? about FFX County - School clinic aid

[Anonymous]

I probably shouldn't be annoyed by this, but I kind of am. I got a call from the clinic aid an hour after school started that DD was there. Apparently she had been itching her eye in class. We were told it was draining and a bit crusty and that we needed to come pick her up right away and get a note from the doctor that it wasn't contagious. All I could think was crap, now we're all going to get pink eye.

DH picked her up and there is absolutely nothing wrong with her eyes. They both look perfectly fine. She says they don't itch. DH asked if she told the nurse her eye was crusty or if the nurse asked. She said the nurse asked.

I have 2 things going on here. 1st, DD wanted to stay home today and I believe she acted this up. And that I have to deal with.

But 2nd, shouldn't a clinic aid be able to look at her eye and see there is absolutely nothing wrong with it? Are we really relying solely on the answers a 5 year old gives without having some corroborating evidence? No visible signs of pink eye. No signs of any illness whatsoever.

Perhaps I should ask about the onset of pink eye - can it start with just an itchy eye that goes away and then symptoms really kick in later?

What I'm annoyed about is that I now have to take her to the doctor and get a note that says she doesn't have pink eye when it's clear she never did in the first place.

[Anonymous]

This is a tough one. One the one hand, what would your reaction be if one of her classmates actually had pink eye but was sent back to class? On the other hand, you would hope that the school would check things out.

Bear in mind that allergy season is already beginning.

[Anonymous]

In my experience, nothing will get your kid sent home faster than the suspicion of pink-eye. Once at preschool dropoff, I hadn't even left the parking lot when I got the call on my cell phone. For the record, my DD checked out fine, and the whole episode cost me three hours and a co-pay.

I agree, though, that I'd rather they be too strict than not strict enough on this.

[Anonymous]

If your daughters eye is obviously clear and not itchy, crusty, or red, I would skip the doctors note. They can't actually require that for a symptom that is no longer present, can they?

[Anonymous]

our school is so extremely cautious - they send dd home after anything, she complains of tummy ache and her temp is 99.1 I have to come pick her up....she is not sick and never was but they have sitll send her home. today they called 911 because she had a rash, by the time I got there the rash was gone but she still had to go home....its crazy.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Can't skip the doctor. They will not let her back to school without the form completed and signed by the doctor.

I get how contagious pink eye is and 3 small kids I don't want it in my house. But it's just a PITA that we have to do this when she clearly doesn't have it.

[Anonymous]

OOOOH, I just hate this! First and formost, "clinic aide" may have very, very little medical training. She/He is NOT a nurse. If a nurse said it then I can see going to the doctor and paying a $25 co-pay to get a note. But when a clinic aide suggests it, it's no more than a layperson suggesting it.

Our clinic aide sucks at our school - big time! I had them call me one time because my daughter had a rash that she scratched and it was bleeding. They insisted I come take her home. It was eczema! I refused to go pick her up. And told them I wanted the principal to call me back. The asst. principal called back and I discussed it with her, and she said, "Yeah, I can tell it's eczema, but the clinic aide didn't know (duh!). You need to put it on your child's fom. Now all 3 of my kids have it on their medical forms b/c they all get it, and I don't want some non-medically-trained person telling me it could be contagious!

I had them call me another time because of "pink eye" in the spring when everything is blooming. I KNEW it wasn't pink-eye - no crustiness (my daughter used to get it a lot as a baby). But I had to do the same thing - bring her to the dcotor's. As soon as she saw her, she said "allergies." The doctor herself said it's quite frustrating because they get this all the time where they have to write notes saying that it's not pink-eye. It's a waste of the doctor's time and ours.

Fairfax County Public Schools, hire some da*n nurses in the school, and stop relying on non-medically trained aides. Most other school districts I know of have REAL NURSES who know what pink eye and eczema look like!

[Anonymous]

OP, there is a cold virus going around that causes very very mild goop in the eyes. Took DS to the doctor got it and they said that they've been seeing this virus tons the past week.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I'm sitting here in shock that the doctor confirmed she has pink eye. Apparently she has an infection in her nose causing it to drain to her eyes. That part didn't surprise me because she always gets her colds in her eyes. But I think I've heard her sniffle once on the past couple of days. He found 2 small parts of redness in the corners of her eyes. I could barely see it.

So amoxicillin and antibiotic drops for us. Guess the aid was right on this one.

[Anonymous]

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/childhood-illnesses/pink-eye

There are a ton of reasons for eye drainage. As far as a sinus infection, my doc would never prescribe an antibiotic for one unless my child was miserable with symptoms. I hope your little one gets relief, but chances are, it was all viral to begin with. As you mentioned, your child's colds affect her eyes, mine get croup, others get ear infections....all caused by the same virus.

[Anonymous]

I totally agree with your issue--my son one day threw up a very small amount. I got a call and of course went right to get him. Turns out he told the nurse he felt fine but that he was rushed to eat his snack and he ate so fast he threw up a little. They actually make the kids eat snack while doing reading activities. He told the nurse he felt ok just he ate too fast. I took him home and he was perfectly fine all day. She didn't listen to my son or me, very frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/childhood-illnesses/pink-eye

There are a ton of reasons for eye drainage. As far as a sinus infection, my doc would never prescribe an antibiotic for one unless my child was miserable with symptoms. I hope your little one gets relief, but chances are, it was all viral to begin with. As you mentioned, your child's colds affect her eyes, mine get croup, others get ear infections....all caused by the same virus.

That's the thing - she feels perfectly fine. Eyes aren't bothering her. She is coughing more today, so I'm guessing this is just the start of a typical cold that is also in her eyes. Says she feels great.

Problem is, the doctor wrote on the form that it was communicable and that she could return when redness and discharge was gone. Well, there is no discharge. But the corners of her eyes are still bloodshot. So they won't allow her to come back.

[Anonymous]

Bacterial conjunctivitis - the type that would need antibiotic eye drops - should have thick goopy/crusty discharge. Unfortunately viral conjunctivitis is just as contagious. Red eyes without discharge or just slight discharge could be viral/allergic or even chemical. Just a small spot of redness could just be from rubbing!

[Anonymous]

Don't get me started on FFX cty clinic people- absolutely not qualified! I know we can't have a doctor there but I tell you, I am way more qualified than they are! I blasted the clinic for how they handled my child and took it to the assistant principal who KNEW it was wrong- at least follow frickin protocol!

[Anonymous]

OP here - no way it is bacterial conjunctivitis according to the link posted above. Kind of annoyed with our doctor on that one. She has been put on antibiotic before for a sinus infection that wouldn't clear, so I didn't question that.

She still has those 2 small red spots in the corner of her eyes - the ones that got her sent home in the first place - but I sent her back to school. I'm not keeping a perfectly healthy child home from school another day.