PE teacher brushes DS's asthma under the carpet.

[Walkies5]

Hi, I have name changed as this does give info about my son away.

He is 12. Year 8. He also has asthma and that is written on his file and his inhaler is in his pocket at all times, something which has been agreed by the school medical person, but gets handed to the teacher for PE or trips.

My son is also a bit overweight, something the asthma nurse has never mentioned (thank God) as DS is fully aware of how he looks and is continuous of his tummy. He is active though - plays tennis. Trains 2 hours 3 nights a week and does rugby on the remaining nights and has a match on Saturday. Sometimes tennis tournaments at weekend too, so he is fit. However, he doesn't enjoy PE at school, he was placed in top set PE, but some kids were mean about his size and became very withdrawn, so he had to move down to bottom set, which has brought his confidence up a lot, he still isn't keen, but he finds it okay.

His school does X country 4 times a year - 2 times in the winter, on the playground and 2 times in the summer on the grass area. DS dreads this, not only does he have to run with the kids who used to pick on him (as its a mixed year group thing) he also does have bad asthma and it plays up on long runs. He normally does come last, maybe due to his weight, who knows? Anyway, he was wheezing, which he knows to then take a puff. As he was at the back, the PE teacher was encouraging him to get to the finish line ( where all the other kids were ) and DS stopped and said he needed to take his inhaler (which was supposed to be with his teacher) and he said no no you'll be fine, you're just out of breath. He said no, he really needs it. The teacher then explained how it was actually left on the PE office desk area. DS said he will go and get it, but the teacher said that he had to finish first. DS walked the last bit, which resulted in those bloody boys giggling. DS went to next lesson and couldn't breathe very well. I had to pick him up and he had a neb at the hospital to sort it out, which rarely needs to happen if he is bloody given his inhaler

Sorry, just needed a bit of a rant!!!

The school failed to safeguard our DS with regards a medical condition which landed him in hospital.

Why do you think your anger is unjustified?

Formal complaint is necessary, I'd be asking girls apology and evidence of change if policy and practice.

I'd be sewing a pocket inside his shorts (like the security pocket you have in swim shorts) for the inhaler. That way it's less obvious and the extra bag isn't something to tease him about.

I would be furious if this happened. We have asthma training each year - maybe the school needs to implement something similar? I can't believe a teacher, especially of PE, could be so stupid.

Asthma kills! - I would be seething at this, and would be writing a formal complaint and coping in the LEA!, this teacher stopped your son having vital medication and made him continue doing cross county which made his condition worse! I be demanded a care plan be put in place for your child! No way would I be sitting back with this.

This made my blood run cold. Potentially lethal is right. Agree with those who say copy the complaint to the LA as well.

Your poor DS.

Terryfying. If this happened to my son I would be livid. When my son had an attack and no medication it was the most terryfying moment of my life. Your son's life and their blatant complacency - neglect - is just unacceptable. Please complain to the top and don't let it rest.

I read about a child who died of an asthma attack in school as their inhaler was locked in the school office.

Please make them listen. I'd be tempted to make noises about legal advice.

When will some people take asthma seriously? It can and does kill.

I have asthma and a poster made me realise I needed urgent medical help once as I was in denial.

Yes I'd definitely complain if he ended up needing a neb!
My DD was very young when she ended up in hospital once (nearly admitted to PICU because none of the nebs were touching her). Reason why? Her teacher had left her having an asthma attack all day and to quote 'well she weren't talking so we just assumed she was being mardy'. she weren't talking because she couldn't bloody breathe!.

OP, my DD has really bad asthma and she has an action plan in place for when emergencies happen now. She is under a Consultant too and her Consultant actively encourages exercise that 'pushes' her lungs to try and strengthen then up. Which I assume is the (wrong) premise your DSs PE Teacher is coming from as he/she should already know which exercises are okay to push. The point of the Reliever inhaler is that it works instantly (PICU Doc told me this once) and his PE Teacher is being completely irresponsible to not have them on him. DDs teacher is always seen carrying EVERYONES inhalers around.

I remember a particularly awful PE session in which we had to do the Cooper run on a cold and rainy January day, only in shorts and a polo shirt. Unsurprisingly I ended up blue lighted to hospital but not before being made to restart and do the full 12 minute run again because I'd stopped to use my inhaler and walked a couple of laps I was 13 and off school for 3 weeks with a district nurse visiting my house every day. I do think PE teachers don't particularly take overweight asthmatics quite as seriously as they should but I would imagine by 12 he would know the difference between being out of breath from exercise and an asthma attack. It's absolutely terrifying and yes, could have been lethal. It's not acceptable at all.

Goingtobeawesome

Absolutely! I was hospitalised recently because of my Asthma. Nwcer usually bothers me but reason I got so poorly is because none of the emergency services too me seriously enough. It took a balshy A & E nurse to stand up against her boss to get me the help I needed. Which was aptly timed as I because incredibly iller (sp?) than I already was shortly after. Thanks to the nurse insisting on help for me. I was seconds away from help rather than minutes.

I just cant believe a pe teacher would be so irresponsible to not have them on them.
OP, please put a formal complaint in.
Would he have withheld someone's insulin from them? Both are medical necessities.

I helped on a school trip recently which involved a 20 minute steam train ride, the teachers even made sure that a trained adult with inhaler was in the same carriage as each asthmatic child. That's how it should be done! I would be absolutely fuming with the idiot teacher.

Does he have an asthma action plan? My dd has one for her anaphylaxis. It says where her epipen is to be in different situations and what the actions of those around her need to be. And her own actions. It's signed by her doctor.

I had a similar situation with dd at primary school where they went on a whole school trip (sporting event) and dd's class teacher stored her epipen in dd's school bag which was identical to 638 other school bags.

I did take it further with the school as I was able to as I'm reasonably clever, not easily pushed around and speak good English etc. I felt as if I had to 'for the greater good' so that they improved their practise for all the dc in the school whose parents might not be able to do it.

As an ex-teacher and an asthmatic, I'd go up to that school and plant my foot very firmly up the teacher's backside.

Make a formal complaint to head and copy to chair of governors. Also ask to see safeguarding governor. This gung-ho PE teacher clearly does not realise that people die in asthma attacks - someone needs to discipline him.

Get your HCP to write a care plan, the school can sign to agree it.

You can buy belts in sports shops to put the inhaler in.

What mishaps said. Formal letter to the Headteacher and copied to the board of Governors. If nothing is done, then escalate to Ofsted. I don't usually pull out the Ofsted card but if the asthma had been more severe, this could have turned out tragically. I've seen my older sister have too many severe attacks, been nebulised and hospitalised. We've almost lost her a couple of times and the PE teacher in our secondary school was a dick like this as well.

Very dangerous practice by PR teacher. i woneder if teacher, knowing your son plays rugby and tennis ( great that he is so active) thinks that he is just not trying with sports he likes less? No excuses though, they must carry the inhailer.

One of the kids at DDs school has a 'puffer pouch' where he keeps his inhaler during PE m.ebay.co.uk/itm/381633581194 I thought it was a great idea.

Oh someone would be losing their job today, if this were me!

This is totally unacceptable and the teacher needs to know that. The school also needs to know what this teacher is up to.

I'm so bloody angry about this.

Complain, that is unacceptable.

Actually as your son is active outside school I'd ask him to be withdrawn as the school are failing in their duty of care. If they complain mention 'reasonable adjustment', DDA and Equality act.

I'm an asthmatic runner. I'd never even think about running without my inhaler and my running buddy is briefed in what to do if I have an attack while I'm out. We also have a phone just in case. It's common sense.

I'd perhaps explain to the teacher that people need to breathe to be alive and asthma stops you being able to breathe.

I do think we need some kind of campaign to make people realise how serious asthma is. I had a doctor's receptionist tell me if have to wait weeks for an appointment because it's 'just asthma '. My gp was less than impressed at that!

My son has asthma and he's a teenager now. The inhaler needs to be available at all times. On the desk is no good. You do need to raise this, and you need to do it formally, in writing.

Don't focus on the things about confidence, giggling or the finish line. These are side issues. But focus bloody hard on the medical issue - unavailable inhaler meaning he needed hospital treatment. That is shocking.

As an ex teacher, responsible for Inclusion, I am shocked that this attitude still resides in schools! As others have said Asthma kills and quickly!

Years ago, on a frosty day, my DS had an Asthma attack in school. They sat him outside to get 'fresh air'! By the time I arrived he was blue and his airways were almost none existent.

I demanded some whole staff training. That was after our visit to A&E!

Definitely complain.

BUT make sure the school have completely up to date information and a care plan for your DS. Make sure they know that you want it followed to the letter.

It's so common for schools to have many children with asthma so it can be harder to be aware of those for whom asthma is more serious. Ask them to make sure that staff can recognise the more serious signs of asthma.

And many children will not be entirely up front with teachers/staff about the severity of her asthma. I had a boy on a DofE trip recently - was not given a copy of the care plan, was not told about the severity of his asthma - which got very serious. This info emerged gradually over the course of the weekend - only when I got back was I told that he has a nebuliser at home etc. Had I known all that, then my management of him and the expedition would have been entirely different. Neither the parents, school or the child was honest with me about the condition or gave me enough information beforehand.

The Head Teacher needs to give this young man a serious warning: he was neglectful of his duty and if your son had died as a result then he would be in a very unenviable position.
As to your son, there must be some way of carrying an inhaler when you have no pockets. Maybe look for an armband/pocket such as joggers wear. Or could he fix it to his body with strong elastoplast?
I feel it is too important to leave to the care of a teacher (sadly).

Another ex PE teacher here saying the same: make sure th HT takes that idiot apart, slowly.

DO NOT play nice with this. Demand to see their safeguarding officer, there will be a named person on their website. Ask them as many questions as you can think of about their procedures for needed medicines and then ask them to explain why the PE teacher did not follow them.

You should also be able to find those procedures on their website, if not, ask for copy - and why they are not publicly available!