What to do re: school medicines policy?

[EatsFartsAndLeaves]

My son is 3, he goes to a nursery class at a primary school.

He had two tiny spots or something on his face, no problem until he started scratching them as they healed, pulling the scabs off and making them bigger and bigger.

I put a small plaster on each spot. His skin reacted badly so now he has big areas of inflamed rash on his face, which of course he keeps scratching .

I've cut his nails as short as I can and I've been applying Germolene with anaesthetic when he starts scratching, which numbs it so he forgets about it for a few hours. This was working fine.

School called me today saying it's hurting him, but they also have a policy of not administering any medication that's not prescribed by a doctor, so won't apply the Germolene during the day.

I can't get to the school between drop off and pick up, and don't have any friends who could either, or know any other parents. Can I ask a gp to prescribe Germolene? Seems like a ridiculous waste of NHS resources to me for something so minor, but I'm concerned it could get infected if it's not treated. WWYD?

Do you have Boots near by? They have a minor ailments scheme doen kids and they prescribe and administer medication the same as the doctor - saves an appointment

My DS used to pick at any & every scab he got. Drove me crazy. Until he was at least 6yo & he has loads of scars from picked at scabs he wouldn't let heal up.

I gave him chapstick to rub on the spots instead. That he carried in own pocket & could rub on himself. This worked on & off to stop the picking. Worth a try?

DS reacted to plasters at that age. He was also sensitive to anything with petroleum in it. Only discovered as we rolled through one thing after another trying to heal scratches which he kept itching because everything we trued made him itch. Ended up using rosehip oil (also sensitive to sesame and nuts) with a drop of tea tree and lavender.

That doesn’t look at all like impetigo. It looks like an allergic reaction to plasters. It may only be a mild allergy but that’s what’s probably causing the itching. Is he too young for some form of liquid antihistamine, piriteze or similar? You could give in the morning and at night to help keep the itching down.

Thanks yes an antihistamine was suggested by a pp I think but it hadn't properly occurred to me that it might last longer, I'll give that a go if it gets inflamed again like from the plasters. I think it was originally just the bump of a little scab that got him picking though, which wasn't a histamine reaction - will try chapstick for that, good plan I think he'd like it (and hopefully not eat it...).

Will also look into prescription at Boots, that might save us a lot of hassle in future since we've probably got 7 more years at this school with this policy.

Thanks so much for your help everyone!

Phone gp and explain to receptionist what has happened and ask if you need ro bring dc in or can the Dr prescribe something. I had similar with dd and some bath products, she had a bad reaction and her skin went very dry and itchy and angry looking, school wouldn't use over the counter products. I spoke to receptionist, she passed a note to the Dr who then prescribed some emolient cream (zero cream/ aveeno and some hydrocortisone ) without even seeing dd. Zero cream was amazing and it cleared up in a couple of days!

Ok don’t want to sound unsympathetic here, but it’s really nothing, school should be using their initiative and distracting him from thinking that it hurts! Your right It does look like a reaction to the plaster - it will be fine in a day in a day or too if you just leave it as it is.

The pharmacy first scheme doesn’t give you prescription medication they just give you over the counter things but for free

Sounds like a stupid policy, what do school suggest? Total waste of NHS time and money to have a GP appointment for that rash.

Our school requires a signed form and won't give the first dose of anything (incase of allergies) so have sent in paracetamol/ibuprofen for things like toothache and sore throat over the years. Nursery kept calpol and piriton in stock.

Might that weird spray-on skin stuff be any good? Is it hypoallergenic?

If you mean the new skin stuff DO NOT USE IT! It stings like a bastard! I used it on my foot 2 weeks ago and ended up with my foot in the sink trying to stop the nipping 😡 I had a raw blister and thought it would help but it didn't - it just nipped like nothing else I've known.

Please give him an antihistamine. It'll stop it itching.

PippaRabbit

I know! Worse than the original injury

Looks like it could be ringworm to me.

I'm a GP. Please don't waste a GP appointment because you need an over-the-counter medicine prescribed. I'm afraid I'd not be happy with the nursery if one of my precious appointment slots was wasted like this. See a pharmacist and use whatever over-the-counter medicine they recommend and tell the nursery to stop consuming NHS resources needlessly with their stupid policy.

I'm currently expecting my first baby. DH (also a GP) and I have been looking at nurseries' illness policies when trying to decide where to send our child. We would very quickly lose patience with nonsense like this!

I work in a school and we had a lid with exactly that on one cheek yesterday. Appeared out of nowhere. We called mum to take the child out of school and have it checked out. We had no idea what it was, and its not up to us to guess. Could have been contagious for all we know.

Our policy is prescription only.

PippaRabbit ew, ok I'll give that a swerve then!

Witchend not ringworm, it's circular because it was (two) round plasters, because they were the smallest.

RightOcciputAnterior don't worry I won't bother a GP with it! Pharmacy always ask what you've tried already, and would probably just sell me more Germolene since that's been working fine so far - the problem is that the nursery won't take the word of a pharmacist, only a prescription is good enough.

DoveSecret I know what it is, it's a reaction to a plaster, not contagious.

Hoping it will heal completely this time, he started picking at it this evening but i distracted him before he drew blood again.

2nd the antihistamine, or a antihistamine cream.

as its a skin reaction flare up, would if after a few days didnt clear, take him to see GP

The only thing that spray plaster is good for is killing flies. Wouldn't bother with it for anything else.
BTW I work in elderly care and we have the same policy, it's county wide.

I don't think he needs an antihistamine now, the inflammation was due to the plasters and now they're gone it's much better. It's just the texture of a scab that makes him pick at it I think, but of course it can't heal without scabbing so it's a vicious cycle.

I guess if this sort of thing happens once he's compulsory school age then they might prefer to apply some common sense rather than me keep him off school every time he has an insect bite or whatever. I do think it's a daft policy.

It is a daft policy, it doesn’t make sense does it, say for example they needed paracetamol they were a bit unwell with a cold or something but not Ill enought to be off - or they were back a school after recovering from some kind of illness/surgery and needed a bit of pain relief, u would have to get it prescribed? Absolutely ridiculous, at my dc school you just sign a consent form and they will give them anything!