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Discussion

Crazy Parents

I had a 7th grade student come to school yesterday with a bottle of Focalin in his back pack. He brings it to me in the morning with no papers from the parent or doctor. (The bottle is labeled). I called the mother and told her I am not able to give her child his medication without a medication consent form that is signed by the doctor and her, and said she will need to come give him his med and also, that an adult needs to bring his medication to school. She said her car has been broken down for 3 weeks and she can't do anything about it. She said, "Well have fun with my son's crazy behavior then." I faxed her the medication form so she can sign it and send to the doctor. I come to work today, beginning of the year, DROWNING in shot records, and of course I still have nothing for this student. OF COURSE. He comes in to take his med and I tell him I cannot give it to him because I still have nothing from his mom or doctor. I call her and she is IRATE that i will not give him his med. She says that she faxed it to the doctor and it is out of her hands now and it is ridiculous that I will not give him his med. Her car is broke down (she tells me again) and she can do nothing. (NOT MY FAULT RIGHT???) She said her son is going to get sick now because he isn't getting his med. She says to just hand him the bottle and let him take his med. I told her to call my supervisor and I also had my principal call her. We heard nothing back so far. She was yelling at me so crazily. I am so stuck!!! What would you have done??? Of course now I think something is going to happen and he is going to get sick because he has no meds. She has gotten to me and I shouldn't let her. She could take the bus, cab, call a friend. She has had 3 weeks to figure it out. she said her son has been in the district for 5 years and expects me to use orders from previous years. UGH!!

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    • Featured Replies

    You're doing the right thing! Frustrating, tho!

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    Is this a noon dose? So he gets a dose at home?

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    I honestly think that if she was that concerned about her son, she would have made getting those forms signed a priority. When my cat was sick, I dropped all my plans for the day to take it to the vet, and that's just for a cat. If I had a child that could avoid getting sick by simply getting forms signed, I would have those forms signed ten minutes ago.

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    I had several meds show up on the first day either with kids or dropped off with the secretaries. I called parents and told them I would give the med one day on their verbal ok, and that they would have to sign the permission forms I sent home with the child and send it back the next day. It worked pretty well and I got them back.

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    Its not the kids 99% of the time. It's the parents.

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    Its not the kids 99% of the time. It's the parents.

    Yep. Poor kids often have no control.

    Since I deal with HS kids, I have helped the older students take the steps towards getting the doctor's signed order/paperwork themselves (i.e. talk to the student about calling the doctor's office, etc.) if the parent has been the roadblock.

    I know that isn't helpful for a 7th grade student, but do you have permission to reach out to the child's prescriber? I fully believe getting the order is the parent's responsibility (and come on - we give plenty of advanced warning, this parent should have known what she needed), but in the rare :banghead: situations where the med is much needed I have called a doctor's office to fax over the school order, then send a copy home from the parent to sign off so I can give the medication in school. Because I hate for the kid to suffer.

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    The world will not stop spinning on its axis if a kid does not have their ADHD med the first day of school.

    SMH

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    The world will not stop spinning on its axis if a kid does not have their ADHD med the first day of school.

    SMH

    Exactly. How exactly will the child "get sick"? It's not like an antibiotic, anti hypoglycemic, bronchodiator, or anti-epileptic drug.

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    Exactly. How exactly will the child "get sick"? It's not like an antibiotic, anti hypoglycemic, bronchodiator, or anti-epileptic drug.

    I have seen some kids freak out if they miss a day of medication, but it is more mental than anything physical (Routine interrupted, etc). And the child may not have taken this medication over the summer (many don't), so would be starting up again at the beginning of the school year.

    However, given what the OP presented, I have a feeling this will be more than just one day without a med. It could take quite a while for this parent to follow through and I understand how frustrating that can be.

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    I have seen some kids freak out if they miss a day of medication, but it is more mental than anything physical (Routine interrupted, etc). And the child may not have taken this medication over the summer (many don't), so would be starting up again at the beginning of the school year.

    However, given what the OP presented, I have a feeling this will be more than just one day without a med. It could take quite a while for this parent to follow through and I understand how frustrating that can be.

    It's more to the mother's claims the child is going to get sick rather than the frustration and aggravation forced upon the school nurse thanks to the unorganized parent that fails to plan and follow policy that has been in place for years. It's not like it's a new medicine or first year in the school. I suspect this parent is a repeat offender; the kind who sends their child to school knowingly ill then can't understand why everyone is upset that she won't pick up her child with a 102F temp and erupting varicella blisters.

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    • Experts

    I would make a wager...that if you called the parent and told her the school district was offering a $500.00 cash academics participation scholarship she would be able to arrange transportation to come pick it up.....

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    I have sent my district's School Medication Permit home with the student for the parent to fill out their portion and return. Once I get it back I FAX to the physician to complete their portion. Generally works out well.

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