Student Reports Alcoholic mom

[skoolnurse]

I'm jumping specialties here - because I need your advice. I just had a teacher come in and tell me that a high school age student is concerned because her mother is an alcoholic and the mom is now pregnant. She wants to call the physician and tell him. With all the confidentiality can the child do this? Or will the physician run a test that may discover the possibility of FAS. Thanks for your help.

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Here's a thought... if CPS can't/won't open a file on behalf of the fetus, if the mom really is pregnant and she really is drinking to excess, might that not be considered to be "emotionally abusive" to the teenager, to have to witness his/her mom potentially damaging the unborn sibling?

Such a shame that the authorities won't intercede until AFTER the fetus has been irreparably harmed....

And if this is all just about a teenager wanting to "get revenge" on a parent, CPS should be able to tell if mom isn't drinking and the case will be closed.

[PICNICRN, BSN, RN]

my thought as well, and we only have the students opinion on the mother's status....does this student have issues with the mom and is trying to get back at her? etc

I totally understand what you are saying and you might be right.... BUT... it is not our job to make that assessment. Would you feel differently if the kid said that the mom was abusive? Kids do make up things and they so lie about parents, but it is not our job to tell if the accusations are valid- only to report the alligations and let CPS do their jobs. And other posters might be correct, CPS may not even investigate but it still should be reported.

[nkochrn, RN]

We recently had an OB at 8 1/2 months pregnant that was brought in by police after being pulled over for DUI. Her physician did already know that she had used alcohol occasionally while pregnant. Our social worker did call CPS, I don't know that they ever got involved before delivery. After delivery they were contact and did NOT follow up with the patient. The Doctor however had this mom come in twice a week for NST's. She watched her very closely and did lots of teaching with her. This was a first time mom, she did awesome after delivery and is now doing wonderfully caring for her baby. (It's a small community, easy to stay updated on patients

[kmn360]

I was thinking more along the lines that the student, may not want the new baby to go through what she has gone through. She very well maybe reaching out not just for the fetus, but maybe herself as well. Sometimes this is what it takes, we can't judge, but I would think it still may need to be looked at. It's really up to CPS if they want to follow through or not.