Mum putting Movicol in water bottle at school, would you tell the school?

[Dramatic]

So one of the Mums at the school gate was telling me her daughter gets constipated sometimes and when she does she puts Movicol in her water bottle for school. The kids are in Reception so age 4 or 5 and probably still of an age where they might take a swig from someone else's bottle or get their bottles mixed up, do you think I should tell school she's doing this or just keep out of it?

Yabu - don't tell school
Yanbu - tell school

Considering all the gastro bugs that go around nurseries, what's the problem if a child accidentally takes a swig of a Movicol bottle? Chances are nothing would happen at all if it's a small amount. In the vanishingly tiny scenario that another child drinks the whole bottle, they might get a bout of diarrhoea. Who cares? Nursery kids get that all the time from other parents who knowingly send their children in while sick.

Movicol is a physical stool softener and the chances of someone reacting badly of having an allergy against it is virtually zero. I would say the chances of children sharing snacks or sending kids to school with undeclared allergens in their lunchbox is far far riskier from a statistical perspective.

I know a child who needs 14 a day, it can’t not go in the water bottle. A sip isn’t going to hurt.

If the teacher definitely doesn't know, then yeah, it's not a big deal to mention it to them, so they can monitor that bottle more closely. I just don't understand why everyone has to clutch their pearls and post online and things that are literally nothing. This is not a big deal, at all

If you are absolutely 100 percent sure the teacher doesn’t know id maybe ask the mum why she didn’t disclose it and encourage her to. I’d avoid going behind her back.

We have seen no difference in the hygiene habits of our reception children, or of their ability to accidentally take someone else's water bottle, milk or food.

I don't think the children where we are were brought up to be overly concerned about germs or hygiene tbh. They're no different to any of the years we have had before them in that sense.

I was too generic in my original post. I should have stated my personal experience. The nursery my child attended focused a lot more on the topic of sharing water bottles post-covid. Great that your school hasn’t pushed the point in the same way, as in my experience our nursery and school has overstated the issue.

having been a teacher on the other end of a child having movicol in school without us knowing, I would very much want to know - especially when the intended effect takes place…..

It’s Movicol not speed FFS.

My son has similar medication in his water bottle. I’d piss myself laughing if anyone “grassed” on me. If someone sips it that’s not my problem. My son’s condition is.

I would quietly speak to the teacher if you’re absolutely certain that they aren’t already aware. I highly doubt school would allow said child’s water bottle to be amongst other children’s water bottles if it has a medication in it. 4/5 year olds are always getting their water bottles mixed up. This should be something that is discussed with school.

Maybe the school knows? I had to do drink it while at school and the appropriate teachers knew.

that's fine until the child who drinks has IBSD

The OP says that the child's mum has said that she has not told the school

I’m an early years teacher and yes I’d want to know, but from the mum.

You think a sip of Movicol is gonna give someone IBS 😂 also it’s not my problem.

One of my dc has it In their water at school.

If someone else drinks it it's not going to harm.
I briefly mentioned it to a teacher they just nodded.
If my dc doesn't have it. They can't go to the toilet.

Other children have complications with diarrhea, how would you feel if your son accidentally drank from a bottle which had medication in it to harden stools?
It's not uncommon for water bottles to get mixed up in primary school, even if you check that it's the only bottle of its type you don't know when a parent will replace a bottle and then have 2 the same in class.

Plus 4/5 year old are more than capable of not drinking someone else's bottle

What about if your son drank from someone else’s bottle that had a medication in that caused him harm? If he sipped it it’s his problem (according to you) but it’s the teacher who has the duty of care. Doesn’t the other parent owe it to you, your son and the teacher to keep him safe?

Call me old school but he shouldn’t be drinking from other people’s bottles, and people shouldn’t be drinking from his, so I don’t concern myself with this as it’s not my control or my problem. The same way I send a dairy based snack in despite some kids having dairy Intolerances. Not my job to police other kids and wether they may or may not eat my children’s food. If kids are swapping bottles that’s the kids/school’s problem, nothing to do with me (I’d find it odd that I would be expected to feel bad) and certainly not a reason to not give my son his prescribed medication.

no of course not but if they already have it, movicol can be a disaster. And yes if its YOU putting it in YOUR child's bottle it would be YOUR fault

It tastes bad, no child is chugging enough of it to make any difference to them, whatsoever. A small sip will make zero difference. Stop being so overly dramatic

but it certainly is a reason to tell the school what you are doing.

Yes exactly, I find it odd I need to be taking into account someone else’s kid doing something they shouldn’t. If my kid was ill from drinking from someone else’s bottle I’d say “Well that’s a lesson learnt isn’t it, this is why you don’t” rather than getting outraged over what a parent did. This is the problem with modern parenting - your kid fucks up you go blame someone else

If 2 bottles are similar or the same they can easily get mixed up.
School can't police that medication is being given without knowledge if you don't tell them, that's your responsibility.
It would take a couple of minutes to explain and fill out a medication form, it's pure laziness not to.

If this really bothers you, talk to the mum and explain how you feel first. Maybe it's not something she's thought about.