Broken arm, ds making a fuss over nothing

[rebl]

My ds broke his arm very badly at school yesterday (it was in an after school sports club). When I turned up to collect him (at the end of the club, I wasn't called) he was sat in the classroom on the teachers lap screaming and screaming. The teacher said she thought he was just making a fuss as he was able to wiggle his fingers (which he could do but barely and he couldn't grip). I took one look at him and immediatly knew his arm was broken, it looked like a banana . He certainly wasn't making a fuss. I went back to the hall to get his stuff and my dd and the guy running the club asked if ds was ok. I told him I was taking him to A&E and he said I was making a fuss and he was a first aider and that there was nothing wrong with my ds. My ds was screaming that blood curdling scream they do when they're in agony and his arm looked like a banana.

I'm rather concerned that the person who was the first aider didn't recognise an obvious broken arm and that him and the teacher just thought ds was making a fuss (hence why they didn't call me). Thankfully it was only 15mins from the accident to me picking up anyway but what if it had been longer? Should I say something to the school about the 1st aider or am I expecting too much from them? This sports club I think is a seperate enterprise that comes into the school, it certainly wasn't a staff member running it. I don't know if I'm being a bit pfb?

Your poor ds - that sounds awful. Hope he's not in too much pain now?
Whilst I understand that you can't expect every adult involved with your child to be a medical expert, I think they should err on the side of caution. A child appearing to be in that much pain, whether they believe it or not, should be properly checked out. Better to send a child to hospital who is OK, than to leave one with a broken arm! They should have called you as soon as possible, regardless. I would definitely let school know what has happened and ask them to ensure the sports club has a proper policy in the case of accident or injury.

Poor boy, how is he today?

Whether or not it was reasonable for the coach and teacher to miss the broken arm, they were wrong to assume he was fussing as he was clearly in a bad state. They might not have phoned you in this instance because you'd have been on your way, but I'd be concerned about if it had been a longer time. I'd want to know if my child was in that bad a state even if the 'first aider' (surely someone properly trained would have followed the procedure for a suspected broken arm in this case) wasn't convinced there was anything broken.

I'm not always too sure about these external coaches - my DD was once prevented from going to fetch her inhaler when she started to wheeze during a warm-up run and the coach refused to let her go until everybody had finished the run and she was in tears of humiliation and anxiety (though thankfully still breathing). He'd decided she was skiving (he'd taught them for a term and had failed to notice that she is a complete sports loon - never wants to stop). This was during school time and a TA should have been present. But it wasn't his call to make anyway - even if she'd been a known malingerer, he should have been more careful and your son shouldn't have been assumed to be a fusser. They must always err on the side of caution in a potential emergency.

I'd express your concern about the external coach to the head, and say that you believe that the break was obvious, and the situation was not well handled.

I've been a bit unfair there - both my children have been taught by several outside coaches in and out of school, and most have been highly professional - but the school needs to be sure that they are properly trained and that children will be kept safe.

Good god, you need to make sure everybody knows that these people can't recognise a serious injury, particularly if they're running a sports club. Utterly unacceptable.

I am

I'd go straight to the head. I think that is utterly appalling.

omw, your poor ds.

i would give them a right rollicking!

its not their point of call to decide if your ds is making a fuss over nothing, if a child is in that much distress then you call the parents regardless.

i have the opposite problem with one of my dd's in which she doesnt feel pain the same as other kids, and consequencely once spent the whole day in 2 adjoining nursery settings with a dislocated thumb joint without anyone noticeing. she also has walked home with a badly sprained ankle, only telling me when we got home that her ankle looked strange and it was incrediably swollen.

Totally unacceptable. Any child who is seriously distressed ought to have their parent contacted, regardless of whether those in charge feel there is a "reason" for it.

I have serious reservations about any first aider who thinks that being able to move fingers precludes a broken arm and to actually say that you the parent are causing a fuss is appalling.

I would be making a formal complaint to both the school and the outside club.

I hope your son is recovering

I see several problems with what happened.

The 'first aider' should have stayed with your son if he was injured and in pain, he is unable to make comment on your sons condition from another room

They may not have been able to diagnose a broken arm, but being in sever pain for 15 minutes indicates an injury that needs medical attention.

I assume that ds asked for you? If they didnt call you when he was hurt and had specifically asked I would be very angry.

I think you should contact the school and explain the situation as well so they are aware

omg how utterly appalling treatment, not only of your ds but of you too.

Hope he is feeling a little better today and you must complain loudly to everyon, including the people on the scene then the head then the LA the highest people you can.

BTW. my husband once had a broken arm for a month before anyone realised, it was sore but not that bad. He even carried suitcases across Paris using it.

So yes do complain loudly, and maybe suggest they all need some re-training.

I don't like to complain to school in general but I would definitely be complaining to the head about this. I'd be utterly furious.

I'd be utterly furious if this happened to my ds.
Make a massive fuss! They have behaved horrifically. From not calling you, to not getting your ds any medical help and then saying he was making a fuss over nothing in front of him!!!
Terrible!

The HT has called me before I've even called the school (I sent a note in with my dd saying that ds wouldn't be in and why) and she had started filling in forms and reporting it to county and discovered that the outside provider hadn't done an accident form. At this point county have launched an investigation into what happened and why nothing was done and why the guy thought there was nothing wrong. So its all being dealt with without me even complaining. The HT was quite upset that my ds was so badly hurt and it wasn't properly dealt with. She has assured me that when ds is ready to get back to school they'll do everything to help and support him in the things he won't be able to do.

What a good HT, lets hope it's sorted to your ds satisfaction too, love him

I wouldn't know where to start.

If any adult on the planet told me as a parent I was making a fuss, 'm afraid my inner lioness would tear their head off. Even if it were regardng a scraped knee.

You have so many things you need to take further here, I hardly know where to begin. Well I do, begin with asking for a look at their [schools] policy for management of sick/injured chldren.
You then need to call them to account on their atttude to ds, which was uncaring and irresponsible as it didn't recognise his pain. Pan is a warning of a problem, and therefore they put him at risk by not responding. By not listening.

And then you can address their treatment of you.

This has many layers, none of them good. It's very sad. IMO you certainly need to turn off your worry-about-making-a-fuss switch, and turn on your 'action mummy' switch. You are not being pfb, and I'd say you need to take this a good bit further. I wouldn't be happy with the head saying they will have a word etc etc. I'd want evidence.

Others might think I'm ott, but I guess I am pretty hot on this stuff as I have come to the conclusion if you assume the best of institutions, you will get bitten.
I hope he is ok, and I'm sorry you have such a horrible stress as this.

Ha cross posts! Sounds good, be sure and have your say though. Be certain to report the staff telling you and ds you were making a fuss. That is flippant, dangerous and frankly rude.

Your poor DS!

2 doctors told me my leg was broken (when it was).

Its quite difficult to tell without an xray and they really should have double checked espeically if your son was in pain.

I agree with others - that is totally unacceptable, I would be livid. Go straight to the head. Hope your son recovers well

rebl - good to hear the head's doing her job. I bet things will be much better in future.

Go to the head and tell him your worries. Even if the chap didn't pick up that it was broken,he should have been able to tell that your son was seriously hurt. It might be worth asking for the coaches details and writing a letter. They need training and to make an appology.

Just read about your HT - fab news.

Whilst the head is certainly now doing their job, were they actually doing their job before the accident?
Had they actually considered who was running this club and made sure that they were suitable? Had they checked CRBs etc? What was the status of this teacher who had your son on their lap - in its own right not a clever action as it could be misinterpreted? Were they helping the club or just a bystander?
I think you need to be asking the head to furnish full details of what had been going on in this club and whether it was being run correctly.

My 11yo DSD fell over in the rush to get out of the form room last year. Form tutor thought she was being silly and left her on her own, eventually managed to get up and go home. She had broken her elbow and the teacher just left her FFS!

Hope DS is ok.

Terrible...what if it had been is blinking NECK!? The fools!