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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think school should have rung me?

161 replies

Quandary2018 · 27/09/2018 23:30

Turn up to after school club tonight at half 5 to be told DS10 has had an accident at lunch time and his arm has been put in a sling
He’d fallen awkwardly on it playing football and had told them the pain was a 9 out of 10.
He’d been asked if he could have calpol, he said he could, but wasn’t given any.
A teaching assistant had to sit with him all afternoon because he couldn’t hold a pencil to write because of the pain.
No one rang me, I was at work but had my mobile on my desk and the school have my office number too.
I would’ve come and picked him up early had I known. Instead he was at school, in pain, all afternoon.
I took him to a&e straight from school because of how much pain he was in and he has fractured his wrist.
I cant work out why they didn’t call me

OP posts:
batshitbetty · 29/09/2018 17:42

@Gersemi but there is nothing to suggest that he has permanent damage is there? A broken arm doesn't automatically mean that their entire future is ruined. Yes if that were the case of course you would take legal advice and look at taking things further, but at the moment doing so just smacks of trying to make money. It doesn't resolve anything, it doesn't stop it happening again. It's unfortunate that the child was in pain, but sometimes it happens and it does not warrant suing. But then the people suggesting it are probably the types to run to the paper while practising their best compo face....

moredoll · 29/09/2018 17:52

"@batshitbetty*

You chose the right username, didn't you?

It's not "unfortunate" that child was in pain, it's unforgivable and unprofessional.

Whether or not there is lasting damage from the injury, and the way it was treated in the hours afterwards, the child should learn that his voice is important and will be listened to. He needs to know thst it is not acceptable for adults to cause him significant pain.

Soontobe60 · 29/09/2018 17:57

Whilst this in no way should have happened, my DD broke her arm at home and I didn't actually realise for 2 days!
My friend broke a bone in her foot, it was checked by her GP who said it was a sprain, and after a week she went back because she found it still a bit sore so was sent for an X-ray and came home in plaster !

MatildaTheCat · 29/09/2018 17:59

Dear god, never once has the OP said that the delay in contacting her has caused permanent injury. He broke his wrist playing football which doesn’t imply negligence on the part of the school. Yes, they did delay treatment by a few hours and have apologised and OP has addressed the topic very sensibly.

Just what would the school be compensating the child for? A few hours of pain, some of which he would have had in any case.

ButAIBUtho · 29/09/2018 18:03

That's fucking abismal.

Your son probably goes to the same school as mine, they sound as useless!

I would be finding out exactly who fucked up and I would be putting a complaint in.

Unicornandbows · 29/09/2018 18:06

I would sue them this is gross negligence

Pud2 · 29/09/2018 18:09

I think you dealt with this perfectly OP. You remained calm and measured but got your point across. Well done. It’s clear that something went wrong and that the head was also shocked. I’m sure it will result in improved practice. Nobody in the school would’ve intended to cause harm to you child.

Absolutely no need for suing and lawyers. Just waiting for somebody to suggest the police.....

Gersemi · 29/09/2018 18:13

Batshitbetty, I wasn't saying that there is permanent damage in this case - it would be really helpful if you read my post properly. I was responding to your specific suggestion that claiming compensation should be illegal. The issue of permanent or long term damage was obviously purely hypothetical.

But it would be interesting for you to define what is the dividing line when someone should or should not be able to claim. You say it's OK if someone's entire future is ruined. How about if it's not their entire future but it is at least the next few years? Or the next year? Or the next 6 months? How about if it's not ruined but is made substantially more shitty? People who go on about compensation somehow being immoral never really seem to think these things through.

PasteSandwiches · 29/09/2018 18:18

OP you've dealt with this perfectly. Level headed but firm. I hope your son has a speedy recovery and isn't too uncomfortable.

MilkItTilITurnItIntoCheese · 29/09/2018 18:26

My ds broke his wrist at school. They also asked him where he’d put his pain on a scale of 1-10. He said 9. I was called and I made the decision to get him checked at A&E. To be honest it was pretty obvious he’d hurt himself by the grey colour of his face.

I cannot believe the school think it was acceptable not to call you! It really is quite obvious surely when a child is trying it on - and if it’s not obvious they should call and let you decide!

Poor kid I hope he’s ok. DS was also gutted not to be able to play football for 6 weeks. Shortly after he broke his finger - also at school - and we got a call then too!

MissSusanSays · 29/09/2018 18:33

I’m a teacher and I can tell you that any member of staff should know that you always, always, always call home for an accident as a bare minimum after initially treating the injury. Someone has totally cocked up here.

Dontfeellikeamillenial · 29/09/2018 18:37

Something doesn't add up. Moving a broken wrist hurts : sounds like the first aider severely lacks judgement : which is worrying.

Unless your DS has an incredible pain threshold.

MagpieMomma · 29/09/2018 18:39

I work in a school office, and I'm first-aid trained. Im our school, you would definitely have been called, and on our first-aid log, we have to state whether an injury is reportable or not to RIDDOR with the HSE, and broken bones (other than fingers and toes) are reportable.
You should definitely follow up with the school, this is shocking!

Dontfeellikeamillenial · 29/09/2018 18:39

She said the senior first aider who’d treated him wasn’t in school today and then she went and got the head who went and got DSs class teacher

^^

Yeah, right. Someone's hiding in the back

therealimposter · 29/09/2018 18:51

That's disgusting, I'd be complaining without a doubt. I'm a bit Hmm about the calpol though, schools can't give it to children so no idea why they asked unless it was to phone you to come and give it but that seems unlikely tbh.

batshitbetty · 29/09/2018 19:07

@Gersemi my point is that there is nothing currently to sue for, yet another poster declared that they would already be consulting a solicitor and trying to get people fired. I believe that you shouldn't be allowed to put in a claim 'just because', and the fact that people think like that is the reason that everything gets tied up in red tape, and we all pay extra for things like insurance premiums.

As previous posters have said even medical professionals don't always pick up on a fracture, so it follows that a first aider may also miss it on occasion (A&E sent me home with a fractured ankle and told me it was a sprain, it was only when I went back the following day that they spotted it)

He broke his arm playing football, it happens. His arm would still be broken and he would be in pain and recovery even if he were taken to A&E immediately. The school is not responsible for the break itself so the only time I think taking legal action is acceptable is if the dust has settled and it can be evidenced that a delay in treatment or the actions of the first aider has caused additional issues. At this moment in time that doesn't seem to be the case.

I can see your point of view but I'm afraid I just do not agree with you, it's as simple as that.

I think the OP has handled things perfectly, I 100% agree that the school should have phoned the parents at the time, and of course she is upset that her son has been hurt but she is dealing with things calmly and rationally.

Original poster
Quandary2018 · 29/09/2018 19:07

DS told me they’d asked him about the calpol and when I repeated that to the School staff they didn’t correct me by saying they wouldn’t have been able to administer it. So I can only assume he was asked, maybe with a view to asking me if they could give him some.

There’s no way I would pursue any form of compensation, yes the school should’ve rung me if not immediately after the injury then certainly when DS couldn’t write because of the pain but I don’t think that suing them would achieve anything.
I will follow things up with an email to the head probably with an attachment for correct sling fittings- DS says the first aider did say it had been ages since she’d done a sling plus it wasn’t the right position for his injury
The main thing for me is that DS is ok, the delay did him no long term damage- we had another 4 hours at a&e after I’d picked him up anyway. I will be making sure the school update their policy on when to contact parents and that their first aiders know up to date information re limb injuries

OP posts:
Pumpkinbell · 29/09/2018 19:44

YANBU complain like hell your DC you should be told end of!

BunsyGirl · 29/09/2018 20:48

therealimposter

My DS’s school give out Calpol. However, it’s an independent with a full time nurse so maybe that is the difference? Anyway, I get an email notification even for the most minor visit to the nurse - e.g. a graze. Anything more serious, I get a telephone call with confirmation of what treatment has been given (e.g. Calpol for high temperature.)

Pud2 · 29/09/2018 20:50

Well said batshitbetty and OP. Calm, rational and appropriate.

VerbenaGirl · 29/09/2018 20:51

You need to escalate this to the Governors to ensure that a policy is put in place to prevent this.

celticprincess · 29/09/2018 22:30

Similar happened to me. I picked DD up and she came out with a swollen thumb. She’s fell over at some point earlier in the day (was a couple of years ago and I can’t quite recall). She was given an ice pack. No one called me. I arrived and was shocked at the swelling. Did slightly the wrong thing and got her a gp appointment for the next morning but that was escalated straight to A@E where spent several hours . Turned out to be only soft tissue damage. Took a few days for selling to go down and a week or so for it to stop hurting. I was annoyed and wish I’d said something. Especially since later on that week her friend fell and parents were called immediately and she was taken to A&E. Again no break but completely the opposite way it was handled.

Lozz22 · 29/09/2018 23:07

24 years ago I had an accident at school when I was 9 doing handstands with some friends. I fell forwards and bent all the fingers on my left hand backwards. The pain hit me instantly on a 10+ scale and I was literally screaming in pain. My fingers blew up straight away and weren’t exactly a very pretty shape. School put a wet paper towel on them for 10-15 mins and then sent me back on my merry way to class. Hand and fingers bruised but they said it was dye from the paper towel! Class was PE and the teacher made me stand there catching a ball in the hand I’d hurt. Couldn’t take the pain anymore so they phoned my Mum up and my Dad took me to hospital. I’d dislocated my middle, ring finger and little finger and broken my other finger. The Dr at the hospital went ballistic when he found out I’d actually been walking around for a good couple of hours before school let me go home!!

Mrskirby · 30/09/2018 00:58

My son fell in school and really hurt himself he was taken to the medical room. I asked what happened and he said it was really sore so I made an app with the docs. I wrote a note in his homework book asking why I had not been contacted? I got a call that afternoon from the school head and teacher saying they only contact you if it an emergency like a head injury. I was so angry he could not walk on his foot properly for days and it was really bruised. I informed them he had an app at the docs the next morning so he would be late.
Next morning I received a text saying my child was not in school and would be marked truant. No child’s name or what school. I have kids in high school so called there first think if anyone would skive it would be a teenager (not that they ever have) nope they were in school.
Went to drop little one off to find it had come from his school I was even more angry as I had told his teacher and the head teacher the day before. Furious so I was.
Sorry but if I was in your shoes I would be taking it further. I hope your boys ok.😢