Sam's got a little cold, with a sore throat and a slightly stuffy nose and an occasional headache.
On Monday, she tried to pull the "Mo-om, I don't feel good. I don't think I can go to school" act. I didn't buy it, especially when I said, "How about if we give you some medicine before you go so your throat doesn't hurt today?" and she said, "Nah, I don't feel bad enough to take medicine."
But, we agreed, I'd send the Triaminic along to school so that if she felt worse, she could go to the nurse's office and take a dose.
Who knew an ordeal would follow?
I put the bottle in a baggie, and I wrote a note to the school nurse. I wrote that Samantha was allowed to have one 2-teaspoon dose during the day if she felt she needed it, and I wrote that the nurse had my permission to give it to her.
My cell phone rang about 20 minutes after school started.
Even over-the-counter medications, she said, require a doctor's permission. My permission alone isn't enough.
She could accept a faxed note from the doctor, the nurse said. But if Sam stopped in for the medicine and the doctor's note hadn't arrived, then she could get a dose only if my husband or I came in and gave it to her.
So, let's stop for just a minute here and ponder this:
1. Triaminic is an OTC medication.
2. This means the federal government agrees that I have the right to administer this medication to my child if I deem that she needs it.
3. I, in turn, gave another adult my permission to administer this medication to my child in my stead.
4. My permission, however, is not enough for the school. It must also have my doctor's OK to act in my stead.
There's something not right about this.
Just to share the rest of the fun I had, when I called my doctor's office -- and after I waited on hold for 12 minutes since it was a Monday morning -- and asked if they could please fax a permission note to the school, I was told that "we, as a clinic, do not fax schools. It's just not something we do."
"Really?" I wanted to holler. "Really?? Why is that?"
Do they realize that the people who work in schools have had to go through more background checks and drug tests than most of the people at pharmacies?
In the end, my husband said he'd be able to go to the school if she asked for it. Which she never did.
I find this ridiculous, if not entirely unbelievable. Makes you wonder who filed a lawsuit somewhere against a school nurse for giving their kid medication.
By the way, the doctor's office told me they could mail a permission note to the school. I figured that would get there in about 7 to 10 days, when she'll be feeling better anyway.
Thoughts? Rants? Outrage? Concern?
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