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AIBU?

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Original poster

School has lost DD’s medication for the second time

98 replies

Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 08:35

Dd has asthma. Luckily she hasn’t had an attack in years but in cold wet weather, she gets a really bad wheeze and needs to use her inhaler.

She went to the office to get it to discover they had lost her inhaler. Again.

Then, instead of ringing us to discuss it, just sent her back to her classroom. She’s 9.

I wasn’t happy at all.

Today, I’ve sent her in with her inhaler and spacer in her bag minus the box so that they can’t take it off her and send it to the office.

I was already cross at inhalers being kept in the office to begin with. Minutes can spell the difference between carrying on and desperately needing an ambulance.

OP posts:
Penguinfeather781 · 23/09/2022 09:05

Make a formal written complaint - it’s a serious safeguarding issue. Mainly for your daughter that she couldn’t use it when she needed to (and such medications should be with the child not in the office anyway) but also because if they don’t know where it is how do they know another child hasn’t taken or used it?! Their first aid training is clearly not up to scratch either because if an asthmatic child can’t find their inhaler the correct response is not to just sit them back in the classroom and let them struggle to breathe!

JenniferBarkley · 23/09/2022 09:16

That's horrendous - both the inhaler being in the office, and just sending her back to class when she needed it. They need to be left in no doubt how serious that could have been.

Someone up above mentioned epipens - my daughter has both at school, and I would be no less angry about the inhaler being unavailable than the epipen. Asthma can and does kill, and often people who haven't been seriously ill with it before.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 09:18

I will also write a letter. Good idea actually to get it in writing.

Actually, I’ll draft an email and send that so I have my own personal copy.

OP posts:
sueelleker · 23/09/2022 09:21

Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 08:46

Dh was furious. He has chronic asthma and can go from alright to deathly in seconds.

So he will be going to the school personally and bringing it up.

Dd was quite upset when she got home from school because she felt she really needed it. We gave her some at home, and she was fine afterwards but she had to struggle the rest of the day.

She’s woken up this morning with her wheeze and cough so I’ve insisted she carries her own. Told her to tell them to ring me if they have problem

I'd have kept her home, and told the school it's because of their lack of action the previous day.

JudgeRindersMinder · 23/09/2022 09:21

Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 08:55

Thank you for all the advice.

I will definitely be taking this further and seeming advice from asthma UK.

I know they will be hot on it now too because we have a new head teacher and she’s keen to refresh the whole school including a new uniform scheme and logo.

I hope you push her to sort out their medication protocol before she does the headline grabbing uniform changes!

My ds had to use an inhaler when he was at primary school and after a similar issue, he carried his own in his bag, and like you, he was told to tell anyone who had an issue with it to ring me. No one ever rang me

Original poster
Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 09:22

How does this sound?

On Wednesday the 21st, my daughter XXX in xx class informed me that she had needed her inhaler whilst in school, and was sent to the office. Whilst there, she was then told that it had gone missing and she was sent back to her classroom.

I am not happy about this. Both the medication going missing, the fact she returned to the classroom without her medication, and the fact I wasn’t informed of any of this.

From today, Friday the 23rd, Xxxx will now be carrying her own medication at all times.

I however, would like to know why this medication went missing, and why I wasn’t informed.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Soubriquet

OP posts:
LongLivedQueen · 23/09/2022 09:24

Baldieheid · 23/09/2022 08:37

That's really bad, but just a thought - could it have expired, they've chucked it and forgotten to tell you? It might be worth taking a note of the expiry date before you hand it in, if so, so you can swap when needed.

That would be really stupid if true, and no better. An expired inhaler is a far better option that no inhaler.

JenniferBarkley · 23/09/2022 09:26

I would go stronger on the point of her being returned to the class and left without her medication, that is genuinely terrifing.

serenghetti2011 · 23/09/2022 09:28

That’s pretty poor tbh!! (Not your email) the school have a duty of care for your daughter. My son is a bad asthmatic and has an inhaler in his bag and one in a box with his name on in the office. This is brought to him - it’s in a grab bag so they can take it to the library etc too I do a yearly care plan (I use asthma uk paeds plan) which I fill out and sign for school to follow for when he needs it, when to use it (pre exercise etc) and triggers then what to do if he has a more serious attack. School let me know if they will need new stock and are pretty on it with this thankfully. A few minutes locating and bringing it to him wouldn’t harm him but not having it at all when he needs it could be very dangerous.

I hope the school take this seriously and have measures to stop similar happening again. It’s not nice not being able to breathe, my son says it feels like he’s suffocating when it’s really bad. Not nice!!

Original poster
Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 09:30

Added this in

I should have received a call when the medication wasn’t found as this could have gone very wrong, as asthma can deteriorate incredibly quickly and an inhaler being used between the time it takes an ambulance to get to you, could potentially save her life.

OP posts:
Whinge · 23/09/2022 09:30

Honestly OP I think your email is too polite. Your child could have died. They happily sent a suffering child back to class, and didn't care enough to get her medical help or contact you. Like I said in my previous post I wouldn't have sent her into school today. You don't mess around when it comes to asthma, and the schools negligence and response to the situation is shocking.

Explaintome · 23/09/2022 09:32

Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 09:22

How does this sound?

On Wednesday the 21st, my daughter XXX in xx class informed me that she had needed her inhaler whilst in school, and was sent to the office. Whilst there, she was then told that it had gone missing and she was sent back to her classroom.

I am not happy about this. Both the medication going missing, the fact she returned to the classroom without her medication, and the fact I wasn’t informed of any of this.

From today, Friday the 23rd, Xxxx will now be carrying her own medication at all times.

I however, would like to know why this medication went missing, and why I wasn’t informed.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Soubriquet

Will she really have it on her at all times? Will she take it if she's in the hall or playground, for example?

She needs one in the office too IMO.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 09:33

I will amend it to say she will have one in the office too in case of emergencies but yes, I will instruct her to have one on her at times.

I’ll even make sure she has a little bag to keep it all in

OP posts:
TurtleSpurtle · 23/09/2022 09:33

I think you need to raise this as a safety incident, because it was.

I would be asking to speak to whoever leads on HSE - and asking to see procedures are put in place so it never happens again - it is likely that other children's inhalers have also gone missing and their parents may still be unaware.

Shocking (from someone who has had multiple intensive care stays with asthma this is really frightening to read)

RonObvious · 23/09/2022 09:35

Am I reading this right? She needed her inhaler, went to get it, and because they couldn't find it, they sent her back to her classroom with no treatment? Bloody hell! I agree with the PP that you are being pretty polite considering the circumstances. I would probably be raising it with other parents too - my son has asthma, and I would certainly want to know if there was a chance that the school weren't handling potential attacks properly.

DrivingTheoryTest · 23/09/2022 09:36

I'm concerned at the 'sending back to class' part

If a child is suffering from asthma and needs their inhaler, good practice is to send SOMEONE ELSE to fetch it and bring it to the child.

Not have the asthmatic child traipsing round school exerting themselves!

Emelene · 23/09/2022 09:36

I’d be saying I expect an urgent written response and phone call to address this serious near-miss.

I agree, email is far too polite. Be more assertive and blunt. She could have been seriously ill or died. It is completely unacceptable.

WitchDancer · 23/09/2022 09:37

You say that this is the second time they have lost her medication? I can't see this in your email draft.

Original poster
Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 09:39

WitchDancer · 23/09/2022 09:37

You say that this is the second time they have lost her medication? I can't see this in your email draft.

Is is the second time yes. I forgot to add that.

OP posts:
TurtleSpurtle · 23/09/2022 09:43

Yeah, OP, you really do need to ramp up the email - near miss is a good phrase to use.

It's absolutely shocking she was made to continue with the day whilst needing an inhaler. It's actually against a human right - access to medication is one.

AuldReekie1905 · 23/09/2022 09:43

That is absolutely disgusting, op. When I had a little boy in my class with a severe peanut allergy, I was extra careful about his emergency shot and the parents came in to show us how to administer it in an emergency (even though we technically weren't allowed as not doctors etc - with parents permission and a little boy needing a shot or dying - we knew what we would do in the moment...)

I'd be fuming and definitely not let this slide especially as it's the second time. I hope you get an appropriate response and are taken seriously.

lemmein · 23/09/2022 09:44

It's bad enough that they lost it, but to send her back to the class? ShockShockShock

Original poster
Soubriquet · 23/09/2022 09:44

I sent the email off, polite as is it, but I know I will receive a call from them.

Then I will be a bit more aggressive if it doesn’t get through

OP posts:
TurtleSpurtle · 23/09/2022 09:44

@AuldReekie1905 I have no idea what country you are in but if you are in the UK then adrenaline is one of the emergency medicines that all non-health professionals are allowed to give. With or without training, you don't have to be medically trained.

faw2009 · 23/09/2022 09:45

I'd be putting the following questions in the email - I know you cover it, but I agree, you're too polite.

How did the medicine go missing?
What procedures are there to ensure this doesn't happen again?
Why was daughter sent back to class instead of you being contacted to bring an emergency back up?
Why was daughter left to suffer in the classroom?
Why isn't such urgent medicine kept by teacher (if not by child)?

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