Child dies after having asthma attack at school; no nurse on duty

[Anonymous]

This is what happens when we decimate school budgets and school staff.

http://wonkette.com/531232

[Anonymous]

I live in Canada, we don't have school nurses in ontario. That's just the reality. Seems strange to have one.

[Anonymous]

I taught in some schools that didn't have nurses. Here is the translation of the article:
School called the parent to come pick up the child. He convinced the child to stay at school.

[Anonymous]

Believe me, if the child were having an asthmatic attack, emergency would have been called. There is more to this story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught in some schools that didn't have nurses. Here is the translation of the article:
School called the parent to come pick up the child. He convinced the child to stay at school.

It doesn't sound like dad even talked to her. The school just called him to say she wasn't feeling well.

I agree I think there are many details missing here.

If she had asthma she should have had puffers with her - did she take them? I was a kid with bad asthma attacks and I knew long before 12 when I needed help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Believe me, if the child were having an asthmatic attack, emergency would have been called. There is more to this story.

So not true. My child was hospitalized for a respiratory condition at children's. He had 2 roommates during that time who had had trouble with asthma at school, which wasn't recognized and wasn't addressed until it was at the point where the child needed an extended hospitalization.

I've seen it at schools where I've worked as well where symptoms of asthma and allergic reactions go unrecognized.

Teachers need training in recognizing signs of asthma (hint, a child can be in severe distress with no audible wheezing). Kids need to be empowered to recognize their symptoms, and carry emergency medication.

[Anonymous]

Could be. But, more likely the school called and the child or the parent asked the dad to come and he didn't or felt he couldn't. Happens all the time. Ask any nurse or office attendant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I taught in some schools that didn't have nurses. Here is the translation of the article:
School called the parent to come pick up the child. He convinced the child to stay at school.

It doesn't sound like dad even talked to her. The school just called him to say she wasn't feeling well.

I agree I think there are many details missing here.

If she had asthma she should have had puffers with her - did she take them? I was a kid with bad asthma attacks and I knew long before 12 when I needed help.

My kid's asthma changed dramatically with puberty. It's possible that hers did too.

[Anonymous]

That is tragic, but I don't think the dad has a right to blame the school. The school called dad who should have picked her up and taken her to the doctor. Instead he blew it off as nothing, picked her up to realize he should have earlier and is scapegoating the school for his neglect. Even if a school nurse called, he may not have come and gotten her medical treatment immediately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I taught in some schools that didn't have nurses. Here is the translation of the article:
School called the parent to come pick up the child. He convinced the child to stay at school.[/quote
+1. They were concerned enough to call him. He probably asked untrained office staff to evaluate his daughter's medical state instead of just coming up to get her. Schools don't call unless they think that something is seriousenough to possibly require some follow up. No calls if your kid needs a bandaid, but calls for asthma, head bumps, etc.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the poor, rural South. Never even heard of a school nurse except on tv shows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I taught in some schools that didn't have nurses. Here is the translation of the article:
School called the parent to come pick up the child. He convinced the child to stay at school.[/quote
+1. They were concerned enough to call him. He probably asked untrained office staff to evaluate his daughter's medical state instead of just coming up to get her. Schools don't call unless they think that something is seriousenough to possibly require some follow up. No calls if your kid needs a bandaid, but calls for asthma, head bumps, etc.

That's the point, there need to be trained people who can answer a question.

My kid has asthma, the school calls me every time he uses his inhaler at school. I rely on the nurse to tell me whether I need to rush out of work, can take a little while to call Grandma to pick him up, or should tell them to send him back to class.

[Anonymous]

The child's father and the father's fiancee were called. They didn't go and get her. A staff member even gave her a ride home.

http://citypaper.net/article.php?He-says-his-daughter-might-be-alive-if-not-for-school-nurse-cuts-16461

[Anonymous]

Let's be clear folks about the term "nurse." Schools do not have an RN. In FCPS, where I work, we have a "clinic aide." She's a very nice 70 year old woman who has some training in things like administering meds for kids, doing vision and hearing screenings and taking temperatures. I'm sure she has also been trained to recognize asthma attacks.

She also likes to spend her day email blasting the entire staff with photos of cute kittens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's be clear folks about the term "nurse." Schools do not have an RN. In FCPS, where I work, we have a "clinic aide." She's a very nice 70 year old woman who has some training in things like administering meds for kids, doing vision and hearing screenings and taking temperatures. I'm sure she has also been trained to recognize asthma attacks.

She also likes to spend her day email blasting the entire staff with photos of cute kittens.

Luckily, DCPS schools have an RN in almost all schools.