I am livid!

[minkydog]

My DD17 had an asthma attack at school today and did not have her inhaler. She was in her personal fitness class and they were climbing stairs when it started. Her PF teacher(who happens to be very overweight--sheesh) would not let her stop. He told her she didn't have asthma, that she was just "out of shape." I'm ready to tear this man's head off! DD works out 3 times a week, runs 3 days a week, dances and sings(while dancing) with her show choir very weekday,and more importantly SHE DOESN'T USE HER ASTHMA TO GET OUT OF THINGS. Matter of fact, she doen't have problems with it too often, which is why she didn't have the inhaler with her. But it's more likely to happen during the winter and early spring.

I am just about beside myself. I don't usually intervene for DD, but this crosses the line. If I can calm down, Ill email the the teacher tonight. I can't wait to her his side of the story.

Needless to say, DD will have her inhaler tomorrow and thereafter.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Heads need to roll for that one. Belittling a student over a non-existent issue ("out of shape") when they have a quite legitimate medical issue is just all kinds of wrong. Aside from the emotional impact--the medical impact is just what frosts my cookies.

I'm going straight to the principal with that one.

I'd also tell DD next time to just stop.

 

[kathie859]

What possible excuse could this teacher give that would make this OK? He should have immediately sent her to the nurse or office. If he doubted her claim, it would have been simple to check her records to verify and deal with any untruth later. Sounds like the teacher was lazy.

 

[minkydog]

Heads need to roll for that one. Belittling a student over a non-existent issue ("out of shape") when they have a quite legitimate medical issue is just all kinds of wrong. Aside from the emotional impact--the medical impact is just what frosts my cookies.

I'm going straight to the principal with that one.

I'd also tell DD next time to just stop.

No kidding. This girl is 5'5" and weighs 115-lbs. There's not an ounce of fat on her. She's all muscle.

Oh heck. I just found her upstairs all bundled up in covers, coughing her head off and freezing to death. Temp is only 99.1, but I'll bet you my paycheck she'll be over 100 within an hour. No school for her tomorrow. Hope it's not flu--dad may need to take her to the doctor for a flu test in the morning. Geez Louise, when it rains it pours.

 

[SeaSpray]

Heads need to roll for that one. Belittling a student over a non-existent issue ("out of shape") when they have a quite legitimate medical issue is just all kinds of wrong. Aside from the emotional impact--the medical impact is just what frosts my cookies.

I'm going straight to the principal with that one.

I'd also tell DD next time to just stop.

Exactly my feelings! Someone I know, a young person who had "mild" asthma, DIED a little over a year ago from an asthma attack, leaving a young DD.

ASTHMA is a real disease that can be fatal!!!

I feel your rage!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

No kidding. This girl is 5'5" and weighs 115-lbs. There's not an ounce of fat on her. She's all muscle.

Oh heck. I just found her upstairs all bundled up in covers, coughing her head off and freezing to death. Temp is only 99.1, but I'll bet you my paycheck she'll be over 100 within an hour. No school for her tomorrow. Hope it's not flu--dad may need to take her to the doctor for a flu test in the morning. Geez Louise, when if rains it pours.

I am not familiar with ashthma--is that a possible side effect from an attack that was worsened by continued physical exertion? Seems odd that she is getting sick on the same day.

 

[SeaSpray]

Oh heck. I just found her upstairs all bundled up in covers, coughing her head off and freezing to death. Temp is only 99.1, but I'll bet you my paycheck she'll be over 100 within an hour. No school for her tomorrow. Hope it's not flu--dad may need to take her to the doctor for a flu test in the morning. Geez Louise, when it rains it pours.

Aww, I hope she feels better soon.

 

[hereyago]

My DD17 had an asthma attack at school today and did not have her inhaler. She was in her personal fitness class and they were climbing stairs when it started. Her PF teacher(who happens to be very overweight--sheesh) would not let her stop. He told her she didn't have asthma, that she was just "out of shape." I'm ready to tear this man's head off! DD works out 3 times a week, runs 3 days a week, dances and sings(while dancing) with her show choir very weekday,and more importantly SHE DOESN'T USE HER ASTHMA TO GET OUT OF THINGS. Matter of fact, she doen't have problems with it too often, which is why she didn't have the inhaler with her. But it's more likely to happen during the winter and early spring.

I am just about beside myself. I don't usually intervene for DD, but this crosses the line. If I can calm down, Ill email the the teacher tonight. I can't wait to her his side of the story.

Needless to say, DD will have her inhaler tomorrow and thereafter.

Minkydog: sorry that happened to your DD. Maybe you suggest that he may try to do what the students do and see how he does. Then he can talk about "out of shape".

Ironically, my PE teacher in high school was the football team's coach, he was so large, he looked like the entire team. there was never any showing us how to do stuff because he would get out of breath. Not really a good model for a PE class.

I hope DD feels better soon. Calm down hear his side, then if you need to break him off a piece of Mamma bear pie. I mean really? does he not know about her asthma? very unprofessional.

 

[tiggersbombed2]

I'd be past po'd. He needs a good smack! Hope she feels better.

 

[Barbossa]

Her PF teacher(who happens to be very overweight--sheesh)

Would you have felt better about what the PF teacher had done if he was thin?

 

[tiggersbombed2]

No, but a fat guy telling you that you aren't in shape? as "phys ed" instructor at that? Just makes him a bigger idiot, it's background !

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

My son has asthma too (its better now that he is older, but it used to be really bad) and his PE teacher once told him something similar. Needlessto say he was fully educated by the time I got done with him. In fact I insisted that the whole staff participate in an inservice that was conducted by the asthma and allergy association. I also demanded a written letter of apology to my son from the teacher AFTER I reminded the school of how lucky they were that THIS time nothing serious happened.

OP I'll also share that now DS's asthma is only bad when he's getting sick or when his allergies flare.

You have every right to be angry and the teacher needs to be told so that nothing bad happens in the future.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I am not familiar with ashthma--is that a possible side effect from an attack that was worsened by continued physical exertion? Seems odd that she is getting sick on the same day.

Probably more likely that the asthma attack was brought on by being sick. My daughter's asthma always acts me when she has a cold.

 

[DisneyScraps]

I wouldn't email I would be down at the school tomorrow morning. He should know better. Why oh why do we continue to let morons effect our kids....oh yes I know.....teacher tenure!

Lisa

 

[clh2]

Yikes. Minky please give your DD a hug from all of us.

The DD of a coworker is also asthmatic. I have learned tons about this since I've worked at my company. There is NO EXCUSE for the teachers comments. And even less excuse for him not taking your DD's comments seriously.

As another poster mentioned - he needs a piece of that "mama bear pie".

Hope she is feeling better soon!

 

[jaminmd]

Would you have felt better about what the PF teacher had done if he was thin?

Oh, please. PE teachers should be fit & they should be able to do everything they are attempting to teach. OP is obviously upset, so why do you feel the need to point this out? I bet she'd still be ticked even if the teacher was emaciated, ok?

Minky, I hope you rip him a new one. PE teachers around here seem to think they can make their own rules, too, like not letting the kids drink after running in 90+ degree heat.

 

[minkydog]

I am not familiar with ashthma--is that a possible side effect from an attack that was worsened by continued physical exertion? Seems odd that she is getting sick on the same day.

Not at all odd. Asthma can be induced by viruses, exercise, and cold air, among other things.

Would you have felt better about what the PF teacher had done if he was thin?

What? Are you kidding? Of course not. How ridiculous. What I have an issue with is that he minimized her breathing trouble. The fact that this man is very overweight and passing judgement on my kid, who happens to be in excellent shape, is absurd. I'm overweight myself but I wouldn't be teaching a fitness class (although I have lost 55-lbs so far--who knows? maybe some day i WILL teach that class!)

 

[MyManGoofy!]

I feel your pain on this one.

My son's asthma has gotten so much better over the years. But, when he was in grade school he was on a few different meds for it and used his rescue inhaler more often than not.

My son came home one afternoon in serious distress. Could not take a breath for the coughing and he had lost the color in his lips. His doctor's office was in the attached medical building to the hospital, so when she heard he was in the ER she came right over.

It took a while but they final got the attack under control but it was scary. Apparently, he HAD gone into the "nurse's" office during the afternoon recess because he needed to use the inhaler and the nurse would not let him. He said it was because she said he didn't need it.

Well, Dr. B was really livid and called the school the next day and conferenced the nurse and the principal to find out their side. This nurse confirmed that she told my son he did not need it because as she said " he was not gasping for air" when he asked for it. Dr B read the riot act at that - told them that someone gasping for air should have an ambulance called not just a rescue inhaler and that they should be grateful that my son pulled through ok.

Within a week after this, all staff and regular volunteers had to go through a special class/seminar on first aid with a special appearance from Dr. B on asthma warning signs and how to handle.

Now, I will say that the nurse and the principal both said that they had no idea that asthma could be fatal. There a many people that think this same thing. I blame some of it on how asthma is portrayed on tv and in movies. It is always the non-athletic or out of shape nerd types that have asthma - they are always immediately gasping for air (never a cough) and it is always fixed with a quick puff of the inhaler.

Jeez - I guess I feel strongly about this, don't I?

 

[minkydog]

Well, she's 101 now. Definitely going to the doctor tomorrow. We can't risk DH getting something like flu.

I'm calmer now. But i think I'll send an email in the morning when my head is clear. I did email the school nurse so she'll have a heads up.

 

[njmom47]

I am not familiar with ashthma--is that a possible side effect from an attack that was worsened by continued physical exertion? Seems odd that she is getting sick on the same day.

My oldest dd's asthma was triggered by extreme weather (cold or hot) or extreme physical activity. One time she had an attack because she was crying so hard about something. She seems to have outgrown it by now. But the teachers/nurses at her schools all knew and she also was not afraid to speak up about it if she felt an attack coming on. She did also have an inhaler in the nurse's office in elementary (and possibly middle school).
I hope she feels better; I used to worry so much about that!