Page 7 | Period pain proof required for school sick days

Amallamard · 2024-10-07T19:31:15+00:00

[[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly4zd8xp74o https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly4zd8xp74o]] Aside from the utter madness about period pains (which im sure MNers will have plenty to say about), is it just me that thinks a cold can be bad enough to need time off? One of mine was off with a cold last week. They ended up on antibiotics and steroids. In no way fit for school. It's no wonder schools are such germ factories when they insist children should come in when they're ill!

mathanxiety · 08/10/2024 00:05

Drinas · 07/10/2024 22:43

The quote is this:

guidance states that in the "majority of cases" a parent informing the school their child is ill "can be accepted without question or concern".

It added: "Only where the school has genuine and reasonable doubt about the authenticity of the illness should medical evidence be requested to support the absence."

But you put period pain in the thread title and it’s as good clickbait as the BBC.

Edited

How would that be applied for girls in the first months of secondary? There would be no record to rely on. There would be no prior experience to use to make decisions.

Do you pick on girls of a certain race or post code? Girls who come from certain primary schools?

Does some new head teacher keen to make a big impression decide to make an example of the first ten girls who take a day or two off every month?

Bodeganights · 08/10/2024 06:29

Midlifecareerchange · 07/10/2024 22:28

I feel like we need a mumsnet campaign on this. It's ridiculous and it's discriminatory.

fwiw I do not have endometriosis or PCOS and my periods since I had children have been fine BUT as a teenager day 1 of my period would always involve vomiting, fainting, diarrhoea, and being unable to move from a fetal position. Day 2 would be painful but I could power through and day 3 onwards was ok. I cannot imagine how much women with medical conditions like endometriosis must be suffering. No one has the right to tell them to power through.

Similar, as a teen I had horrendous pain on first day or two. I ended up in the school office with a hot water bottle and pain killers because I couldn't make it home by myself in that state. Every single time.

Been awful but bearable as an adult and now I'm menopausal so dont have any. And the relief that I no longer have to suffer or take far too many tablets is immense.
No pcos no endo but a painful period is a painful period, why the hell are girls being treated like this. Almost forced to use pain relief and sanitary ware that even adults wont use, just to prop up a failing school. I am furious that yet again the girls get to be the bloody scapegoat. And then refused access to the very needed single sex toilet, oh wait.

Drinas · 08/10/2024 06:31

mathanxiety · 08/10/2024 00:05

How would that be applied for girls in the first months of secondary? There would be no record to rely on. There would be no prior experience to use to make decisions.

Do you pick on girls of a certain race or post code? Girls who come from certain primary schools?

Does some new head teacher keen to make a big impression decide to make an example of the first ten girls who take a day or two off every month?

Show quote history

How have you possibly made this about race? My point is (and I posted the actual guidance) this is click bait as has been evidenced very well by this thread.

I don’t know any schools that send attendance letters every month. We get them termly. My DC had a day off v early in the term and is already at 95.6% attendance. Even with another day or two, average by end of autumn term will still be at the magic number of 96%.

StolenChanel · 08/10/2024 06:34

I also don’t understand why it’s a 5 day rule for the fines when, in the real world, you have to self-certificate for 7 days. I’m pretty sure doctors won’t provide “medical evidence” for absences less than 7 days?

Mummadeze · 08/10/2024 06:42

Want to recommend tranexamic acid to all Mum’s of teens suffering like this. It has made so much difference to my DD. She can go to school now through her periods whereas was vomiting and pale and in massive pain before.

Pinkandbluesocks · 08/10/2024 06:56

StolenChanel · 08/10/2024 06:34

I also don’t understand why it’s a 5 day rule for the fines when, in the real world, you have to self-certificate for 7 days. I’m pretty sure doctors won’t provide “medical evidence” for absences less than 7 days?

Yes, one wonders what the local GP practices think of all this nonsense.

northernballer · 08/10/2024 06:58

arthar · 07/10/2024 20:52

What isn’t right is to expect girls to use tampons or take medication so they can join in with some crappy swimming lesson.

We spend absolutely years teaching our kids their bodies are their own - what is this crazy shit about tampons and tablets.

Edited

Show quote history

100% this- no way should children be forced to wear tampons or take painkillers just to go swimming!

Vie8126 · 08/10/2024 07:07

My dd is almost 16 since starting her periods she has one pretty much every other month which is incredibly heavy. As soon as she stands she floods thru a heavy tampon and pad which then makes her feel lightheaded/sick. They aren’t allowed to use the toilet as needed (teachers discretion and most say no) without a toilet pass. After a few months of toilet passes they refused anymore and said she would need a drs note before issuing anymore toilet passes as clearly there was an issue. We had already been to the drs who were no help and just said they would likely balance out over time. It’s not nice when your periods are so heavy you flood that much so yes she’s missed some days of school - she has to get public transport to and from school and no one wants to be worrying about standing up on a train and leaving a huge patch of blood on the seat/on your uniform. The whole thing around periods in secondary schools feels outdated imagine having to ask your boss to use the toilet in the office and being told no!

Bunnycat101 · 08/10/2024 07:51

Toilet use is one of the things I’ve been asking about at secondary school tours. So far there seems to be a definite trend where the state schools seem much more draconian than the private schools. It does feel really dehumanising to have to get a special pass to use a loo or to just have no option at break,

I still remember being absolutely mortified that I flooded at work when I was younger and as I got up to leave I saw blood on the chair. I was in a meeting I felt I couldn’t leave and I just felt so humiliated. Now I’m older I would have stepped out much earlier but you tend to have a lack of confidence when younger. I’d hate for my girls to not be able to use the toilet at school and it is one of the things I’m thinking about re school choices but it is ridiculous that I’m even thinking about it.

Pinkandbluesocks · 08/10/2024 09:35

Vie8126 · 08/10/2024 07:07

My dd is almost 16 since starting her periods she has one pretty much every other month which is incredibly heavy. As soon as she stands she floods thru a heavy tampon and pad which then makes her feel lightheaded/sick. They aren’t allowed to use the toilet as needed (teachers discretion and most say no) without a toilet pass. After a few months of toilet passes they refused anymore and said she would need a drs note before issuing anymore toilet passes as clearly there was an issue. We had already been to the drs who were no help and just said they would likely balance out over time. It’s not nice when your periods are so heavy you flood that much so yes she’s missed some days of school - she has to get public transport to and from school and no one wants to be worrying about standing up on a train and leaving a huge patch of blood on the seat/on your uniform. The whole thing around periods in secondary schools feels outdated imagine having to ask your boss to use the toilet in the office and being told no!

Of course she's going to miss some days of school, in that situation. Restricting toilet access is a vicious circle.

Mooche · 08/10/2024 14:37

My DD just had a day off the other day for severe period pain, we get this on the first day or so every other month, She is year 11 and she will refuse to go if thats bad as can vomit.
School are not sympethic to this so I dont tell them the real reason. Once they rang me to say she she had been sick and can I pick her up. I mistakenly said about DD's periods and the receptionist's tone changed and said "Oh i see. We dont normally let them go home for period pain".

We have been to the GP but they refused to give any kind of test and just suggested pain killers which dont help that much.

Bodeganights · 08/10/2024 18:29

Wineatfiveisfine · 07/10/2024 23:11

I’m 46 - old school I guess? I’ve had endometriosis since too young an age to too old an age.

A lot of pain which is highly disruptive to my well-being.

I also suffer from a highly debilitating illness .

I don’t think period pain / colds are legitimate reasons to have time off school. As they wouldn’t be reasons to have time off work.

Depends on where you work.
I'm so sorry you are obviously in workplaces that dont value you enough to treat you as adults.

I work in a place that actively discourages me to go in with a stinking cold, because I work with really Ill children, them catching my cold could hasten their demise. So as I dont like the idea of killing off children, I take time off for colds and I get paid too.
Also the staff then dont catch my lousy cold and it doesnt do the rounds.
That is what a decent workplace should look like, and a school for that matter.