I am trying not to freak out here.. I am shaking...

[Disney1fan2002]

I don't think I have ever been this mad. I am shaking.

DS(9) had to go to the Dr's the other day because he was having a hard time breathing in school. The Dr prescribed an inhaler with a spacer. he got TWO meds. One was Flovent, which is his medicine to relax the airway, and of course, Albutoral. I sent him to school with the Albuteral. In case he had a hard time breathing again. THANK GOD I didn't send the Flovent.

The school calls this morning to say he can't take it in school without a Dr's order. I call Dr's office, they fax over an order. I call mid-day from work, to make sure they got the fax, and to find out if DS was having any problems. No, the nurse has not seen him today, but mentions she is sending him home with a parent slip to sign, giving them permission to give him the meds.

I just picked the kids up from my sister's because I work until 9pm on Friday's. I ask DS if he remembered to bring home his inhaler and THE SPACER. He tells me the NURSE WOULD NOT LET HIM BRING THEM HOME!!!! HELLO??? The kids got out of school today, they are ON VACATION for a WEEK! He said the nurse called and left a message. Yeah, well I was AT WORK. I just listened to the message. It came in at 2:58PM. The kids get out at 3PM. Seems she was letting me know that by law, the district can't send kids home with meds. (apparantly, he wasn't even supposed to bring them in) Why didn't she tell me when she was talking to me on the phone that I needed to come and get them if I wanted them home? What am I supposed to do now for 10 FREAKIN DAYS????? The spacer was NOT covered by insurance, and cost me $50.

How about, you call a parent's house and leave a message, if that parent does not call you back in an appropriate amount of time, YOU CALL THEIR WORK BEFORE YOU LOCK THE KIDS MEDS UP FOR A WEEK.

I am starting to cry now. DS has been in a coughing fit for an hour now. I gave him the Flovent, but he could probably use the Albutoral right about now.

Who do I call to get someone to unlock the school????

 

[figment52]

What comes to mind is call the NON EMERGENCY number for your local law enforcement and explain the situation to them and see if they will call their contact at the school and have them call you back.

DO NOT CALL 911 - use the phone book number.

Try the school number too. They may have information the the recording as how to contact during the off hours.

 

[MrsMud]

Wow, I really feel for you .

If I were you I would take the school calendar and call every number listed, starting with the Superintendant. Good luck!

 

[Nancy]

Office personal for the district should still be there on Monday. My dad worked for a school district (business manager) Support staff, like superidendent, his office staff and student services were always there. Janitorial staff should also be working over the break, the only ones off are teachers, aides, students and actual school personal...district people are all there.

 

[BethR]

I would call your Dr's office (I'm sure that you will get their answering service), tell them what you told us, and ask for a new prescription to be called into the closest 24 pharmacy in your area.

Good Luck with this. I am sure that you are very frustrated and afraid.

 

[MoniqueU]

I would call the Dr and explain what happened and see if he will call in a new rx.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

sounds like something ds school would do
hope you can get it worked out for you ds
good luck

 

[mrsmom]

Call The drs office and get them to get you an inhaler asap!!!I have two kids 8 AND 13 with inhalers at school and back ups at home plus a nebulizer too. to you and your ds
kim

 

[mickeysgal]

I would definitely call the doctor's answering service. They can page the doctor and he can call in a prescription. Good luck. I know that its hard to think clearly and stay calm when you're child's sick!

 

[KimOhio]

call your dr office so he can call in another script. there is something you can use at home for a spacer till you can get yours back I am sorry I can not remember what it is and my daughter is asleep or I would ask her because this happen to her at school too

 

[Divamomto3]

you need to call the on call doctor and get an Albuterol prescription right away. Do you have a 24 hour Walgreens near you? At the very least, you need it for the morning.

The Flovent is a steroid and it's used to prevent asthma attacks, it is not a rescue inhaler for when they cough or wheeze. It takes a period of time for the Flovent to build up a level in the system and it's not used for acute asthma attacks and it won't do anything for his coughing right now. You need Albuterol. My insurance doesn't cover the spacer either, so I feel your pain.

This is a hard lesson learned about the school thing, but they can't even have sunscreen in their possession at our school, never mind their inhalers.

 

[clh2]

I know that you are upset and all, but in the school district DD is in, how meds are handled are part of the policy that as a parent, must be signed off on at the beginning of the year. They are very specific that no meds - absolutely none may be brought in by the child. They must be brought in by you the parent, or if the parent/guardian signs the med slip another adult can bring in the meds. The office will not dispense any meds without the RX orders. The office will also keep the meds under lock and key, unless it is an inhaler, and the parent has agreed to let the child self-medicate.

I believe (but am not positive) that in Wisconsin, they really regulate this. The parent med permission slip is a state form.

There is no way our school would ever let the meds go home with a child.

School nurses have many things going on in the day, from sick kids, to kids that are faking it, to allergies, to bumps and bruises from recess, to the occasional broken bone.

The nurse probably could lose her job for sending meds home with a child.

I hate to be pessimistic about this, but while there might be someone who could get the building key, would they know where the med-locker key is? I bet it is locked up to.

And while noone really wants to spend an extra $50, wouldn't it be a benefit to have one at school and at home, and then you won't be in this type of situation again.

 

[Buckalew11]

Good luck, Marie.

 

[damo]

What about contacting the pharmacy where you got the perscription filled? Maybe it allows for a refill.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I know that you are upset and all, but in the school district DD is in, how meds are handled are part of the policy that as a parent, must be signed off on at the beginning of the year. They are very specific that no meds - absolutely none may be brought in by the child. They must be brought in by you the parent, or if the parent/guardian signs the med slip another adult can bring in the meds. The office will not dispense any meds without the RX orders. The office will also keep the meds under lock and key, unless it is an inhaler, and the parent has agreed to let the child self-medicate.

I believe (but am not positive) that in Wisconsin, they really regulate this. The parent med permission slip is a state form.

There is no way our school would ever let the meds go home with a child.

School nurses have many things going on in the day, from sick kids, to kids that are faking it, to allergies, to bumps and bruises from recess, to the occasional broken bone.

The nurse probably could lose her job for sending meds home with a child.

I hate to be pessimistic about this, but while there might be someone who could get the building key, would they know where the med-locker key is? I bet it is locked up to.

And while noone really wants to spend an extra $50, wouldn't it be a benefit to have one at school and at home, and then you won't be in this type of situation again.

Now that I am calmed down a bit, (DS finally fell asleep) I guess I will just spend the $50 for another spacer. If he can't transport it to and from school, it makes sense to just spend the $50 than to go back and forth to the school everyday TWICE.

Calling Dr's office ASAP on the morning, to get new prescriptions. I just wish she would of called me at work, so I could of arrainged to pick the meds up for the vacation week.

 

[MidNite]

That's an awful situation. I hope things turn out right for you and your son.

 

[robinb]

I'm sorry you had to go through this . It's part zero tolerance and part CYA on the part of the school and 100% stupid IMO.

Can he learn to use the inhaler without the spacer? I use one for emergency uses only and it's not that difficult.

 

[DaisyDebbie]

I had the same situation with my 9 yo son and his school. My dr. gave me one Albuterol for home and one to keep in school. My son didn't like using the spacer and used it without it. Have your son try it without the spacer, no need to spend $50.00 on it if he can do it without it.

Maybe the drs. office can give you some Albuterol, they might have samples in the office.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I'm surprised you don't have refills on the Albuterol that you can just have filled - did the doc give a 1 time script for it? If so, just call the after hours # and request a doc to call it into the local pharmacy.

As far as the spacer, you could always teach your son to use it without the spacer for the time being. It'll save you $50 and maybe they'll let him bring home the spacer each day once he goes back and just leave the medication itself.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I had the same situation with my 9 yo son and his school. My dr. gave me one Albuterol for home and one to keep in school. My son didn't like using the spacer and used it without it. Have your son try it without the spacer, no need to spend $50.00 on it if he can do it without it.

Maybe the drs. office can give you some Albuterol, they might have samples in the office.

I did give him the Flovent without the spacer, and he did good. I just wish I knew why the Dr wants him to use the spacer. Would it be for a medical purpose, or just to make it easier since he has never had to use an inhaler before. I like to think it is medically necessary, because I just spent $50 on it. If it is just to make using the inhaler easier, I would of preferred to teach him than to spend $50.