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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should a teacher override a doctor?

83 replies

LadyMuck · 22/09/2009 12:09

Ds1's hand got trodden on yesterday in the playground. After he did his homework his fingers had swollen noticeably so we went to the local minor injuries department who referred us to hospital this morning. His hand was xrayed and the fingers aren't broken, but the bruising is quite bad, and he was given ibuprufen last night and this morning. His 3rd and 4th fingers of his writing hand are strapped together and the dr advised him not to write or use the fingers until Friday, keep them elevated and use icepacks as necessary.

Dropped him off at school and spoke to his class teacher, looking to see what we could do about writing as I don't want him to have 4 days of work to catch up on next week. She said that actually the class would be having "standardised tests" for the next 2 days and ds1 had to write, and there should be no problem as it was multiple choice. She did say that had the finger been broken then of course the situation would be different.

Now if we were talking about a matter of life and death then I suspect that ds1 could do the tests - he might get uncomfortable but it would be possible. Nevertheless that isn't the medical advice that we have been given and I'm at the teacher's response.

WWYD?

OP posts:
hanaflowerhatestheDM · 22/09/2009 12:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

muddleduck · 22/09/2009 12:11

Just reiterate that the doctor has told him not to write.

Can he do multiple choice with his left hand?

Mybox · 22/09/2009 12:12

Could you keep him off school?

Original poster
LadyMuck · 22/09/2009 12:12

I assume that it would slow him down and that time is of the essence in this sort of thing?

OP posts:
kreecherlivesupstairs · 22/09/2009 12:14

Either scribe or left handed writing. I doubt that for multiple choice there is anything else to do other than circle or underline the correct answer.

Sassybeast · 22/09/2009 12:14

YANBU. Perhaps she didn't get into medical school ? Hope he's ok and all heals quickly.

bigstripeytiger · 22/09/2009 12:15

I would reiterate that he had been medically advised not to write. IMO She is being a bit irresponsible if she goes against the advice that you have been given.

nickytwotimes · 22/09/2009 12:16

Yanbu.
Teacher is being an arse.

missingtheaction · 22/09/2009 12:16

I'm with the teacher. We're talking about a bit of bruising here, not structural damage. Surely he can grip a pencil somehow and put some x in the boxes. I think you are being a tiny bit PFB.

JodieO · 22/09/2009 12:18

I would tell the teacher that he wouldn't be writing and that if she went against the doctors wishes I would be taking it up with the headteach and whoever else necessary. I'd make it very, very clear.

LadyPinkofPinkerton · 22/09/2009 12:18

Think nickytwotimes put it perfectly

JodieO · 22/09/2009 12:19

Missingtheaction- the DOCTOR said not to use it, to elevate it and use icepacks as necessary. As far as I'm concerned that does actually mean, don't use it; not interpret as you see fit. It's nothing to with PFB either, I have 3 children and feel the same. Like someone else said, if it's that important they can get someone else to write for him.

bigstripeytiger · 22/09/2009 12:19

missingtheaction

Are you a doctor who has examined the OPs son? How can you possibly know that the advice given to her by the doctor was incorrect?

hatwoman · 22/09/2009 12:23

you know what? I think this is an example of bad people skills more than anything else. had the teacher said "oh dear, we're doing tests today. they're multiple choice - do you think he'd be able to do them?" then, in your shoes, I'd say - well as long as they don't need to be tidy - maybe he could do them left-handed with a big felt tip etc.

but the way she put it "he has to do them. he will be ok" would have got my back up too.

which isn't much help - having got my back up I'm not sure what I would have done. but I do think the teacher handled it badly.

Original poster
LadyMuck · 22/09/2009 12:30

I guess that the issue is that I'm not there, so I won't know if it is too uncomfortable or not. And as the tests will be done in silence etc I doubt he will say anything regardless of how uncomfortable it is.

I feel bad enough in that I insisted that he did all of his homework last night. As he was slow I even stood over him with a stopwatch - he is often slow and I hadn't realised about his hand - he had complained but I had 3 other children fighting for my attention. It was only after he had completed it that I realised how swollen his fingers were. There is a circle of hell reserved for mothers such as I, and I suspect that it will resemble an A&E waiting room.

I'm tempted to see how he is tonight and make a judgement call tomorrow. But I'm ringing the teacher to see if he is doing tests this afternoon, in which case I think that I will pull him out....

Don't think that it is pfbishness really. Ds1 has only seen a doctor 4 times in 5 years, and 2 of the other times were a broken arm and a concussion which required a hospital stay.

OP posts:
brettgirl2 · 22/09/2009 12:32

Can't he just do the multiple choice with his other hand?

Bucharest · 22/09/2009 12:35

Of course it's not pfbishness, you are following medical advice...what would the teacher do, if, (worst case and very unlikely scenario but still...) your son used his hand today on her insistence and did irreperable damage?

I was severely bollocked by the casualty bods over the summer for waiting until the following morning to take a French student to hospital for an Xray when she fell at the ice rink....(disclaimer: I hadn't been in charge at the ice-rink, it was another teacher who decided it could wait) and the doctor was very "so, this person who decided it could wait, what med school did they go to?"

It probably is just lack of people skills on the part of the teacher, but she still needs to know that her responsibilities to her fecking tests come a big second to your son's health.

Colonelcupcake · 22/09/2009 12:40

If it a simple multiple choice where he just has to mark the correct answer, I would allow him to do it.

The third and fourth fingers don't have to be used (is the index finger and thumb fine?), just a pincer grip on a pen and just mark the answers with a dot should suffice providing he can be accurate

Original poster
LadyMuck · 22/09/2009 12:40

Logistically, yes he could do it with the left hand. But that isn't what this teacher has requested. She has told him, in front of me, that he must try his best with his right hand. Scribing, using left hand or postponing the test not in the discussion.

OP posts:
Colonelcupcake · 22/09/2009 12:41

I forgot to add providing it causes no pain and the injury is not stressed

Colonelcupcake · 22/09/2009 12:42

In which case if the teacher is being ridiculos like that I would pull him out as you could not trust that the teacher wouldn't insist on other tasks that may injure him further

WhereYouLeftIt · 22/09/2009 12:46

missingtheaction -"We're talking about a bit of bruising here, not structural damage". Sorry, but bruising is indicative of 'structural damage' - internal tissues have torn and bled. Those tissues will be inflamed(the body's healing process), hence the swelling and the doctor's advice to elevate and use ice. Fine movements of the fingers will increase the inflammation and make healing take longer. Why should the OP's son be in pain for longer than he has to be, just because the teacher doesn't listen?

Original poster
LadyMuck · 22/09/2009 12:48

BTW I have to confess that I am deducing that these are multiple choice, because if they're not then I don't think that he can do them. She didn't give me too many details.

OP posts:
Sassybeast · 22/09/2009 12:49

Missingthe action - you get rejected for med school too ? Am amazed at your accurate cyber assessment of the injury. You could make a fortune. I've got a painful shoulder - can you tell me what's causing it ? Save me going to the doctor like ?

Scotia · 22/09/2009 12:51

If it's so bad that he can't put a cross next to a box I wouldn't have sent him to school today.

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