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Original poster

Very upset, lack of care.

31 replies

misdee · 03/05/2006 15:49

dd1 is in year 1 of primary. she suffers with asthma, eczema and hayfever. this morning she was a bit snuffly, so i thought it was hayfever which generally starts around now and gave her a dose of clarityn. dd1 asked me to tell her teacher if she felt worse to call me. i told dd1 that i didnt need to do that, that the school have my mobile and home numbers and they will call me if she feels unwell. I have just been to collect her. she was coughing really badly, wheezing and her nose and eyes are streaming. I have given her her inhalors and bathed her eyes. but i am fuming that the school didnt call me. she is obviously in discomfort. dd1 says she asked for some 'help' but was told to drink some water.

what doi do? i am not happy.

OP posts:
anorak · 03/05/2006 16:09

I guess the best thing to do is to tell them exactly what you expect to happen if she ever feels this bad again, and write a letter to confirm it all. Then they should be in no doubt about calling you if DD ever gets that bad again.

suedenley · 03/05/2006 16:43

I'm probably the wrong person to advice as im anti the school system anyway but the school have a duty of care to your child, that wasnt fufilled today...what if she had had an asthma attack.
I'd complain to the head and make sure they know exactly what you expect to happen next time something like this happens. Good luck

Original poster
misdee · 03/05/2006 19:04

just got back from emergency surgery. dd1 went downhill, and needed a nebuliser and steroids. i am fuming at the school Angry

OP posts:
Whizzz · 03/05/2006 19:12

Definately write down you wishes so that in future it is crystal clear. I would also go in & discuss face to face with head / her teacher - are all members staff aware of her conditions & actions to be taken?.

Is she OK now ?

Original poster
misdee · 03/05/2006 19:15

a lot better now, still not 100%. she hasnt had a neb or steroid tablets for almost 4years. i am keeping her off tomorrow as she is now exhausted. will write a letter as well as call.

OP posts:
Original poster
misdee · 03/05/2006 19:15

i am more angry that she was refused her inhaler.

OP posts:
AllieBongo · 03/05/2006 19:17

poor lambkin. I'd be bloody furious. I would go in and put it in writing too. Hope she feels better bless her

cheltenhamgal · 03/05/2006 19:19

I agree with the others put your wishes in writing, they are quick enough to call if they think there is a bug going round and a child has been sick. this is far more serious

drosophila · 03/05/2006 19:25

It's so important to nip it in the bud and they didn't realiseAngry. How about the school nurse. Ask her/him to give a talk to the teacher about asthma. Thy did for my son who carries an epipen and is asthmatic.

Whizzz · 03/05/2006 19:35

Was she actually refused her inhaler or was it that someone mis-interpretted her symptoms ?

(can you tell I did about supporting medical conditions in my TA course today Smile)

Original poster
misdee · 03/05/2006 19:37

she say she asked for her inhalors several times. dd1 is a cough-y asthmatic, with only a slight wheeze being heard.

it was so upsetting holding the neb mask over her face whilst she was struggling to breathe, but such a relief when i felt her relax.

OP posts:
Whizzz · 03/05/2006 19:38

Poor thing Sad

pooka · 03/05/2006 19:42

It's appalling that the inhaler was withheld. Angry.
Asthma can be so serious and obviously upsetting and stressful for your dd. Definitely write to the school as well as ring.

MrsSchadenfreude · 03/05/2006 20:02

Poor you, and poor her. My DD is also asthmatic. In Kindy, Reception and Year 1 she was allowed to keep her inhaler with her and teacher gave it to her when she needed it. About a year ago, the school nurse deemed that she should keep it and DD would have to go to her if she was wheezy. Which is fine if she is in her classroom, but if she is on the sports field it's about 10 minutes walk to the nurse.

How old is your DD? Mine now keeps her inhaler in her sports bag and carries it with her esp when she has gym/sports. Agree that the school have failed her.

Original poster
misdee · 03/05/2006 20:04

she is 6years old.

OP posts:
Yorkiegirl · 03/05/2006 20:08

there is no way she should have been refused her inhaler.
Ask to see the school's asthma policy, they should have at least a draft one. We are working on ours atm and part of that is ensuring all asthmatic children have full access to their inhalers.

foundintranslation · 03/05/2006 20:28

They refused her inhaler? Angry Surely the asthmatic him/herself, child or no child, knows best when s/he needs it. Good grief. Unbelievable. Very Angry on your and dd's behalf.

swedishmum · 03/05/2006 23:10

As an asthmatic, a teacher and a parentI'm disgusted. Thank goodness your dd is OK now - do they have no brain at the school? Tbh, I'd be tempted to take her out until I had it in writing that she would get her inhaler as needed. You need to know she's safe.

quanglewangle · 03/05/2006 23:20

I used to let ds1 carry his inhaler secretly in his pocket, though it was against the school rules. The school was supposed to keep it for him but I didn't trust them and an asthma attack is best nipped in the bud. It takes time to get it from a teacher even if they are cooperative.

Original poster
misdee · 03/05/2006 23:20

she isnt ok. I am expecting to make a trip down to a+e in the middle of the night or early morning as she is still coughing. she just woke up needing her inhaler again. her last bad set of attacks was also a shambles treatment wise. she was only 2 then, and we spent the day at childrens a+e, sent home with inhalers, but she got worse, so ended back there in the evening, where she had 3 nebulisers through the night IIRC.

OP posts:
kipper22 · 04/05/2006 09:14

just found this thread - how terrible! how is youe dd feeling today misdee?

Whizzz · 04/05/2006 09:44

How is she today Misdee ??

coppertop · 04/05/2006 10:04

Ds1 is in Yr1 and is allowed to keep his inhaler with him. The staff also ask him if he needs it if they think he sounds wheezey or he's coughing a lot. I'm Shock that your dd would be refused her inhaler!

Poor dd1. :(

joelalie · 04/05/2006 12:47

I still don't understand why a child can't keep and administer their own inhaler? It's not such a dangerous drug is it? I'm an athsmatic and have been since 3 or 4 yrs old. I got a form of inhaler at the age of about 5 I suppose and could use it competently. I go NOWHERE without my blue inhaler inspite of the fact that I rarely need it - it really stresses me out if I don't have it with me. What is the rationale behind making the child ask anyone for it? And it's not exactly easy administering it to someone else either so why can't the child do it themselves.

Your poor DD - really frightening.

joelalie · 04/05/2006 12:49

BTW. I think that you should see the teacher and explain DD's condition and that it is VITAL that she has her inhaler as soon as she asks for it. Perhaps the teacher didn't realise how serious it would get. And I must admit I probably would have spoken to the teacher that morning just so as she would have been on the lookout for problems.

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