I feel like I should complain...

[Bomper]

Dd1 has mild asthma and has an inhaler at school. Today she told me that she need her inhaler whilst she was in class. Her teacher was on a course so she had a supply teacher. She said she put her hand up and asked if she could go to the office (where the inhalers are kept) and was told no, so she put her hand up again to explain why and was told off!!! Now, luckily, she was ok, but what if it had spiralled into a full blown attack? Should I phone the school?

[JustDoMyLippyThenWeWillGo]

Yes, you should, that is really not what should happen in school. Could have been dangerous, perfectly reasonable to ring them.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Yes complain. It is not hysterical to say that a teacher acting like that could have put her life at risk.

I have asthma which was diagnosed when I was 3, so I had the whole inhalers at school thing. While it was annoying at times, I never remember the teachers being anything other than 100% clued up about me needing them.

[hocuspontas]

Also tell your daughter to say 'I need my inhaler' straight away to get the message across. Must have been quite frightening for her I would imagine.

[Bomper]

Thanks for your replies, will phone school tomorrow. Yes, don't know why she didn't say she needed her inhaler straight away, but she should have had a chance to explain herself!!

[DreamTeamGirl]

Hmmm, very hard, as if they let someone say

'can I go to the office?'
No
hand up again
'Can i go to the toilet?'
No
Hand up again
'Can I go...' etc it would be pretty disruptive, pretty quickly


She did really only have to say ' Please Miss A, can I go to the office for my inhaler?'
Or on second hand up 'but I need my inhaler Miss A'

[camaleon]

Obviously DreamteamGirl it is the child's fault disrupting the class. How would a teacher cope with 30 kids raising their hands to go to the office? I am sure this happens all the time and therefore it is very normal that a teacher disregards a child. The presumption is that the child is naughty and wants to spoil the 'learning experience' of her peers.

According to you, does a child absolutely needs to articulate in PUBLIC the request or is it possible -without disrupting the normal functioning of the class, of course- to stand up and whisper to the teachers' ears. Although you may not believe in any child's right to privacy .

[scurryfunge]

I would put an inhaler in her pocket if the teacher does not allow her to use the one kept in the office.

[myredcardigan]

Most schools give supply teachers a note of such important medical info in the morning when they arrive.

[Feenie]

Yep, complain - this shouldn't happen.

[LadyBlaBlah]

It is very important you claim

There was a boy who died recently in a school not far from here because the teacher ignored the child and left them to sit out in the corridor

[Goblinchild]

In our school, every class has a medical box with the small First Aid kit, incident book and where inhalers are kept.
Office only keeps epipens and prescription medicines.
Teacher should have left medical info for supply.
Yes, it would have been nice if the child had said 'I need my inhaler, can I go to the office' but it is not her responsibility.
Asthma should always be taken seriously, mild or not.

[RoadArt]

I think if my child had to go to the office when she needed her inhaler she wouldnt manage to get there. If a child genuinely needs the inhaler then she/he needs it there and then. If she/he is fit enough to walk to the office (depends on the size and layout of the school) then it wasnt necessary to use the inhaler.

This needs to be addressed with the school

[RoadArt]

But do children think about it and take a puff as a prevention, or do they wait until its serious?

Sorry but I was also thinking about the layout of our school, some of the classes are a long way from the office!