To think the schools attitude is potentially dangerous?

[GandolfBold]

DS attends a special school. He has ASD and various co-morbidities. The school have been fantastic so far and have brought him on so far.

DS drinks a lot. He always has done and I think it's sensory seeking. However it's good because he doesn't well, so it's a way of getting stuff into him. He also has awful eczema so keeping him hydrated is helpful for that.

He has always had a bottle which he had with him in school. Now he has moved up a class the rule is bottles only at lunchtime. However DS isn't drinking at lunchtime, meaning some days he is found 8.15 to 6pm without a drink at all.

Having spoken to the DH, she said ' well we know he drinks a lot at home and at the weekends so it doesn't really matter if he doesn't drink in the day, it will balance out'.

AIBU to think this is quite unscientific and to tell her so in the meeting we are having tomorrow? His skin is bad and he is now back on steroid cream having been able to avoid them for a few months, and his lips are cracked and bleeding.

That should say he is going, not he is found

What's the reason behind bottles only at lunchtime? Is there an issue with another pupil (although I would argue that if they cannot keep another pupil safe/away from your ds' bottle, they need to loo at their staff ratios)

I would push for what your ds needs. His needs are not typical, which is part of why he attends a special school.

My dd (also in a special school) is at the opposite end of the spectrum - she doesn't drink enough (drinking has always been an issue; at one point she stopped all voluntary fluid intake for months) and so she also has her bottle with her constantly, and is regularly encouraged to drink from it.

It absolutely does matter if your ds is not drinking during the day, and that is a horrifying attitude for someone to take. Obviously your ds has already been affected by the rule change, as he is now not able to drink at lunchtime either. Who knows where this might end up.

Yanbu and tbh I would have expected a special school to be more flexible

Definitely raise it and insist he's allowed to drink whenever he needs to, as he always was before.

I would certainly raise your concerns, they may be able to make special arrangements, failing that when you next speak with your doctor or specialist ask them to write to the school emphasising how important it is that he has access to water throughout the day

It is to do with healthy school status, as he drinks flavoured water. The teacher also thinks it's disruptive.

Will he drink anything else?

Stand your ground. He needs to drink, it can have (and already is) have serious health consequences otherwise. If he is being disruptive/drinking is causing a disruption, then good ha it's can be modelled and taught. But restricting access to drinks is not acceptable.

good habits.

No. His diet is so limited he only drinks volvic Strawberry flavoured water, that's it.

Then it's a medical need.

I managed to get a mainstream preschool to allow dd1 a carton of fruit juice instead of milk or water (she couldn't have milk, wouldn't touch water - wouldn't touch anything except this one particular juice).

They didn't like it initially, but allowed it once I pointed out it wasn't a preference for her, but a need.

I would be worried that a special school were being so inflexible about something that a pupil needs - they already know about his limited diet.

I teach in a special school and we had a similar battle with a student of ours. Oddly he would also only drink volvic strawberry water too. We had a new head who tried to ban all drinks except water.
We (the staff) tried to explain that him drinking this water (which does have a lot of sugar in) was the result of two years of work and when he came to us he would only drink red bull (home life was interesting). The head eventually compromised on the water in a plain bottle so the other students wouldn't know and the class TA was to hold it when he wasn't using it.

Would these ideas help? And a note from the doctor about the eczema?

YANBU I have a child in special school, ASD etc, I totally get the issue!!

Balancing the "healthy schools" message with meeting the needs of ASD pupils is a nightmare, there needs to be flexibility on the part of the school.

YANBU, it's still water and he obviously needs to drink!
As an aside, if he scratches the eczema, Eurax cream is fab. Has just been recommended to us and it works very well for DS (available of the counter, no steroids in if).