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he doesn't enjoy PE at school, he was placed in top set PE, but some kids were mean about his size and became very withdrawn, so he had to move down to bottom set, which has brought his confidence up a lot, he still isn't keen, but he finds it okay.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

Absolutely not unreasonable. Your son ended up seriously I'll due to their negligence... unbelievable!

Absolutely appalling! I would also suggest telling school he won't be doing any more cross-country runs either as the school clearly can't be trusted to keep him safe

Imagine a child that suffers from diabetes being denied an insulin shot a school - especially after asking for it several times... unacceptable and unimaginable. This is no different. I didn't think people could be as clueless as this PE teacher sounds

Asthma kills.

I hope you manage to convey how serious this is OP.

OP - If the school doesn't minute the meeting remember when you get home to write up what happened a the meeting and email a copy to the school. Paper trails are important if something else happens later.

Good luck today, I hope the deputy head is good, and doesn't go for that knee jerk minimise & excuses style of response. The one that attempts to make problems disappear yet in reality just makes everything worse (grr).

Have a few phrases ready to reframe the conversation/ debate into suitably significant terms.

I have performed CPR on an asthmatic lady who later died. Asthma is serious. This PE teacher is endangering life.

You need to have some serious words here OP.

One question this raises is the teacher's suitability for the post. Does he have a First Aid Certificate? Can he perform CPR? Does he carry a mobile phone so that he can ring for an ambulance when out on cross-country?
How many other asthmatics will be in his classes? Surely their safety and welfare have to be considered as well as OPs son.

Yet more examples of bullying PE teachers who try to minimise genuine medical conditions. This individual could and did do some serious harm. Complain and complain until you feel this is dealt with satisfactorily. Copy in the school governors too. This could have been VERY serious indeed. Please do something before a child is killed by bullying pig headed PE teachers. Your poor DS. Wishing him well.

I've just read this! What an appalling lack of basic medical knowledge by the teacher and an utter lack of care or concern for your son's health and wellbeing. I hope the meeting went well.

I would sew a small pouch inside the shorts. Nobody would know it was there. My friend did this for her Dd.

Arkwright, that is probably okay for running but may be a bit hazardous during rugby?

OP youve had loads of brilliant advice on here so I wont add much to that - save to say, this is SERIOUS. & dangerous. I really, really hope by now your meeting with the school went well. Its your boy's health at stake here and the PE teacher is incompetent - thats putting it mildly.

Please do something before a child is killed by bullying pig headed PE teachers.

^ This, a thousand times over

I don't have a child but as a competent person even I understand that the PE teacher is incompetent and PE is not just about sports but understanding about how the human body needs to be well kept. Its basic knowledge that a child who has asthma needs to have a inhaler in-case of an attack. You are completely in your own right and should be entitled to make a fuss about this. Sometimes a little passive accusation such as does the teacher not have basic competency to understand a basic health need? I would write a letter to the head and ask and CC it to the guardian or post it here. To be honest the extra weight drops off once he gets into the gym stage that most kids these days get onto once they turn 18 or even younger.

You're doing a wonderful job of keeping him active by encouraging him to do the various sports and exercises he is already doing. If he does have a it of belly weight why not make small adjustments to his diet which will ensure over time and in a healthy manner that he will feel comfortable with his body.

Speaking as someone who nearly died from an asthma attack, I completely agree with everything said here. I imagine your son will have a follow-up hospital appointment. Could they write a letter of support so he doesn't have to do any more cross-country running? It sounds like that particular activity puts him in real danger and that must not be understated. Good luck.

I have chronic asthma so can sympathise massively with your ds. I am reasonably fit although overweight but elongated periods of exercise especially running bring mine on quite badly.

However what I don't understand is why it is handed to the teacher! Legally they aren't allowed to administer it or even hand it to him as it is deemed then as prescribing which can only be done by a licensed person. He should have it in his own possession at all times. By all means allow them to have a spare in case it gets lost or is empty but I don't understand why the school have this as their policy so I strongly suggest you challenge this.

You are not unreasonable at all to challenge the school and ask for this teacher to be reprimanded. They have been lax at best and down right discriminatory at worst. It is not their job to tell him he has to finish a crappy X county run before he can have life saving medication.

Am fuming on your behalf!

Sorry should have rtft

Can you see a pocket into his Pe shorts or get him ones that have an iPhone pocket in so he can have his inhaler on him?

How did the appointment go with the deputy OP? And how's your son feeling today?

I am sure the PE teacher is gutted about not bringing his inhaler on the run. He should have.

Rather than stretching him over a rack, how about suggesting to the school that the asthma nurse comes in during their next inset day. I'm sure this would be very feasible, and useful to all staff on behalf of multiple students.

I would have thought the risk assessment for cross country and the asthma one should be reviewed at the very least & that the new version implemented across the school at the very leats

GinandJag - does:

DS said he will go and get it, but the teacher said that he had to finish first.

Present as a teacher who is 'gutted' about leaving important medication behind to you? To me it presents as a teacher who thinks their precious run is more important than the health and safety of a child, there was no regard shown for the life threatening risks of an asthma attack.

Unless the teacher has immediately accepted responsibility and is willing, not only to apologise unreservedly, but to work on improving protocols so that this can't happen again he needs to be in trouble. OP, how about suggesting that your ds keeps his meds until they get to the gym/pitch/field and leaves them with the teacher once they are at the PE location?

This is bloody appalling! Op please update, I hope you're complaint is being taken seriously.

DS's PE teacher had them all do a (short) run and then handed all the non-asthmatic children a straw and told them to breathe through it, to give them some empathy for their asthmatic peers.

OP - I hope your meeting went well, and that your DS ending up in hospital has scared the living day lights out of the school, before something even worse happens.

I hope the meeting went well and the deputy was suitably appalled by what went on. Your DS should never be without his medication again, they have a duty of care.
Thinking of you.

What is it with PE teachers and asthma?

I remember needing my inhaler during PE when I was at school, and the PE teacher telling me that asthma was all in my head.

Secondly on another occasion I asked to go and get my inhaler from the changing room (just a few steps away) and another PE teacher telling me I could wait until after the lesson. I had to sit on a bench wheezing until the class finished.

I hope your son is okay now, and the teacher learns a lesson.

I knew a man who was a chronic asthmatic who died from an asthma attack. He had stopped at the chemist and couldn't get his seat belt undone and died before he could get out of his car. His wife thought his inhaler had run out and he was trying to get another one.