Horrible phone call with school😭

Your poor daughter. She's done so well to get through all the exams so far. The school shouldn't be putting pressure on an ill student to come in (particularly one that would clearly want to be there if she could) - just adds to an already difficult situation.

I suppose to be fair to them, they're also under pressure to get the students in for the exams, and there are probably some that are v anxious but ok once they get started, but this is clearly a different situation. It's very frustrating when you feel that you're not being listened to. I hope she's ok. This is such a horrible time for the poor kids, even without this added stress.

YANBU to not send her if she is so unwell, however they also ANBU to exhaust every possibility. I am sure that you are a very responsible parent but there are many who aren't, and would let their child miss an exam without good reason.

It's not guilt tripping. It's school trying to find a solution to a problem that will have bigger implications if she misses the exam.

I don't know how you can't see that.

For her future exams she also needs to avoid chocolate and cheese as they can be triggers.

I try and take medication as quickly as possible as once established it's difficult to clear.
An ice pack or cold compress is also good.

I don't suppose they have ever had a migraine , and cannot comprehend the difference between that and a bad headache . I don't have them often now , but I can't stand upright , I am very sick , noise and light sensitive, I am stuck in a darkened room unable to eat or drink until its passed , and quite honestly if there was a kill me now button I would press it . They have spoiled many an important occasion .Mine used to be hormonal and often ironically coming down from a stressful situation .

I am a migraine and stress headache sufferer. Co codamol works well.

What time is the exam?

I don't think there's anybody in the wrong here. I think the school were right to check, but I also get why you didn't send your daughter in.

To be honest it's never clear what happens next. It may be (being brutal) that she now not get that GCSE. That's why the school will have reacted like that.

having a migraine is horrendous, I think everyone agrees with this. The school have to be seen as doing everything possible to get her to sit her exam. The anxiety is a totally different issue and is what is probably contributing to the migraine. You need a doctors letter for the exam all other evidence doesn’t really count, although maybe included. If she’s that bad call 111 and ask for advice as if she can’t walk and her eyesight is that bad she might be dehydrated. I do get stress migraines but I'm not at school age. Also worth speaking to doctors today to get it in record.
its heartbreaking when your child is in pain

l was a secondary teacher for 26 years. I’ve never known special consideration not be applied.

Have the school said they won't apply for special consideration? Or just that they can't guarantee the outcome?

Great. I didn’t mean to suggest that you didn’t, just that if she’s upset as well as unwell she could do with reassurance.

Plus now you sound angry with me. Honestly, you need to calm down. You are not helping yourself.

I know it is a bit late to help, but teenage migraines - there was a pattern to mine (stress, not enough to eat or hormones for example). Once one started, quick application of painkiller might slow it or stop it, as long as I went to bed immediately. Also, something sugary like a can of coke. Making sure she doesn’t go nuts revising the night before, has a good meal etc will all help.

Just noticed diagnosed five days before, that’s not enough time for the meds as you say, I don’t know what the exam board will do but you have medical proof so they must have protocol.

My DD missed one of her history GCSE exams. She got a bug and was vomiting and feeling awful. She got an A* as the board were happy with the medical evidence and she obviously did well in the other exam.

I hope she gets the grade she deserves. It is really upsetting.

If she's already sat one history exam the exam will use that to assess her grade. It's not exactly an unusual situation, not sure why all the hand wringing. Though as these are the first exams in three years perhaps that's why.

I know you will have done everything right - I'm a long term migraine sufferer and it is incapacitating at times. For years I was told to take 'propranalol' daily as a preventative. It helped to a degree but I saw a locum doctor, whose wife suffered badly too and suggested another medication, a silver bullet (his words not mine!) - sumitriptan, everyone is different with medication but this has saved me soooo many times! It can knock your socks off a little when you first take it but an hour or so you will feel groggy but should be able to manage an exam?

Might be worth asking the GP - again I'm not suggesting I know everything but might be worth an ask for the next exam? Measures will be in place to ensure that if someone is taken I'll, it can be retaken.

I can’t see what the School have done wrong. My daughter is the same, I’ve posted before re it, we have to ensure no gaps in the pain relief up to and through the exams.

My daughter has abdominal migraines which are awful and when that passes it moves to a head migraine, it’s a physical reaction to stress.

My daughter also vomits with them, the School sit her at the front incase she needs to leave, which she had to do during her last exam to be sick. Although she does have extra 20 minutes.

It’s awful and I’m so pleased she had her last exam last week. Good luck to your daughter, breathing exercises help, it tough to see them go through.

It's so hard, I hope she finds something that helps the migraines soon, avoidance unfortunately does not tend to make anxiety better....is she accessing therapy?there are some great resources online about emotional coping skills.

not knowing what the exam board will do is bullshit. There is protocol for students who are incapacitated by illness/injury.

That would vary greatly depending on the nature of the illness/injury and the evidence that is available. The school will do their bit, but will still have no control over the outcome.

School are doing their job in running through potential options.
If she’s too I’ll for the exam, you’ll need a letter from her doctor (separate to what’s already been submitted) in relation to the exam day. You’ll probably have to pay for this

It can be very frustrating when you feel you are not being believed. And so difficult in this situation which is very important to your daughter.

All that matters right now is her health, try to hide your upset from her and reassure her that it’ll all work out so that she can focus on resting.

Then try to calm yourself by doing whatever usually works for you, a walk?

All you can do is provide evidence to the exam board or whoever, no amount of angst will change that.

Whatever you do, don’t put any more energy into getting angry or emotional. You are the parent and your daughter needs to know you e got her back.

I’m assuming you’ve never had a migraine. The pain is immense and all consuming. You need to just lie in a dark, quiet room, trying to get your head settled in a position this might, just might, possibly make the agony a fraction better, waiting and hoping that the meds you’ve taken might eventually ease it off, or you get to sleep to escape it. There’s not a chance in hell I could get up, get ready and go out to do anything when in the middle of one, never mind sit in a room and focus on an exam.

Im sure there must be a contingency plan for this sort of scenario op, people are ill or injure themselves regularly, so there has to be a plan for dealing with it, whether it’s sit it later or assess from previous work/papers. I hope your daughter finds something that works well for her migraines going forward.