Primary school rules on medication and how they deal with an ongoing condition (migraines)

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

Ds is 10 and in yr5. He suffers from migraines and has done for a while, although only diagnosed properly about 2 years ago, and started on preventative medication about 18mths ago (pizotifen, 15ml nightly).

Just over 12mths ago, I had to get calpol prescribed (per school rules) to keep in school, becaue ds was frequently having time off for headaches. School were told to give it at very first sign of headache (ie ds telling them).
School are hugely hit and miss with this as they dont seem to see it as a real illness. He has previously been told to have a big drink and he will be fine, or to just go away and come back later.

Today, school have refused to give him his calpol because it was prescribed in Jan 2012. They said that atually they prefer a new bottle every 6mths, but if not at least every 12. I pointed out that a shop bought bottle of calpol has roughly a 2 year bb date on it, but they wouldn't budge.
Ds wasn't given his calpol, and was sick before I managed to get there.

I am taking him back to the gp in the morning, for new calpol and a review of his meds.

Am I being OTT or are the school. And should I be expecting them to be more understanding of his condition ?

[onepieceoflollipop]

This must be very frustrating for you and your ds. I have migraines and like your ds it is essential to take medication at the first sign. How sad to be told to go and have a drink instead.
I would focus more on the need for him to take it straight away, could you or the doctor write a clearly, firmly worded letter about the importance of him taking the calpol as soon as he asks, and not being offered unhelpful alternatives. re the date thing, personally I would just take a new small bottle or a few sachets in every 6 or 12 months, to try and avoid them focusing on that as an excuse.

[onepieceoflollipop]

and/or get the GP to sign to say that the calpol is fine/safe for x number of months.

[BerthaTheBogCleaner]

No, you're not being OTT. Get that letter from the GP and then go see the head. Ask to see the school policy for health care in school. Perhaps ask if the schools nurse can be involved? Suggest that you write a medical care plan for your son. Ask that they treat this as seriously as they do asthma, allergies and epilepsy. Tell them it isn't just a headache and is having a large impact on his attendance.

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

Thank you all.

Unfortunatly I can't take in sachets or smaller bottles, because I have to take whatever is prescribed by the gp.

Going to discuss with the gp tomorrow, but not sure how helpful he will be as he isn't one of my faves, but had no choice but to take the appointment as it's all they had for tomorrow.

Writing a medical plan is a fabulous idea and I will do that right away.

[dikkertjedap]

I have pm-d you.

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

Ah thanks will look now.

[onepieceoflollipop]

Hope all goes well with GP tomorrow.

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

ARGH

The doctor was shit. He is a right patronizing old git.

He asked me about ds's migraine history, asked ds some questions, and the noticed that ds had recently been seeing someone at camhs, and so asked me if i thought he was making it up

I said no he isn't. His face completely changes when he has a migraine, he goes deathly pale, has big black circles under his eyes and looks awful, plus he vomits.
He then said that he didn't think that i'd given enough history for him to be completly convinced that they are migraines.

Oh and he moaned about the cost to the nhs of ds's medication, and so has switched him from the liqued form of Pizotifen to tablets. I agreed to that because they are tiny, but then when I asked for calpol for school he moaned again about cost, and asked if he could give him tablets for that too. I said no, because they are too big.

Anyway, his pizotifen has been upped by 5ml, and we are to go back if no change.

I will not be going back to him though.

[Sirzy]

Surely it has an expiry date on so as long as it is in date it's ok?

Hope you mange to get it sorted!

[BackforGood]

I agree with Bertha. If you are expecting school staff to judge / take the word of a pupil that he needs to be given medication of any sort, then that needs to be on a care plan. Ask for an appointment with the school nurse - this is part of their role. There should also be someone from the school at the meeting, so it's a 3 way meeting. Sometimes this is the SENCo, sometimes it is the designated first aider - it depends on where they keep the medicine and how it is issued, but all of that goes in the care plan, along with symptons and signs, and "what to do if..." questions. Also, can include things like it's OK for the school to give the Calpol as long as it's still in date, even if it's been prescribed more than 6 months ago. If they can / can't give more than one dose in a day, and things like - as you describe - they wiill know it's time as he goes grey, or, that both you and the medical staff will give permission to the school to give him a dose just because he's asked, without any other symptoms they can check. etc.etc.etc.
The Care Plan is then reviewed (at least) annually, so there shouldn't be any further worries from the school about acting on something a Dr recommended more than 12 months ago.