To think this schools policy on prescribed medicines is wrong?

[ForrinForrinerFromForrinLand]

I just wondered weather there is a standard rule about this for all primary schools?

DN has just started school in. He suffers from severe asthma, its especially bad in winter months to the point where he has hospital stays monthly. His school initially requested that an inhaler was taken in. However after a little probing it seems they haven't been giving it to him. He's very wheezy. When asked the teacher responded by saying that he didn't request it. They expected a 4 yr old to prompt them every 4 hours for an inhaler! And now the school is saying they won't be responsible for ensuring the inhaler is regularly given to DN.

Now I'm a little shocked as I assumed schools had a duty of care. And certainly had to have plans in place for children who needed prescribed medication during the school day.

serious medical condition? so what if half the class have something which needs medication?how are the teachers supposed to teach? he knows how to administer it himself?

Are you asking if asthma is a serious medical condition? I mean really?

I agree with Sirzy.

DS2 is a severe asthmatic. By 4 he was perfectly able to ask for his inhaler if he needed it.

When DS2 went to pre-school and school I sent in a letter along with the inhaler so they knew exactly when and how much to give.

Did the parents fill in the forms and give them to the office staff? If they did, they need to make the teacher and TA aware as well.

He's only just started doing full days.

My questions really were;

Is the school obligated to help manage his medication whilst at school?

And if not what do other parents do if daily meds are needed?

Also, most people wouldn't let a child with a chronic condition start school until all of the plans were in place for dealing with it.

YY forms were filled in and given to the office.

Did the parents sit and talk to the teacher before he started?

So the parents need to make the teacher and the TA aware then. All they need to do is tell them or write a little note.

I'm not sure of the exact details to be honest. Apart from the form filling bit. I was just a little taken aback at the schools response.

I totally agree, Useless, before DS2 went to secondary school I had a meeting with his tutor, the head of his house, and the medical person at the school so I knew everything was in place.

At our school first aiders will administer or supervise medication so long as forms are filled out.

If your ds has to have his meds at a regular time, then school should sort this out.

We've got kids on ritalin, kids with diabetes, asthma, various kids with antibiotics - should they all stay off/be home schooled? Would you allow a diabetic child to do their own blood sugar check independently at 4?

Before complaining about the school it is probably worth finding the full story out then! Like I said sounds like failings on both sides.

I think as the parent of a child with severe asthma it is becomes such a part of daily life for you you easily forget that others aren't used to it and aren't as finely tuned into the little signs that something isn't right. Teachers may be used to dealing with 'normal' asthma but when it gets to the more severe end they won't be as used to that which is why they need it explaining in person and with a constant communication between home and school

I had to go into school or if I couldn't appoint someone else (not staff member) to go in and administer my dd's medication. The school would deal with emergency use of things like Inhalers, epi pens etc but not regular needs.

It sounds like it's down to the school. At my school we had a little boy in reception class who got diagnosed as diabetic. All staff had to have training on the condition and 2 staff working closest with him had to have training on administering his insulin. Admittedly as time went on the little boy was able to administer the insulin himself, but staff still supervise him doing it every day.

It's bonkers IMO and no, YANBU.

I work in a school in Australia and it is most certainly the class teachers responsibility to assist or remind a small child to take their meds according to parental&doctors guidelines - it falls under duty of care. Obviously there are a raft of policies and procedures to follow but all very straight forward - clearly named medication, original packaging, pharmacists directions etc etc.
There is no way a 4 yr old would not receive his 4 hrly inhaler or a top up when needed.

Just to reiterate, it's not about filling in forms, having a chat with the teacher or sending in a little note. A proper meeting needs to be set up and written plans put in place and training given.

Ask to see their policy on medication management. Really someone in the school should be able to take responsibility for this. Its unrealistic for a 4 year old to take sole responsibility.

A class teacher doesn't have to be responsible for administering medication, but of course in an emergency they would. However, for chronic conditions a named person (and a spare for back up) will be on the child's management plan.

Yanbu at all, schools are in loco parentis and have a duty of care towards the child. You cannot expect young children to be enirely responsible for medicating, not all children will be mature or have the right skills. Every school should have a nurse, or a first aider who is responsible for this

I was annoyed that my YrR son asked for his inhaler and wasn't given it, especially after I approached the Teacher and TAs and explained about it (and filled in their forms, too!).

Oh, and they had removed it from his bag, so he couldn't do it himself.

There needs to be an asthma management plan put in place. That means that a doctor needs to be involved and the asthma medication formally prescribed. The school won't give medication that hasn't been formally prescribed by a doctor at such a regular interval. If the doctor has only prescribed the inhaler as "as needed" then that is not acceptable, if it must be done every four hours, then the prescription needs to state what times and in what dosage the medication must be given.

I agree with sirzy and little miss wise. Yes, the teachers should measure the dose, and should be responsible, but only once a proper plan was put in place by the parents. If it we're my child, I wouldn't have just filled in a form and forgot about it. I would have made damned sure the teacher knew what she,was doing, BEFORE his first day.
But, assuming he's 4, he must be used to this, inhaler at breakfast, lunch, tea and before bed. I'm very very surprised his parents didn't think to mention it to him that he should be requesting his inhaler at lunch time

That is disgusting twoandtwo , obit be their heads if anything happened to him

spirulina why did you put a question mark after writing "serious medical condition", I know things can be misconstrued on the internet but that looks as if you are questioning it, do you realise people can and still do die of asthma attacks, its not the case of being just a little breathless!