meds taken at school | ADHD Information

there have been a few times in the past month when my dd has called from school asking if it's okay for her to take her pill.  you see, she has forgotten to go to the nurse at lunch/recess and take it.  it happened again the other day and it was 2:45.  more than 2 hours late.  she's nine, with adhd...and they have had inside recess because it's so freezing out, that it screwing her up, she's forgetting.  now...i feel that it's the nurses job to be *flagging my dd if she hasn't come, and/or her teacher should be able to give her reminder.

am i expecting too much here?  how is this handled in your school?

just curious.  

shelley

 

 

Does she have an IEP? This can get written into the IEP to make the teacher and nurse take it more seriously. It is back to the issue of things that affect a child's ability to get a free appropriate public education.

If you do a search for the following: medication at school department of education (and your state) you will find the laws regarding the schools responsibilities. If you add the school districts name, you might find the specific policy for the district.

Have you spoken to her teacher/nurse.  If they have a labeled medication bottle indicating dosage time and amount the nurse is responsible for administering that medication espically to younger children.  At least that is the case where I live.We asked our son's teacher when he would be switching from PE back to his regular class and we went out and bought him a watch and set the alarm to go off durning the time of switching and he stops by the office and goes and takes his meds.  The watch was one of the best things we have bought because even if they are off of school and we are out running around there has been times that it has reminded us.At my son's elementary school, they tell the parents to come to the school and give the children their meds. LOL.

 

We told the teacher when the meds were due...luckily for us it went with the lunch hour. So before lunch she would send him to the office to get his pill and then he would be off to lunch.  We never had a problem with the teacher forgetting.

What about one of those reminder watches you can buy. You set a time, and a message, and then it will remind you to do it. Maybe it's worth a try.

 she does not have an IEP yet.  this whole med things is new, but i haven't been real thrilled with the consistency of her getting her noon med.  part of that is my dd's fault i'm aware...she forgets to go get it. 

the person in our nurses's office is titled a health clerk.  i'm not even sure what her real qualifications are.  she's a wonderful lady...i'm just trying to be understanding to her situation also.  it doesn't look like they have to sign off that a med was given at noon at all.  which surprises me.  the meds are locked in a cabinet, but on thursday when i went to school-both the health clerk and the district school nurse was not in the office when my dd and i went in.  instead it was the receptionist who was dealing with the ill kids, and i was actually the one that gave my dd her pill.  the receptionist opened the cabinet of course.  anyways, i know that this was another *rare situation.  i happened to be there at a strange time.  but, i'm wondering if my dd hadn't gone with me to get her pill after lunch how long it would have taken for someone to notice. 

the pediatrician wants to switch my dd to ritalin LA in time here soon and see if that affects her sleep.  then we won't have to deal with any of this school stuff.

again, it is one of the best schools in the state...and the health clerk is delightful.  right now i'm just trying to feel the whole situation out without making too big of a stink.  if she continues on the short acting and this continues to be an issue, we'll definitely be getting her a watch that vibrates.  however she tends to not wear them on a regular basis or looses them:) :) :) 

thanks for your replies...i just wanted to feel the whole situation out.  i know that every school operates differently.  interesting that no telling has the kid's parents come in to give it.  hmmmmmm!      

her teacher is aware that the whole situation got *off track.  we talked about it on thursday when i said that there wasn't a nurse in the office after lunch so i gave the pill to my dd.  hopefully she'll start keeping better tabs as well...OR i will make a stink:)

shelley

But what about parents that work?  How can they come in to administer meds? 

My son is on ritalin LA, and we love it.  But on Fridays, he has early band, and it would not last the whole day, so I give him a 10mg ritalin in the morning and after early band on the way to his regular school day, he is supposed to stop at the office and get his ritalin LA.....him and the nurse both forget because it is only once a week....so I call the school at 9:05 and ask her if he stopped or not, and if he didn't she goes after him and he gets his pill!

Could you call for a couple days and check at the time she is supposed to go and get it?  Maybe if you 'nag' a little, they will be more diligent!

Each of the the five schools that ds(18) has been in have had a different policy.  I feel it is the school's responsiblity to see that the kids take it at around the right time. 

some nurses or office staff have called him to the office if he forgets.  sometimes the office gets busy and they forget.  In third grade the nurse expected him to remember.  (We disagreed on this point)  If he could remember to take his medicine then he probably wouldn't be on it in the first place

In high school they are allowed to carry the meds on them so they don't need to go to the office.

He has worn an alarm watch since 3rd grade to help remember.  One BOB-adult toys watch was too big and bulky.  the BOB-adult toys watches that I have researched recently did not have a strong enough vibration to be of value.  He now has a watch with a snooze alarm.  It continues to beep every five minutes until he shuts it off.  That's great when he is in the middle of something and then forgets that he still needs to take his medicine.  

Remembering the meds has always been an issue.  Now he remembers M-F but still needs to get the weekend under control. 

jfla239122.8689930556I am a middle school nurse. If "my" kids dont come for their meds...I call them out of their class to take it. Most of mine take it before lunch and if they dont come at the beginning I will go get them out of the lunch room Which they dont like...but I usually then get them to come more on time and less interrupting their lunch or their following class. I notify their before and after lunch teachers that they take meds in the clinic. Most before lunch teachers will release them a few minutes before the class ends to come to the clinic....which gives them the full lunch time!! By law....atleast here!! If a the clinic has a doctors order to give a med at a certain time......it needs to be given. Do I ever forget or get too busy to realize that one didnt come?? OH YES!!!  But as soon as I do....I call them to the clinic and give it to them! We are there for the kids.  Call your school and see what their district policy is? Good luck!