kids sleeping in class

Keepstanding, ASN, RN · Nov 17, 2009

i get this every now and then also. teacher's will send 'em to me because they are sleeping in class and they want them to rest here with me. i do not allow a perfectly healthy student to sleep in the clinic, as they will contract some illness from the other sickies. so i stand firm and do not allow it. i call the parent and pretty much tell them that they need to come get their sleeping child. they don't like it, but what are we to do ?? it's a home issue. teacher's just want them gone.

praiser :heartbeat

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2009

Hmm, I have never even considered calling the parents to pick up a sleepy kid. I check them out and if they are cleared, they go back to class. If they get sent to me again, generally I get the principal on board and let him know this appears to be a behavioral issue, not a medical one. Usually he will have a talk to the kid and march them back to class, and explain to the teacher that he is expected to remain in class, and to pay attention! I find that there is nothing like a chat with the principal to help kids rise to our expectations, but I guess it depends on your administration.

I do usually call the parents to let them know and try and troubleshoot why the kid is so tired, but give a kid a ticket home because they are sleeping in class? Not in my clinic!

safarirn · Nov 17, 2009

I agree. Kids that want to sleep go home, or go back AWAKE to class. Sometimes a simple phone call home & letting the parents talk to the sleepy child is enough to WAKE THEM UP!

If it continues after being sent back & talking to parents, then they have to go home. PERIOD.

They are in school to learn, not to distract the class with their sleeping.

My clinic is for the kids that are sick & or need meds/ treatments.

If you are healthy, but so tired you need to sleep- then you need to go home!

schoolnurse1001 · Nov 18, 2009

I usually try to find out why they are so sleepy: up texting late last night, watching TV or what. If it is one of those reasons I send them back to class and tell them it is a lesson learned that if you stay up late you WILL be sleepy. I had a kid last week that could not stay awake that was sent to me, found out he had a phenergan before school. I could not be at school if I had a phenergan before school so I did call his mom to come get him. Others it just depends, parents up fighting and yelling all night that keep kid awake I would probably let them rest for a class period. I don't have a hard rule. I just evaluate each situation and decide. I do send plenty back that just stayed up late for fun.

luvschoolnursing, LPN · Nov 18, 2009

I don't have a hard and fast rule either. Sometimes the kids are holding down an job and taking honors classes and have a "head cold" and just resting one class period is enough to get them through the day. Sometimes I suspect substance abuse, sometimes it is just a kid who has been up all night playing video games. Sometimes family issues, sometimes just a lazy kid who doesn't want to be in class. For the most part, I know my repeat offenders and send them right back or to the principal if the teacher won't let them back. Sometimes I let them rest.

raidermom · Nov 18, 2009

My child did this in 1st grade off and on for 2 weeks with them calling me to come get her, found out that she had mono without any symptoms other than extreme fatigue. I also had a student last week who did this, little brother was in hospital and she had not gotten home until 1 am. We really need to look deeper sometimes if they are not a regular repeater.

SchoolNurseBSN · Nov 18, 2009

My child did this in 1st grade off and on for 2 weeks with them calling me to come get her, found out that she had mono without any symptoms other than extreme fatigue. I also had a student last week who did this, little brother was in hospital and she had not gotten home until 1 am. We really need to look deeper sometimes if they are not a regular repeater.

I agree. I have had kids that are up all night because of a new baby in the house, parents fighting, took a Benadryl before school, sleeping in car because homeless. You never know until you ask. I have no problem with giving those kids a place to rest for a while.

dotherightthing · Dec 3, 2009

What do u guys do if a student is sent to you that keeps falling asleep? No fever, no other s/s called mom, mom said she would not pick him up............. so i sent him back to class and told the teacher to send him to the office if it continues.............. that went over big.... lol HELP

First, if this is occasional, I'd encourage the teacher to speak with the child to find out what's up. And then go from there-to talking with the parent and maybe social services

Second, if this is a frequent thing and if the kid is not rousing to his/her normal LOC...being drowsy, disoriented or with unstable gait...those kinds of things, the parent should be notified immediately so they can transport the child to a physician for work-up. If the parent refuses to get the child, I'd consider calling 911. Something is wrong and you probably can't figure that out at school.

Third, if this is a frequent thing and if the kid can be roused to his usual LOC, (It shouldn't be dumped on the school nurse), the teacher should report it to the parents-it may be a chronic home/social/discipline issue. How late is the kid is staying up, doing what? What else in going on in that kid's life, etc. If it isn't that and assuming the parents are on their job, they should take the kid for primary a care work-up. If it continues, something is going on but it's iffy whether its a social or medical issue. If they refuse to pick up the kid, I'd encourage the teacher (and help her) to flood the parents with calls and notes while documenting it all to cover myself and the school. The child can't learn much is he's asleep in class, I'd involve the social service people and the principal as well.

Lots of unaddressed social kind of issues come up in school nursing....lice, unwashed bodies, dirty clothes, hungry children. It becomes a medical issue when it's longer term, chronic kind of stuff (a couple of weeks of dirty clothes, not washing, etc., is chronic to me). Otherwise, on a daily basis, my job is acute care and diagnosed 504 type care issues, self-medication oversight, health education, etc.

Holly115 · Dec 14, 2011

You may want to take the initiative to find out why the child is so tired... Children who are in an abusive household or who are being abused may not get the sleep they need or be unable to sleep. Its always important to assess the situation. Believe it or not, this is one of the signs of abuse. Not saying that this is for every case, but it is definitely cause for concern.