What Would You Do?

[Upsy Daisy]

I spoke to one of our Early Years advisers last night and was told very clearly that I must not go against the parents' wishes and inform the school. My only course of action is to persuade mum that it is not in her child's best interests to send her to school without the full picture.

 

Now I know where I stand I am pretty sure of how I will proceed.

 

I will try to talk mum round and, if this doesn't work, I will give her the tranfer document with everything on it and leave it up to her to decide whether to give it to school.

 

If the teachers ask me for it I will simply refer them to her.

 

That is my final version of the plan (I think!)

 

I will continue to observe and record evidence and use some of the strategies suggested on here.

 

Thank you for all of you ideas and support.

[Upsy Daisy]

I just thought I should tell you how the story ends.

 

I persuaded mum to tell school about the hearing issue and put it on the transfer profile which she passed on to them too.

 

This child has still been struggling to hear ever since and has had several ear infections which were treated with antibiotics.

 

After a doctor's appointment yesterday where the GP thought he saw a hole in her eardrum the child was seen by an ENT surgeon today who has identified a severe deformity of the eardrums due to years of infections and has arranged for her to have surgery within the next two weeks. Apparently one ear is not quite so bad as the other and he may be able to operate in time to prevent serious damage but she is almost certain to have significant hearing loss in the other one.

 

How frustrating and upsetting that this could all have been avoided.

 

The consultant also said her vocabulary and speech very good for a child with such severe problems - well just think what it could have been like without them!!!!

[Guest]

oh i'm so glad that this has been resolved but feel sad for the little girl that it has taken so long, it's amazing how your gut instincts were so spot on! well done for your role it is hard when you can see what needs to be done and frustrating when the results don't tie up. it's so good that this has been dealt with before she goes to school just a shame the medical profession didn't do their side of the job properly

[sunnyday]

Hi Upsy Alison Daisy

 

Thanks for the update.

 

Why am I not surprised how very frustrating and how sad for this little girl.

 

Hope that all goes well for her now

 

Oh and good for you - she's a lucky little thing to have you fighting her corner for her..........

[Guest]

How frustrating for everyone that the problem could have been avoided, and shame on that person who merely wrote her off as "stubborn" when all along she couldn't actually hear. At least things have finally been noticed and sorted out - it could have gone on for a lot longer!

 

I have a child in my class who I'm sure is suffering from hearing loss, whether through the onset of deafness or simply through 'glue ear' or similar I don't know, but my problem is trying to get mum to actually take him for a hearing test at all!

Edited February 11, 2010 by Guest

[Upsy Daisy]

It's so difficult when your hands are tied like this. I don't suppose the school nurse could help out in any way? Perhaps by talking to the parents or doing a simple hearing test herself maybe?

[HappyMaz]

It's so difficult when your hands are tied like this. I don't suppose the school nurse could help out in any way? Perhaps by talking to the parents or doing a simple hearing test herself maybe?

Our school nurse did routine hearing tests on all the children when Mrs Weasley was little - but I have no idea whether they are still done in schools these days.

 

So glad to hear that things are moving forward but as you say it is so frustrating when things like this happen. This family are very lucky to have you, you know.

 

Maz

[Guest]

Thanks for the update. I'm glad that intervention will be able to prevent any further hearing loss for the child concerned. You should feel very proud of yourself - your instincts were spot on - and you dealt with a difficult situation very professionally. I hope the parents appreciate you!!!

 

I do wonder sometimes though, whether the parents ever look back and think "If only I'd listened when Upsy Daisy first told me..."?

 

Nona

[Guest]

I teach Reception and up until this year the children had height/weight/sight/hearing tests during Reception (with the school nurse). They were usually at an unhelpful time like Feb, when knowing asap that a child has hearing or sight issues would be more helpful. Also, unless parents chose to tell us the results, we didn't even know which children had possible problems as nurse couldn't tell us due to data protection.

 

Anyway....now the health people are not doing these checks anymore. Just height and weight for YR and Y6 cos of the 'obesity problem' nationally. What a load of rubbish. Parents can opt out and those whose children are very large will probably do just that!!

 

Never mind that hearing and sight and vital for everything, especially phonics and therefore reading and writing, you would think that would be important. Apparently not!

[Guest]

It's so difficult when your hands are tied like this. I don't suppose the school nurse could help out in any way? Perhaps by talking to the parents or doing a simple hearing test herself maybe?

 

There was a hearing test done on all my class back in September or October, we didn't get told the results, plus back then he didn't seem to have the problem. It's as if his started to deteriorate just before Christmas. I'm not sure there is anything we can do unless mum takes him to the doctors, but I will keep trying to get them to retest him in school if she doesn't seem to be doing anything.

[Upsy Daisy]

Well at least you're aware and making allowances. That will make all the difference and hopefully he doesn't miss any more than he has to.

 

I hope his parents step up to the mark soon.

[Upsy Daisy]

I do wonder sometimes though, whether the parents ever look back and think "If only I'd listened when Upsy Daisy first told me..."?

 

I think mum has a bit of a selective memory about this process and is laying the blame fairly and squarely at the consultant's door. I think she's just one of those people who don't ever feel the need to questions their own actions. It must be a nice way to be

 

Thanks for all the lovely comments - I do wish that something had happened sooner but at least no more damage should occur now and she'll hopefully get some help to make sure she keeps up now.

[katehart]

I think mum has a bit of a selective memory about this process and is laying the blame fairly and squarely at the consultant's door. I think she's just one of those people who don't ever feel the need to questions their own actions. It must be a nice way to be

 

Thanks for all the lovely comments - I do wish that something had happened sooner but at least no more damage should occur now and she'll hopefully get some help to make sure she keeps up now.

 

 

Well done Upsy Daisy. I have just read through the whole story. How sad and frustrating for you!!! just gone through a packet of tissues.

 

Hope the little girl is treated like a princess now, especially after all that.

 

Its someone like you, who should be rewarded for your outstanding passion for children's care and welfare.

xxx

[HappyMaz]

I think she's just one of those people who don't ever feel the need to questions their own actions.

Or maybe she finds it difficult to cope knowing she could have done something sooner, Upsy Daisy. Guilt manifests itself in a variety of ways but the fact remains she's lucky to have you fighting her corner. And even luckier that you're not the sort of person to say "I told you so".

 

Maz