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Primary education

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Original poster

School being a bit casual with regards to dd inhaler and assuming she will ask for it.

82 replies

Snowmaggedon · 02/02/2019 14:31

I've tried to explain this strange thing my dd gets to me the school and obviously it's not sunk in.
I asked them to the other day to give her the inhaler at lunch and they didn't. My dd asked a staff member and they didn't give it.

It's super rare for dd to proactively ask for it as she's not asmatic. It's a strange thing that's happened twice when she's gone down hill fast and immediate rushed through to a and e and strait on nebs and steroids.

How do I make it clear she won't ask usually they need to give it... If I've asked for them too

OP posts:
MidniteScribbler · 02/02/2019 23:49

You really can't just say 'oh give her some inhaler today'. It needs to be registered by a doctor and lodged with the school laying out exactly when it needs to be given, how often, what procedure and how it is administered. Teachers/staff can't just go around giving medication to students that is not prescribed by a doctor.

Honestly, if she's been coughing for 7 days, and you know she has this condition, why haven't you been at the doctors? Saying it's not a medical condition, and downplaying it are foolish actions that means the school can't take it as seriously as you expect them to. "Oh she has no medical condition, but she stops breathing and needs to go to hospital every so often' is putting your head in the sand. Get to the doctors, demand a care plan and some answers.

Smoggle · 03/02/2019 08:18

Ime it's not uncommon for parents to request a child to be given an inhaler at lunch time if they are coughing/wheezy. It's no problem for a school/nursery to administer a prescribed inhaler on the direction of a parent.

ihearttc · 03/02/2019 09:16

I agree that it needs to be more specific. Im a TA and I would struggle with giving an inhaler to a child with no clear direction on exactly when to give it and how much. I work in Year 2 with 6/7's year olds and most of them know at what point they need to go and have their inhaler. I can also obviously hear their breathing/coughing as well so I would give it to them as per the instructions we have been given from their parents.

With the best will in the world Im looking after 30 children and unless a child noticeably looks ill or complains of feeling ill I haven't got time to lift up their top (which would need another adult to do with me as well) to check on their breathing etc.

I also agree that if its to prevent an incident then you need a preventer inhaler not a reliever like the ones we keep in school.

Original poster
Snowmaggedon · 03/02/2019 09:58

Three is very clear instruction on how much and when.

Lunch time, 2 puffs. Ten breaths each puff.

It's very clear!

They are also told to keep an eye on her for her other symptoms.

The inhaler is prescribed by a doctor. You wouldn't ask the doctor every time before you gave a child an inhaler! They would have to cancel surgery to make space to do this!
Doctors say re cough... Give her the inhaler.

I don't see what's so unclear about that. However I am going to go back to the the doctor to see what they can do to help.

OP posts:
Original poster
Snowmaggedon · 03/02/2019 10:04

Ihearttc

Your post really concerns me.

When my dd is in danger zone, this is what we have been told to do. The doctors have never prescribed us the brown inhaler but the blue one.

I can't belive you would feel more qualified than a doctor. You do realise inhalers and the volumisers are prescribed by a doctor? I have not just swanned into a pharmacy and picked these things in a shelf?

I was prescribed these items. And this course of action when dd looks like she needs help. Touch wood we have kept her out of hospital for two years since doing this.

It's shocking that if you have been told a child is in the danger zone, that you don't feel you could keep an eye on that child.

Is this the attitude I'm up agaisnt.

I also work with students, older ones and I don't find it any issues at all to keep glancing at people who feel unwell and one dc has severe asthma.

OP posts:
Smoggle · 03/02/2019 10:07

iheartttc - what would you find a struggle about giving an inhaler at lunch time. I'm genuinely wondering as having come across exactly this in school and nursery I never found it confusing to just follow the parents instructions - a child with an inhaler will have a written plan/permission for when and how it is given and medication should be recorded.

Redlocks28 · 03/02/2019 10:09

School nurses are like hen’s teeth these days. Make an appointment to see the senco and draw up a clear care plan together. I’m a senco and do medical care plans (alongside medical advice where needed) regularly.

Dermymc · 03/02/2019 10:13

From reading your posts you are coming across very mixed and jumbled wihh your messages. If you are like this in real life your child's teachers are probably struggling to know when to give her the inhaler.

They need clear instructions of when to give it to her. Explicit ones that cover all bases/scenarios.

LIZS · 03/02/2019 10:14

It would be worth asking gp for a review of her meds to see if that regime is the best for her now, rather than when she was ill two years ago, and have a written plan. If there is underlying asthma she could have a daily preventer as well rather than rely on the blue one. Although it is wrong the school are not following your requests, the ad hoc nature makes it difficult to enforce as the criteria are subjective. I would expect there to be several children with similar issues at any one time, all potentially with different care plans. Who is responsible for administering those?

Smoggle · 03/02/2019 10:15

Snow when you meet with the school, you need to check if their attitude is that it is not really their job to check on a child's breathing room, or not really their job to give prescribed medication - and if it is then think about moving schools.
Not all schools and school staff are like that.
No one I have worked with would suggest that keeping an eye on a child's ability to breathe was something they couldn't prioritise. Most schools would take it seriously - especially following an incident where a child ended up in A&E.

ihearttc · 03/02/2019 11:33

Thats not what I meant at all.

You haven't said anywhere on the thread that you have provided a dosage amount to give and exactly when. We have care plans for every single child who is prescribed an inhaler which is checked by their asthma nurse and those are followed to the letter. But thats not what you have implied in this thread.

Its rather confusing stating that she may appear to be breathing fine but to lift up her top to check (which like I said would require 2 people to do this) needs to be in care plan.I can administer inhalers and indeed lots of other medication as I have a child in my class with severe epilepsy but the difference is they are stated on a care plan along with the protocol of what to do if those medications don't work. These care plans work...we know them inside out and I know exactly what to do. All Im saying is you can't just drop an inhaler off at the school office and tell them if she looks like she is struggling to breathe just lift her top up to check and then chuck her a couple of puffs of her inhaler. It needs to be written down and the exact procedure you want followed.

I have never ever said I wouldn't prioritise a child's health...I was simply pointing out that it's not feasible in a class of 30 children to constantly be lifting her top up to check for chest recession. Most 6/7 year olds would be able to verbalise to some extent that they were struggling and then I would obviously act accordingly. If she is unable to do that then like I have already said it needs to be written in the care plan what I need to do and how often.

ihearttc · 03/02/2019 11:43

That being said I am extremely shocked that if a child is actively asking for an inhaler they haven't given it to it. Thats definitely something that needs to be raised with the school. But if there was a care plan in place then that should not have happened.

ihearttc · 03/02/2019 11:51

smoggle I have absolutely no issue with giving an inhaler at lunchtime or at any other point during the day or indeed any other medication that is prescribed. I just need to be told when to give and what to give. That is written in a care plan which is followed. Or in the case of temporary medication like antibiotics then it's written on a medication summary.

What the OP has implied in this thread is that she hasn't got a written plan but that her DD needs checking to see if she has chest recession as she often can't verbalise when needs her inhaler and then it would need to be given. If thats the case then it would need to be written in a care plan and then it would be done.

I will do (and have done) all sorts of quite invasive medical treatments at school but the difference is Im told how to and when to do them. Giving an inhaler at a prescribed dose when a child needs it is different to what the OP is describing and I have to say I would be unhappy relying on my judgement for that as Im not a medical professional just a lowly TA.

Original poster
Snowmaggedon · 03/02/2019 21:04

I heart.

Yes it has been written down, described what to look out for, told office staff and her teachers last year and this year and the year before when dd was hospitalised.

This is why I'm asking on here, am I doing something wrong here... I feel like I'm in an alternative reality... Wading through mud.

OP posts:
Original poster
Snowmaggedon · 03/02/2019 21:06

Also it's not an ongoing situation... It's only certain times of the year for a few days.

It's surely not big deal to say...we are in danger zone.. Give x inhaler x times at lunch and.... And... If she looks tired becomes lethargic etc... Please check stomach!

That's the big indicator!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Snowmaggedon · 03/02/2019 21:08

Also when I wrote down what has happened before I have stressed and stressed it's easy to miss! That she won't know and what has concerned me is the staff assuming casually.. Oh well she'll come and tell us won't she... Smiling away...

No!!! No!! She won't!!

OP posts:
MidniteScribbler · 03/02/2019 22:56

OK, you say you have written instructions down, but I'll ask very simply:

Do you have a formal care plan?

user789653241 · 04/02/2019 07:22

OP, if it's long term on going condition, even only certain days a year, you need a care plan, agreed both by you and school.

It's not just a note written by you with instructions. It's signed by both party and with step by step details of what to do and when. And my ds's care plan include meds that they may never need to use.

ihearttc · 04/02/2019 07:48

I agree Irvine and that was exactly the point I was trying to make before everyone jumped down my throat.

If you want staff to check her stomach then that needs to be written down.

Smoggle · 04/02/2019 09:49

The school absolutely should have told you that they need a care plan and organised this though OP, so it's not your fault it hasn't been done.

They have really failed in their duty to your DD and I would make a formal complaint.

MrsWombat · 07/02/2019 16:42

I have a 4 year old in a school nursery who gets viral induced wheezes. He's only ever had 4/5 attacks but still knows when he needs his inhaler. Either he's been off school poorly or he has the inhaler before he goes in at lunchtime so it's not a problem so far so I'm dreading this.

It's a feast or famine condition. Either they are perfectly fine or they need the pump every 4 hours.

You need to organise a care plan from the school. Have you seen this document? Your local NHS or school nurse might provide similar. what0-18.nhs.uk/application/files/9615/1024/2947/CS45385_NHS_Viral_Induced_Wheeze_safety_netting_sheet_Oct_17_1.pdf I would print off a few and hand them into the teacher in the morning every day they need it and say She's green today please do the green action and call me if she gets to amber.

Dauphinois · 07/02/2019 16:57

Send an email to the school office and mark it FAO Head Teacher and Class Teacher.

Explain that your Dd is asthmatic ( for the purposes of this, she is)

Explain that ( if she is currently a bit wheezy) you want her inhaler administered at 11am, 1pm and 3 pm or whatever, until further notice.

Explain that due to your concern that it hasn't been administered as requested in the past, you'd like to see the written records they keep while administering medication, just until you're confident that it's being given correctly.

Give a brief run down of symptoms you want them to lol out for and ask them to circulate it to all relevant staff, so they are aware going forward.

I work in a school office and we do this stuff all the time. It's not rocket science and the school need to get their act together.

user789653241 · 07/02/2019 19:02

"Explain that your Dd is asthmatic ( for the purposes of this, she is) "

I think this is actually important. My ds was prone to asthmatic attacks when he was younger(due to multiple allergies) and the letter from drs documented this as a fact. So, even though he didn't really needed inhaler on regular basis, the inhaler is kept at the office in case if he needs it, and was ready to be given by qualified staff, including teachers, TA, and office staffs.

It will make it easier if you can get the letter from dr/consultant and present it to school.
I didn't even needed to have meeting with school to get a care plan. As soon as I handed in a copy of the letter from drs to school, they sent me a care plan to fill and sign, and just need to renew it every year.

drspouse · 10/02/2019 15:18

Why would it need two staff to check her stomach/lift her top? It doesn't need two staff to wipe my DD's bottom.

BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou · 11/02/2019 17:14

Why would it need two staff to check her stomach/lift her top? It doesn't need two staff to wipe my DD's bottom.

Many schools insist on two adults being present for something like lifting clothing etc. this is to protect the staff from allegations of abuse.