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Allergies and intolerances

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URGENT! Storage of allergy medication/epipens in school

11 replies

LooksBetterWithAFilter · 15/08/2017 09:45

We are in Scotland so dc went back to school this morning. DS2 (7) had a mild reaction to peanuts (as far as we can tell) over the school holidays.
He has been give Piriton to take in case of a reaction and he is being referred for proper testing. The GP was very insistent that we treat this as an allergy until testing shows otherwise.

I went to the school office today to hand in Piriton and let them know etc. Asked where medication like this is stored. It is locked in a cupboard by the school office all of it epipens the lot.

Is this right? In the case of DS a reaction is likely to occur by accidental contact in the playground which is HUGE in which case an adult has to be aware/made aware go to the office get the key, get the medication/epipen get back across the playground and administer it.
Maybe I am totally overreacting because this is all new to me and I'm nervous about the whole thing but I imagined that this kind of thing would be kept more easily accessible?

The learning support teacher was in the office at the time and she said they get anaphylactic training and the local NHS guidelines is what is being followed in consultation with the school nurse.

I have been having a it of a google this morning but can anyone else advise on this please? Am I totally overreacting or is this crappy practise?
Also anyone know how I can find out for sure what the local NHS trusts policy is on this? I can find copies of forms etc that parents are supposed to fill out in these circumstances but nothing on what the actual guidance is.

OP posts:
cansu · 15/08/2017 09:54

Medication has to be secure so that a child cannot accidentally access the medication. If your dc had an alkergic reaction someone would run to the office and get it. My ds has an epipen and other than on trips it is stored in a cupboard. Where do you expect it to be kept? Clearly there is nowhere in a playground to store piriton.

user1471525753 · 15/08/2017 10:02

My DS has a very severe nut allergy. His piriton and epipens have always been kept locked in the office. I'm pretty sure this is standard practice! The school has a very strict no nuts policy. Perhaps you would be better asking for the school to implement a no nut policy, this would reduce the chances of any accidental of exposure in the playground occurring in the first place?

paulapantsdown · 15/08/2017 10:09

I'm welfare in secondary. Epi pens are kept in a box in a cupboard, named individually by year. The cupboard IS NEVER LOCKED. The office itself is locked after last child has left school. All 200 members of staff know where the meds are kept and how to quickly access them.

DellaPorter · 15/08/2017 10:16

I work in a secondary. Spare epipens in unlocked cupboard in main office. Being older, students also carry their own

DellaPorter · 15/08/2017 10:19

Advice is that supplies should be kept safely but not locked away

www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/schools/schools-help/

If you are concerned about the school, suggest you first write to the governors, then try the local LA

LooksBetterWithAFilter · 15/08/2017 10:56

I totally get the need for safety which is why I am asking if there is a usual middle ground.

I am almost 100% certain the head would not consider a nut free school.
We also don't have governors in Scottish schools and nothing similar to go to.

I suppose I am questioning it because the school playground is a good acre at least and the school entrance is literally a pavement width away from the fence on one side of it.

Like i said this is all new to me but the scenario I keep playing in my head is that A child has an anaphylactic reaction, another child goes to get a playground supervisor and says Joe Bloggs isn't feeling well, supervisor goes to find out what is wrong then possibly has to cross very large playground go around the school and get the key from office staff get epipen and go back across the playground.

My info on epipen use is currently shaky but I thought it was better administered immediately and was an emergency measure as all I have read so far says a 999 call must be made as well. It could take several minutes for all of this to happen.
Also there is a first aider in the playground at break and lunch who carries a bag/first aid supplies around with her it just seemed odd that she did this but what I thought was a life saving measure was locked away inside the school.

OP posts:
Smilelikeyoufeelit · 15/08/2017 11:05

Primary teacher here. We keep named in a secure cupboard in our own classrooms. We also have another named epipen, per pupil, in a bag in the office. These are the ones that we take our on off site visits but are also accessible at lunchtimes and playtimes (as the office is closer to the hall/playground than the classroom)

viques · 15/08/2017 11:07

Our procedure was two in date pens per child. Both in named closed boxes. One kept in classroom, one in medical room next to office. If a child needed an epipen in class It would be administered immediately. At the same time a message would be sent to the office,an ambulance called ( make sure caller knows to use the magic words anaphylactic shock, child and epi pen) and the second pen sent back with messenger to where the child was in case a second dose needed.We decided on this procedure since children spend most of their school day in class. If a dose was needed when the child was in the playground the office pen would be sent for first, call made, second pen collected from class. On outings both pens taken.

babybarrister · 23/08/2017 02:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mintyneb · 30/08/2017 07:54

Coming late to this thread so might not be any help but my 10yo DD has a severe allergy to milk. She has one epipen and piriton in the school office but also the same in a small rucksack which is kept in the classroom.

This bag goes to lunch with her and then when she's out in the playground one of the lunchtime supervisors looks after it until it's time for them to go back to the classroom.

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