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Original poster

Son comes back from school trip with fracture

341 replies

debsadoos123 · 23/02/2020 00:06

Hi, first time poster, please be kind. I picked my 14 year old DS up from school at 4pm today after he'd been away for a week skiing. When I got to him he had a makeshift bandage on his wrist and the teacher explained that someone had fallen into him yesterday morning and that my DS complained of extreme pain in his wrist. The said teacher went on to explain that they didn't seek medical attention because if it was broken then my DS wouldn't be able to fly home. They had taken him to a chemist and purchased a bandage and applied it.
By the time we had got home (10 min drive) my son was crying in pain so we went straight to A&E... Long story short, he has fractured a bone in his wrist. He is now in plaster and we have to return in 10 days for a bone scan.
Would I be unreasonable to make a complaint to school about their lack of action and failing to provide a duty of care?

OP posts:
NaturallyEden · 23/02/2020 18:53

It's actually bullshit you can't fly in a cast. The only time he wouldn't have been able to fly is for 24 hours afterwards if it had needed surgery. He would have had to have a medical note to fly.

The school insurance policy should have covered you to fly out or for someone to stay with him for the period he could not fly.

I would be seeking legal advice and raising a safeguarding complaint.

Gindrinker43 · 23/02/2020 18:57

Ski repsorts are expert in trauma care of this type, they wold have splinted the injury to allow for a safe flight and short haul flights aren't usually and issue for a wrist fracture. Medical attention should have been sought at the time.

GreenTulips · 23/02/2020 19:00

Did your son complain to the teachers?
Dis they ask him any questions?
What did they ask?
Did he ask for pain relief?
The last night is usually a relaxed atmosphere was there something he didn’t want to miss out on?

GreenTulips · 23/02/2020 19:02

Also DS school have a clause that states parents must be willing to collect children who behave badly at their own cost, and they should be prepared to travel due to injury or hospitalization.

I know one girl broke her ankle on the first day and her mother had to travel to the hospital and stay with her.

We also agree to X Y and Z medication being given is necessary without prior consent.

What did you sign? What did you agree too?

redcarbluecar · 23/02/2020 19:04

Your poor boy. I think you have grounds to complain, yes.

mrshoho · 23/02/2020 19:25

I really don't think the school staff have followed the correct procedures here. An injury should have received medical attention and been given the ok to fly home. I'm very surprised they were so laid back about it as school risk assessments are so thorough and they would have a big section on injuries. I wish your Son all the best and hope he recovers well.

mrshoho · 23/02/2020 19:27

I meant to add that a call to you should also have been made when the injury happened.

Original poster
debsadoos123 · 23/02/2020 19:27

The injury occurred 26 hours before departure. DS was told by the teacher that any hospital visit would delay in him coming home. DS had been away for a week by then. First ever time without me and so was worried he would not get to see me. The exact words said to me upon collecting him by the teacher who was in charge of the trip was "we suspect it MAY" be fractured, however we didnt want a delay in him getting home as he would not be allowed to fly home with a cast on. The said teacher was the one who applied the bandage. We live in the UK and they were skiing in the Sierra Navada in Spain....I agree with most posters above that a phone call to me should have been at the top of their list along with seeking medical assessment. I'd have flown out in a heartbeat to be with him so no teacher would have been made to stay behind. I just don't understand how you'd leave any child in your care almost 2 days without any pain relief or seek the help of a medical professional... My DS also has aspergers and therefore the minute it was mentioned to him that he'd potentially not be able to fly home made him worried sick about complaining further. I'd hate to think what they'd do if a child had had a head injury. Thanks again for everyone's advice. I will be contacting school in the morning to raise my concerns and to ask that the incident is looked into and words of advice given. X

OP posts:
MrsWooster · 23/02/2020 19:31

Been that teacher. No question, you treat the child there and then and deal with the logistics later. The boy flew in a cast anyway in our case.

SnoozyLou · 23/02/2020 19:35

I would not be happy with that at all. Sounds like he was pressured into agreeing to forego treatment. The way it reads, if he wanted treatment, he'd have been left - did they say anyone would stay with him? Since when were minors responsible for medical decisions?

I wish you all the best OP and hope he makes a fast recovery x

SpaceDinosaur · 23/02/2020 19:51

To help you tomorrow @debsadoos123 make notes and take them with you.

Make key points and phrases you want to ensure you include in your conversation.

"Duty of care"
"Manipulated and coerced into not making a fuss under a threat of not going home"
"Non medical professional took a serious decision to withhold medical treatment without consulting a parent, leaving a child in extreme pain"
Lots of really good advice and key phrases listed in this group.

ny20005 · 23/02/2020 19:56

Oh my god, that's even worse !!! Your poor boy

He must have been so upset & couldn't tell them how much pain he was in as he thought he wouldn't get home to you !

Schuyler · 23/02/2020 19:57

@MitziK

”
I wouldn't worry about that - odds are that they won't bother doing a ski trip ever again now because they won't be able to get staff willing to give up their break for the benefit of the kids.”

Well, there’s no great loss if this particular staff member that went on this trip.

Schuyler · 23/02/2020 19:58

@MitziK

”I wouldn't worry about that - odds are that they won't bother doing a ski trip ever again now because they won't be able to get staff willing to give up their break for the benefit of the kids.”

Well, it’s no great loss if this particular staff member that went on this trip doesn’t go again!

partofthepeanutgallery · 23/02/2020 19:59

Shocking treatment. Really. Shocking.

Thefaceofboe · 23/02/2020 20:13

I find it really hard to believe they didn’t call you? Hmm

TidaQuel · 23/02/2020 20:27

@debsadoos123

Please make sure your son is ok. This will possibly be something that he may struggle to cope with emotionally. The very people that you Both trusted to take care of him, quite frankly didn’t. A child I know of had similar happen, away on a school trip. She hurt her foot and was given an ice pack- it was only when she was home 3 days later that it was discovered she’d broken it. She had a hard time coming to terms with the care or lack of. It knocked her confidence a lot.

FlutteringFeathers · 23/02/2020 20:43

It’s absolutely not true that he wouldn’t have been able to fly home with a cast. I’ve worked in a&e, the first cast we usually put on at the time of the injury is a backslab, which is only hard on one side, so that any swelling has a chance to go up and down wjthout causing any trouble in an enclosed space like a full cast. Even a full cast can be bivalved for travel, but that wasn’t the issue here.
That teacher didn’t know if it was fractured or dislocated or anything, and can’t have known if their delay in seeking medical attention might cause him any further risk. Like yourself I’d have been out on a flight if needed at all.
The teacher made two seperate decisions id be livid about both of them - no medical treatment, and not to contact the parents. I’d be raging

DonkeyKon · 23/02/2020 20:44

Is the teacher disk qualified as an orthopaedic consultant?

I’ve not come across a broken wrist in a teenager being a reason they were unable to fly short haul the following day.

Whoopsmahoot · 23/02/2020 21:27

Ouch. The fact that he has Aspergers makes it worse. I think no matter what the consequences were their duty of care was to make sure the child was looked after. At minimum medical opinion should have been sought and you should have been consulted. To say he couldn’t fly with a cast was not their decision to make. Part of me can understand their decision but by doing nothing but intimidating the child to not not complain (and to a child with Aspergers that is how he would perceive it) they were taking the easy option for them. I would create Merry hell- they were totally in the wrong here. Can’t imagine they have a risk assessment that states that any accidents or illness in the last 36 hrs will not get medical treatment incase they can’t get home. Crazy and incompetent.

itsgettingweird · 23/02/2020 21:28

My ds is autistic. He would be the same with words like that. He would translate it as he wasn't allowed to make a fuss because then he couldn't go home.

Hearthside · 23/02/2020 21:52

Op i would be absolutely livid i would have to be peeled off the ceiling .I broke my ankle and the pain is something else and i am an adult with a high pain threshold and it had me bawling in pain .Your poor DS away from home in what must been agonising pain .Where was that teacher's rational thinking .I am a rational person will always look at the facts but in this case i would be looking furious. Very least they should have rang you that alone is down right shocking .Hope your DS gets on ok and it heals well for him .It is blatant safeguarding breach and someones head needs to roll .

Hearthside · 23/02/2020 21:59

Op just noticed your ds has aspergers,wtf was that teacher thinking .That must have made your ds even more anxious , i work with people with autism this is such a huge no and who you would truly hope that someone caring for your child would be suitable to do this days no pain relief poor lad .Teacher admitted they thought it was possibly fractured.They need to be suspended at the very least whilst safeguarding is investigated .Just so shocked at that teacher's actions .

makingmammaries · 24/02/2020 04:39

My son fractured his wrist. It was not immediately obvious and we sent him to school. We only sought treatment the next day. I can see how this could happen.
I walked around with a broken finger for a few days before seeking treatment, similarly.

tinytemper66 · 24/02/2020 16:28

I hope you were able to get some answers today and that your son is feeling better.