To think Metanium cream isn't medicine?

[AnCùDubh]

DS is autistic and this still in nappies.

He goes to a SEN school where they change him.

This morning he had a bit of a rash - which is unusual for him - so I applied Metanium and put the tube in his bag, with a note asking staff to use it posted on the school app (so not like a physical note that could have been missed).
It's come back with a medical form to be filled in before they'll use it.

What I'm most annoyed about is they know I'm on mat leave so they could have asked me to come up and fill it in today rather than leaving him.

But AIBU to think nappy cream isn't medicine anyway?

Yes, metanium ointment is a medicine. It’s a general sale one like paracetamol.

ETA that doesn’t excuse them delaying asking you to sign the form.

Medicine is any drug or other preparation for the treatment or prevention of an illness, disease or other medical condition, e.g. a rash. So this definitely is medicine, it's right that the school are making proper checks before applying it.

It’s a shame they didn’t have the sense to call you to fill in the form! Is this not negligence on their part?

YABU. It is a medicine. And you presumably know the procedure. And it is unlikely that every member of staff is carrying a list around in their head of who is on maternity leave when. And it isn't life threatening! He'll be fine

At our kids school you would have to complete a form for anything like this. I think its pretty stand, if a bit annoying!

There's only five kids in the class and the staff have met baby multiple times and her existence is built into things like his social stories so they definitely know I'm off.

Ok I'm UR not to realise it was medicine but they definitely could have called me to fill out the form

Also not life threatening to you can be highly distressing to an autistic child. He was clearly upset by it this morning, hence sending in the cream.

It's just a cream like sudocrem. A prescription is not needed.

You dont need a prescription for paracetamol but at DTs school they have to go the medical room and leave them there with written dosing instructions. Standard practice.

I agree! They will have changed nappy multiple times and so will have seen the rash several times. All of those were opportunities to contact you. I would be cross about this even though technically it’s a medicine.

I'm a paediatric nurse. If we are using it, it needs to be prescribed.

It's normal to fill out forms for any nappy cream

Any substance to be applied to the skin is treated as medicinal and requires a permission slip (my daughter also at specialist ) even suncream you have to sign to say it can be applied

Sun cream is not a medicine. However, a permission slip may be required because of potential allergies.

At my DCs nursery they just get you to sign a form at the start of each term to say if you're happy for staff to administer nappy cream, calpol, or sunscreen, if two staff agree it's necessary. Then, if it's nappy cream or sunscreen they just tell you at pickup; if its calpol they phone first to check if the DC has had any already, and do the form retrospectively at pickup.
I would be a little bit pissed off if they had left my child without nappy cream all day when he had nappy rash!

In my SEN school staff can only get an outside line to make a phonecall in the school reception office. It takes time to find the number and wait until there's a free phone in the office. Often the phone isn't answered because the parent is busy themselves. We only get 30 mins for lunch, and often some of that is taken up with dealing with issues.
It's likely the class staff didn't get the opportunity to ring you earlier. Also in my school most parents are far away and have other responsibilities and are not able to pop to the school during the day.