School refusing to give antibiotics

[Slayerofmyth]

My daughter has warts on her arm that have become infected. She has been prescribed antibiotics four times a day in liquid form that have to be kept in fridge. She has one dose upon wakening but needs 2 more doses throughout school day. I work so can't get to school to give it, theres no one else. School are refusing to give it, I've said I'll keep her off then so I can administer ( taking time off work,), they say I'll get a fine for absence. What the heck am I supposed to do? Please advise.

Poor kid, fluclox is vile. But drs dont prescribe it for nothing.
Oh yes, this. OP, I have no good ideas on the school front - apart from being a single working parent blessed with a "computer says no" school too, so I can understand how you feel - but I really, really wish your little one to recover quickly.

@Slayerofmyth

My DD starts breakfast club at 8.00, so has her first dose at 7.00 am. I work in pharmacy, so I know the importance of following the Drs instructions, they have to be kept in a fridge and taken at regular intervals. To the person who said I'm being difficult...😏 No, I'm not. Even if she gets tablets, she still will not be allowed to take them in school, in case another child accidentally takes them......I'm not waking her up in the middle of the might, that's just not going to happen. I will contact GP tomorrow, I will contact LEA welfare officer and also the school governors. I don't think this is fair policy, particularly for lone parents like me who work and have no one to help.

If your not waking during the night then she isn’t actually having them at regular doses is she or it would be 7, 1, 7, 1

Schools don’t need to give medication so I doubt any amount of contacting anyone will change that

As I said, I would give medication but that is my choice! Many schools don't. For those saying it's a simple job, it may well be for just one child but how about for 5 children at a time, or perhaps 10? All at different times, with different medication , all needing recording and ( in my school) with two people present every time. It IS time consuming and fraught with danger and, given the unreasonable attitude of some on here, perhaps not surprising that some schools have a blanket policy of not giving medication. It is also surprising that schools are meant to be flexible and fit in but GPS aren't expected to prescribe something suitable!

Flucloxacillin also needs to be given on an empty stomach which will be very tricky to arrange at school. School staff are under no obligation to give the medicine, if they did it incorrectly (including if they do not give it on an empty stomach) and it reduced the effectiveness etc they would be liable for that. You’re rellying on one of them offering to take that responsibility above and beyond their job description. I’d ring the GP and get an alternative. I’m very surprised they’ve threatened you with a fine for absence, that part is ridiculous. The child is unwell, they’re on antibiotics and it’s the only way you can give the medication according to instructions. It’s possible that the child could deteriorate and need a hospital admission otherwise. I’d be making a formal complaint about that part!

By 10 I was administering this sort of stuff by myself. Mum was a single parent so I went to school unless incredibly unwell or if she was out of work.

I'd just pop it in a cool bag and ask her to do the doses. Or squeeze the three doses in the evening and give her extra food to work with it.

Tbf the school must have wondered what op was on about when she said she'd keep her dd off school! If op is having to take time off to administer the meds then she can quite easily come up at lunchtime and pick her up from school, no club needed. So an empty threat really and imo that's why the school responded as they did.

Can you pre fill syringes with the correct amount and tell your DD when to take them? A 10 year old should manage it

20:42PhillipPhillop

Tbf the school must have wondered what op was on about when she said she'd keep her dd off school! If op is having to take time off to administer the meds then she can quite easily come up at lunchtime and pick her up from school, no club needed. So an empty threat really and imo that's why the school responded as they did.

Actually I wasn't threatening anything. I simply stated that if they couldn't administer the antibiotics I would be forced to keep her off, at my mum's (who has dementia before you ask), because I cannot be off work. So you know what you can do with your opinion.

Just wake her up overnight. Takes two minutes, she’s ten not a baby. I think you’re being precious. And ridiculous that you need to keep her off school if you won’t wake her, you don’t. You just have to stay off work and go into school at lunchtime. Very difficult and inconvenient for you but they aren’t actually preventing her attending, they’re preventing you working. There’s a difference.

It’s nothing like inhalers for asthma - no conditions around food, no refrigeration, dose measured, long term and immediately necessary to potentially save a life.

GPS aren't expected to prescribe something suitable!

It’s usually the best choice of antibiotic for skin infections. If the child was only doing normal school hours it would also be possible to administer without having to give it in school hours. Should only change to something else if the first line is not possible

How old is she?

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Can you pre fill syringes with the correct amount and tell your DD when to take them? A 10 year old should manage it

A 10-year-old child carrying around syringes full of unidentifiable prescription medicine in their school bag?

What could possibly go wrong?

Ps In terms of refrigeration pack them in a cool bag with ice packs, tell the teacher DD needs to be allowed to step outside classroom at the appropriate time, have drink of water etc.

This antibiotic could cause an anaphylactic shock if it got into the wrong hands so completely terrible advice to suggest a ten year old is responsible for taking it and storing it during the school day.
And that's one of the many reasons schools are often unhappy about giving short term meds.

A 10-year-old child carrying around syringes full of unidentifiable prescription medicine in their school bag?

Get the bag left in the office.

I can't believe people think a parent should have to take 10 days off work for this

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Ps In terms of refrigeration pack them in a cool bag with ice packs, tell the teacher DD needs to be allowed to step outside classroom at the appropriate time, have drink of water etc.

No school will let a child keep prescription medication in a bag and then step outside the classroom to administer it themselves!

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

A 10-year-old child carrying around syringes full of unidentifiable prescription medicine in their school bag?

Get the bag left in the office.

You think the office would agree to the improper storage of medication, and sit back whilst a 10 year old self administered it??

You could give her 1 dose breakfast
2nd dose after school with light snack
3rd dose after dinner
4th dose after pudding before bed

Get the bag left in the office.

How does that address the unidentifiable medicine issue?

@Slayerofmyth

20:42PhillipPhillop

Tbf the school must have wondered what op was on about when she said she'd keep her dd off school! If op is having to take time off to administer the meds then she can quite easily come up at lunchtime and pick her up from school, no club needed. So an empty threat really and imo that's why the school responded as they did.

Actually I wasn't threatening anything. I simply stated that if they couldn't administer the antibiotics I would be forced to keep her off, at my mum's (who has dementia before you ask), because I cannot be off work. So you know what you can do with your opinion.

Telling them you leave your child in the care of a GP with dementia really might not have the effect you intended - instead of them immediately capitulating to meet your instructions, if she's then absent, you might find they have to open a safeguarding investigation to ensure her safety.

Schools are only allowed to give antibiotics if prescribed 4 times a day. They would expect to only give once though. So once before school, once at lunchtime (by them), once after school and once before bed. My school gives antibiotics but will only administer once

Our school certainly wouldn't agree to pre-filled syringes of medicine - no matter where they were stored. Any medication has to be in the original packaging, with the prescription label clearly visible so that the name and dosage could be checked.

Get the bag left in the office.

How does that address the unidentifiable medicine issue?

Label it and include the notes?

Or send the labelled prescription bottle in in a cool bag and let the 10 year old do it themselves.

I suppose there's varying capability but my 10 year old niece can definitely use a medicine syringe to accurately measure up amounts. She uses them with icing to decorate cakes!

This is tricky:

• I think the suggestion to ask GP to prescribe another antibiotic with a more manageable dosing regime sounds the best idea - there is nothing magic about Flucloxicillin, its commonly prescribed & v cheap (my dentist's weapon of choice)

There must be antibiotics that can be 1 or 2 a day that you could administer more easily

Also, is there really 'no one': if there was an emergency who would step in (another school mum perhaps?). I can understand not wanting to ask too many favours, but equally if there is no one local (friend/neighbour/another school mum) ... I'd be trying to sort that out!