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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 20:12

I do agree it is annoying that some of the staff seem to be so useless- my son was sent back to class with an obviously broken, swollen and bleeding nose! I did complain about that one

HelsBels3000 · 16/11/2015 20:12

'no touching' policy is absolute rubbish - DFE guidelines state that schools should not have no-contact policies for this exact reason, how can we be expected to adequately look after hundreds of 4-11 year olds without laying a single finger on them - ever? Its ridiculous!

Original poster
NorthernLurker · 16/11/2015 20:13

I have just found that the policy is on the website. It says 'All staff may treat minor cuts/ grazes with antiseptic wipes and cover them with a plaster having checked that the child is not allergic. Staff may also treat minor bruises/ traps etc. by the application of a cold compress on unbroken skin.'

No mention of the hug Wink but I see the magic flannel has a role Grin

We've been attending this school for 12 years and counting with our dds. Never found them uncaring ever at all previously but this does feel really crap. After school club staff weren't impressed either. They are big fans of the hug theory there Grin

OP posts:
Fayrazzled · 16/11/2015 20:14

I am a paediatric first aider and it's nonsense for schools to say they can't clean wounds- of course they can. At my children's school they only use water though- no antiseptic wipes or cream (I don't know why). I would always clean a child's wounds and check for debris etc lodged in it. It's also nonsense for schools to have a blanket ban on plasters- ensure allergic children don't get them, fine- but it is important for wounds to be kept clean and a plaster is an easy and convenient way to do so for 99+% of children.

I'd be cross if I were you Northernlurker and I'd approach the school to ask about their first aid policy. The school has a duty of care towards your child and that includes making sure she receives the first aid she needs.

Original poster
NorthernLurker · 16/11/2015 20:14

Grin Love that Maidrua!

OP posts:
OldBeanbagz · 16/11/2015 20:16

They always clean wounds at DS's school and generally put the biggest plaster they can find on any grazes.

Strangely they didn't call me when they thought he had fractured his wrist though Hmm

TheComforter · 16/11/2015 20:17

At 8, shouldn't they be able to clean their own grazes? Mine were - but maybe i was cruel.

Paper towel made me laugh. Exactly my experience having kids at school in the 90s!

Livid is a bit much, OP.

wigglesrock · 16/11/2015 20:25

My 4 year old (P1) fell today in school and badly scrapped her knees. One of her classroom assistants cleaned them up with water and paper towels, dried them, gave her a big hug, told her she was a great girl and got her a chair to sit on when they were practising songs because it it hurt her knees to sit on the mat.

Battleshiphips2 · 16/11/2015 20:26

Haven't read all the posts but it's quite possible to get something like cellulitis from a small injury. A friend ended up in hospital on a drip for cellulitis caused by a tiny blister. They could've given it a bit of a clean before covering it.

Brioche201 · 16/11/2015 20:27

aren't these minor injuries units silly bothering with using sterile materials and antiseptic when a paper towel and tap water are ok to clean an open wound!

SolidGoldBrass · 16/11/2015 20:31

That is thoroughly daft.
Mind you, when I was at primary school (in the 1970s) there came a point when I used to be the one who cleaned up the younger kids' grazes with Dettol, warm water and cotton wool. I think it must have been because I was in the Brownies and had got my First Aider badge...

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 16/11/2015 20:33

battle it's POSSIBLE but not PROBABLE to get cellulitis from a graze. Otherwise half the kids in the world would have it

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 16/11/2015 20:34

I do think they should bring back Dettol in schools though! Marvellous stuff!

ghostspirit · 16/11/2015 20:37

comfort i remember at school having wet paper towel. its same with my kids school now. i don't do plasters at home either. not sure if my kids know what a plaster is. well my 5 year old defo does not. 8 year old may do not sure.

my kids always deal with their cuts/grazes them self at home. i think it might be same at school unless its a bad cut.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 16/11/2015 20:41

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

Any education establishment that has a "no touching" outlook or policy is in breach of the DOE guidance and that would be a safeguarding issue

GnomeDePlume · 16/11/2015 20:42

At 8, shouldn't they be able to clean their own grazes?

No, that is why 8 year olds dont work in A&E.

Having seen the state my DD(15) left a large burn on her arm in ('there's dog hair in this!' said the nurse), I dont think that young children should be left to clean their own wounds.

Osolea · 16/11/2015 20:46

If you've got lots of experience of the school and this is the first time you've had a problem over something like this, could it be that they were just short staffed today and they didn't have an adult available to deal with it properly without meaning the other children were under supervised?

BabyGanoush · 16/11/2015 20:50

I think it's idiotic that they don't let a first aider clean up the grazes.

Bonkers really

they are in loco parentis aren't they? Any parents would quickly clean a wound, wouldn't they?

bonkers bonkers bonkers world

Youarentkiddingme · 16/11/2015 20:57

I'm a first aider in school. The school pay a small fortune to have trained staff and keep them refreshed, and then staff get a small allowance in pay packet for having the role.
I can't imagine being allowed to say I won't deal with any small cuts and grazes and the bumps and occasional black eye!
I'm not just trained to deal with the respiratory distress, seizures and diabetic hypers/hypos. (Although I do have enough of these to keep me busy!)

Original poster
NorthernLurker · 16/11/2015 20:57

Osolea - I do wonder if that's the case but that's not acceptable. There should be enough staff so somebody can deal with first aid whilst still leaving everyone else supervised.

OP posts:
chumbler · 16/11/2015 20:59

Washing off the blood herself is very poor, presumably she did this in the children's toilets? Having worked in a school with children who had aids this kind of practice would seriously concern me. Safety first

Atenco · 16/11/2015 21:05

Making sure a wound has been cleaned is particularly important nowadays when antibiotics are not as effective as they used to be. I certainly wouldn't put a plaster on it though

madamginger · 16/11/2015 21:07

At least its not as bad as the time my DD fell at school and knocked herself out, they only called me 45 minutes after it happened as she's started to vomit Shock
6 hours in A&E for observation and she had a mild concussion.
I was fuming that it took so long for them to ring me, we literally live on the next street over from the school, I could have been there in 2 minutes!
I do however now get a letter at least once a week about a bump or scrape and the wet paper towel cures nearly everything!

listsandbudgets · 16/11/2015 21:08

Of course schools can do it.

DD fell and got quite a nasty cut - result : was called by school who said they'd cleaned the wound put antisepttic on and bandaged but concerned they may not have got all the grit out so I picked her up and took her to walk in centre where they prodded about and finally removed quite a lump from under her skin.

For "normal" bumps and bruises there is a rota on the door showing who is on "knee duty" that day - teachers armed with cream, plasters and TLC :)

We have to sign a form every year saying we are happy for the school to give appropriate first aid.

PrincessHairyMclary · 16/11/2015 21:16

Was a first aider at a sixth form I was forever cleaning up grazes for the 17/18 year olds they had come off their skateboards. I would have to wipe it clean using 1 wipe per swipe but get them to apply the plaster.

My DD fell over on her way into Nursery I asked the dinner lady for a plaster etc so I could sort it but she quickly cleaned it up herself...but not before putting her (dirty) fingers all over the wipe and sterile part of the plaster, think I'd rather shed been left with bloody knees.

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