getting the school to medicate my kids (long)

DS's preschool starts at 8:45am. Parents can drop off until then and all
the kids congregate in one room. At 8:45am, they go into their classrooms.
After lunch, some of the kids go home and the rest go to the nap room. His
teacher goes home during naptime. There is an afternoon teacher(s) who
takes over. So, DS must go through 3 shift changes of teachers throughout
the day.

The problem? When DS's asthma acts up, I usually know it, because it's
worse at night. I then notify the staff to give him his inhalers regularly
that day, because I want to keep it from spiraling out of control. I have
had at least 4 incidences where DS was not getting his inhaler or getting it
improperly. Most of the time, the teachers will claim no one told them he
needed it. I've talked to the director and she told me to tell her
personally when I want her to give him medication and she will make sure it
happens. Well, I did . . . and she forgot to give it to him. (She claims
she remembered one of two treatments but forgot to log it; but DS said she
didn't give any treatments and I have to believe him, since it was not
recorded.)

So, yesterday, I brought DD to school and taped a sticker with note on her
back. I want no excuses that no one told them, since she has a note stuck
to her. I had some t-shirts made up with that note, so no one can claim the
note fell off and anyone looking at my child will have a huge message
blaring back at them. The teachers loved the note I stuck to DD, and they
said it worked to remind them. They'll love the t-shirts even more, since I
will be sending DS back with it tomorrow, if he is better.

I wonder why they can't come up with a sticker or wristband or whatever to
keep track of which kids need medications? They have a log book the parents
are supposed to leave medication instructions in, but apparently, no one
ever checks it. With that many shifts of teachers, you'd think??? This
ought to fix it and maybe give them some ideas on how to change their
system, but if it doesn't I will be royally p*ssed. The giant note on their
shirt ought to be plenty enough a reminder.

In article ,
"toypup" wrote:

I had some t-shirts made up with that note, so no one can claim the
note fell off and anyone looking at my child will have a huge message
blaring back at them.

That's an excellent idea. I've seen t-shirts for kids with nut allergies
-- maybe you could market yours!
--
Sara
accompanied by TK, due in April

Quoting, for users of Google Groups:
http://groups.google.com/support/bin...4213&topic=250

"Anonymama" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"toypup" wrote:

I had some t-shirts made up with that note, so no one can claim the
note fell off and anyone looking at my child will have a huge message
blaring back at them.

That's an excellent idea. I've seen t-shirts for kids with nut allergies
-- maybe you could market yours!

Well, my shirt if pretty specific to my children and you could get it from
anywhere that prints custom t-shirts, which is how I got them. It reads
"ASTHMA ALERT I need my albuterol inhaler at 10:30am and 2:30pm insert my
home # here" I guess people could make some that read "Please give me my
medicine today," for a more generic message.

toypup wrote:

Well, my shirt if pretty specific to my children and you could get it from
anywhere that prints custom t-shirts, which is how I got them. It reads
"ASTHMA ALERT I need my albuterol inhaler at 10:30am and 2:30pm insert my
home # here" I guess people could make some that read "Please give me my
medicine today," for a more generic message.

If you have to make a T-shirt to get the teachers to give your kids
their meds, find another school. That's ridiculous.

-L.

"toypup" wrote in message
om...

The problem? When DS's asthma acts up, I usually know it, because it's
worse at night. I then notify the staff to give him his inhalers
regularly
that day, because I want to keep it from spiraling out of control. I have
had at least 4 incidences where DS was not getting his inhaler or getting
it
improperly. Most of the time, the teachers will claim no one told them he
needed it. I've talked to the director and she told me to tell her
personally when I want her to give him medication and she will make sure
it
happens. Well, I did . . . and she forgot to give it to him.

While the t-shirt idea is a good one, you should not have to resort to that.
I was a daycare teacher and there were procedures and routines for
dispensing medication. We even had a record book for it. In my time there I
don't remember a single dose being forgotton. It sounds like they are very
careless. IMO, I'd be very worried about *double* dosing since they can't
seem to keep track of their medication dispensing.

JennP.

Also, are you in the US? You should check with your state's regulations. I
know when I worked in MA it was required by the state that we keep those
medicine records. You really should check with your state.

JennP.

"JennP" wrote in message
...
While the t-shirt idea is a good one, you should not have to resort to
that.
I was a daycare teacher and there were procedures and routines for
dispensing medication. We even had a record book for it.

They also have a record book for it. Parents write in there what meds their
kids are on and what time it should be given. Teachers sign and write what
time they give it. The director has forgotten to sign it at least once when
she actually gave it. The second time, she says she gave it, but forgot to
sign, but DS says he did not get it.

In my time there I
don't remember a single dose being forgotton. It sounds like they are very
careless. IMO, I'd be very worried about *double* dosing since they can't
seem to keep track of their medication dispensing.

For this medication, an occasional double dose would not be a problem. When
DS is having real problems, I do it myself on purpose, with MD's blessing;
and because of that, I would prefer they double dose than forget a dose,
though I prefer they get it right.

I do agree it's careless, but this ought to fix it. No one should have any
excuses left, and if they do, I would seriously consider filing a formal
complaint and pulling DS out.

In article . com,
"-L." wrote:

If you have to make a T-shirt to get the teachers to give your kids
their meds, find another school. That's ridiculous.

ITA -- and has been pointed out, it's dangerous as well as ridiculous.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"... if *I* was buying a baby I'd jolly well make sure it was at
least a two-tooth!"
Mary Grant Bruce, The Houses of the Eagle.

toypup wrote:
"JennP" wrote in message
...

While the t-shirt idea is a good one, you should not have to resort to
that.
I was a daycare teacher and there were procedures and routines for
dispensing medication. We even had a record book for it.



I do agree it's careless, but this ought to fix it. No one should have any
excuses left, and if they do, I would seriously consider filing a formal
complaint and pulling DS out.



I agree with L - this is an inexcusable offense. I would be
investigating other preschools ASAP. You gave them a few chances and
they blew them all.

Jeanne

Jeanne wrote:
toypup wrote:
"JennP" wrote in message
...

While the t-shirt idea is a good one, you should not have to resort to
that.
I was a daycare teacher and there were procedures and routines for
dispensing medication. We even had a record book for it.



I do agree it's careless, but this ought to fix it. No one should have any
excuses left, and if they do, I would seriously consider filing a formal
complaint and pulling DS out.



I agree with L - this is an inexcusable offense. I would be
investigating other preschools ASAP. You gave them a few chances and
they blew them all.

I third it. They're screwing around with your kid's health! Plus if
they're messing up something that serious, what else are they doing
wrong?

Barbara