Does your DC's school administer medicine?

[LondonBus]

I presumed all schools administered prescribed medicines, but apparently my DC's school doesn't.

It's not a problem for me, as I'm able to pop in a lunchtime to give antibiotics.

I was just wondering if this was normal.

[yessirnosir]

ariane you need to go to the CWD (children with diabetes) website and get on their support list. They'll give you all the info on diabetes in schools you'll ever need. And lots of other help too!

[hungryallthetime]

Ariane 5 - if you are on Facebook ask to join T1-rights at school. There's lots of useful info and advice about care of children with diabetes at school. Please don't put up with your consultant saying you may have to go in to do your child's injections!

[ariane5]

Got some good advice on cwd a while ago regarding statements for diabetes and went armed with the info to potential school and la and both dismissed me completely!

Dsn then said "no diabetic child I've ever known has needed a helper" and told me how tests and treatment for hypos would not be llowed in the classroom and that dd2 would never be allowed hot lunches as nobody would want the responsibility of carb counting and calculating insulin dose so she would have to have a packed lunch and I'd have to just either write down the dose to match it and if nobody would do the injection I'd have to go in.

Since then I've hit a brick wall. Dd will have a sibling link so 99% sure she will go to that school but they won't discuss what needs to be put in place for her untill a place is allocated.I was under the impression statement/funding took ages to sort out.

Really confused!

[lborolass]

I haven't had to ask them but I think the school will administer both prescription and other medicines. It's only happened fairly recently as in the past I have had to go at lunchtime to give antibiotics.

[QueenofLouisiana]

Inhalers/ epi-pens/ prescribed antihistamine etc - yes. Most other meds- no. DS's school (5minutes walk from where I teach) allow premeasured does of antibiotics if you drop them into the office or creams if the children can apply it on their own. I pre-measure the medicine into an oral syringe.

[Galena]

Ariane, does dd go to preschool? If so, you can request a statutory assessment for statementing before she goes to school.

However, the 4 children at my old school with diabetes didn't have assigned helpers, just one assigned TA (whose son was one of the 4) who would supervise blood sugar checks, insulin injections and would come if called if a child felt unwell. They didn't need constant supervision, so wouldn't have got a statement.

[TheEarlOf]

ariane I used to be a TA and had a diabetic boy in my class. He was the only child who didn't have hot meals at lunchtime due to the carb counting thing. I had to just add up how much of it he'd eat and administer appropriately along with keeping an eye on him generally for highs/lows when a biscuit or more insulin would be administered.

I was in a primary and to be honest I don't remember any children ever needing any medicine apart from the diabetic child! Must just have had very healthy children

[TheEarlOf]

(apart from the carrying of epipens/puffers etc when we went on park trips but as users of both of them I knew how to use them)

[ReindeerBollocks]

DS's school are happy to administer antibiotics, inhalers and pancreatic enzymes. They also allow shorter term antibiotic doses on top of his constant antibiotics.
They are reluctant to do peg changes but have had training just in case ? they will also allow a nurqe or myself to give iv antibiotics if necessary.

The school are extremely tolerant and helpful.

[lougle]

DD1's (special) school will administer medicine if prescribed and an authorisation form completed, but prefer that antibiotics, etc., are timed to fall outside school hours if at all possible.

DD2's (MS primary) school will administer prescribed medicines with authorisation. They have also brought in a policy to allow them to administer paracetamol after phoning a parent for consent if a child has a minor ailment that would otherwise not prevent them continuing at school (ie. headache, tummy ache).

[notapizzaeater]

Not unless they are prescribed 4 times a day drugs. Ds will happily take a cold tablet if he has "man flu" but school won't allow him one as I cannot get them prescribed .....

[Silverstar2]

Not at my DC school - they use to be able to take calpol if they could do it themselves - so a fast melt or sachet - this was a life saver on those first days back after a cold or something when they may just need paracetomol at lunch - they certainly were not ill enough to be at home, and as a working parent there is only so much time I can take off. So all good.

Until a few months ago when a letter went out stating that NO calpol etc was to be self administered. Bugger. I feel a bit put out by this as my children are sensible and in yrs 4 and 6, and quite capable of taking a fast melt every now and then.

[piprabbit]

Our school will administer prescription medication so long as it is bagged, labelled and accompanied by a form.

[MidniteScribbler]

Prescription medication only, and it must be provided in dosage blister packs (pharmacists here will make them up for customers with correct dosages in each one). We will not provide or give basic pain relief or medication without a prescription.

[NaturalBlondeYeahRight]

Ariane5 I've pm'd you.

[PearlyWhites]

Yes but only if it is prescribed.

[MadeOfStarDust]

Prescription meds only and NO penicillin based antibiotics that need to be kept in the fridge.

At our school we have one diabetic - his mum became a dinner lady because she was not happy with the vigilance and training of the reception staff...

[crazymum53]

Primary school keep a list of children with recognised medical conditions e.g. diabetes, asthma, epilepsy. You don't need a statement, but you do need a letter from a doctor or paediatrician to state the condition and that the child requires medicine to be taken in school on a regular basis. The school draws up a medical care plan which clearly states the dose, the time it needs to be given and lists the member(s) of staff who would be giving the medication. The plan was reviewed at the beginning of each school year and after hospital appointments if anything changed.

[PiHigh]

Prescription meds only, in the original packaging with the dosage printed by the pharmacy. They have a fridge for anything like antibiotics. A parent has to fill in a form and sign it.

[Galena]

In the prospectus it says 'where absolutely necessary, medicines can be administered by the head teacher, with written authorisation from the parent.'

[ReadytoOrderSir]

The school that my DCs attend does not administer prescription drugs apart from epi-pens and inhalers when needed. Their only exception has been for a pupil with diabetes so they had 3 TAs trained to support him. If a child has antibiotics then the parent must make arrangements for someone to go in to give lunchtime doses. It's a PITA for parents who are at work.

At the school where I teach, they WILL give things like antibiotics, with all appropriate paperwork signed by parents. We get the TAs to do it to minimise disruption to lessons (eg pupil in my class had to have hers at 11.30am, slap bang in the middle of a lesson, so it was easier for my TA to slip out with her than to take me out of my classroom.)

It's in teachers' T&Cs that they cannot be required to give medications.

[insanityscratching]

Yes our school administers medicines anything from antibiotics,anti histamines and painkillers. We have to fill in a two page form and the medicine is given but checked and signed for by two different members of staff generally the HT and a member of the office staff.