To be annoyed with DS's school.

[Notthinkingclearly]

Ds is 5 and astmatic. He is suffering from a cough at the moment but is fine in himself. This cold weather is not great at the moment so I decided to send him into school with a note asking that he could perhaps stay in school for break time as the cold air sets him off. When I picked him up today I was told that they thought it was best he had some fresh air and so therefore he has had to use his inhaler several times. The teacher said he was only outside for 2 minutes before we had to bring him in. I just feel annoyed that they could have avoided this if they had kept him in. Should I complain or am I being unreasonable?

YABU - they can't give individual care like that. Keep him home until he's better

It's not an unreasonable request but it's also not unreasonable if they can't accommodate it. Staff are entitled to a break too.

With ds I work on if he isn't well enough to fully Participate in the school day then he shouldn't be in. A bit of fresh air is also good for children and I don't like the idea of them being cooped up all day. If being outside is making him cough then would a scarf over his mouth help?

Ds has inhaler every day as standard before going out to play.

Ok thanks for replies. I will let it go then. My ds has had a lot if time off so was hoping that as he feels well in himself it wasn't unreasonable. Would never send him to school if he complained of being unwell. My dd's old school were brilliant regarding the same issue when she was wheezing.

I think YANBU.

If you'd come on and posted that your son was feeling perfectly well, but had a cough and cold air set it off, and that he was asthmatic so would have to use his inhaler a lot - so you'd kept him off school so he wouldn't be outside at play time you'd have been told you were being ridiculous and to send him in and just tell the school to keep him in.

I don't think you are being at all unreasonable. Cold triggered bronchospasm is well recognised in asthmatics and can be present regardless of having a current cough etc. It seems v reasonable that you want him in school as much as possible if he has been absent and as you say he feels well in himself, even more reasonable to send him in but try to avoid asthma trigger. I understand schools are poorly resources and may not be able to accommodate this differing need but it is certainly not unreasonable to ask and no different to other needs that are accommodated!

He may well be allowed to sit in Reception (he would in our school). But you need to speak to the teacher directly first.

Yanbu

DS goes to school to get an education and should be able to do that with adjustments made around his medical needs.

However it's best to go into school and speak directly to them and get them to agree the adjustment. If you sent a note and it was 'woolly' in context "perhaps he coukd stay in" they may not have realised just how necessary it was.

Do you have a school nurse who can draw up a care plan?

When DD1 was still recovering from an illness that resulted in a lot of time off school (8 weeks) I made it clear she could attend but only with guaranteed adjustments, the principle one being not going outside at break time and being allowed to rest.

As the school were keen to help DD get back into school they agreed to the adjustments and there was no issue.

Speak with the school again. Just ask if this adjustment is possible to try and limit the amount of time your DS takes off school. If they say it's not possible - which is perfectly reasonable if they don't have the staff ratio to care for your DS and take sufficient breaks then just confirm that on days like today you will need to keep him off school.

You're not unreasonable to ask for a small adjustment to allow your son to attend school when he's otherwise well enough to attend.

If it is that serious, then you need to arrange a meeting with the school and either the school nurse (or his asthma nurse if he has one) and draw up a Care Plan together. Go in to ask them if they can set this up - it's obviously going to be an ongoing issue, and you are quite right that he can't sty off school every time it's frosty.
Then he will be able to stay in. The odd note without medical back up could easily be a fussy parents (you'd be surprised....) and school can't just accommodate all the odd requests the get from some parents.