woken up at 1.30 onwards so I told them not to bother. I think this is disgusting and wonder what the point of it is. What have your experiences of NHS direct been?

[Psychick]

I personally havent had to call them as I call for thte meregency doctor out of surgery hours if needed. Not necessarily for them to come out, but because they can give advice on things like this. Do you know if you have a service like this in your area? If so, keep the number handy just on case you need it in future. How is little tigwig doing today?

[sarah_louise]

My experience was better. No waiting time but I got the impression that they may as well have an answering machine saying "Go to A & E" as they have to be over cautious in every thing they say.

[tigwig]

She is absolutely fine and back to normal! It must have been a 24 hour thing. She has a tendency to get high temps when she is unwell which is why I wasn't overly worried if it ever went towards 41 I would take her to A&E especially as we live next door! Thanks for asking

[ojread2]

I've been really lucky with this service on the couple of occasions I have called them

For future reference you can use Calpol and Nurofen together. I would suggest you use them separately at 2 hourly intervals for maximum effect - Nurofen at 12, then Calpol at 2, Nurofen at 4 and so on and so forth

Hope your daughter feels better today

[tigwig]

thanks oj I thought that was the case but didn't do it just in case. I would also be interested in what you all do when your children have high temps, would you take them to A&E with it? My sister in law said I should have taken her last night but I didn't want to wake her up and felt like I would be a panicking parent!

[cameo]

My experience of NHS direct has been pretty good.
When I have phoned them and been told that I will have to wait for approx. an hour for a nurse to phone me back, It's only been 10-15 minutes. Then been told to wait for a doctor, who has thn arrived within the hour, so no complaints.

[ojread2]

No, I wouldn't take her to A&E unless she started fitting and then I would dial 999

What I would do if her temp rose to 40 is strip her off down to a vest and pants/nappy and cool her right down. Don't use ice or water but maybe a fan in the room. Open a window as long as the breeze is no going directly onto her

Net Doctor is pretty good for all things medicinal :)
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts /childrenfever.htm

HTH
ojx

[river]

They are totally useless!! They follow a flow chart and dont speak English...sums up Britain! God I love paying my Taxes!!!

Prime example of the sheer compentency the NHS helpline oozes! At the start of the year I completey lost my sight on train, felt weak, sick, shaking, light headed, high pictched whistling in my ears and pressure in my head that felt like it was about to explode etc... it turned out to be blood pressure/sugar related. BUT o no, not according to NHS direct, no apparently...and they insisted his was the case, I'd sneezed and had a chemical reaction in my barin which had caused it! I DIDNT EVEN SNEEZE!!!!!

Bunch of moronic uneducated fools!

[ojread2]

PS: An ear thermometer is the best type to use as other types aren't quite as accurate

[river]

Sorry that should have been brain! I was too caught up in the rant!

[Psychick]

Luckily my daughter has never had a high a temperature as that. 39 has been her highest. If I cant get her temperature back down, then I call the doctors and take it from there. I think if it got to 40 or higher, and I couldnt get it down, I would take her to A&E then. I usually find that by giving my daughter something for the temperature and stripping her down to her underwear, just covering her with a sheet, is normally enough to help.
I wouldnt worry about waking her though as you need to check she can be woken easily enough and isnt listless.
Im glad she is doing better today though and yes, it definately sounds like one the 24 hour bugs.

[ojread2]

Actually river, I think, no I know, I would have dialed 999 not NHS 24 in that instance

[Twenty20]

The few times we've had to use them they've been pretty good. They're not there to fix a medical problem but to point you in the right direction.

Next time river try phoning 999 if it's an emergency. Why you'd phone NHS Direct when you've gone blind I don't know!

[annie0000]

Agree with all of the above - I have also used those cooling gel thingy's that you stick to their forehead and have found them to be useful.

[Hellyon]

An older nurse with several kids of her own once advised me that the best way to cool kids down was don't cover them in bed clothes, put a fan on them or open the windows and use ice packs plus give them an Ice Lolly to suck as this helps bring core temperature down - much to my son's delight she produced a lolly in A & E!

[Fay Mousse]

Tepid bath in a draught free room is the best thing for a high temperature.

Or a tepid flannel all over the body.

[redcrx]

there will always be times when they are very busy and cannot call back immediately. If in doubt always go to A&E as Im sure you know.

Just to add to the comments about calpol and ibruprofen. Please make sure that its the paracetomol calpol and check the dosage on the bottles.

I know that for a 2 year old there should be no more than 3-4 doses of ibruprofen in 24 hours. This means that when I am alternating calpol and ibruprofen i will obly give one or the other every 3 hours (not 2 as has been suggested) It may be different for a 3 year old but please double check.

[river]

I was on the train when it happened was on my own and couldn't see anything to call anyone. So by the time I did have a chance to call someone I had my sight back...either way NHS direct or one of their blessed hospitals its all a pile of w*nk I think we should adopt the Americans approach to health care....get insurance. OR people who have private health cover shouldn't have to pay as much NI, save us forking out for the scroungers, foreigners and tax dodgers etc

[redcrx]

blimey river, you had a bad experience.

Ive called them twice, each time regarding my toddler and i found them to be very helpful, maybe i was just lucky.