livid with my child's school!!!

[user1457028146]

So for over a month now my oldest child who is 8 years old and usually loves school and refuses to stay home sick has been sent home nearly everyday for vomiting. We have taken him to several doctors... No one knows what is going on with him.... He recently told the doctor he poops blood now and then, so they did a fecal smear test ( if you have had one of these you know it's painful and no child would continue to be sick if they were faking after that)
He also told us his stomach " burns " a lot.. He says he tells his teacher and she tells him he is lying and to sit back down... We have an appointment tomorrow and he will be checked for ulcers ( I'm sure that's what it is) but I'm pissed because this stupid woman could t even be bothered to inform me that my child was making this complaint.... I am currently trying to get in touch with her to ask her myself if he is complaining of a burning sensation yet she won't return my phone calls or emails.... She could have written a note informing me of this. But no... She just tells him he is faking... Now my son hates going to school because his teacher calls him a liar, and refuses to call on him when he is trying to be a good student and raise his hand to answer a question.... I am ready to just home school him!!!

"I do understand why they need a stool sample"

BertrandRussell Fri 04-Mar-16 12:51:16 And the fact that you are prepared to have him sedated to let them do it again is absolutely bloody shocking.

I'm even more shocked that OP is less angry about this procedure than the fact the teacher didn't mention the child had tummy pains prior to vomiting (assuming the DC did actually notify the teacher of the pains).

The fact that this procedure is only carried out on military families must suggest that it is not necessary. It also suggests that there is no justification for it.

You seem to think your DC is not telling you about health related problems because he wants to go to school. I think you might want to consider whether it is because of the serious lack of care and respect that military Drs are showing him. I suspect he is scared of being seen by a Dr.

If the military Drs are telling you that they can't conduct the appropriate tests and diagnosis without knowing exactly how many pains your DC has had each day, I would suggest you start threatening them with legal action. Given that he is vomiting after lunch, they can surely assume the pains are occuring in the moring, why do they need to know specific times and numbers? I would imagine the Drs would be more interested in knowing the location of the pains and the intensity.

Mumtryingherbest - when we left the emergency room. We were given specific instruction on speaking with the school to find out if they had witness these burning episodes, and about when and how often these complaints are. Weather or not it happens between meals, or after he has eaten is actually quite important. If it's only after eating certain foods, or only after eating it could be acid reflux, if it's on a empty stomach it could be ulcers. If it's every-time a certain person is in the room it could be stress or even something as silly as the same deliver truck outside. They also ask us to get a copy of the cafeteria menu ( which they do not send home unless requested for some reason, the other schools he has been to sent this home every month)...
You also have to understand that in an emergency room they are sometimes unable to wait for a child or adult to give a stool sample to check for blood. They needed to know right then if he was bleeding and how much. Sometimes waiting is just not an option... Especially when a child complains of vomiting, stomach burning and bloody feces. The want to ensure the child is does not have severe internal bleeding that will kill them before they can make a bowel movement. Sometimes you just have to deal with the crappy parts of medicine to make sure your ok. Had this been threw his pediatrician he probably would have just had me collect a sample, but it was in a emergency room setting. Their job is to work fast. Not nice.

Bertandrussel-
Like I have said it was an emergency room setting- not a clinic appointment setting. The emergency room runs fast and efficiently, not slow and nice, if they reacted slow and waited they would run the risk of people bleeding out before a bowel movement can be made. My son described it as a lot of blood- but what is a lot in a child's mind is not much in reality.
They needed to rule out any heavy internal bleeding right then...

I know this sounds odd to y'all but try to understand it's not always possible for them to wait, and can be more risky to wait as internal bleeding is very serious. And they want to rule out any bleeding that can risk the life of the patient.

He has never had a procedure performed like this one before, the worst thing prior to this that has been done is taking blood. I don't take my children to the doctor for every cough and sneeze. So he has never really had a reason to fear them, unless it is fear of he unknown.
The problem with the school will be fixed as of today since my husband and I have reached a mutual decision that homeschooling would be best for him given is current medical issues and their unwillingness to cooperate and being forthcoming with information pertaining to my child, and dealing with the kids that continue to tease him ( he is a pacifist and doesn't want them to get into trouble because he thinks that will only make them angrier , like I've said he is a bit on the wimpy side .And fears other kids will hurt him due to him being much smaller. I have contacted a homeschooling group here that hosts activities for the children for socialization in a monitored situation as well as outings to museums and such in the community. I feel he with thrive better away from these stresses at school and we will be able to monitor what he is eating a drinking better at home than the school ( obviously)

User- I'm sorry- that's bollocks.

Utter, utter bollocks.

If that's what they told you, they are lying.

user1457028146 - The problem with the school will be fixed as of today

Problem solved. I wish you DC a speedy recovery.

Utter shit (of the non scooped out variety) and I have chronic bowel disease.... it's not how you diagnosis internal/.rectal bleeding.

I just can't stop thinking about that poor little boy being held down while they did this horrible and completely unnecessary and pointless thing to him........

To everyone --- please get off your high horse on how they took the sample in a EMERGENCY ROOM ( caps just in case your having problems reading it)

We have just gotten back from his pediatrician who did take a stool sample the way of me collecting it ( I almost puked spooning his poo into a little jar ) just in case he has any infection or parasites. But his physician is pretty sure it is stress induced vomiting and that he is not divulging how bad the bullying really is. And suggested a behavioral therapist as well as homeschooling since he is usually quite fine at home. He also suggested a anti heartburn medication once daily. ( said stress can cause that as well) .....

Wannabestressfree- please understand we are in a different country as well as we go to military sponsored hospitals. As I have tried explaining to many other people who are uncommon with this procedure. As I have said " to other US military families this is quite normal in our ERs when this complaint is raised. " I have spoken to many of the other wives in our community ( we also live in military only community )

Everysecondcounts- as I have said earlier in this thread- I got on her to vent out my frustrations with the schools inability to cooperate in finding out what is wrong with my child- not for medical advise. I understand people feel obligated to put in their own personal opinion on the medical procedures and possible reasons for my sons vomiting episodes, that being said I can neither prove or disprove anyone on here's medical professions or otherwise professions, or opinions. While I have heard out everyone's issues with how the test was performed, that is not my issue...

Mrsdevere--- due to him not holding still during the BP and such getting accurate BP is quite a hassle. ( he is a child so he isn't always cooperative with the BP cuff) they also did blood tests as I have stating in this thread- all of which have come back perfect every single time. His blood work is perfect- and the children's hospital has even checked for toxins because I told them there is only three reasons for this 1. He is truly sick. 2 he is doing it to himself 3. Someone else or something else is doing it. Everything comes back clean and good every time- as for the way they took the sample at the ER- it's just how military hospitals do it.. As military families we do give up some of our patient rights such as the choice to choose treatment and such. ( I've dealt with that a lot with my epilepsy. If I don't stay medicated even though I am seizure free for 8 years my husband will be denied overseas order type of stuff)

And anyway, your story has changed from "in America this is how they take that sample especially at a military hospital." to them having to do it like that because they thought he might be suffering from massive internal bleeding and they had to work quickly. Both, I have to say are equally ridiculous, pointless and, frankly, incredible.

Advocate for your child.

She can only go on what he says anyway.

Yeah, that was my thought. Go into school and speak to the teacher, explain the situation to them and the principal.

If you want your son to be able to snack between meals for health reasons, then tell the school. If you want to be able to know how often/when he gets the burning etc then give him a way to record it and tell the school he will be doing that.

If the school don't know or understand what is happening all they can do is encourage him to participate normally, and send him home if he can't. They're not nurses - they can't diagnose him or be expected to know what's going on at home, especially as he's unlikely to talk to them about it.

I think the way you have spoken to people on this thread, who despite your rudeness have continued trying to help, is disgusting.

There are people on this thread with real in depth knowledge of a child faced with unknown medical issues - either as a parent or a medic, some of whom have experienced utter tragedy yet are still there trying to explain and offer support. Each and every one has taken the time to try to help you, knowing that sometimes as parents we vent at the wrong people out of fear. But nonetheless you still continue speaking so rudely. This is not just venting, whatever you are telling yourself.

At the centre of it is a little boy who is unwell. With your latest post, I urge even more than you consider the AM/CVS issue - stress is a very real trigger. For one child I know bullying was precisely her trigger. But whatever 'it' is, he needs a maternal advocate that doesn't put everyone who tries to help him's (whether that be teachers, medics, or random people on the internet) back up by being rude. You're his best shot at figuring this out, and not just figuring it out, coming out the other side feeling more loved and cared for and respected than ever before, vital building blocks for a happy life. Because at the moment I can see he's probably just a bewildered and frightened little boy who doesn't trust doctors, doesn't respect teachers or trust them (because of mum's attitude) and doesn't know that even his mum won't have him pinned down on a bed having something invasive done to him. On top of it, he's sick and being bullied. Please, take a step back and care for this little boy. You can be a 'Momma Bear' without offending the world, scaring a child, and alienating his help.

If he is at risk of massive internal GI haemorrhaging and it is a possible emergency due to blood loss then taking his blood pressure would suffice!

He would faint due to low blood pressure before he would die and if he was haemorrhaging gastrointestinally.

Occult blood in a stool sample would not be sufficient to diagnose a massive haemorrhage. If he has an emergency GI haemorrhage low enough to cause occult blood in his stool then he would be visibly bleeding rectally.

And a forced stool sample is barbaric and unnecessary both in the UK and in the USA.

OP, are you aware that you have posted in 'the staff room'? Perhaps you could ask MNHQ to move this to one of the health topics.

Is there anywhere on the internet that describes this fecal smear collection technique? I've never heard of it, and I thought the 'smear' part referred to the fact that the sample was smeared onto a slide to be examined under a microscope?! Just doesn't make sense to me if there was such a great concern about internal bleeding that they wouldn't run other tests, but would do something that seems to be very invasive (based on what people are saying here as I have no idea what the technique would be)

Dropyoursword- I was unaware at the time I downloaded this app that it was for the UK. It seems in the uk normally they would wait for a bowel movement to obtain feces. When at our military hospitals here in the US they do not wait in a ER setting. People are upset that the hospital chose to retrieve the sample from the rectum, instead of waiting for a bowel movement.

Yes there is, DropYourSword, and the procedure the OP described was a rectal exam.

Posted too soon -- ...because a stool sample would not be a great indicator for internal hemorrhage as TheGreatSnafu points out, but a rectal exam could help in diagnosing GI disease, esp peritonitis, which can be caused by (among others):
Stomach ulcer
Gallbladder infections
Crohns

OP, since your pediatrician thinks your son is not divulging how bad the bullying is, maybe you would like to reconsider your self-congratulations about how your children are being raised to be independent?

Why would anyone submit a stool sample that isn't theirs?
Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy comes to mind. Maybe the doctors wanted to rule that out.

There is no way in a case of severe unexplained rectal bleeding that they would be removing faeces from a child's rectum. It Would Not Happen.

Internal bleeding needs to be stopped by internal measures, so this would require exploration under a GA and doing the necessary intervention to stop the bleeding.

If the situation was that the stools are unusual in colour - which could indicate several problems, the the child would provide a stool sample when they opened their bowels.

If the child was constipated, a laxative could be given. Manual evacuation of impacted faeces is last resort and is performed under GA.

As for military hospitals, patient groups may vary but medicine is medicine.