AIBU to be seeing with my daughters high school?

[CattyBrown]

DD2 (11yrs) had just been sent home from school after falling off her treadmill in gym. Her knees are a right mess and will take ages to heel. I think she may have banged her head as she has a headache.

I asked her how it how it happened and it turns out she was told that the treadmill was 'simple to use' and to just to get on with it. No instructions on how to use it etc.

To say I'm seething is an understatement. My daughter is sat here in pain & treats all because she wasn't given instructions.

How hard would it have been for a teacher to stand in front of the class and give ALL the class instructions.

[CattyBrown]

• Heal

[lottieandmia]

YANBU. Of course they should be shown properly how to use the equipment.

[LoopyDoopyDoo]

She's 11. Does she not know whether she banged her head.

Most 11 year olds could cope on a treadmill without instruction.

[curlew]

What on earth surface was the treadmill on that she has cut her knees?

[Lottiedoubtie]

Most 11 year olds could cope on a treadmill without instruction.

Rubbish adults aren't allowed to use them in gyms until they've been shown.

And any way, the OP isn't concerned about most 11 year olds, she's understandably concerned about her injured 11 year old who has not been properly taught at school.

99% Of the time I side with the school, but this time, you are in the right OP.

[Rosa]

They shouldn't be allowed on the machinery without proper instruction. Same as lifting weights and such like.

[curlew]

I agree that they should be instructed. But I would be even more concerned about how exactly how a child could do so much damage just falling off a treadmill.

[newyearhere]

YANBU. A treadmill is a moving machine and people should be given the correct instructions before using it.

[Pigeonhouse]

Nonsense that an 11 year old should be able to use treadmills without instruction. A friend of mine, an experienced runner and gym-user, lost concentration for a second on a moving treadmill, came crashing off it and was an absolute mass of bruises.

School was negligent if they didn't instruct properly, but in fact it's possible to come off treadmills even as an experienced adult.

[CattyBrown]

Her knees are badly grazed and they are both badly swollen.

LOOPY - As for get not knowing if she banged her head - how many thousands of people have had accidents and not thought they had banged their head only to find they need stitches , or, after a scan find they have a fractured skull.

Thanks to the others for your comments.

[MellowAutumn]

well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/the-danger-of-treadmills/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

1% of paediatric burns are due to treadmills

Mike Tysons daughter died!

[procrastinatingagain]

I fell off a treadmill. My legs were covered in grazes. Was she wearing the emergency stop clip thing? I wasn't, stupidly. Hope she heals quickly, poor girl.

[LoopyDoopyDoo]

Sorry OP, you are right.

[CattyBrown]

Procrastinatingagain, she didn't know anything about the safety clip on it. she'd never been on one before.

She was so excited at the thought of using one today.

Loopy, thanks for the flowers.

[procrastinatingagain]

You should definitely complain, that's incredibly stupid of the school, she could have been seriously injured.

[treas]

Most 11 years but not all LoopyDoopyDoo and for risk assessment the teacher should have given a class demonstration to cover their arse when parents threaten to sue.

[SlightlyTerrified]

They are so dangerous if not used properly. I would be very cross with the school for not showing them how to use them properly. I have seen several accidents at the gym with experienced runners falling off due to a split second blip in concentration.

My 7 YO had a nasty accident (he shouldn't have been on it mind you) but his friend turned it up to the highest speed and he flung off onto concrete. He was very lucky to not be very seriously hurt but he does have nasty scars.

[HannahG315]

Even adults signing up to Gym memberships have to be shown equipment in order to comply with health and safety guidelines.

What 11 yr old would know how to use a treadmill?? And since when did schools even have treadmills?!? What happening to running round the block??

[SlightlyTerrified]

My secondary school had a proper gym with weights and treadmills and that was 20 years ago so not unusual.

[natwebb79]

And you know for sure that the teacher in question said exactly "it's simple to use, just get on with it"? Your daughter hasn't just said that to excuse clumsiness?

[Nanny0gg]

I think you need to get her checked over if she hit her head.

And you need to be speaking to the school today!

[CattyBrown]

natwebb, I've double and triple checked and yes, that was said X

[nennypops]

The teacher would have had to make an incident report, I suggest you ask for a copy.

[JohnnyUtah]

That's what that dangly thing is?

A kill cord with a clip?

Bugger me, I never knew that!

[Topaz25]

YANBU. The school should have shown pupils how to use the equipment properly. As others have said, I was shown how to use a treadmill when I joined the gym.