I need help. I’m utterly distraught and upset with my sons school, does anyone have any advice?

[mummytorands]

So I’ve been awake all night with keeping my 8 year old as comfortable as possible and yesterday’s events and I wanted to go to the school today and complain about how they handled things but I think I’m going to write to the chair of governors instead so I want to box clever.

So, I leave work yesterday (I work 10 minutes from the school by car) at 2:45 my children are usually let out at 3:10-3:20. School call at 2:50 telling me my son (8) has had a fall during playtime she explained he hurt his arm, elbow hip and knee. He was grazed seen by first aid but very upset and could I get him early of course I said yes I’ll be 5 minutes. Asked then as it’s unusual for him to be as upset as she was saying as he’s quite a tough cookie has he done any damage. No she said first aid moved his arm but seems ok but he’s very upset and think it’s best you came early and that she would get my daughter for me too (5). I pull up to school a TA is bringing them both out and it was quite evident to me we needed to get to hospital. I could clearly see my son was in pain, he was holding his arm, his wrist and hand were limp. I was given no accident form but didn’t think about that until later as my main concern was to get him medical attention. I called minor injuries they said they had a 3 hour wait and they wouldn’t be able to xray today so off to a&e I went which was heaving but we were dealt with pretty swiftly. Xray and he’s broken both radius and ulna and one of the fractures is going into the growth plate. I won’t know the full extent until we see the fracture clinic in 24 hours however we were sent home in a plaster cast and sling and I’ve kept him comfortable with calpol alternating nurofen. My plan is to go into school tomorrow asking for the accident book copy but I want to see it and not have it done and back dated. I will tell them he won’t be in for the next couple of days until I know more but I’m not disclosing the damage he’s done until I know for definite.

I am furious. He very clearly to me had broken his arm the moment I seen him. She played it down to me on the phone and his arm had been manipulated and it should not have been. They did not contact me fast enough and no accident from was given. Does anyone have advice? I want to complain because I’m just so unhappy about the handling and I don’t want it to happen again but I want the first aid training to be looked into also. My poor boy.

kindly, you’re over reacting. They did what they thought was right at the time. Might have been other kids about and maybe they were preoccupied. They called you and you took him for help straight away. Whether the accident was in the book makes no difference to the long term outcome. My DD broke her elbow thanks to her brother bouncing her too high off a seasaw. Accidents happen. Have a chat with the person who called you, you might feel better. But take a deep breath first. Blaming people won’t help his recovery.

I’m quite shocked at the replies here.

OP’s child had an accident and the school positioned it as a small thing but he’s very upset. (Aka being dramatic).

On arrival, it was immediately clear to OP her sons injuries were more severe than a graze, but the qualified first aider was not able to identify that and manoeuvred a potentially broken arm - something that can worsen the damage. The child was walked outside the school to meet his mum, when really he should’ve been kept inside so mum could assess the situation. There’s seemingly no explanation of how child has come home so injured and OP is overreacting!? This is clearly a safeguarding incident if children are leaving school with unexplained broken bones.

The school handled this terribly, and a little common sense tells you that surely!?

OP I’d speak openly to the school and then write a letter to the governors. They will be able to help the school improve their processes in handling accidents.

I get that you are upset and there should have been an accident form but I would imagine this TA is the one who dealt with it and she hasn't followed procedure...I would start with contacting the Head. Ask for a copy of the accident form and say that you were unhappy with the way the T A handled things.

Having experienced a DC with fractures twice within the last few months, I can confirm that you can move fractured limbs. I asked my DC to move theirs - they were able to hobble on a fractured hip. I didn’t get a broken finger looked at for a few days after the event because they could move it.
What is it you want to make a complaint about? The accident happened, first aider was given and you were called. I work in a school and we only give accident forms for head bumps in case of concussion. Other accidents are recorded internally.
If they didn’t let you know details e.g. what height he fell from, what time etc then I can understand you needing to seek that out, although the hospital would’ve asked you that, surely?
A first aider will always ask someone if they’re able to move an injured limb to ascertain the extent of the injury. I wouldn’t move it myself, but my first aid training isn’t up to date. However I doubt that gentle manipulation would’ve made the breaks any worse.
I understand you’re incredibly upset and the news about the growth plate is worrying - I know, I’ve been there - but I think you need to hold off before you make a complaint to the school.
i guarantee the staff involved will be upset and worried as well and internal safeguarding practices should ensure the incident is recorded and investigated to try to prevent similar happening in the future. If you have concerns about this, then ask that question but give the school a chance before you jump straight to a complaint.

OP’s child had an accident and the school positioned it as a small thing but he’s very upset. (Aka being dramatic).

No they called because being that upset indicates possible fracture but they're not medics

Hence calling immediately and not faffing with an accident form.

I picked up my son after first aider strongly suggested getting a finger checked. It was broken. No accident form needed

Only thing they seem to have not done is suggest going to hospital

General treatment at school is a cold compress and call a parent. They called you and you came.
They did the right thing. I’m not sure why you’re being so dramatic.

I hope he feels better soon.

Accidents happen.

School did the right thing; would you rather they flapped and panicked, prioritising an accident form over making your DS comfortable?

You need your learn to process your shock/worry without lashing out at other people. If school staff are frightened of your reactions, they are less likely to handle the situation to your satisfaction.

It doesn’t take much empathy to understand she’s upset about her child’s injury. Seeing as it’s happened to you recently, I’m surprised you can’t find a little.

I think it’s reasonable she’s upset about her son at the moment, unnecessary to call her dramatic.

I agree that some responses here are unfair to the OP

It sounds like the school only contacted her because the child was upset, even asking if overreaction was normal, they didnt contact her as a parent to get the child the immediate medical attention he required. This should have been the first response from a first aider, not trained to diagnose, but only to assess and treat very minor injuries. This wasnt minor. And as soon as a fracture is even suspected, you dont manipulate anything, its vague from the post, but a child holding an arm with a floppy wrist immediately suggests a fracture. The first aider should have stopped there, and escalated to a parent, or if unable to contact, sought medical attention themselves.

I dont think its worth going in all guns blazing, however, i would approach the school, and suggest the first aider needs either further training or a refresher course, as had the child not been upset beyond what they deemed to be appropriate, the parent wouldnt have been called, and medical attention would have been delayed further.

The child was walked outside the school to meet his mum, when really he should’ve been kept inside so mum could assess the situation

Why on earth? The kid was ambulatory. What’s the problem walking him out and mum can assess from there? You don’t need to be inside a building to assess someone.

It's a legal requirement to provide an accident form though. Schools have a duty to complete them before leaving the premises. Op is entitled to see that to see how accident actually occured and was dealt with.

Maybe they played it down on the call so that she didn't drive there in a panic and have an accident on the way. The important thing is that whatever they said, they got her there quickly and he got to hospital.

It sounds like the school only contacted her because the child was upset, even asking if overreaction was normal, they didnt contact her as a parent to get the child the immediate medical attention he required

What’s your timeframe for ‘immediate medical attention’ in this scenario though? You will find it not uncommon for kids to be sitting in A&E triage several hours with this sort of injury. It’s all hit and miss. One day you can go and sail on through immediately, go to the same A&E 2 weeks later and it could be 5hrs, it’s complete luck of the draw on the day nowadays really.

What do you think should have been done differently?

Oh, come on! They should not have moved his arm (a first-aider no less!), and to say he isn't hurt when iit's obvious he is.
They should have called an ambulance for the poor lad

Well to be honest, in my situation I’d either be dealing with the child and getting them home asap, or writing a medical form.
I wouldn’t be able to do both and tend to my class as a teacher on my own. I have been in this situation and my priority is to get the child picked up and as calm as I can (they always need a parent though)

I’m not sure where the anger would come into it…

Sorry your DS had an accident. Unfortunately these happen and it is very upsetting when it happens at school/nursery etc and we are not there. I really hope for your DS’ sake that the fracture is not too complicated. We have numerous friends with children who have broken their arms, sometimes doing what appeared to be very minor things at home.

I am not sure what the protocol is, when the office rings a parent who is driving in, following a child’s accident - they do not want to “panic” the parent, so they would underplay things to keep the parent “calm”. In a real emergency with a severe head injury etc they would call an ambulance. The accident form may or may not have been completed immediately and should be completed but again, I think keeping the child as calm as possible and contacting the parent immediately should remain the priority.

An ambulance for a broken arm? What is wrong with you?

I would expect the school to give OP a full account of what happened. They first aiders should have recognised a fracture and should have immobilised the arm in traction. These are basic first aid things! If they started moving a clearly broken arm around I agree with the OP it was a wrong thing to do.

OP- I think you got an idea of what most people on here think and I agree.
must have been a shock for you but you are being utterly unreasonable. Hope your son makes a speedy recovery

Exactly!

Some posters seem to have had a common sense bypass.

You do not know if the arm or nerves have been damaged by a person moving a clearly broken arm. What a ridiculous assertion. The nerves and blood vessels are extremely complicated in that area, so can easily be damaged.
Those of you dismissing the OP wouldn't be so cavalier if it was your own kid.

Generally, they are triaged asap from arrival, at triage, it can be seen if the fracture looks potentially displaced, then either urgently xrayed, or placed on the emergency xray list. An urgent xray is essential if blood supply is potentially compromised, a first aider who cant even recognise a potential fracture, clearly cannot determine the time frame for xray. A fracture, even in an ambulatory not overly upset person of any age is an emergency and should be seen by a trained professional asap.

My son had a radius/ulna fracture, and was seen immediately, sedated for manipulation and in a cast within 30 mins of arrival, in theatre within 6 hours of arrival, because the fracture was displaced and the arm/hand was compromised. When i collected him from school, he was sat laughing about how he injured himself. It wasnt any less of an emergency.

I understand and respect that decision, but why did the TA bring him out to the car in such a state. They should’ve waited inside given how upset the little boy was, explained to mum what had happened and recommended they get it checked, discussed absence tomorrow being noted as sickness unless they hear otherwise etc. It’s just basic customer service & safeguarding.
OP’s account of what happened suggests they didn’t think it was anything more than a graze, despite it being pretty obvious to OP the arm was broken, and provided no reasonable explanation as to how the child sustained the injuries. It’s important context for the hospital to understand if the breaks are proportionate to the accident or not. And it’s important from a safeguarding perspective for OP to know how her son broke his arm.

I think OP is right to be upset with how the school handled it.