To be very cross that school's incompetence may have made DS ill?

[user1498726699]

DS's year had a mini sports day on Tuesday. Parents were invited to spectate in the afternoon so DH and I went along. I noticed that drinks were not brought outside for DC (which has happened before so I had brought one with me) so tried to get DS to drink the bottle of water I brought but he was worried he would get told off so only took a few sips. This was a 2 hour event with no breaks. It wasn't hot but very overcast and sweaty. DS's hair was soaking. I went to the shop and left DH to wait for DS to come out afterwards.

On the way home with DH, DS said that noise/talking was annoying him as his brain hurt. DH put it down to lots of jumping around, gave him a drink/snack and told DS to lay down for a rest. He took himself off to bed and conked out very uncharacteristically! I woke him later as I was worried and he was very upset that his 'brain was hurting' and his body wouldn't work. He was clammy, and I realised that he was probably dehydrated. He then told us that he had not had a chance to drink his breaktime drink as some of the DC were chosen to practice for the afternoon event so he had spent most of the morning running around too. I asked if they were offered water and he said no. The only drink they were offered was after the afternoon event just before hometime when they were told to have a drink after they got changed. So DS did almost 4 hours of quite vigorous exercise with only his breakfast juice at home, a small cup of water at lunchtime, and a few gulps of water from the bottle I took with me.

DCs are only 6/7. Surely it is irresponsible of the school to not make sure small DC are hydrated during sports events in June?

I had to spend Tuesday night trying to get Dioralyte down DS (big battle as he hates it) and he had a high temp for most of yesterday with headache and lethargy so was off school. He is recovered today and has gone to school with a note that consideration should be given to this at future sports events.

AIBU to think this could have been preventable?

AIBU to think this could have been preventable?

Yes, it could have, by you. You had a drink for him which he only had a few sips of. You should have made him drink it.

So you were there and could have ensured he got a proper drink but you didn't, your DH was also there and could have sorted it but didn't, you also could have made him drink more but let him refuse because he was afraid of getting in to trouble? Sorry OP this is on you.

I really don't think he would have got sick if he had drunk st the available drinking opportunities and your husband had given him a big drink of something on the way home.

If he doesn't want water let him have a big drink of squash or Sprite or something.

So I see this as more parent and child fault that school fault.

Also surely If he had been thirsty when you offered him the drink he would have drank it all down and not just had a little sip?

I have always known sports days to have a refreshment table. Each group gets a turn to do the activity and a turn for refreshments. That does sound strange I would mention something to the school next year.

Secondary schools don't normally have a refreshment table its up to the kids to bring water.

Even an adult would need a drink stop during 2 hours of continuous sports surely? None of the other DC had drinks that was why DS was a bit worried about having one (he's always very concerned about doing anything 'wrong' at school doesn't apply at home!). I didn't know he had practised the event in the morning as well until he told me later and it was only a few of his class who did it then as well according to him. He doesn't seem to be coming down with anything as he's well today and high temp can happen after dehydration apparently.

Even at my older DC's secondary school, they are told to bring extra drinks in on sports day and were reminded to drink them.

Seems odd. Our school send out reminders to make sure water bottles are not forgotten on sports day and the children carry them to each activity they do and we even had teachers out with misting sprays on ours and it was overcast.

I think a polite email about the lack of water on the day and that your child came home dehydrated would be good. They might change it for next year to allow the children to take their bottles out with them.

I was thinking about the "we were fine when we were small" thing - I'm sure we didn't ever spend whole days in the sun even for sports days, and the my memory is much tamer races, activities.

Weirdly, I was thinking the opposite when I posted earlier that I didn't remember it being a big deal when I was at school. We were out in the sunshine far more, no hats, sunscreen, standing in the shade, drinks to cool down etc.

And, in case I am misunderstood, I'm not arguing that it's fine to stand in the sunshine for hours at a time, I was just musing that the idea of carrying a water bottle at all times would have been seen as utterly bizarre 30 years ago.

In our school sports day the children as specifically asked to being a labelled bottle of water each and to carry it with them throughout.

but you offered him drinks, and he didnt drink them, so why didnt you insist?

Yes, it could have, by you. You had a drink for him which he only had a few sips of. You should have made him drink it.

And what about the other children whose parents weren't there, or hadn't brought water?

This school acted irresponsibly. They're responsible for the children, they ought ot have made sure they drink enough.

treaclesoda I agree. Sometimes I'm amazed that so many of us survived the 70s seemingly unscathed.

Didn't the school tell you to make sure he had a bottle of water for sports day.

Reading this thread it makes me think that primary schools are in trouble if they cant provide water and a snack. I wonder what the education is like in these schools. They sound broke.

And what about the other children whose parents weren't there, or hadn't brought water?

OP isn't asking about the other kids. She asked if the school had made her kid ill, and if he was ill from lack of water it was just as much her fault as theirs. She had water for him, he didn;'t drink it. Thats not the schools fault.

I would be furious OP. To all those comparing it to their school days, the weather even in 90's never got to the temps we have seen recently. 24 max maybe. I'm not saying it was that hot on Tuesday I don't know where you were.

The school were totally irresponsible imho. There should've been drinks available at all times during the day at an outside sports event. Ridiculous that they weren't. I'd like to bet it was simply that one teacher decided they couldn't cope with having kids traipsing to and from the toilet but that isn't an excuse. If it were me I would do my homework and present facts to the head, I'd ask for a meeting and then send a letter to recap the same. I also wouldn't let the head give a bunch of excuses either, I'd want to ensure something was put in place so it never happened again.

My 5 year old will get caught up in things and we have to remind him and force him sometimes to sit down and have a cool glass of water.

FWIW OP, try ORS. Oral Rehydration Salts. They're available in Boots and look a bit like Berocca. They have a subtle lemon flavour and don't come over as overly salty. Much easier for the kids than dioralyte.

My DC also got very overheated on sports day at this age and had the next day off. I think you should mention it, but I think school's job is to ensure they have an opportunity to drink if they want, not to make them drink. Some children just don't.

Next time give him "treat" drinks afterwards, not something he hates! With ice and a straw ideally, for max appeal.

Thats not the schools fault.

Of course it is the children are still in their care until the end of the day.

I think it would be perfectly reasonable to say your son was dehydrated and ask if they could remind teachers to ensure children drink regularly.

Of course it is the children are still in their care until the end of the day

So even if the mother is standing next to the kid with a bottle of water that he won't drink and she won't tell him to, its the schools fault he didn't have enough water?

Christ, some people just refuse any responsibility. Everything is someone elses fault!

It doesnt matter what age they are. If a school is in any way limiting their liquid in take then they are being treated as babies and asking permission is required.

I think itshe more likely he had a virus.

If he had a drink at breakfast and lunch and at 3 with a few sips from you. Although not a vast amount its not so low to cause him to be dehydrated. And most of sports day is waiting around for your turn. Athe the sports days I have been to they run about the equivalent of 300 metres each over the 2 hours.

I think forcing him to drink dioralyte was ott.

Yes Vestal many parents were not there. We were only notified of it the afternoon before. DS was worried about coming out of his group and coming over to us for a drink. He had a small cup of water at lunchtime which is what they are given. Missed his playtime drink as they were on the field and obviously not told to bring their drinks. School did not request parents to bring drinks which would have been fair enough. He was given a drink when he got home as usual (without us realising he had missed drinks and had done a lot more activity than we had thought all morning).

Hipster, Madbum and Horse I think there's a term, 'in loco parentis' during mandatory school hours.

Annie ever heard of the summer of 76? Of course it got hot.
I don't understand why OP didn't just tell him to drink the water instead of a few sips? Also why dh didn't give him a drink at the end of school?

So even if the mother is standing next to the kid with a bottle of water that he won't drink and she won't tell him to, its the schools fault he didn't have enough water?

Christ, some people just refuse any responsibility. Everything is someone elses fault!

What about the children whose parents couldn't attend sports day. They had no water to drink is it the child's fault. Lets remember the school sent out no reminders to parents about bringing in drinking water for sports day. Parents who couldn't watch assumed their child will get water and a little snack during sports day. Who's fault is it.