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Original poster

Son is ill during GCSEs

91 replies

Caerulea · 05/06/2025 09:18

He threw up yesterday morning but was able to go in & do his exam, then I picked him up after. Next is exam is tomorrow & this morning he got up & had diarrhea & stomach hurts. Mild headache but no other obvs signs but for stomach acid pain.

So I've kept him off today but what do I do tomorrow? I'm not wholly sure if this is illness or stress & he's not able to make those links himself to tell me. He displays ZERO stress about the exams (he's autistic, it's bloody obvious to anyone else but the school refused to test him cos he's so capable)

I can see there are ways for the boards to compensate etc but am concerned his grades won't be representative. He's on for 8's & 9's - if he's unable to make it in what are the chances he'll get truly representative grades? He's a total outlier in the school itself, it's a really badly performing school (though wellbeing & safety is high)

As far as he's concerned he's going in tomorrow.

OP posts:
Cynic17 · 05/06/2025 09:21

If he wants to go in, then he goes in. He is old enough to decide for himself and this is all very mild stuff, bit of low level stress.
If he doesn't go in, speak to the school.

LittleAlexHornesPocket · 05/06/2025 09:21

I'd get him some rehydration sachets / tablets to try and give him a boost. Hopefully it's a short lived thing. Bless him.

TheSalmonMousse · 05/06/2025 09:24

My daughter was sick before her exam yesterday morning. This has reminded me to ask about special circumstances.

I had to stay on school site in case she was sick again and take her home as soon as it was over.

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Original poster
Caerulea · 05/06/2025 09:25

Cynic17 · 05/06/2025 09:21

If he wants to go in, then he goes in. He is old enough to decide for himself and this is all very mild stuff, bit of low level stress.
If he doesn't go in, speak to the school.

I'm assuming stress but he's belligerent on it not being - he's very hard to communicate with on stuff like this.

I'm not concerned he won't perform if he can go in, he's so focused & doesn't find it hard. It's more if the diarrhea continues & he can't physically do it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Caerulea · 05/06/2025 09:29

TheSalmonMousse · 05/06/2025 09:24

My daughter was sick before her exam yesterday morning. This has reminded me to ask about special circumstances.

I had to stay on school site in case she was sick again and take her home as soon as it was over.

Thank you, I was able to pick him up right after the exam yesterday - school are brilliant about this kind of thing.

If its stress (despite him being hellbent he's not stressed) then I'm hoping having today off will help. Just concerned about what happens if he can't physically go tomorrow

OP posts:
Original poster
Caerulea · 05/06/2025 09:30

LittleAlexHornesPocket · 05/06/2025 09:21

I'd get him some rehydration sachets / tablets to try and give him a boost. Hopefully it's a short lived thing. Bless him.

Thank you. I assume they are just a Boots thing? Never had to get them before

OP posts:
KnickerlessFlannel · 05/06/2025 09:31

Caerulea · 05/06/2025 09:30

Thank you. I assume they are just a Boots thing? Never had to get them before

Show quote history

You can get them in most decent size supermarkets too - diarolyte is the most common brand or liquid IV

babystarsandmoon · 05/06/2025 09:31

Lots of fluids and rest today and it should have passed by tomorrow.

My daughter was sick last night but has still went in ok for her exam today. We did think she had just overdone it at the gym though.

HairsprayBabe · 05/06/2025 09:32

I missed my maths calculator GCSE paper due to D&V - back in 2010ish now I got an A no idea if the rules are still the same!

titchy · 05/06/2025 09:33

Get him something to stop the diarrhoea. Earn school they may have to provide a sick bucket.

As an aside the school doesn’t need to agree to him being tested for ASD - not sure why you haven’t looked at other routes if you think a diagnosis would help?

Original poster
Caerulea · 05/06/2025 09:38

titchy · 05/06/2025 09:33

Get him something to stop the diarrhoea. Earn school they may have to provide a sick bucket.

As an aside the school doesn’t need to agree to him being tested for ASD - not sure why you haven’t looked at other routes if you think a diagnosis would help?

I'll pop to the pharmacy in a bit.

We have looked into other routes but can't afford private assessment & the GP won't refer, it has to be done through school. That's a whole other thread though & honestly doesn't affect his education - frankly I can see why school weren't interested on the face of it. I only mention it cos it affects his ability to communicate & to recognise his own emotions/stress/body but also point out he has no measures in place at school (where he doesn't actually need them).

OP posts:
Notquitegrownup2 · 05/06/2025 09:43

Let the school know now. My son was given a seat next to the exit and a bucket in the same situation. It helped him, knowing that he could get out if needed, and fortunately didn't.

If he is too ill to go,v then I think that you have to get a medical/doctor's note which the school send in, but hopefully a) someone more knowledgeable will advise on that and b) he won't need it.

A few hours without food today won't hurt, especially if he keep sipping the diarolyte and or coke. Some very boring arrowroot biscuits or dry toast to nibble tomorrow would be good. They are gentle on the stomach, but if he's up to food will stop him from getting too weak.

Best of luck to him.

Notquitegrownup2 · 05/06/2025 09:44

A pack of Imodium too from the pharmacy would be good too

Original poster
Caerulea · 05/06/2025 09:49

Notquitegrownup2 · 05/06/2025 09:43

Let the school know now. My son was given a seat next to the exit and a bucket in the same situation. It helped him, knowing that he could get out if needed, and fortunately didn't.

If he is too ill to go,v then I think that you have to get a medical/doctor's note which the school send in, but hopefully a) someone more knowledgeable will advise on that and b) he won't need it.

A few hours without food today won't hurt, especially if he keep sipping the diarolyte and or coke. Some very boring arrowroot biscuits or dry toast to nibble tomorrow would be good. They are gentle on the stomach, but if he's up to food will stop him from getting too weak.

Best of luck to him.

Thank you. He's refusing to eat, didn't eat last night either so I'm amazed there's anything to come out tbh. He's got a bowl of yoghurt by his bed but hasn't touched it - I'll suggest toast, that's always a winner!

I'll see how this morning goes & ring school this afternoon if it looks like a bucket is needed. Nothing will stop him going in if he has his way & I know school will be incredibly helpful.

OP posts:
IAmNeverThePerson · 05/06/2025 09:52

If he can go in he should. Get him full sugar coke to sip. It is better to attend than not.

Notquitegrownup2 · 05/06/2025 09:52

(I'd avoid yoghurt unless it's far free. I was always told to avoid eating any fat with diarrhoea)

Original poster
Caerulea · 05/06/2025 09:56

Notquitegrownup2 · 05/06/2025 09:52

(I'd avoid yoghurt unless it's far free. I was always told to avoid eating any fat with diarrhoea)

I don't think there's any chance he's going to eat it anyway 🤦🏼‍♀️

OP posts:
1SillySossij · 05/06/2025 09:59

Don't eat dairy with a tummy bug!
So when you say your DS is autistic, it's just diagnosed by you?

TeenToTwenties · 05/06/2025 10:06

If they miss an exam due to illness then the board can work out the grade based on the other exams, giving estimated marks for the missed one.

You should talk to the school's exams officer because they would need evidence etc and can give you advice as to whether illness is bad enough.

Otherwise a bright student can probably do an exam below par and still come out with a decent grade, even if not the grade hoped for.

Comefromaway · 05/06/2025 10:06

Assuming he has already sat the majority of his papers then if he is so ill that he thinks it will affect his performance it is better for him not to go in.

If he sits the exam feeling under par and it affects how he does then he will get a tiny percentage uplift for special consideration. if he is unable to sit the paper, however then as long as he has sat a certain percentage of papers in that subject they will use a formula of using his marks for that paper in conjunction with how other students who performed the same did on the other paper. (it's fairer than just averaging as it takes into consideration some papers may be easier than others.)

Speak to the school exams officer to clarify what meducal evidence is needed.

bloodredfeaturewall · 05/06/2025 10:08

loperamide & re-hydration.
unless he can easily re-take the exam he HAS to go in. tell the invigilator so that they know about the need to go to the toilet.

good luck with the exams!

Tiswa · 05/06/2025 10:09

Speak to the school - they will want him in and have procedures in place for stomach bugs (we have had pupils
do exams with a bucket my them)

it is easier to get special consideration for an exam done than a grade for an exam missed (and the evidence level for missed would be medical evidence)

he is happy to go in sort with the school how it will work

Original poster
Caerulea · 05/06/2025 10:11

@1SillySossij he's not eating anyway lol

I really don't want to go into the autism thing, it's only vaguely relevant here & it's complicated. I only mentioned it cos he can't recognise things with his body/illness/feelings but mentioning it would mean ppl asked what measures are in place in school so I gave that answer too. My eldest is autistic (went through the system in primary) & GP wanted youngest tested last year after an incident which landed him in hospital but I had to go via school - advised 3yr wait if they deemed it necessary & then they didn't. Which isn't surprising cos he's the brightest student they have & is impeccably behaved at school - it's what I expected.

OP posts:
Original poster
Caerulea · 05/06/2025 10:22

A catch-all reply here cos of all the helpful posts that just appeared - thank you!

He will go in, hell or high water, even if he ends up crapping himself mid-exam. That's the level of hyper-focus we're talking about here, I'm not trying to be crass. He'll likely perform as he would have without being 'ill' too.

He's not outwardly stressed, he finds the whole thing boring & easy (this isn't a humble-brag, he's wired oddly) but he's driven AF in the laziest way you can imagine lol. Not even for a reason, has no idea what he wants to do after - he's just not bothered.

My concern was about the diarrhea I think, in terms of it normally requiring 48hrs off school once it's done & how that fits with exams. And how the special compensations work for higher grades.

OP posts:
TeenToTwenties · 05/06/2025 10:24

Following update. Speak to school today if he is def going in regarless. They can change seating plan / put him in smaller room near toilets to minimise disruption to other pupils and lost time for him. But give them a chance to organise it in advance!

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