Really angry, say something or over reacting?

[aawcmon]

My DD has just started high school and is loving it so far. She has asthma which is well managed, but she always carries her blue inhaler just in case of emergencies. Today, she had a really bad attack for the 1st time in years. I got a phone call from school office saying can you come and collect your daughter, she's feeling a bit breathless. I arrive at school within 20 mins and was shocked to see the state she was in. She was struggling for breath and was crying. She didn't have any adults sitting with her, only her friend from class. Reception staff couldn't have been less interested if they'd tried, I received no background info to what could have triggered the attack. DD had taken her blue inhaler multiple times, but it did not help.... DD was in such a state, I phoned doctor's office who advised me to take her to A&E straight away. We ended up being in hospital most of the day on nebulisers, steroids, x-rays, and she will need on going checks this week as her lung capacity is still not ideal. I am so angry with the school, it was obvious just by looking at her that she was in distress and to leave her by herself, she was panicking and exacerbating the issue. Should I bring this up with school or leave it (DD doesn't want me to do anything as she's scared teachers won't like her as much if I complain)

Protecting - it is critical to get the asthma patient to the A&E asap. There is no time to kick off at anyone. The priority is the life of the patient. Plenty of time afterwards to force the school to change.

I’m glad your dd is ok. I cannot believe the school treated her in this way. I agree with contacting the head directly. Sod the policy. The head is responsible for the management of these staff members, not the year head. Both a teacher and support staff have made a decision to leave her without an adult/call an ambulance.

mathanxiety I am so sorry to hear about your sister. That is terrible. I also like your idea of a registered letter spelling out what happened and what should have happened if the school is anything less than overwhelmingly concerned and apologetic.

That is so frightening, I'm glad to hear your DD is okay.

Regarding whether they knew it was an asthma attack, I'm sure your DD is well able to tell them what's going on, so that's no excuse. It would have been pretty obvious anyway as she was using her blue inhaler!

Definitely make merry hell with the school. This could have had a much worse outcome.

for Caledonian and Math for your losses - so very sad. :(

Remind them of poor Charlotte Coleman, the actress who played Scarlett in Four Weddings, who died from an asthma attack.

I’m a doctor who spends a fair amount of my time in acute medicine. We take acute asthma very seriously and I worry a lot about the pre-hospital care of patients. A patient who has had asthma a long time who is frightened and struggling should absolutely raise alarm bells.

I would absolutely approach the school but I would initially frame it constructively- ask them to see it as an opportunity to learn and to raise awareness. Ask to speak with head re sotuation. Perhaps someone from asthma society/local asthma nurse specialist/local GP or respiratory physician could be drafted in to talk to all staff(and perhaps students) at lunchtime some day. Put your suggestions in writing and cc in governors as someone said.

Complain. Absolutely shocking. The receptionist whoever it is that get's to deal with poorly children should be better trained in awareness of what things are potentially very serious and warrant emergency treatment/attention.

And tell your DD that in future is she feels sufficiently panicked by her own symptoms she should TELL them in no uncertain terms that she needs an ambulance.

I’d be fuming - completely irresponsible of the school - as others have said it could have been fatal - stuff the school protocol about going to the head of year first I’d be knocking on the heads door tomorrow if I was you

So glad your DD is ok now

Complain and find a new school. That and write to the press and your mp. This needs publicising.

This is terrible and also reminded me of poor Sam Linton, lessons should have been learnt from that.

No child should be in that situation.

I hope your dd is feeling better today and that you managed to get some sleep.

Protectingmydaughterfromfilth Screaming at anyone would have been totally the wrong thing to do as it would increase the panic in the child and worsen her breathing.

Not at all and you need to come down on them like a ton of bricks over it too.

The only thing that worked for hs with getting a school with a dismissive attitude towards asthmatics that worked was getting the hospital asthma nurse to come in to school and explain to them the seriousness of it.

You need to go back over her careplan with them OP. DD has one from Primary but I still made sure that her SS had an updated one and that the asthma nurse followed the update up with a quick phone call.

I once picked DD up from school very poorly, I was running through the school to get the inhalers (which were kept in the office - thankfully that got changed pronto). My friend was with my daughter trying to keep her calm whilst simultaneously ringing 999 as she was really bad. Do you know what the bloody teacher said to me, she stood there and went "oh I didn't think she was that bad. I thought she was just being mardy". she was that 'not bad' she had doctors swarming around her in A&E. Back to back inhalers, then nebs and oxygen, and very narrowly avoided being moved to PICU!!

Does she have an action plan OP? DD has both.
She had a careplan for general day to day management. Then an asthma action plan for when she is poorly. It's like a traffic light system and tells caregivers when they should be ringing 999.

If the school is an academy, make noises tonthe trust ahout it too. DDs old school was an academy and the only thing that ever made them pull their finger out their arse was going above all their heads.

I hope your DD is feeling better real soon

Does the school have a nurse or medical room?

I have tears in my eyes reading this. My dd has asthma and you’ve just described my worst nightmare. They sound like they read her care plan then filled it in the bin.
She should absolutely not have been left in this state. I’m so angry I can’t think what to type. Please don’t let this go. I hope your dd is on the mend xxx

@GlitterNails
It reminds me of when I was having an attack during PE and I asked to go and get my inhaler, and the teacher replied that asthma was all in the head.

Where do you even begin with that ..........

Not sure what’s available where you live, but I work in a school and we recently had training from the paediatric respiratory nurse. This was just the basics for all staff to raise awareness of symptoms etc and to learn how to treat them.

It was very informative. I think all school staff should have it.

I am sorry if this has already been mentioned but you might want to point the school in the direction of the young boy who died in this exact situation when he was left sitting in a school corridor.

I remember the mother on the news. She was campaigning for better awareness. Your DD's school are negligent.

This is a DM link to the story

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1258705/Boy-11-dies-asthma-attack-left-die-school-corridor.html

My friend had a similar experience with her year 7 not asthma but similar condition that can be serious. She was horrified at how useless the schools procedures were and indifferent the staff were. She's a doctor so not an unnecessary worrier. She took her dd out in the end and went private as she felt they had to take it more seriously.

As the mother of a year 7 it's heart breaking they are still so childlike and desperate to do the right thing at their big school - your dd not wanting you to say anything in case the teachers don't like her - says it all.

This is awful. Your poor DD. I work in a school and this genuinely would not happen there, I think you need to complain in the strongest terms.

I wouldn’t be ringing. I’d turn up and demand loudly to be seen.

Your poor DD

That’s horrific. I had an acute asthma episode this year and got a bollocking from various health staff for not calling an ambulance. The rule is that if your blue inhaler doesn’t improve things after about ten puffs, you call an ambulance. Is it a state school? If so you should raise this with the last cal authority too.

It's a serious safeguarding issue and the school is in loco parentis. The head apologised but failed to confirm any action had been taken in accordance with the disciplinary procedures. I complained to the governors.

Dd's friend had phoned me. I called the office and requested someone go to help dd. I arrived within 20 minutes. DD was on a stone floor in the bogs with an acute stomach bug, she couldn't find her legs and was foaming at the mouth she had been so sick for so long.

She had a music exam two days later and I sent her through and went in to sign in for her. The woman in the office shouted at me for breaching health and safety rules. That was when I let rip.

Head and office staff cleared out within a year.

Management of state schools is hideous. They talk the talk but Don't walk the walk.