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Preschool education

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Original poster

School not telling me about sons eye

30 replies

13jan · 03/03/2019 07:48

Hi,
My child started at a new school recently and came home with a sore eye and that he’d seen the school nurse who put water on his eye. I was surprised they didn’t tell me. The next day my child’s head was hurting and was in pain holding his eye. I had to phone the school before I took my child into see our doc to make sure it was just water she put on his eye. I spoke to the school secretary who spoke to the nurse ( confirmed it was water) I then asked that in future can they pls inform me when something like this happens to which the secretary said “ we don’t do that here unless we deem it important “I was pretty upset as we’d just come from a private school but felt it was a bit of a dig. As it turned out we ended up in hospital and have to go back on Monday. My child’s on antibiotics now and we still not sure of what is wrong. I’m not sure if I should complain or just be quite about how the secretary handled the situation? Surly the school should inform parents if it’s to do with their child’s eyes?

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Myfoolishboatisleaning · 03/03/2019 07:53

Sounds a bit like nothing happened, so what could they tell you? He said he had a sore eye. You waited until the next day to seek medical attention, so not really sure what they should have done differently.

Arowana · 03/03/2019 07:57

OP, I'm sorry to hear that your son is not well.

Do you mean they should have phoned you at work and asked you to come and pick up your son early? Because from your description I can understand that maybe it didn't seem serious enough for that. Or do you just mean they should have informed you when you came to collect him at home time? I can't see how that would have made any difference to the situation as he told you anyway?

DontMakeMeShushYou · 03/03/2019 07:57

So what happened to your son's eye that meant he needed water on it? Presumably it was either a cold compress, or he got something in it which needed flushing with water?

Jaxtellerswife · 03/03/2019 08:17

They absolutely should have told you. Anything requiring treatment even just sterile water should be recorded and signed for by the staff member and parent

Original poster

13jan · 03/03/2019 08:29

I think they should have informed me when I came to collect him. If it was a grazed knee I wouldn’t expect anyone to say anything but it was his eye and he had a sore head too. I had to call them to ask before I headed to the doctors so I could tell him what was put in his eye. Just frustrating as it was serious and I wouldn’t take a chance with peoples / kids eyes.

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Original poster

13jan · 03/03/2019 08:30

I don’t think he got anything in it as he had a terrible headache with it which cane in the next day.

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Myfoolishboatisleaning · 03/03/2019 08:31

Why did you leave it so lying to seek medical help? If he was complaining of a sore eye and head. Why did you take that chance?

Original poster

13jan · 03/03/2019 08:33

So I thought they should have told me but they said basically because they’re a state school they didn’t have too? So is it different from private school where they send you home with a note?

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Soontobe60 · 03/03/2019 08:33

Sounds like either he has conjunctivitis or got grit in his eye that has scratched it.
We would only mention this at home time in my school, but if it happened at lunch, the person treating him may well have forgotten to inform the teacher. Did you notice his eye was sore, or did he tell you it was?

10IAR · 03/03/2019 08:36

He told you it was sore and you didn't act immediately, I'm not really sure why your ire is aimed at the school?

Myfoolishboatisleaning · 03/03/2019 08:38

Did they really say that though?

Soontobe60 · 03/03/2019 08:39

Oh and state schools don't have their own nurses! We have first aiders, who are members of staff who have also done first aid qualifications. We only send a slip home for a bumped head. If it's a big bump we inform parents immediately so they can decide whether or not to come and pick up their child. Having reread your post I see you only went to the gp the following day, so you mustn't have seen anything untoward when you collected him. Also he mustn't have been complaining about a sore eye or headache that day.

LovingLola · 03/03/2019 08:42

How old is your son? Was he able to tell you what happened to his eye at school. ?

Original poster

13jan · 03/03/2019 08:42

He’s eye was started swelling up the next day before school and he wasn’t right. Then his head started hurting so I called the doctor and took him in to which we were sent to the hospital paediatric Dept. He seemed fine when I picked him up but my point is they should have informed me if it was to do with his eyes.

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Original poster

13jan · 03/03/2019 08:44

He’s 5 and a half.

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junebirthdaygirl · 03/03/2019 08:53

We would usually inform at pick up time if something happened during the day.
Usually would involve a plaster or a bump. Head injuries are reported straight away to parents.

But sometimes children say my eye is sore, we look, see nothing and just say go and splash some water on it. Then we would all forget about it and move on.
So l think you need to trust the teacher that they were not concerned at that stage so it didn't warrant a mention. Little things happen everyday that don't get mentioned.
So l don't think they did anything wrong. Its just unfortunate that it flared up much worse later.
In your private school you would have got a note but still probably would have done nothing as it didn't look serious.

Original poster

13jan · 03/03/2019 08:54

I’m not sure what he told the nurse at school. I have to go through the secretary to even talk to the teacher too. It’s not easy.

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Original poster

13jan · 03/03/2019 08:56

Yes we would have gotten a note. Thanks for not been angry with me for asking. I’m trying to find my feet and I don’t want to asks the mums at school as don’t want to seem like I’m gossiping.

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Gizlotsmum · 03/03/2019 09:04

Tricky. If it didn't swell and he didn't have a headache till the next morning they probably felt it was minor enough not to tell you. What have the Dr's said it is? Are you looking for an explanation how it happened? They should have a record of any treatment. Maybe ask to see that and explain why without accusing them of doing anything wrong. It will be different to a private school as there are more pupils

youarenotkiddingme · 03/03/2019 09:08

I'm a first aider.

Personally I report anything to do with eyes to parents. Even if it's just to say they complained and I rinsed. No sign of foreign object but keep an eye out. Or been rubbing it since but not complained.

Personally I would email school and ask them what their policy is with regards first aid for eyes and ask that in light of this incident they review their guidelines and inform parents even if it appears to be nothing.

ittooshallpass · 03/03/2019 09:15

At my DDs primary we get a note for every visit our child makes to First Aid. The note details what the problem was and what was done. If the visit involved a head injury there is also advice about how to monitor your child over the next 24 hours.

I don't think you are being unreasonable to want to know how your sons eye was treated at school, but you can't expect the teacher to talk to you during the usually very busy pick up time. It sounds like you need to find out what the school policy is for accidents/ illness, so you are ready for next time.

It doesn't matter that your DSs previous school was private; all schools do things differently so it's perfectly ok for you to ask how things are done at his new school.

Hope your son is on the mend

Original poster

13jan · 03/03/2019 09:16

Good advice Thank you. I guess I was thinking if the school nurse didn’t feel there was something wrong then he was ok but despite this any eye problems should be reported weather in state or private school.

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DNAshelicase · 03/03/2019 09:16

Maybe you should take him back to the private school where you seem to get a note every time he sneezes

ittooshallpass · 03/03/2019 09:22

As a working parent who rarely gets to do school pick up, I really appreciate the notes I receive from the school if DD has had to go to First Aid during the day.

If any of the minor injuries she received at school developed into anything, I'd at least have a head start.

Original poster

13jan · 03/03/2019 09:58

Yes I agree. Thanks for your advice

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