To expect to be able to leave dry skin cream at school for my daughters hands?

[BollyGood]

I don't usually post in here but am so surprised by school this morning. My daughters hands sometimes get very sore and dry in the winter,I use Oilatum cream for her to soothe it. The soap at school really irritates her poor hands too. Usually she has a little tin of Vaseline lip balm to put on it in her book bag but this week as its been so cold the Vaseline didn't help.

Instead of hiding the oilatum in her bag,I took it to the office with her name and class on asked if her hands were cracking and painful could she come and put her cream on, she can do it herself. Same as with the sun cream policy. But no apparently not. It has to be prescribed cream with the child's prescription sticker on it. We have had it prescribed and do for the baby but I buy it when haven't had time or been able to get a docs appointment and it lasts forever. Dd's soreness is seasonal so sometimes she only needs to out the cream on for a few days and we do not need to bother the doctor. Haven't had a bottle with her name on for ages.

I have now had to ring for an appointment which I couldn't get but the receptionist kindly offered to see if she could get another presciption for dd with her name on even though we have just had a big bottle for the baby and do not need it. I know schools have policies but honestly what's the difference between a day or two of hand cream to stop a little one feeling distressed and sore and sun cream which is not prescribed? I didn't need to call the docs or make an extra trip for cream I don't need and dd could not have anything on her hands today as they wouldn't let me leave the cream nor would the school let her stay in at playtime( she does wear thick gloves but still seems to happen)so when her hands are sore no-one can help her.

I have even got the lovely teaching assistant in trouble who helped her put Vaseline on yesterday as I said dd was so upset it was hurting and she couldn't manage, the secretary said ' oh we have Vaseline in school do we?' So now the helper will be asked why she helped my child who shouldn't have had Vaseline. I feel terrible! I will not have this problem again as will pick up the new bottle tomorrow, but seriously WIBU? Has the world of school gone mad??? You don't always need a prescription for something do you? And if I signed a form which said I am happy for my daughter to use her cream surely that's ok? If she had a reaction it would be my responsibility and she still could react even if it was prescribed. I know it isn't the secretary's fault and I did ask to see the head or deputy head but they are both out today and tomorrow. Massive post over cream sorry! When dd1 was at primary school 16 years ago life was so much easier for these things. Go on tell me I am naive and should have known better...

Teachers

I have heard of some schools not allowing anything other than prescribed and it does seem ridiculous to me that a parent cannot make their own decision as to what their child can and can't use on their own skin. I've heard some children have been told off in the past for having even lip balm in their bags for their sore lips! (because it's not prescribed!). I can understand that leaving some things with the teacher or receptionist could be a pain because they have to be around to give item to the child but that's why children should be allowed to have the items in their bag or school try and be allowed to use as and when needed. Obviously if the child is too young to apply themselves, they need adult help - this could be the teacher/ta/receptionist/dinnerlady - yes it's not their priority over say teaching - but it is still part of their job and takes seconds to assist a child in that situation. Not going to the Drs for a prescription isn't always about the parent being lazy and not wanting the inconvenience - op has already stated she tried to make an appt and couldn't - sometimes items you can buy over the counter do work just as well and can be bought cheaper than it costs the NHS to supply other alternatives. If the cream works then the parent has the right to continue to use it to help their child without judgement - what works for one child won't always work for another so when you do find that cream/item that helps there's no point trying anything else. I've had stuff actually prescribed by the Dr that has made things 100 times worse!

Now wouldn't it have been more of a sensible ideas to read the policy before demanding to speak to the head because your daughter can't get access to her cream? And sadly, as another poster has said, a lot of parents do demand their precious darlings bring this and that in.

For the poster with the chronic skin complaint - where on earth did I mention anything about children bring home educated if they have chronic pain??! I find that offensive and judgmental on your part.

Yes that seems sensible to me golden, I wish ours was the same. I bet lots of people never bother asking and put creams in their dc's bags because of the hassle of having to go to the doctors for a minor thing such as dry hands. I shall be doing this in future!

Yanbu. I've sent dd into school with a small tube of aveeno that she keeps in her drawer for her hands. She doesn't have eczema but suffers from really dry skin on hands during the winter. She's 5 and applies it herself. It's only cream.

Obviously dd has a slightly worse problem than dryness but my point was they can't have anything to prevent it hence it gets worse.

Oh cross posts fakebook! I didn't mean dryness wasnt a problem it really is uncomfortable and untreated ends up cracking, looks like I am replying to you!

It says 'generally' catch so in answer to you I would have still asked the same question regardless of the policy which is by no means absolute.

You didn't mention being home educated - I did. You said that "if your child is in pain then you should go to the Dr." My point was that some children are constantly in pain and a visit to the Dr would not make the slightest bit of difference.

Pain needs to be managed in daily life, and if that means having a tub of cream in school then so be it. What is the point in using overstretched resources such as Drs and NHS prescriptions if a simple over the counter emolliant is a tried and trusted form of control.

There is simply no argument at all for not allowing a tub to be kept in the classroom for the child to use when she needs it.

Not sure about you but to be sensible in my book would be to make sure my child is happy and well cared for. I wasn't irrational by any means and if you want to poke holes well, you still didn't get the point of my post so popping back on to make sharp little comments suggests to me you enjoy this part of AIBU in a fun kind of way.

Catch I am obviously replying to your post.

I had the same stupid thing with DD's chapstick. She gets broken skin above her lips (not on her lips but above and around) when it's this cold - a red broken line of dry skin which sometimes bleeds. A heavy-duty Chapstick or similar sorts it out. We have been told she cannot have the chapstick unless she has a note from the dr. I am obviously not going to take her to the dr for dry skin - I have a hard time taking me seriously for actual illnesses, he would probably strike me off his list if I went for DD's chapped lips. She doesn't need any help to apply it, obviously.

I told her that her teacher is always right and she must always do what the teacher says but go and put it on in the toilets where they can't see

Somewhereaclockisticking- as I understand it many children at our school have lip balm, i am guessing they are allowed and I really can't see the difference between that and hand cream. I suppose they should write this into the policy. This is where there are holes in all this rule making lark. These days many policies seem to be having the opposite effect in stopping sensible things happening and people ignoring them anyway.

Exactly drjohnson. Crazy isn't it?

catchafallingstar Have my first ODFOD and a . You are not just offering an alternative opinion, you are goading using terms such as precious darlings and saying I am sorry that the doctors trip will inconvenience you and Also you asked to see the head or depute head because the secretary did not allow non prescribed creams in the school? I bet they love you!. Perhaps if you didn't come across as so patronising and catty in your posts your 'opinion' may have some merit.

I always send dd in with Vaseline for her lips and in summer, sun cream. I don't give a crap if school prefer to use the all day ones and only allow yr twos upwards to bring their own. Not having my dd covered in a rash from sun cream to suit them. She takes a spray in which she can use herself and it takes no ones time up. Pissing about with sending to the office is uneccessary!!

sorry obviously "he has a hard time taking me seriously" not I. I take myself very seriously indeed

Well cared for in my book means ensuring that my child had access to a cream that made their pain manageable. If that meant going back to the doctors for the sake of a prescribed label so be it. Ultimately they would have access to the cream they needed.
I would do this instead of complaining about school policies and why they should be changed for 'my' child because they were a special case.

In addition, I believe I am as entitled as any to comment on this thread, particularly when accusatory statements are being made against me. Apparently it is now frowned on to rake your child to a doctor if they are in pain.

As I said initially, if always turns out this way for the poster who says actually I think you we're being unreasonable.

I agree with that kellyelly. I have three dc's and really do not have the time to be precious about them to the extent that catch was insinuating! I also helped out in school every week for two and a half years before baby number three and received a lovely bunch of flowers from them so yes they do love me!

I think asking to see the head to find out whether or not they can help in certain situations regardless of policy is fine to do so. I feel I am on an equal footing with our school if there is something I want to discuss I will do so and likewise.They haven't always got things right in the past and have had to apologise. Yes, I now know what the medication in school policy states. I still don't agree with it entirely but will make sure I put any creams dd needs in her bag in future.

catchafallingstar I think the point is that there are many non-prescription ways to treat stuff and it would be ridiculous for us all to run the dr everytime we had anything that needs a bit of attention. We probably all think nothing of using a chapstick or some heavy duty cream when the weather gets a bit much. We are all relied upon to use our judgement to adminster these creams to ourselves and our children. This is all that needs to happen here - some common sense. If the parent thinks it's ok for the child to administer and it's not something that either a pharmacist should manage (such as painkillers) or a dr should prescribe, then the school can just carry on as usual and stop over-managing things. The other option is that we overload the NHS with nonsense just so some small girls don't have painfully dry skin in cold weather.

FWIW my children are very low maintenance and I'm certainly not slathering them in Creme de la Mer or some such. I'm just doing for them what I do for me and what you probably do for yourself. It also teaches responsibility. You feel cold? You put on a jumper without being told. You have badly chapped skin? You work out for yourself that you need a cream or a chapstick.

It's just a shame we have to go running off to the doctor for minor things, I thought that's what the whole point of allowing pharmacists to take over certain prescriptive meds was for? They do not put stickers with the child's name on the creams they recommend to you nor do you need an appointment for them to look at your child's complaint, it says that on the link posted earlier for ofsted. We are actively encouraged to not use valuable appointments for minor complaints. Dd's is minor as can be treated and healed quickly and she could use the oilatum three times a day or more during winter to actually stop it hopefully. Which in future she will be doing at school. The things is I will happily pay for the bloody cream! We didn't need anymore. And I do take my children to the doctors if they really need it.

Yanbu at all.

It is cream that can be bought over the counter ffs, not iv antibiotics to go down a central line.

Do the school insist that all suncream is prescribed? Because as the child is administering her own I can't see the difference tbh.

catchafallingstar - I take your point but at times of a bad flare up of her psoriasis, dd goes through creams like there is no tomorrow. I could not take her to the doctors every week to get more cream as (a) this would be a waste of the Dr's time (b) I would have to take time off work and (c) dd would have to take time off school. We have some of her creams on repeat, but not others. You cannot manage a chronic condition by going to the Drs with it all the time, it is just not possible.

KellyElly catchafallingstar Have my first ODFOD and a .

Seconded from me. I just hope that she doesn't have any position of authority in any school as she seems to have something of the jobsworth about her.

Well cared for in my book means ensuring that my child had access to a cream that made their pain manageable. If that meant going back to the doctors for the sake of a prescribed label so be it. Ultimately they would have access to the cream they needed
I would do this instead of complaining about school policies and why they should be changed for 'my' child because they were a special case

Is it not wasting important resources to have to go to the doctors again? And I have already got cream prescribed by the doctor which I can use to make my child's skin better it just doesn't have a sticker on it in her name as the latest bottle was prescribed in the babies name. I have a bottle i bought before when we ran out and i couldn't get an appointment, which has enough in it to sort out dd's hands this week.

They can't just give me a note or a sticker apparently so have to generate another prescription for the same thing. I also haven't asked that my daughter be a special case, I have asked that she can put her own cream on when her hands are sore. That is a fundamentally basic request. So perhaps if we all 'complained' a little more when policies seem to be restrictive and unnecessary life would become a little easier for us all.