Should a teacher override a doctor?

[LadyMuck]

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?

[LadyMuck]

So Katiestar, given that the dr, teacher and school office indicated that he should be at school, and none of them has suggested that he shouldn't be, how do you reach that conclusion? Merely by the mention of icepacks (which are treatment for any bruise)?

[LadyMuck]

MissM, no I haven't taken it to the head yet. We are barely 3 weeks into the school year and I would only do that as a last resort. We have got to deal with this teacher (in her late 40s/50s) for another 9 months.

If, on the other hand, I find that she has caused ds1 any unnecessary discomfort or pain, let alone injury, then dh will be unleashed!

[Mmmmcoffee]

OK, there's a clear point here. The Doctor said, categorically, not to write or use the hand, and to keep it elevated. End of story. Tell the teacher you'll take it up with Health & Safety if she forces him to write. The school is required to provide a scribe if a child cannot write. It doesn't matter if the fingers are bruised or broken, the doctor's advice is clear.

[carriedababi]

i would give that teacher a piece of my mind

what a pratt

[katiestar]

LadyMuck If the doctor had told me his hand should be elevated and iced,it would be elevated and iced.As that couldn't happen at school he would have to be at home.

[LadyMuck]

Katie - read the posts fgs, he didn't say that it had to be elevated and iced. He said that if it became worse then it had to be elevated (which means put in a foam readymade sling ie not involving the school)and use an icepack if necessary. If it became that bad then I would take ds1 home, but why would I let him miss 4 days of school unnecessarily? Now there may be an issue that even though I have passed on this message to school office and teacher, they choose to ignore it and not let ds1 have access to phone me or use his sling - but in that instance surely it would be they in the wrong, and not me or the dr?

Think that you're trying to defend your earlier misunderstanding. The dr clearly expected him to be at school, as did his teacher.

[Hulababy]

Didn't I read that the doctpr said he was okay to be in school? If so, then of course he should be there, with his sling, and with your cntact number should he get worse.

Missing a number of days school would be unnecessary IMO. He can still be learning whilst he is at school, even if not writing.

And he doesn't need to write to participate and engage int he lesson. The teacher can see to that.

The teacher, however, should definitely not be going against medical advise. I am still shocked she made him write after being told he must not. I think that warrants a complaint TBH.

I have had children in my class - both as a Y1 TA and as a secondary school teacher - come to school with broken arms, and damaged fingers. As a teacher you work round it and provide alternative ways of engagment for the child. If there was lots of writing to be part of the lesson I made sure the child got a photocopy of the work for his/her books after too.

[katiestar]

If the school have encouraged him to be there then I concede they should not have made him write,but encouraged him to lose his left hand