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he doesn't enjoy PE at school, he was placed in top set PE, but some kids were mean about his size and became very withdrawn, so he had to move down to bottom set, which has brought his confidence up a lot, he still isn't keen, but he finds it okay.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!!!

Apart from all of the issues already raised, you said that your boy is a bit on the chunky side and he clearly loves sport. The last thing anyone should be doing is putting your son in a dangerous and frightening situation that might be discouraging him from enjoying exercise at school. I would be very surprised if this does not result in a disciplinary action.

No you're not going overboard at all. Straight to the school tomorrow. Does this teacher know how life threatening asthma is? I hate these sorts of PE teachers who think it's ok to shame kids. Would it be acceptable for an English teacher to make a dyslexic child stand in front of a class to read and say right stop making a fuss, try harder and just read!

I have always run with my inhaler in my hand. No need for pockets. You could sew a pocket into his P.E. kit though.

Very very scary. Let us know how you get on.

Shocked that this still goes on. Only times I ever had asthma attacks at school were the freezing air cross country runs. Apparently a get out of running trick, rather than a life threatening episode that required a nebuliser.
Complain, make sure DS has inhaler on him at all times, you sound like a great mum!

I would be livid. I can't believe a PE teacher could be so bloody dim......and put your sons life at risk!

I teach too & I still think you should go in there, all guns blazing. I am also asthmatic & I can't believe the school don't have a policy in place that allows its pupils to carry their inhalers during PE lessons - it's just stupidly uneducated & incredibly dangerous. It should not be happening in this day & age.

Terrifying. I hope your son is ok now. I have mild asthma and would never ever dream of running without my inhaler.

I hope the school takes your complaint seriously.

I'm with Stratter5 here :Formal complaint. That is lethal practice.

Please please please kick off here big time.

My DD has this and is super-fit and skinny.She had this issue as well and the nurse gave us a white inhaler to use which is like a long-lasting Ventolin ( blue inhaler).This should protect him from an asthma attack.DD also takes a couple of puffs of the blue one before a race.I would go and see the Asthma nurse at your local clinic and really complain very loudly to the Head Of Year/Head of Sports.And tell your DS to keep in in his hand in future when running ( or those mini bumbag type things.

Active aid puffer pouch he can wear it on his arm, leg or waist.

Definitely complain.

OP I seriously hope you've complained to the school! You have to absolutely mention that your son needed to go to hospital because of the way the PE teacher dealt with it. Get his attitude adjusted NOW.

I would be going nuclear if someone did that to my DC.

This is outrageous. I have asthma and when you need your blue inhaler you need it asap! Definitely formal complaint to the school.

Agree with everyone else regarding complaining to school.

Could your DS use a Puffa Pouch during his PE lessons? It is a very light weight inhaler cover with lanyard and keyring attachment and comes in various colours. Might be worth looking into.

omfg. YANB the slightest bit U! Why are PE teachers always such arseholes?

Oh Darlin, You HAVE to take this further. My DD [now an adult] was denied her puffer because she did not wheeze. well Fuck them, she never ever wheezed, she was a silent Asthmatic. they denied her her puffer all afternoon, when I picked her up she was BLUE. took her straight to the hospital. she spent the night.
that School nurse got REAMED ohh yehh. even the Asthma council here got involved.

ohh and our Cuz dies at 28 from an asthma attack

((((((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))))))

I have pollen induced asthma and I panicked the other night because I had my first attack of the season and I couldn't remember where my inhaler was (it was exactly where it always is on a week day, in my work bag). I can't imagine how I would have felt if someone else had my medicine and had been deliberately withholding it from me.

That is how this needs to be treated. Either out of ignorance or sadism that teacher was deliberately withholding life saving medication from your DS. He needs to be disciplined accordingly. I would be livid if it had been my child.

Reading this made my blood run cold following on from months of recovery from a bad flare-up myself. I can't believe in this day and age a PE teacher of all people could be so nonchalant about a child having an asthma attack and asking for his inhaler, and I find it disgusting that they hadn't made sure they were carrying his medication.

I'm glad your DS is feeling better; make sure you push this as far as you can, that teacher was negligent and it could have been lethal. If that were any other circumstances, the teacher would have been suspended already so I'd expect the same here personally.

I have asthma and when I run I have a pocket that it tucks into.

My OH has borrowed my car as his is waiting to be seen to today and last night he said he brought my inhaler in just in case I needed it whilst he has my car for work today. You can't play funny buggers with Asthma!

Appalling! Definitely make a formal complaint - asthma attacks can be lethal as ANY PE teacher ought to know.

It was my DD's PE teacher who first raised the possibility that she might have mild exercise-induced asthma when she was in Year 7 and she wasn't allowed to do PE once she had been formally diagnosed unless she had her inhaler on hand.

I thought the world had moved on form PE teachers bullying fat boys and withholding life-saving medical treatment.

I think you absolutely need to ocmplain - the PE teacher is not qualified to say when your son needs his inhaler, and it is completely unacceptable that it wasn't on the field. What good is it in the office? This is real serious;

Thank you all!

I have an appointment with the deputy. I didn't want to go straight to the head, but wanted to skip form tutor or head of year, as they can't do anything about the PE teacher.

It's at 3:15. DS is at home today, he has PE... So I figured it would be best and explained why, so they really cannot put it down as an unjustified absence.

Can't buy shorts with pockets - they have school PE short. However, those bands do look good - he could have it around he ankle.

what on earth would the PE teacher have done if your DS had gone into a full blown attack? He didn't even have the inhaler with him he'd left it back at the office!

Please stress that NO ONE at the school is qualified to deny your DS his inhaler if he says he needs it.

Also ask what steps they intend to take with the PE teacher to 'educate' him and ask for assurances as to how your DS will be looked after in future. You should also mention that PE has been a problem in general because of the teasing and that on this occasion not only did your DS have to contend with feeling ill but he also had to contend with their sniggering. The PE teacher should be made aware so that he can tackle it.

Your DS has been hospitalised due to the schools negligence. Don't let them give you the brush off.

What Elbandito said. Appalling behaviours on the teachers part.