The team arrive and assess Ben

(Knocking on door) Hi, it’s the ambulance service. Hi, please come in, come in. Just follow me through. Hi, my name is Cameron, I’m from the ambulance service. This is Jordan, my colleague. Hello, nice to meet you. How can we help you today? Well, he’s not been feeling quite right for the last couple of weeks. What’s his name? His name’s Ben. Hi Ben, hello. He’s just not feeling quite right. He’s had a bit of a fever for the last couple of days and he’s got tummy pains and has been throwing up over the last couple of days as well.

I didn’t want to bother anyone, it’s just recently, his breathing has been a bit odd as well and his lips are dry. I’ve just been worried and eventually I thought I’d call you guys. So the first question is have you been to see your GP in the past couple of days? I didn’t want to bother them. That’s absolutely fine. No problem. So what actually is your main concern? It’s his breathing. His breathing. I can cope with most other things. So what we are going to do then, Jordan’s going to do some observations and we’ll put a probe on his finger to have a look. While we have chat about some of the general questions I have for you.

Has he been eating or drinking properly? He’s been throwing up just recently. Is that just today, the vomiting? Just recently, the last couple of days. So that’s what, it’s been longer than just today. I should’ve called you earlier. Don’t worry that’s fine. So his fluid intake, what’s that been like for the past couple of days with his vomiting? It not very good actually, I suppose he’s been taking it in a bit but then it’s all been coming back up again. Has he been going to the toilet regularly? Or how has that been? Normal, normal kind of toilet habits. Has he been had erratic stools or anything like that? No, nothing like that. Hello. Are you going to say hello Ben…?

No! Do you have a tummy ache? You’ve got a tummy ache. No I haven’t! Can we pop some stickers on you Ben? Yes. Can I put it on your other arm? How old is Ben? He’s 4. And has he had any medical problems since birth? No, no, this is his first kind of, that’s partly why I didn’t call because he’s been a perfect fine and normal so far. Any allergies we need to know about before we start? No, no he’s perfectly normal. Does he take any regular medication from the doctor or anything prescribed for him? No. And how has everyone else been in the household? Has everyone been well? Well mum’s been away with work, it’s been quiet.

So it’s just been me. And typical on my watch all this happens! Yes, absolutely. That always happens, doesn’t it?