My 18 month old son was having respiratory and stomach symptoms that seemed worse than a standard cold to me, but his doctors said not to worry, all kids have a bad cold sometimes. Even after apples came out exactly as they went in, points and all, and the top of his head had become sunken.

I insisted on taking him to hospital despite being told I was overreacting, and they admitted him immediately without even asking our name. His blood was thick like pudding, and it took a while before they could even do tests, because they couldn’t take blood.

It was rotavirus, and he was in intensive care for 2 weeks.
It was one of the few times I’d decided I wasn’t listening to people telling me to be quiet, and I’m so glad I did. That was like 30 years ago.