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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

16 yr old banged his head at school

21 replies

floorchid · 29/10/2024 05:25

PE lesson. They were playing a game in the hall. Ds was running too fast to stop and crashed into the wall, face first. Split lip, blood nose, very bruised nose, and a banged head.

PE teacher didn't send him to sick bay or anything.

First I knew about it, he went and found his big sister at school to say he had a headache and he asked her if he should go to the gym or go home. She sent him home and messaged me.

He got home and had a sleep. He's okay. Bit sore and swollen.

I know he's 16, not a little kid, but as anyone with a 16 yr old knows they're not always the brightest. AIBU to think the PE teacher should have sent him to get checked out? Or maybe school should have let me know? Not sure about that second one.

Disclosure - I'm a primary school teacher and we take head bangs very seriously. ALWAYS go to sick bay to get checked, and I would have called home about this, but I do understand that high school is a bit different.

OP posts:

imip · 29/10/2024 05:27

Absolutely with a potential head injury and risk of concussion.

ClytemnestraWasMisunderstood · 29/10/2024 05:30

Oh, your poor lad! Bless him!
Yes, I think the teacher should have sent him at least to a walk-in centre for a check up, and let you know as it doesn't sound like a small bump!
Give him a day off today if possible!

verycloakanddaggers · 29/10/2024 05:31

Yes school should have called you.

But also you should have taken him to be checked as soon as you heard.

Please read the NHS head injury page. He may have concussion and may need to be checked. 111 can be called at any time. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-injury-and-concussion/

Most head injuries are not serious, but you should get medical help if you or your child have any symptoms after a head injury. You might have concussion (temporary brain injury) that can last a few weeks. A headache is a symptom.

Singleandproud · 29/10/2024 05:33

I would flag this with school, sounds like he has clear concussion symptoms following a head injury and should have been sent to a first aider, who then should have rung you to take him to see a medical practitioner.

It may have been that the teacher asked him and he brushed it off at the time or only mentioned the obvious injuries as concussion can set in upto a week following the initial injury

You also need to make sure he is taught first aid both for himself and others so he knows not to have a sleep when experiencing something like that.

KillerTomato7 · 29/10/2024 05:45

floorchid · 29/10/2024 05:25

PE lesson. They were playing a game in the hall. Ds was running too fast to stop and crashed into the wall, face first. Split lip, blood nose, very bruised nose, and a banged head.

PE teacher didn't send him to sick bay or anything.

First I knew about it, he went and found his big sister at school to say he had a headache and he asked her if he should go to the gym or go home. She sent him home and messaged me.

He got home and had a sleep. He's okay. Bit sore and swollen.

That is serious negligence on the part of the teacher. He needs to be reported. A PE teacher who doesn’t consider the possibility of a head injury when someone runs head-first into a wall is a walking liability.

verycloakanddaggers · 29/10/2024 05:58

I agree report the failure to school but the first priority is to get the patient checked.

They should be assessed for concussion and signed off school if necessary.

Eastmeetswest1 · 29/10/2024 06:02

This happened to my DC c 2 months ago. I got a phone call from the high school nurse told what happened and asked to collect immediately. They brought a colour coded slip home saying they had got a head injury and to monitor / seek medical help if needed

Collected and couldn't see anything but DC still complained of headache next morning. Suffice to say trip to hospital to be given a traffic light leaflet of when they could return to school. Didn't get back to school for a week and even then they followed the leaflet and for safety some subjects were out of bounds - no P.E. for minimum of 2 weeks for example / home economics / science. Ended up with a phased return. School were great

Hope your son feels better soon.

dragonfliesandbees · 29/10/2024 06:58

Have you sought medical advice, OP? It doesn’t sound as though you have. So I’m a bit confused that you think the school should have had him checked (which I agree with) but, now that he’s home, you no longer think that’s necessary.

Potentialmadcatlady · 29/10/2024 07:01

School were in wrong but to be honest so were you. I would speak to school but I would also brush up on your first aid skills.

dragonfliesandbees · 29/10/2024 07:05

You also need to make sure he is taught first aid both for himself and others so he knows not to have a sleep when experiencing something like that.

@Singleandproud It’s fine to sleep after a head injury. The body needs sleep to recover. But there should be someone to keep an eye on you and monitor for any new symptoms.

coffeesaveslives · 29/10/2024 07:09

I don't think you can complain about the school's behaviour when you also didn't take him to get checked!

WonderingWanda · 29/10/2024 07:11

If the PE teacher knew then there should've been some contact home. My ds got a head injury from a door swinging back on him. He sat for an hour in first aid with an ice pack and no one let me know. He was really quiet and subdued and went to bed feeling sick, I went to take him a bucket and it was only then he mentioned the head injury, luckily he was fine and the feeling sick was a bug. Imagine if he hadn't mentioned it and was actually really unwell though. The problem with secondary schools is everyone is too busy and stretched, my school don't even have a school nurse.

Original poster

floorchid · 29/10/2024 07:24

We're in a different timezone and I only got home and got the details 4 hours ago. Since my OP he has been checked over and they say he is fine, and they gave me a leaflet of things to watch out for. I've also told him that for all future head bangs he needs to take himself to see the nurse at school.

OP posts:

Original poster

floorchid · 29/10/2024 07:25

coffeesaveslives · 29/10/2024 07:09

I don't think you can complain about the school's behaviour when you also didn't take him to get checked!

I wasn't really complaining. I was asking what people thought.

OP posts:

Singleandproud · 29/10/2024 07:39

@dragonfliesandbees yes, but I assumed that no one was at home to keep an eye on him whilst he slept and only his sister knew he had a head injury. No guarantee that OP had managed to pick up the message if at work.

FootbalIslife · 29/10/2024 07:44

For that damage to his face he must have really walloped the wall. PE Teachers should really understand concussion protocols, your son may beed to be off PE for a few weeks now.

LynetteScavo · 29/10/2024 08:17

My DC always seemed to be banging their heads at secondary school - I was always phoned, asked to collect and advised to take them to A&E (I usually just too them home). DH and I have jobs that meant it's difficult to get to school during the day- school
Knew this and still always contacted us. We even had a call on a Saturday from the Principal to ask if DS was OK after he was sent home on a Friday.

What I'm trying to say is, your DCs school have been bang out of order.

neepsa · 29/10/2024 08:19

I know this is slightly off topic - but PLEASE make sure he gets his teeth checked too. The number of teenagers I see (dentist) who sustained sporting injuries, only to realise six months later that their teeth felt funny/wobbly/chipped and then there is very little that can be done.

takealettermsjones · 29/10/2024 08:28

Glad he's been checked out and is doing okay. I just wondered... are you sure you're getting the full story here? I only mention it because I teach a couple of sports including a martial art and I've seen so many injuries I can't count, and this seems unusual. To run face first into a wall so that he hit his lip, nose and head all at the same time would mean he didn't put his hands up or tuck his chin, which are both normally instinctive. Of course freak accidents do happen, especially if there was some kind of obstacle in the way/against the wall. But I'm just wondering whether he could have fainted before falling, or if it's at all possible that he's been hit and doesn't want to tell you. If the latter, it would explain why he wasn't advised to go to the sick bay. Obviously if you know that his story is what happened then please ignore me! Just thought it was worth mentioning.

Marblesbackagain · 29/10/2024 08:36

Very concerning that a PE teacher appears ignorant of basic first aid! This is a huge gap in any sport situation.

Lifeisgood1 · 29/10/2024 09:01

I would also speak to your daughter as he shouldn't have been sent home on his own following a head injury. At the very least he should have reported to the school he was leaving and why. That would have flagged it to the school. The PE teacher was wrong but so was he by also failing to report

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