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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Pain relief in school

46 replies

ThisMustBeMyDream · 20/07/2021 00:28

AIBU to expect basic analgesia to be able to be given in school? My son has a buckle fracture of the wrist and is able to attend school. However he has been needing paracetamol around 6 hourly since he did it. He has a splint on, so it is not fully immobile meaning it is more uncomfortable.
I was at a homebirth today, and had a call from school telling me I needed to come and give him paracetamol as he was in a lot of pain. I am a single parent, and no family support, so just me to deal with this. You can imagine how this scenario made me feel today. My poor son was in pain for over an hour as I had to wait for a colleague to relieve me, putting huge pressure on the rest of our service.
School are stating they will not under any circumstances give paracetamol, prescribed or not. We have just 2 days left of term, both days I am in work and can fully see this happening again.
My son is a regular bone breaker (!). I can forsee this being an ongoing issue over the next couple of years. I am lucky (well, kinda) that this is at the end of term this time and I am off work for the next 2.5 weeks.
Would you challenge this school policy? I have had a search online and it appears that the school are basing their policy on absolutely nothing. All the guidance is that it is appropriate for school to administer analgesia with parental consent.
AIBU to question this?

OP posts:
ThatsAllFolks · 20/07/2021 00:31

How old is he?

Original poster
ThisMustBeMyDream · 20/07/2021 00:32

8

OP posts:
BillyShears · 20/07/2021 00:34

How old is he? Can you not just give him some painkillers to take himself in the loo or wherever? I’m a migraine sufferer and my headaches started in junior school. My mum would give me some painkillers to keep in my skirt pocket so I could take them as and when I needed them.

BillyShears · 20/07/2021 00:35

@ThisMustBeMyDream

8
Sorry, see you’ve answered the question already. In that case give him some panadol and write down the dosage times on a piece of paper to go in his pocket with the tablet pack.
Original poster
ThisMustBeMyDream · 20/07/2021 00:37

He has SEN so that wouldn't be appropriate for him unfortunately. He wouldn't take it either if it was in tablet form.

OP posts:
converseandjeans · 20/07/2021 00:38

What about the individual sachets?

CazM2012 · 20/07/2021 00:39

Yanbu our DC primary ring to ask for verbal consent to give paracetamol and also have a written consent form we fill in every September. Sometimes paracetamol is all they need and it keeps them in school, may be to do with low attendance figures at our primary as many parents would just take them home if they had to go in and give it themselves.

3littlemonkeys82 · 20/07/2021 00:40

When my DC broke their arm in primary school they allowed us to send preloaded calpol syringes in a ziplock bag that dc could administer theirself, the school staff did not have to draw up the doses or administer them. I sent a signed letter to say dc could take them at lunchtime each day.

Would the school find this acceptable? Although it would mean they'd need to agree to them being stored in school office I assume?

FlibbertyGiblets · 20/07/2021 00:41

When we had similar we gave the tablets on the way into school and immediately on pickup, too.
Poor boy.
Iirc school used to need prescribed meds in original packing with printed dosage instructions or they would not administer.

unvillage · 20/07/2021 00:46

@ThisMustBeMyDream

He has SEN so that wouldn't be appropriate for him unfortunately. He wouldn't take it either if it was in tablet form.
Could this be why!?

You need to speak to them, they may have forms to fill out for adults giving medication (i.e. not a child self-administering). You didn't mention this in your post - are you expecting teachers to give liquid painkillers on the student's say-so, were they aware of the painkiller need on dropoff? Exactly what did you say to the school about his needs at this time?

You are on the surface being unreasonable. Schools have strict regulations about medication.

Original poster
ThisMustBeMyDream · 20/07/2021 00:47

Sachet could be okay, but I bet school will still say no as I will have to tell them he has them. I know they would be cross if I gave them to him and didn't tell anyone. He wouldn't be able to quietly just take them. He isn't that kind of kid. He also can't use his other hand for opening them.
If he wasn't in the schools wraparound he would be okay, but he is there for 9 hours, so will definitely need a dose.

OP posts:
JuneJuly · 20/07/2021 00:48

When my dds were in primary, if they ever needed painkillers during the day, staff there were more than happy to help them take it. I would leave the school administrator with a ziplock bag containing Calpol & a dosage spoon.

It's like when they go on trips & the school requests that you leave travel sickness pills with the teacher to give them for the return journey. Why would any other medication, with your express permission, be any different?

Original poster
ThisMustBeMyDream · 20/07/2021 00:52

Could this be why, what? Why they won't give him paracetamol because he has SEN? I don't understand what you are asking.
I did speak to school. It says in my post they won't give even prescribed paracetamol.
School were fully aware he may need pain relief. They said they won't give it, not even prescribed. It is the only medication they will not give. They expect a parent or carer (or any other random stranger!) to attend and give it.
It is the office staff who administer meds in our school. Not the teacher.

OP posts:
wallpapering · 20/07/2021 00:53

With our school they won’t do it, I had to go in to administrate it. It’s all pc as won’t do it without prescription dosage on bottle as nothing to prove that they haven’t given overdose of meds. Ie if I gave pain relief in morning then said ok 2hrs later when infact it wrong.

Pain in arse, the preloaded capol in ziplock bag & letter is good idea that pp suggested

Original poster
ThisMustBeMyDream · 20/07/2021 00:55

They won't give prescribed paracetamol.

OP posts:
wallpapering · 20/07/2021 00:57

It was different when had school nurses in school now this role has been taken on by office staff even applying plasters is no more a thing, nor cleaning gravel and dirt out of a cut they get given Wet paper towel

Original poster
ThisMustBeMyDream · 20/07/2021 00:57

I may just present it as fait accompli. Put preloaded syringe in to sealed bag. Tell son he is to take it with lunch. Tell school he has it, and will be taking it himself. I bet they will be fuming. But he can definitely give himself the preloaded syringes. If they want to lock it away for safe keeping, that is up to them.

OP posts:
AtleastitsnotMonday · 20/07/2021 01:15

We don’t give meds sent in from home unless in their original packaging and accompanied with a written consent. I can see why schools may accept preloaded syringes from a point of removing as much responsibility as possible from staff, but just be aware they may not be able to accept that either.

AtleastitsnotMonday · 20/07/2021 01:17

In addition there is no way we would want a child carrying their own paracetamol. I think you need to try again to hand it in.

Nat6999 · 20/07/2021 01:23

That's normal now I'm afraid, girls at ds school aren't even allowed to have their own paracetamol in their bag for period pains & staff refuse to administer any kind of medication. Ds suffers from severe migraines & school wouldn't allow him to take the preventative when he felt one coming on, they simply rang me to collect him. Could you put calpol meltlets in his lunchbox for him to take & say nothing.

Homemadearmy · 20/07/2021 01:32

Can you time his doses so that you can pop in on your lunch hour and give it to him?

Sh05 · 20/07/2021 01:41

Same at my dds highschool. Prescribed medication is allowed so long as it's labelled but only if it need to be taken more than three times a day so first dose before school then second dose supervised by staff at school.
Paracetamol is not included in this so if a child needs painkillers, a parent/ guardian has to come in to administer it. The child cannot take or carry it themselves and the staff are not allowed to admister it.

tonyunclejohnny · 20/07/2021 01:43

@Homemadearmy

I think in any other job this would be possible but it sounds like OP is a midwife and you can hardly expect a labouring woman to pause for an hour whilst OP eats her lunch (or goes to school for meds) I bet she never has a break at all except maybe a quick sandwich in the car between visits, if my experience in healthcare counts for anything.

I'd do the calpol melts/sachets/syringe in his lunchbox and say nothing. If he normally has school dinners though would he accept a packed lunch as it's a change of routine.

Oceanbliss · 20/07/2021 01:43

Can you measure out a dose of liquid children’s paracetamol into juice in a small or half filled drink bottle and tell your son to drink it all at lunch time?

Yanbu by the way.

VashtaNerada · 20/07/2021 01:59

I’m a teacher and I think the school are clearly in the wrong here. A child with SEN is left in pain? Not okay. I simply don’t understand the issue here. Our school secretary has given my DC calpol before (with my permission) if they’re poorly. I don’t understand what the issue is at all.