One of my biggest malingerers

Specialties School

Published

just got diagnosed with abdominal migraines :arghh: She is a second grader who has been high maintenance since Kindergarten. Her mother totally babies her and I think enables a lot of the behavior. She was diagnosed with ADD in 1st, but Mom against medicating. She will frequently come see me and complain of random thing- stomach aches, headaches, "breathing problems", "just not feeling well". In every instance she is fine upon exam, happy and distracted and playing in my office.

About a month ago, she was jumping on the couch and fell and bumped her head on the coffee table. Suffered a mild concussion. She came to see me several times per day the next few days c/o stomach aches. Every single time she came, once I was paying attention to her she was smiling, playing, etc. Stomach aches were non-descript, a 5-10, no nausea, no vomiting. Would happily walk back to class after 10 minutes of rest. I called mom to discuss because it was frequent and she is low academically and was missing a lot of instruction time. Mom would rush to school to pick her up :banghead:

So I just arrived at work and there is an email from our Second Grade Team Leader that I was looped into from the mom saying she was "just diagnosed wit abdominal migraines so she is not faking. Please let's make her time at school as pleasant as possible" . Insert giant eye roll here. I am waiting for a doctor's not to confirm.

Mom is one of those super strong personalities, pushy, etc. You know the type. Overanxious about everything to do with her kid. And the kid, unfortunately is not winning in the likeability department herself.

Anyway, I just had to vent as I am sure you can all understand where this situation is going. It is going to be a long 6 months until the end of June!!

Specializes in school nurse.

"Please let's make her time at school as pleasant as possible"

...and is there anything else I can do for you? I have the time.

Yeah, I guess hospital scripting would work in a school, too.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

I keep hoping and waiting for the sound of people popping their heads out their bums. Making her time at school pleasant is not the sole responsibility of the school or even one person in the school. Sure, there are things the staff can do to facilitate the day to help her, but happiness does start from within. If a kid has made up their mind that they are unhappy and don't want to be there, you can have a day of play, a rock concert, jugglers, or a free cash give away and they still won't be happy until they get the one thing they want. Usually mom or dad or simply to go home.

We have been doing this new school wide initiative around here that involves a lot of effort on the staff's part to have activities such as dance contests, minute to win it type contests, slime making, etc involving teams that are split up by color, not grade. There aren't any academic demands placed on them. But yet i still get a surprising parade of kids in with headaches, stomach aches, sore throats, etc that all have no supporting evidence to send home. Usually my malingerers who would rather be home with mom or dad just because they know they are home. Are they coming to me simply because they are unhappy? Is there a bullying issue that isn't being addressed that they aren't telling me about? Is it just because it's Wednesday and it's raining? Who knows.

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