School not giving daughter her inhaler

[mommytoboo86]

Hi I'm new but need some advice. My daughter was diagnosed with asthma earlier this year. She also has Global developmental Delay and a physical disability.
Her only symptom reg the asthma is asthmatic cough.
Her asthma was controlled with the brown preventer up until about 6 weeks ago when she got her fist cold of the season at which point she's been needing her blue inhaler.
Anyway, last friday she came home from school and I could tell she was coming down with something. she was ok on the Saturday but Sunday morning I noticed her coughing fits were getting more prolonged so I started with her inhaler. when I took her to school Monday, I told her teacher that she had needed her inhaler the day before and that morning and was assured that they would keep an eye on her.
When I picked her up they told me she had been fine no problems. However, on the 5 minute walk home my daughter started a coughing fit and couldn't stop. We stopped and used her inhaler but ended up with 7 puffs (10 and she requires medical attention)
I managed to get her home and rang the school to find out whether she had been unwell there and why the teacher had told me she was fine when she quite clearly wasn't (a big attack like this wouldn't come out of the blue)
They tried to tell me she had coughed a few times but was fine and the teacher didn't feel she needed her inhaler as she hadn't had an asthma attack.
By Tuesday morning she was coughing to the point of vomiting, has had the dosage of her preventer upped and has been off school since. I've had the attendance officer phone me today to ask why my daughter isn't in school when she just has a minor cold and i did say she would be back 2moz as she was better But now I'm scared to send her back to school as when i asked my daughter why she didn't ask for her medicine she told me she did but the teacher said no she didn't need it!! She is still struggling massively at night and although she hasn't needed her inhaler during the day yesterday or today I'm extremely worried that with her outside in the cold air she may well need it at school.
Am I getting annoyed at nothing? the school seem to think I am being a drama queen and questioned whether she still needed an inhaler at all.
Does any1 know what my rights are here? Can I demand that she is given her inhaler whether they think she needs it or not?
Would u send it child back? I'm seriously tempted to keep her home but she wants to go back to the point I had a battle on my hands this morning when I said she couldn't go.
x

The school should have medical forms that you need to sign/update

Otherwise they can't give her anything - did you do this?

Also the form should detail the exact signs of needing medication unless there are times i.e. 12pm 4 puffs

Is the school clear when they should give it? Is it when she asks? When they notice symptoms?
How old is she?

Most people don’t recognise coughing as an asthma symptom, and wouldn’t think to give an inhaler. If she’s as bad as you say and needing her preventer ever day you need to go to GP same day or walk in to get perisdone steroid tablets or she may get worse.

To be fair an asthma attack can and does come out of the blue.

You need to provide School with clear instructions as to at what point the inhaler needs giving. What instructions have you been given for when to start ventolin?

Hi thanks for replies,
I did fill in a form when she started in September and put on there when she needs it and how many puffs before medical intervention is needed. I also spoke with the school nurse and teacher when they came out to do a home visit before she started.
she's 4.5, so in reception but she knows when she needs it and will ask for it.
With my daughter she's never had such a bad one without a build up even when she was really ill earlier this year.
I did take her to the doctor Tuesday who upped her dosage of preventer (clenil) and said to go back Monday if she doesn't improve.
I have sent her today as she had a better night and have said to the teacher that she needs her inhaler and will ask for her 'medicine.' Apparently, daughter had asked the ta for her inhaler and there was some confusion but assured me that they would make sure she got it if she needed it. I reiterated that asthmatic cough is her only symptom at present.
It's also policy for them to ring me if shes needed it even if she doesn't need to come home.
still not 100% happy but not sure what else I can do.
x

oh also the instructions I've been given are now 2 puffs morning and 2 puffs at night of the preventer and then up to 10 puffs of the ventolin.
she did have a weeks course of steroids last February as she was really struggling after 4 months of being fobbed of told it was a viral infection and would get better on its own. Then when she was prescribed the preventer her attacks went from daily to only when she had another illness like a cold. She has a review with the asthma nurse in 3 weeks any way so will be talking to her about whether she needs to have steroids as matter of course when she gets a bad cold like this.
x

An asthma attack can come out of the blue unfortunately. I've seen it a few times, especially (in the times I've seen) when they've been inside and come out into cold air.