To challenge the school policy on epi pens?

[GrandDesespoir]

I'd like to know what the advice is regarding whether children should carry their own epi pen, or whether it should be left in the medical office, possibly at some distance from the child.

I'm interested in either links to reputable websites, advice from medical professionals on best practice, or information on school policies (not simply laypeople's opinions).

Thank you.

[FlakeBook]

P. 23 - "unacceptable practice to prevent pupils accessing their medication or from administering whenever and wherever necessary"

[TheGoodWife16]

My teen DD carries 2 with her at all times now she's at secondary school. She used to have one stored in the medical room at junior school and one kept in her classroom with a care plan written up by the community nursing team which listed clearly where the EpiPens where kept. The care plan also had a photo of my DD attached and updated each school year.

[Notevilstepmother]

Also useful

www.reactfirst.co.uk/live/tips36.asp

Anyone can legally administer an epi pen in an emergency. Obviously it's preferable to have some people trained.

[TheGoodWife16]

*were kept, sorry.

[GrandDesespoir]

They should be allowed to carry their medication. There are guidelines on this (I know as I have a diabetic dd. She carries her kit at all times, she is 7, in year 3).

Let me find those guidelines for you.

Perfect - thank you.

[FlakeBook]

Thank you notevilstepmother, that is the one.

OP, my dd carries needles. I don't see the difference. She carries her big medical kit in a rucksack that stays in the room with her and also wears a spibelt containing the essentials so she has them on her person at all times including the playground.

[Warmworm]

When my dd was in primary school her pens were kept in the teacher's cupboard in the classroom. This was the advice of the school nurse.

I guess the most likely time for a reaction to occur is during or shortly after lunch (not a nut free school, one of her friends regularly had peanut butter sandwiches). I was a bit worried that she would be in the dining room or playground at these times.

[Notevilstepmother]

Random school policy from google - classroom medical cupboard

www.camelsdale.w-sussex.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Anaphylaxis-Epipen-Policy.pdf

[gorygloria]

Same as others in secondary, kid carries one and facilities manager stores spare. When they go off site on trips etc, the teacher takes the spare. They inform you when it's due to expire too.

[edwinbear]

At DS/DD's school they are kept in the classroom, they each have a medical bag to store it and they are encouraged to remember to take their medical bag everywhere they go starting at Reception age. Clearly the teachers supervise. By the time they get to Y3 if they forget to take their bags to games/lunch etc they lose house points.

It doesn't affect us (thankfully) but seems sensible to me. They quickly get in the habit of taking it with them - it's the same policy for inhalers as well.

[Kr1s]

Lots of information here

www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/Services/Pages/MedicinesInSchools.aspx

www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/

www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/Services/Documents/Medicines%20in%20Schools/Allergy%20Healthcare%20plan%20proforma%20protocol%20piriton%20plus%20epipen.doc

[trinity0097]

We keep in the school office, but this is very close to where they eat, (next door) where the biggest risk is. Actually really there is no risk when they eat lunch as we know the school lunches are nut free!

[Notevilstepmother]

I think that is a great idea Edwin, it means the children get used to taking responsibility with support at a young age.

[Ttbb]

I think it depends on how old the child is and how big the school is. In my senior school the campus was so small that you could run from one end to another in one or two minutes so it was a bit of a non issue.

[DrDreReturns]

School, amongst other things, is about training for life, so older students should carry their epi pens around with them like they need to outside of school. DS, who is now in year 7,has been doing this for a few years.

[WhooooAmI24601]

We have two in reception at my school; we keep epi-pens with us in classrooms, in the staff room, in the main office and in the Head's office. We've experienced first hand the need to use one within the last 12 months so everyone's very alert.

I carry them with me if I leave the classroom for any length of time and the children who need them are the type who in a couple of years time will have the sensibility and understanding to carry their own. Reception age is still very young but even so they're great at knowing their own signs and symptoms and informing adults of them.

[bringonthesunn]

Two epipens should be with the child.
If too young to have on person then definitely in the classroom and move as the child moves eg to dining room or assembly etc

[MuffinTip]

I have a child in my class who has an epi pen. It is kept in my classroom in a bag with a photo of the child clearly on the outside and a copy of their healthcare plan inside. I take the bag with me when we go elsewhere in the school. The spare is kept in the first aid room. KS2 class.

[HiJenny35]

Anywhere I've worked the rules for primary have always been that the epi pen is locked away in the first aid cupboard with the other controlled drugs. Even if the child is sensible for a primary child it is too dangerous, what if they need it and they've left it somewhere, what if another child takes it, what if another child was to use it? It's just not safe for primary and the school are ultimately legally responsible. In secondary the pupils have generally carried their own epi pens.

[JonSnowsWife]

Thanks, jazzmin. Would two floors away and down a corridor be considered "within reasonable distance" by your school, do you think?

I wouldn't no. On a sidenote. Friends DS has asthma. In the middle of an asthma attack - he was expected to walk down two flights of stairs and back up another small set to get to the reception where his inhaler was being held. It was in secondary and he was really poorly. His parents took him to A&E promptly when picking him up earlier and he was rushed into resus. Their idiot policy was changed not long after that inhalers were kept in the classrooms.

This is appropriate for a primary school, not in a secondary school where pupils have several classes to go to. DDs policy is that they keep it on their person/in their own bag at all times, and the school first aider has a spare inhaler and spacer as backup along with an action plan.

A primary aged child cant be expected to remember all of that for an inhaler let alone an epipen! I would say that distance wasn't reasonable yes.

[lalalalyra]

Two floors and a corridor is too far away for an epi-pen (or an inhaler) imo. That's a minute or so to realise it's needed, some seconds to tell another child to go and get it, a minute or two down, time to explain what's needed, then another minute or two back up. I wouldn't be happy with that at all.

DD always kept one pen and one inhaler in her schoolbag and then another one in a little pouch bag that she took to lunch with her. The playground supervisor kept it in her pocket at breaks and her teacher kept it in her handbag in assemblies. Children should be taught responsibility for their own medication imo and the younger they start the more natural it is. In DD's primary school the children lost class points if they forgot their inhalers or epi-pen in the same way if they forgot any other item.

A school I worked in got a bollocking for having inhalers locked away in a cupboard - they need to be accessible instantly if the child needs them. Not delayed because Mrs Smith who has the key is away on an errand.

[OhDear2200]

Have you looked at the anaphylaxis campaign website? They have useful information on schools and for schools. You could also contact them to ask.

[Notevilstepmother]

It's not legal to lock up epipens and inhalers.

The document I linked makes that clear.

In 20+ years I've never ever heard of a child stealing or misusing an Epipen. Most secondary schools have several kids with them in their bags.

However if a child who needs it doesn't get their epipen immediately they could die.

They should not be locked away.

Epipens are not a controlled drug either.

The only controlled drug that should be expected to be in school is Ritalin (or various versions of it.). This should be locked away. As it is needed at fixed times that isn't an issue.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Ds has carried his in his book bag since he was 5, one was kept in the office as well. It is NOT good practice to keep them only in the office,the whole point is they need to be near the child.

We had problems at middle school about it and I said that D's wouldn't be coming to school unless he could carry one in his bag and sent them a copy of his care plan. That was the end of that

[knottybeams]

Epipens are NOT a controlled drug hiJenny They and reliever inhalers (blue or red and white ones usually) need to be on the person who will need them. CDs are things like morphine and diazepam, which I assume don't apply to many schoolchildren!

Medical best practice is to prescribe 2 epipens ONLY as otherwise some people won't have them on the journey to and from school etc. They should BOTH be on the child/ with adult accompanying the child.