Why can't a school trust my kid to take meds on her own during the day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. PP, you're not very good at staying on topic, are you?

I can't believe I have to answer this but no, not overweight, she plays sports after school every day. She has endometriosis and has extremely painful periods. Please don't lecture me about exercise when we have found what works.

OP - If this is an ongoing thing, she must have some sense of when she needs to take her Aleve to feel better. Is it that hard to plan ahead for that? I have posted several times saying I think rules are there for a reason, but I also think exceptions are often made for a reason. Either have her take a couple of pills to school as needed to take very discretely (pills needed for the day not a whole bottle, and taken in a bathroom stall for example) or give the school a note from the doctor regarding her medical issues and ask them how to work it out so that she has her medication when she needs this.

[Anonymous]

There are very good reasons that the rules are there. Believe me on this. Loose pills are a red flag, by the way.

DD went on a field trip in middle school. I took the pills to the teacher--as directed, in a plastic baggie. Teacher told me to give them to my DD. I was okay with this as she told other parents the same (it was Claritin or Benadryl). I don't think I would have been comfortable with this had there been no witnesses.

If you cannot work something out with the school, then DD will have to deal with the inconvenience or risk serious consequences.

[Anonymous]

I used to wrap the pills in tinfoil and include it with her lunch things.

[Anonymous]

OP,

This rule was not developed in a vacuum. There is a good reason for it.

Comply.

[Anonymous]

If parents and community members didn't blame schools and hold them responsible every time a kid made a mistake, this would not be an issue. Schools end up being legally responsible for so many things. I agree, even 14yo should be able to be held accountable for their otc meds at the very least, but too many people would rather blame schools than snowflakes or their own negligent parenting.

[Anonymous]

This was the rule when I was in school. It sucks, but I understand the school not wanting the liability.

I have severe asthma and our old schools were full of dust and mold which would trigger it for me. Having to get all the way to the nurse's office to get my rescue inhaler all through school was awful. I once had to be carried on a stretcher because my attack was so severe and sudden.

[Anonymous]

My DD's public high school has the rule that a form can be filled out by the doctor for her to self-administer.

[Anonymous]

DD puts a pill in a Ziploc baggie and either puts it in her backpack or her lunch bag. She'll quickly open it and take it at lunch or after lunch while in a bathroom stall.

She started doing this in 9th grade because her school doesn't have a blanket form I can fill out that says "yes, one week a month you can give my DD Midol without calling me for permission." It never failed those first few months of 9th grade that she'd call when I was in a meeting or couldn't give permission. And at that age, she was still firmly okay with suffering in silence rather than letting the nurse call DH for permission.

I consulted with other mom's and found that their kids did the same thing. The trick seems to be not taking the bottle, which eliminates the rattling pill sound. I've not heard of any of her classmates getting busted as they all seem to be discreet about taking meds.

The most trouble I ever got in while I was in HS was when I bypassed the school nurse and called my mom on the pay phone to come pick me up. I had a horrible migraine and cramps fro my period and just wanted to go home. Except I forgot to tell her that I wasn't calling from the nurse's office so she went there to pick me up when she arrived and I was busted. The nurse was furious and walked me down to the principal's office and demanded I get a suspension. By that point the room was spinning, my mom was yelling, the nurse was yelling, and the Principal was kind of just sitting there dumbfounded. I spun to flee, the nurse grabbed my arm and yanked me back, which really angered my mom, and when I spun back to tell her I was going to be sick, vomit came out of my mouth instead of words. Alllllll over. Projectile. The Principal's desk, the nurse, the Principal's lap, her ugly dusty fake plant, her files... it was glorious. The office went silent and the Principal said, "Diane, she's clearly sick. Let her mother take her home and we'll dole out punishments when she's well."

I had a meeting with the Principal and my mom a few days later and got lunch detention for 2 weeks for using the payphone during school hours. Worth it.

[Anonymous]

Do the kids have to go with a buddy to get medication in middle and high school or can they go on their own?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. PP, you're not very good at staying on topic, are you?

I can't believe I have to answer this but no, not overweight, she plays sports after school every day. She has endometriosis and has extremely painful periods. Please don't lecture me about exercise when we have found what works.

Thanks for answering OP and sincere apologies for offending you. I am European and I find the US over-prescribes medication in comparison to the rest of the world, treating often the symptoms rather than the causes. This was interesting to me, not meant as a slight to you.

Aleve is OTC (over the counter) which means it is not prescription medication that you need doctor-involvement for.

making strong medications available without a script is part of the problem.

Are you joking? You can get many stronger meds OTC in Europe than you can here (e.g. Codeine in Spain), and I don't know of any European country where Ibuprofen isn't OTC.

[Anonymous]

One of my daughters has an epi-pen and the other has an albuterol inhaler. They are both allowed to self-carry because their doctor approved it. However, any OTC medication must be given by the school nurse. My daughter who has allergies is not allowed to self-carry Benadryl. They are both in middle school. The high school has the same policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD puts a pill in a Ziploc baggie and either puts it in her backpack or her lunch bag. She'll quickly open it and take it at lunch or after lunch while in a bathroom stall.

She started doing this in 9th grade because her school doesn't have a blanket form I can fill out that says "yes, one week a month you can give my DD Midol without calling me for permission." It never failed those first few months of 9th grade that she'd call when I was in a meeting or couldn't give permission. And at that age, she was still firmly okay with suffering in silence rather than letting the nurse call DH for permission.

I consulted with other mom's and found that their kids did the same thing. The trick seems to be not taking the bottle, which eliminates the rattling pill sound. I've not heard of any of her classmates getting busted as they all seem to be discreet about taking meds.

The most trouble I ever got in while I was in HS was when I bypassed the school nurse and called my mom on the pay phone to come pick me up. I had a horrible migraine and cramps fro my period and just wanted to go home. Except I forgot to tell her that I wasn't calling from the nurse's office so she went there to pick me up when she arrived and I was busted. The nurse was furious and walked me down to the principal's office and demanded I get a suspension. By that point the room was spinning, my mom was yelling, the nurse was yelling, and the Principal was kind of just sitting there dumbfounded. I spun to flee, the nurse grabbed my arm and yanked me back, which really angered my mom, and when I spun back to tell her I was going to be sick, vomit came out of my mouth instead of words. Alllllll over. Projectile. The Principal's desk, the nurse, the Principal's lap, her ugly dusty fake plant, her files... it was glorious. The office went silent and the Principal said, "Diane, she's clearly sick. Let her mother take her home and we'll dole out punishments when she's well."

I had a meeting with the Principal and my mom a few days later and got lunch detention for 2 weeks for using the payphone during school hours. Worth it.

OMG. Classic story! Thank you for sharing!