To be really upset at how my son was treated after being sick?

[lilyrosesblue]

DS vomited in class yesterday. They were watching something and he sits near the back and he didnt faint but sort of went semi conscious.

When the teacher realised she was very good and comforted DS cleared up the sick and sent a child to get a 1st aider.

The other children then went to break and the 1st aider (deputy head) kept saying how badly it smelled and the teacher should not have cleared it up as its not her job. Teacher kept saying she didnt mind and the only thing she was concerned about was ds. But the deputy kept commenting on the smell. Two other members of staff then came in and said how disgusting this was.

DS was mortified. (He is nearly 11.) Is it worth putting in a complaint?

If your son is upset by the comments, turn it around and make him feel really proud that he threw up vomit that smelt SO foul that the teaching staff were talking about it for hours ... most 11 year-olds like gruesome boasts :D

KayaG If a school is failing in its statutory legal obligations to have first aiders, that doesn't ever make it a favour. It is health and safety legislation that means all places of work must have first aiders, and there are additional rules for schools. The schools you having worked in breaking the law doesn't make it a favour. Not ever.

Also, if a teacher failed to provide first aid, or get help from a first aider/999, or generally failed to help a sick or injured child and the child suffered substantially as a result of that, they would be negligent whether it 'was their job' or not, because they have a duty of care. There is no 'favour' in any first aid situation when a child is in the care of an adult.

OP I’m a teacher & the expectation at my school is to treat all children with the dignity we’d expect in that situation. Can bet if the headteacher had thrown up the deputy wouldn’t have made those comments.

I’ve had a child feacal smear, soil themselves, throw up on me, and I’ve just got on with cleaning it up. Not because I’m a martyr, because that’s what I’d do for my own child & when they feel ill, you don’t make them feel worse.

He didn’t choose to be bloody sick!

I would very much complain!!!
What would you think if a carer spoke like this in front of a vulnerable adult they care for?? I can assure you they would be spoken to v harshly about it and possibly out of a job! It is unprofessional. Yes it stinks but he didn't do it on purpose, no point rubbing it in. They could have simply commented that it still smelled a bit and could someone bring something to deal with it ie bleach (maybe not allowed?) Or a sanitizer of some sort?

It was a really unkind, unnecessary thing to say. I’m sure your DS knows it smells and it didn’t need to be said, he was probably upset enough about the situation and vulnerable already. I would’ve been angry with whoever made the comments.

I think people have been really harsh to you op.

I wouldn't necessarily put in a complaint as such, but I'd probably ask to speak to the deputy head.

I'd say something along the lines of that your son is very upset and embarrassed after being sick, and how he has said that the deputy head repeatedly kept saying it smells which has added to his embarrassment, ask if perhaps he misunderstood.

Don't go in all guns blazing accusing anyone, you weren't there your son was ill and dazed and it might not have been said /meant in the way he's taken it.

Ultimately some people don't deal well with vomit, I don't, even when it's my own dc. But really it's not ok to comment and make someone feel worse when they're ill and vulnerable.

All those saying he should get a thicker skin, imagine you were sick at work or in a shop, how embarrassed you'd feel and then if people kept commenting on the smell, then put yourself in a child's shoes.

Also, if a teacher failed to provide first aid, or get help from a first aider/999, or generally failed to help a sick or injured child and the child suffered substantially as a result of that, they would be negligent whether it 'was their job' or not, because they have a duty of care.

Of course they would phone 999, that's the procedure in schools if there is no first aider available.

And the teachers are doing the school a favour by volunteering. I don't see how you can possibly think otherwise. Daft.

I'm a TA, this happened in our classroom last week. It absolutely stank and I actually had to pour vomit from his shoes. My main concern was the hysterical vomit covered child. Only once he was safely collected and clean did the teacher and I discussed how disgusting it was.

I would do as others have suggested and have a quiet word with the teacher and DH about your DS feeling upset about the comments. The comments were inappropriate and unacceptable in front of your son.

A thank you card for the teacher perhaps, but definitely a book on Emotional Intelligence for the DH!

And the teachers are doing the school a favour by volunteering.
The teachers may be doing the school a favour by volunteering, but no-one ever does a child a favour by giving them first aid, FFS! That is all teachers and all schools' legal obligation and duty of care. I am not being 'daft'. What I am telling you is not my personal 'opinion', it's the fucking law.

I would have a quiet word with the head as the adults should have been more careful about what they said, but make it very clear how grateful you are for how the class teacher dealt with it. I'd also thank the nice teacher, it's not her job to clean it up and a lot of people wouldn't have.

Vomit does stink but the other adults shouldn't have commented in front of DS. A child vomited over themselves and my leg once (they'd come over to tell me they felt sick) it dripped in my shoes and was really quite grim but vomiting happens, especially in primary schools, no one likes the smell or having to deal with it but adults should be able to control themselves enough not to make a fuss in front of a child.

I would have words with the deputy head. Have your son there when you do.

Why should op say anything to the deputy in front of her son?

He'll be mortified. The whole embarrassing incident is being dredged up again.

All op needs to do is report back that she's spoken to the deputy about it.

*UnicornRainbows

That's your choice. You can clean up sick voluntarily if you like, as can I. But it isn't my job and I am not going to pretend otherwise.*

It's not voluntarily as it IS part of my job description. I guess our SLT have the sense to realise it's not acceptable to let sick sit around all day because no one thinks it's their job to clean it up. I would clean it up voluntarily if it happened under my supervision anyway though. I'm not so up myself i'd leave it all day for a cleaner. Each to their own!

Schools have special kits to deal with this. Something similar to cat litter is thrown over which absorbs the moisture and odour. The deputy head may have told the teacher she shouldn’t have cleaned it up first/commented on the smell because of this.

I don’t think you should complain, I’d just check your son understands the comments were directed at the vomit not him. You could tell him it would have been more polite if they didn’t say that in front of you but really needs to be able to brush things like this off.