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Original poster

Carrying medicines around at senior school

66 replies

Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 12:39

Hello

Am I right in thinking that my dd will have to carry her own medicines around at senior school with her? She will be starting in September and I think she needs something separate from her school bag as she won’t always have that with her.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice based on what your children do and also any recommendations for the sort of bag she should use.

I’m thinking a discreet cross body bag in black but am clueless about such things so any suggestions on this would also be appreciated.

It would need to hold a small bottle of Piriton,
Two Jext pens, asthma inhaler and spacer.

Plus I guess space for a phone and pack of tissues for weekend use.

We have a yellowcross medical bumbag that we currently use when we are out and about but she isn’t keen to carry that herself as it’s bulky and not very discrete at all.

Thank you.

OP posts:
TheFirstOHN · 19/05/2019 14:50

LoafEater
Many doctors will only prescribe two adrenaline auto-injectors per patient. In these cases, do you advise the pupil to carry both with them? Or do they carry one with them and you keep the second in the office?

Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 14:50

Thanks again for everyone’s help.

So depending on how the school do things I’ll get a cross body bag for everyday or weekend only use.

I feel like I have a better idea of what to do so thank you for sharing your experiences.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 14:39

Will check the school website. Thank you

And our bumbag kit contains a small bottle of Piriton decanted from a normal one too.

Jext pens would be too big in a blazer pocket.

OP posts:
StickOfRhubarb · 19/05/2019 14:17

My dd carries her epipens in her blazer and a small bottle of piritize which is decanted from a normal bottle.

BubblesBuddy · 19/05/2019 14:17

Do they not have their medicines policy on their website or a parent handbook? Many schools do.

Grasspigeons · 19/05/2019 14:15

A lot of it fits in blazer pocket. Not sure about the epipens, but we fit the asthma kit in the inside pocket

LoafofSellotape · 19/05/2019 14:13

Ds has the same meds and carries them in a small bag in his back pack.

Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 14:12

Blank Times.. that’s the one we have. And it’s much smaller than ten previous yellow one. Good to know I can buy them in boots if we ever lost one. Thank you

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Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 14:11

Thank you Losing and Emotional and everyone else. Sorry if I’ve missed anyone. Everyone has been helpful so thank you.

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BlankTimes · 19/05/2019 14:10

Aero Chamber spacers are a lot smaller than the Volumatic ones.
www.rightbreathe.com/spacers/aerochamber-plus-glaxosmithkline-uk-ltd-1-device/?s=&device_type=spacer

We bought one in our local Boots, think it was around £8 it takes the standard shape inhaler and the round ones.

Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 14:10

SweetMarmalade.. my dd dose that and then coughs and I can smell the medicine in the air so always worry how much has gone in. Also something about the way they’re supposed to inhale it as at odds with the fact she can’t when she’s wheezing. It’s a technique she doesn’t seem to be able to master. Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 14:08

Thank you. That makes me feel better. I’ve never wanted to insist on dd not using the spacer because I can see it makes a difference to how she takes the medicines in. Feel better reading that it’s ok for her to still be using it.

That’s so interesting to hear from a medical welfare officer, Loafeater. Makes me feel better that I am on the right track with my thinking on the carrying Jext pens and inhalers and that you do spot checksZ. Sounds like a good idea in making sure the kids are safe as possible but also instilling good habits as they get older.

Also great to hear you’re so on top of it. Very reassuring.

I will check the policy when I speak with them but I’m glad to have asked on here because I didn’t know about the Piriton... we always carry some in the bumbag so assumed she would in school too.

If it’s all on her and anything happened at least there’s no chance of a delay in medicines being available.

The Blazer is another good option so will bear that in mind for events and things but I know kids don’t always want to wear them esp during hot weather so a bag seems a good easy ‘all the time’ thing she can just carry

I also didn’t know about collapsible or cardboard spacers. And interestingly was in the chemist the other day when a 30 something lady was asking for advice on how to use her newly prescribed one.

OP posts:
LoafEater · 19/05/2019 13:49

I am medical welfare at a large Secondary. Students are not supposed to carry medicines with them so the Piriton would stay in welfare office (always unlocked and accessible). I would not want them taking it except under my supervision, becasue in the worse case scenario that an ambulance has to called, then I need to know hwat they have taken so I can tell the paramedics. The inhaler and epi pens have to carried on their person, not kept in their bags as they can get separated from them in Dance or Drama for example. School blazers have pretty big pockets.

I have another prescribed epi-pen for each anaphylactic student, int the office and also emergency kits of asthma and inhalers/disposble spacers in 4 different places around the school site and another set for trips.

Please don't ditch the spacer. You can get small foldable ones on amazon. I have disposable cardboard spacers for students and the difference even they make is huge. Kids get distracted and I have noticed that even the students with severe asthma sometimes have a really bad technique.

I can't speak for other school medical officers, but I am shit hot on this! Its a huge responsibility. I do spot checks on students to make sure they have inhalers in their pockets. When I'm walking down corridor they take out their inhalers and epi pens and wave them at me as they know I'm always nagging them! I monitor expiry dates very closely and contact parents about 6 weeks before the ones we hold in the office run out. I often have to ask parents many many times though.

Speak to your new school re their policies.

emotionalaffair · 19/05/2019 13:40

This is the collapsible spacer that my two carry (without the mask).

SweetMarmalade · 19/05/2019 13:35

Was going to comment about not ditching the spacer.

Ds (12) asthma nurse still encourages him to use it as he then gets all of the dose, rather than taking it incorrectly (hitting back of throat rather than down into lungs) which he tends to do Hmm

LosingLola · 19/05/2019 13:31

A spacer is best practice for everyone, not just children. So don't put any pressure on her to ditch it. Saying that people grew out of it by age 10 is unhelpful and inaccurate.

Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 13:28

Collapsible spacer sounds good. Something about it calms dd when she’s taking it which means she takes the medicine in properly.

Will look for a plain cross body bag.

The lunch bag idea is good as the current medical bag is similarly insulated. Thanks again everyone.

OP posts:
sashh · 19/05/2019 13:22

What about an insulated lunch bag? You can get some very pretty ones and would keep the meds at a suitable temp.

Blobbyweeble · 19/05/2019 13:18

Be careful about ditching the spacer, the vast majority of people do not get the full dose of medication when not using one especially in the throes of a moderate to severe attack. Much better to have a mini spacer available to use in those circumstances.

Blobbyweeble · 19/05/2019 13:17

Be careful about ditching the spacer, the vast majority of people do not get the full dose of medication when not using one especially in the throes of a moderate to severe attack. Much better to have a mini spacer available to use in those circumstances.

emotionalaffair · 19/05/2019 13:16

Even adults should use a spacer with an inhaler.

My two have able spacers that collapse so take up less room in their medicine bag.

DS is going to secondary after the summer and we're just getting him a plain black cross body bag.

Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 13:11

Re the spacer, we will work on practicing without it and I will speak with the GP about it too.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 13:08

MrMeSeeks, thank you. I’ll have a look at mini spacers to see if they’re smaller than what we have at the moment.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 13:07

I haven’t been able to speak to the school yet. Have to wait for them to contact me about it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ninanarnar · 19/05/2019 13:05

I can’t keep up. Thank you all so
Much.

Yes we are working on removing spacer but it’s not a big one. And at the moment she is still reliant on it.

And junior school have suggested she needs to carry her own around so that there isn’t a delay in getting medicines if she needs them. We can ask about spares for school to hold too but it’s already hard getting 4 pens from GP but would
Look at buying if we had to.

Thank you again

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