Grandparents avoiding us....and the problem!

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

i have a first grade little girl who takes adhd medicine daily...this child needs her medication, she absolutely cannot function if she doesn't have it. she is super hyperactive and defiant. she disturbs the entire class and frustrates her teacher beyond belief. now that she's not getting her medication, she's using it as an excuse to be even worse. she is disrespectful, rude, and uncontrollable. and no, i'm not exaggerating.

up until about a month ago, she got her medication here at school twice a day. then the doctor changed it to once a day, and the grandmother (who has custody) decided she would just give it at home. i knew this was a bad idea because the grandmother has a lot on her plate (raising this student and her two siblings, one older and the other is just a baby) and tends to forget. she did really well for a couple of weeks, and then she decided to send in the medication for a week and let me give it at school. the child did great during that time.

last week, she started forgetting to give the medication again. the teacher sent home a note, the child ripped it up on the bus and never said a word to her grandparents. when the teacher called about the note and the need for this student to have her medication, they brushed her off and acted like it was no big deal. they have forgotten her medication all week this week and refuse to answer the phone. they told the teacher yesterday that her medicine is in the front office, then they told her they gave it to me. neither i nor the secretary have seen or talked to the grandparents at all. there is no medication at this school for her. i've tried calling yesterday and today, and the teacher has too, but they refuse to answer.

what should i do? the little girl is going to end up in iss for her behavior, whether it's the lack of medication or not. she's using that as an excuse, thinking she can get away with whatever she wants. she colored all over the classroom floor yesterday, and put glue stick on her face. she's mouthing off to everyone and won't stay in her seat to save her life.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I have a remarkably similar situation going on right now. In fact, the teacher asked me yesterday in sheer desperation if it was possible to not allow the student in class without his medicine (!!!) Of course I said no, we cannot force them to medicate their child. My recommendation was just to write him up and keep doing disciplinary referrals. Perhaps the parents (or in your case grandparents) will pay more attention if the principal gets involved?

I do not like going this route, because the student does need the meds to help control their behavior, but if the family will not act, it may be the only way to get them to do so.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

You need to get your social worker / counselor on board to help develop a behavior plan for this student. Part of that behavior plan should include getting meds at school as well as addressing the other issues such as her mouth, staying in her seat and corrective action for any damage she does to school property. Grandma will need to be contacted - even if it takes a home visit to approve it. That's what we've done in the past and it has been successful, but be sure to be firm. Violating behavior plan results in suspension, no ifs and or buts.

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

Grandmother showed up this morning and dropped off some medicine. The secretary said she came in and told her that she had the medicine and when the secretary went to call me over the walkie talkie to come get it, the grandmother dropped it on the counter and left.

[bergren]

I agree with firefightingRN - and I suggest doing a home visit.

[jagalu100305]

Problem is you can't force them to medicate her........so do what you can........

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

The only thing I'm running into about the behavior plan is that we only have 3 days of school left. It's definitely something I'm going to bring up at the beginning of the year though.

I know I can't force them to medicate her, but they can't expect the teacher (and the rest of the staff) to deal with this child when she acts like this either. It's just not possible.