Antibiotics to be taken during school time

[Alliwantisaroomsomewhere]

Is it unreasonable to me to expect a school to remind my 9 year old son to go to the office to take his anti-biotics? For two days the school gave him his meds 3 hours and then 2 hours later.

What really pissed me off is that they have told me that DS "forgot" to take his medication. Surely the school office should have called for him? He is 9, FFS.

I used to send my kids antibiotics in their lunch box irrespective of whether they were meant to be taken with food or before good because I knew they would at Lear be taken. The school just couldn't deal with this stuff so it was best to let the kids do it themselves.

That would be a safeguarding issue these day Janet. Medicines should be kept out of the reach of children, etc.

bit poor of them really as antibiotics need to be taken around food so just send him up before of after lunch really? my son is on gaviscon he has to take it after the food they very rarely forget

Sorry, as far as I'm concerned, after the age of around 8, I tablet or capsule in their lunchbox was fine, much better than trusting teachers to administer anything.

Not in the eyes of child protection though Janet. If medicine was found in your child's lunchbox, school staff would be having a word with you. Not so much about your own child, for whom the medicine is prescribed, but more for the fact that any child could have taken it.

At least that's what would happen now, it might have been different when your dcs were at school.

Safeguarding issue that a 9 year old can be sent to school with one dose of an antibiotic in his lunchbox, so the teachers don't have to manage it (for those upthread who all seem to think this is a massive inconvenience?) Really?? Jesus wept. My DN at 9 could easily have managed this without teacher intervention.

Hmm yes it's a safeguarding issue. Some children are allergic to certain types of antibiotics - one of them gets hold of it by mistake and you potentially have a very serious situation on your hands.

OP our schools no longer administer medication unless it's life threatening or specified in a statement. Didn't used to be like that until one parent kicked off and threatened to sue them for forgetting to give a medicine one day (a long term medicine the parents often forgot to send in for days at a time) My uncle is an adviser to schools and his specific advice to schools is to push back and ask why the required number of doses can't be given outside of school hours, for the same reason.

And also a child could always take if too early,lose it etc

Fairenuff, my child, my choice. If the school hadn't liked it, they would have had 2 choices- either administer the antibiotics themselves or child would have stayed at home until course was completed. Fortunately the head teacher was a parent and sensible, unlike some!!

I hope other children would NOT have had access to my child's lunch box.
Given the comments in this thread, I really hope I do not gave any more children because I think I really would have to consider home ed.

Have, not gave

This is why so many schools will not administer this kind of medication. It's too much of a responsibility.
And I have never been in a school that want sick children sent in!
Why would they want ill kids?

Kids on antibiotics may not be ill. My daughter was on antibiotics so many times with tonsillitis and was only really ill on the first 2 days when I kept her at home. Fortunately she was very responsible from an early age and could be trusted with her medication.

Ear infections for example, are often not infectious and after the first couple of days of AB's, kids can generally be well enough to be at school - but still need to complete the course.

OP - I'm sorry, but I think YABU. At 9yo, your DS should be able to remember to go to the office/ first aid room to get his medicine. Put more onus on him to remember and you'll resolve the issue.

Is the antibiotic a 3 times a day dose rather than 4 times a day? If so my GP suggests a dose before school (8am) a dose immediately after school (3pm) and a dose at bedtime (8pm). Not a great spread, but sufficient.

Firstly, are the antibiotics long term or short term? I couldn't deduce this from your post.

Secondly, as he is nine that is the age where - depending on why the antibiotic is being prescribed, the child can have a higher dose twice a day. Seek clarification from the GP. Then you might not need to have the medication in school at all.

If it is a long term medication then see if the GP will change the dose to BD. If not, make sure that you train your child to get their medication at a set time each day. For ease make it the end of break or beginning of lunch so they don't miss play time.

My now 9yo was trained to get meds from the office 3 times a day (different meds at different times) and was able to do this from about 6yo. Luckily, due to moving/changing doses we have reduced this down to only one medication per school day.

Also our school policy is to remove any unlabelled medication /not administered by the school. So if a medication was sent in a lunch box it would likely to be removed as the school wouldn't a child taking any random tablets in their bag. So a dose would be missed entirely instead of being late. It is a terrible idea to put medication in lunch boxes and although older junior school children would be ok with this what if the medication got into wrong hands of younger children? That's why schools have medication policies.

Finally, go into the school and talk to them about the concerns and find a way to work with them. It will be down to your child to remember ( and they are old enough to do so) but maybe they could allocate a memory buddy to help your DC remember? Good luck it's tough trying to organise this type of situation.

our school wants 'sick' (well not actually vomiting but from second day of antibiotics) children in. something to do with absence stats and Ofsted.

At 9 I think it should be his responsibility to remember to go take them. my kids haven't taken antibiotics since starring school but I have sent in paracetamol for sore throat, dd went to medical room if she wanted it and they gave her the syringe with correct dose.

I had to put antibiotics in lunchbox to get them taken.

When DS was aged 8 he had a serious condition called septic arthritis, untreated this can lead to a destroyed joint and lifelong disability. He was in hospital initially and had surgery twice to wash the joint out, then a few days of intravenous antibiotics. He came home on oral antibiotics 4 times a day for a further 4 weeks.

I went into school to ask them how best to manage this, I was happy to put pills in his lunchbox as he was sensible and well able to take. Was told this was unacceptable for various sensible reasons as other posters have said, protection and safety for other children etc.
So filled in 4 page form in duplicate to detail meds to be given and handed in supply in original labelled and named box ( I kept most at home just sent in the number needed for the course). The school nurse was to give them at lunchtime. All very sensible and satisfactory so far.
However, when DS asked for them at lunchtime nurse was busy, he wasnt allowed to go, various reasons. After 2 days of missing I phoned Head and explained how important it was, Head agreed should be given as specified, but next 2 days same happened.
I ended up putting pill in lunchbox and he took quietly, all sorted.

Appreciate schools have many demands on staff but if they can't follow what they have insisted you do I will do what it takes to get my child treated appropriately.