Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Apparently my dd's school still believe in the miasma theory of disease

58 replies

NorthernLurker · 16/11/2015 19:37

That's the only explanation I can think of for why when my 8 yr old fell over on the playground today and had two bleeding knees they
a) Said they weren't allowed to send kids in for first aid Angry
b) Then said oh she could go in and wash it herself Angry Angry
c) Gave her two huge plasters to stick over the bleeding grazes herself without making any attempt to check the wounds were clean Angry Angry Angry

Needless to say there's no accident slip. But that's fine isn't it. After all school playgrounds are lovely and clean and there's no chance at all of dirt being ground in to this sort of wound. Hey, the plasters will have had special powers won't they?

I am livid. Is it too much to ask that a child with two bleeding knees gets the wound wiped by an adult with half an eye on what they're doing?

OP posts:
InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 16/11/2015 19:42

It's the norm in school. You can clean the grazes at home. Grazes are normally fairly superficial- I don't think she was in danger of sepsis from a bit of grit in a graze for a few hours.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 16/11/2015 19:44

And why would you need an accident slip for grazed knees? They are for minor head injuries and the like which need keeping an eye on

ghostyslovesheep · 16/11/2015 19:44

'Livid' - really - over a couple of grazes?

I'm sure you have time to sort it before gangrene sets in

NoonAim · 16/11/2015 19:46

Fair point InSpace, but it seems very uncaring.

Anyone with two skinned knees deserves first aid and a bit of fuss.

ouryve · 16/11/2015 19:47

Of course they're allowed to send the kids in for first aid. Even if all the first aider does is check that there's nothing more than a graze and there's no grit in it.

Our first aid forms always come home with "TLC applied" added at the end :o

Floggingmolly · 16/11/2015 19:47

They're not allowed to wash wounds, apparently. Count yourself lucky they gave her plasters, our school refuse to in case of allergy... Even the 4 year old's are handed a damp piece of kitchen towel and told to give it a wipe Hmm

AuntieStella · 16/11/2015 19:47

I think it's poor show from the school.

There should be a first aider available to clean wounds, check there is no debris lodged more deeply, apply plaster, and give child a sticker for being brave.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 16/11/2015 19:49

Well most kids would probably scream blue murder if a staff member tried to scrape grit out of a graze, and then the parents would sue for abuse Grin

ouryve · 16/11/2015 19:49

And our school does give plasters - it's one of the swathe of consent forms we have to fill in, every year.

DreamingOfAFullNightsSleep · 16/11/2015 19:49

My DD had a fall in the playground before school one morning. Bleeding knee. I took her in then and her teacher cleaned it and put a plaster on. I wouldn't have been worried about the wound being clean particularly but I would have been upset if my shocked, bleeding child hadn't been helped. She's 5 and in Reception but I would feel the same at 8 I think. You wouldn't get an accident slip for that but the teacher does let you know after school.at collection time if your child has had an accident- again I can only speak for reception so far.

Original poster
NorthernLurker · 16/11/2015 19:50

They are usually quite lavish with the accident slips for anything involving plasters or ice packs.
My dh actually did get cellulitis from an injury identical to this. Daft pillock was on his way to a prayer meeting at church, came off his bike, thought it's just a graze, didn't clean it for about 4 hours (because he carried on to the prayer meeting!) and spent the next ten days on antibiotics.
I wasn't expecting them to blue light her to ED Grin Just a quick wipe and examination by somebody who isn't 8. That's all I would have done if she'd done it at home.

OP posts:
DreamingOfAFullNightsSleep · 16/11/2015 19:50

floggingmolly they definitely clean wounds at our school.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 16/11/2015 19:54

A quick wipe may not have prevented cellulitis though- your DH graze was Prob deeper and worse than it looked

Loraline · 16/11/2015 19:54

Why would they not be allowed to clean wounds?

JumpandScore · 16/11/2015 19:57

IME, most First Aid is dealt with in the playground by the MDAs, so she wouldn't be sent in.

A quick wipe is hardly going to clean it in any way that would make a difference.

Floggingmolly · 16/11/2015 20:00

God knows, Loraline.. Presumably part of this "no touching" malarky. Utter nonsense.

Original poster
NorthernLurker · 16/11/2015 20:00

It wasn't deep. It was a bigger area though.

I think this is just so flipping basic. I was picking her up from after school club and saw the (bloodstained) state of her tights so I asked her what happened and she told me then said ' but I put plasters on' So I asked what she meant by 'I' and she told me what had happened. Then we came home and I got lavish with wipes and antiseptic cream.

OP posts:
VagueIdeas · 16/11/2015 20:00

I know schools won't touch kids to help apply sun cream, etc. but now they won't do simple first aid? That's awful.

ScarlettDarling · 16/11/2015 20:01

Of course staff are allowed to clean wounds, and yes, of course they should. Teachers and CAs are in loco parentis, we are expected to look after children as well as educate them, and that means when a child has sore, bloody knees, you clean them up.

ChunkyPickle · 16/11/2015 20:01

They clean kids knees and apply plasters at our school!

Hell, I'm an adult and if I fell over at work the first aider would be all over me sorting it out, let alone a kid at primary school!

DS1 got a (almost non-existant) wasp sting on his heel at an after school club I arrived to find him in the first aid room with his foot up on a teacher's lap and an assistant fluttering around him with an ice pack and a bottle of water dabbing his (perfectly fine) forehead - I can't imagine them telling an 8 year old to just get on with it on their own!

Original poster
NorthernLurker · 16/11/2015 20:03

The dinner ladies sounded like they just didn't want to know and ' a quick wipe is hardly going to clean it in any way that would make a difference' -well yes, especially when done by an 8 year old.
I bet she was in a bit of a state too. She's not great with wounds. Dd1 is the stoic but then dd1 is 17 and dd3 is 8. I don't really need her to be up to amputating her own arm with a spoon just yet Grin

OP posts:
Buttercup27 · 16/11/2015 20:05

Of course you can clean wounds. That's why everyone in our school is first aid trained, so you know how to clean and treat minor injuries and decide if further assessment is needed.
I would put a complaint in and ask to see the first aid policy.

Bakeoffcake · 16/11/2015 20:07

Of course the staff are allowed to clean wounds and apply plasters. I was a volunteer for years at my local infant school. If the TA wasn't available I was allowed to do it! (I have been CRB checked etc)

We also used to make a note in the accident book and give a slip to take home which usually said "Action taken: wound cleaned, plaster and TLC applied" so yes we were allowed to give them a hug tooShock

Any school saying they "can't do it" are talking absolute bollocks!

ChunkyPickle · 16/11/2015 20:09

Bakeoff - DS1's always included mention of a damp flannel somewhere - mystical powers of healing that damp flannel (generally in combination with a nice lap to sit on and a bit of sympathy and hugs)

MaidrinRua · 16/11/2015 20:12

"Put a damp paper towel on it!"

Swipe left for the next trending thread