Parents keep medicating their febrile kids in the morning

Published

Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

This is getting ridiculous. I have sent home several kids this week with fevers who are medicated early in the morning and then when it wears off, they spike a temp. I know this because they always say "my mom gave me medicine this morning". So they have spent hours in the classroom contagious, possibly infecting other students. It takes all I have to not be completely inappropriate with these parents and ask them why they would risk the health and safety of other kids. And these same parents I am sure would be furious if their kid contracted flu from a kid who came to school contagious.

The current K student in my office has a temp of 102. She tells me "My mommy took my temperature this morning and said I have a fever and gave me red medicine to make it go away". This is a student who is missing her boosters for MMR, Varicella, Polio and DTaP because mom, who is a pharmacy tech by the way, claims they "no longer immunize because of our religion". Drives me NUTS. And now mom is not answering the phone because I am sure she knows I am calling to come get her sick kid. Grrrrrrrrr. OK, rant over.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

oh, no... i let them have it. If you knowingly send your child in sick, it is not an excused absence. Then i DO give the guilt trip by saying to them that " you would not want your child sitting next to a child that had a high fever but was sent in on motrin." Occasionally you can hear the heads popping right out of their bums

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Occasionally you can hear the heads popping right out of their bums

Awesome visual! thanks!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
oh, no... i let them have it. If you knowingly send your child in sick, it is not an excused absence. Then i DO give the guilt trip by saying to them that " you would not want your child sitting next to a child that had a high fever but was sent in on motrin." Occasionally you can hear the heads popping right out of their bums

Balls of Steel.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Occasionally you can hear the heads popping right out of their bums

OMG! That's a great visual!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Update:

I called mom twice, no answer so I call dad.

Me: Good morning, Mr. X, this is the school nurse from XYZ Academy

Dad: What's that?

Me: Um, the school that your child attends:facepalm:

Dad: Oh, ok.

Me: Your daughter has a fever and her mother is not answering her phone. Can you please come pick her up?

Dad: Well, I am kind of in the middle of something

Me: Well, are you able to reach Mom, because someone needs to come get your daughter and she isn't answering my calls.

Dad: I will see what I can do (hangs up)

15 minutes later...my phone rings

Mom: HI, I am X's mother. Did someone call me? (Yes, she really asked me that)

Me: Yes, good morning, this is Nurse C. from XYZ Academy (which by the way I said when I answered my phone) your daughter has a fever and needs to be picked up. Also, I wanted to let you know she mentioned you took her temperature this morning and she had a fever and was given Tylenol.

Mom: Um, OK

Me: Just to make sure we are on the same page, any student who has a temperature over 100.4 needs to stay home from school and is not allowed to return until their temperature returns to normal, without giving Motrin or Tylenol.

Mom: Yes, but she didn't actually have a fever this morning, she just said she felt hot and didn't feel well so I gave her medicine.

Me: Did you take her temperature?

Mom: Yes

Me: What was it?

Mom: (quiet for a few seconds) Around 101 or something

Me: That is more than 100.4 therefore she had a fever this morning.

Mom: OK, I will come get her

I cannot make this stuff up!!!!

6
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
Balls of Steel.

oh, but i put on my sweetest voice when i give that lecture. If i were in the South i think i'd say "Bless your heart" to punctuate it.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Update:

I called mom twice, no answer so I call dad.

Me: Good morning, Mr. X, this is the school nurse from XYZ Academy

Dad: What's that?

Me: Um, the school that your child attends:facepalm:

Dad: Oh, ok.

Me: Your daughter has a fever and her mother is not answering her phone. Can you please come pick her up?

Dad: Well, I am kind of in the middle of something

Me: Well, are you able to reach Mom, because someone needs to come get your daughter and she isn't answering my calls.

Dad: I will see what I can do (hangs up)

15 minutes later...my phone rings

Mom: HI, I am X's mother. Did someone call me? (Yes, she really asked me that)

Me: Yes, good morning, this is Nurse C. from XYZ Academy (which by the way I said when I answered my phone) your daughter has a fever and needs to be picked up. Also, I wanted to let you know she mentioned you took her temperature this morning and she had a fever and was given Tylenol.

Mom: Um, OK

Me: Just to make sure we are on the same page, any student who has a temperature over 100.4 needs to stay home from school and is not allowed to return until their temperature returns to normal, without giving Motrin or Tylenol.

Mom: Yes, but she didn't actually have a fever this morning, she just said she felt hot and didn't feel well so I gave her medicine.

Me: Did you take her temperature?

Mom: Yes

Me: What was it?

Mom: (quiet for a few seconds) Around 101 or something

Me: That is more than 100.4 therefore she had a fever this morning.

Mom: OK, I will come get her

I cannot make this stuff up!!!!

oh, but i put on my sweetest voice when i give that lecture. If i were in the South i think i'd say "Bless your heart" to punctuate it.

Very impressed with you both.

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing, Pediatrics.

YUP! Every single day I go thru this!!

It is so frustrating!!

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Infuriating!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The confusing part about this situation is the fact that a child can get dangerously ill very quickly, and they tank even faster. Why aren't these parents concerned that the child will develop a secondary infection like pneumonia that could kill their child? And who is so rude and entitled that they think it's okay to expose everyone else's children? School is not daycare, a child is there to learn. That is impossible if they are ill.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School health, Maternal-Newborn.

I so feel you...

Thank FSM we are going into a break, I sure hope this school is scrubbed to within an inch of every finish...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion