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Children's health

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Original poster

Period pain - school or not?

15 replies

SkipToMyLou · 02/02/2010 07:35

What the title says really, I'm a harsh and horrid 'go to school unless you're dying' kind of parent but DD has got period pain for the first time and I'm not sure whether to keep her off. She's had a couple of ibuprofen so she should feel less crampy in half an hour or so.

What do you think, what would you do?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Cyb · 02/02/2010 07:38

Send her, with more tablets to give to the schol office if she feels bad later. Don;t set a precedent for every month!

potatofactory · 02/02/2010 07:39

Send her. She'll feel better in a bit.

bellavita · 02/02/2010 07:40

I am of that ilk too (although I have boys not girls so don't have to deal with period pains) but DS1 nearly 13 was snuffly yesterday and he asked to be kept off of school and I said no - he is chirpy as can be today and although he has a runny nose he is fine and I will give him a couple of paracetamol before school and put a couple in his wallet should he need them.

However, I remember back to when I was around 14 and I suffered the most horrendous period pains and it felt like nothing on earth - the pain was so bad it made me feel nauseous.

How about you send her in with a some painkillers to take about lunchtime (will the school let you do that)?

largeginandtonic · 02/02/2010 07:40

Send her.

Otherwise like Cyb said she will expect a day off every month.

Original poster

SkipToMyLou · 02/02/2010 07:41

Ah, sounds like you're on my wavelength - I thought I was being nasty! Thanks all, that's what I'll do.

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LouIsOnAHighwayToHell · 02/02/2010 07:43

Like everyone said, it will set a precedent and she will turn into one of the girls at my school that get off swimming and sport every month because they have their period and apparantly can't exercise.

Bonsoir · 02/02/2010 07:53

It really depends on the intensity of the pain - it's a case by case judgement!

My sister definitely couldn't swim or do sport during her period - she could barely stand for 24 hours every month without fainting.

Original poster

SkipToMyLou · 02/02/2010 07:55

Oh no sport involved today, and she can walk - she can be a bit of a skiver (sorry DD!) so I tend to err on the 'send her in' side.

Thanks again, she's leaving for the bus now but I'm sure I'll get a call from the school office later...

OP posts:

Besom · 02/02/2010 08:04

I used to often have the most awful intense period pain when I was in my teens. I used to be in agony in the school sick room if I was at school and often sent home anyway. The first 12 hours or so of my labour were not as bad as this pain, because there was no relief from it at all.

So, I think you do have to take this on a case by case basis. But if it's that bad you will soon know about it because she won't be able to function.

Given it's her first, I would say send her and see how she goes. Feminax used to sometimes work for me. Normal painkillers were useless.

Original poster

SkipToMyLou · 02/02/2010 08:45

Thanks Besom, I know what you mean because I get bad pain for the first few hours, but if I hit it early with ibuprofen I can head it off. I'm hoping it's the same for her, hopefully I'm not wrong.

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LouIsOnAHighwayToHell · 02/02/2010 09:14

Should clarify that I too err on the send them in side. I do have some sympathy though for the true sufferers (I used to have two days off per month, plus pethedine injections just to get through it!)

Original poster

SkipToMyLou · 02/02/2010 15:20

aaargh DS just sent home from school throwing up, got a call from DD's school that she's ill too, nothing I can do it's a 30 minute drive so she'll have to come home on the bus.

Bad mummy, got it wrong .

OP posts:

fluffles · 02/02/2010 15:31

I think that there are a lot of girls who suffer very badly when young - i remember a girl at school turning grey and fainting with period pains.. made me very much more accepting of the mild cramping i got.

You may need to experiment with some of the period-pain specific medications available - i think they generally have muscle relaxants in them as well as painkillers..

fluffles · 02/02/2010 15:32

p.s should say, obviously being off every month is not sustainable and can't control when exams etc. are so best to sort out a medicatio that works sooner rather than later.

Missus84 · 02/02/2010 15:42

I used to get terrible period pain when I was 11-16ish - painkillers didn't touch it. Couldn't concentrate, felt faint, needed to move around, threw up. All hideously embarassing when you're at school too! I often had to go home ill - sometimes I'd be awake all night before the pain so I'd be too tired to go to school anyway.

It's got much better now, and I only get a couple of hours of cramps on the first day that can be treated with ibuprofen.

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