Medication In Pre-School

[Guest]

Wondering if you knowledgeable people out there can help?.........

I'm a Pre-school manager and somewhere in my grey matter think I have read/learnt/was informed that if a child requires antibiotics/penicillin administering four times a day, then they should not attend the setting.

Can anybody clarify this point or enlighten me in any way as to whether this is true.

Thank you in advance

[lashes2508]

if it is just for a limited time as in a course for tonilitis , the doses can be given outside of preschool times as long as they are spaced evenly. I have been told and also read this by a doctor.Therefore it should not be necessary to give whilst at preschool , secondly if they are that poorly they should not be at preschool although it is important a course of antibiotics is finished . hope that helps

[Guest]

Thanks and your points, you just confirmed my thoughts, my question was prompted by a reaction from a parent recently when i said the same...ie too poorly...they've become quite challenging on this (the norm actually!!!) and I was hoping to get some written evidence to back me up.

I appreciate your reply :rolleyes:

[lashes2508]

ah sorry can't remember where i read it - will see if i can find something for you

[Guest]

that'd be great thank you...I think I read it on here but can't find it

[Guest]

It is a statement used commonly by maintained schools in my area. They request that children on a course of antibiotics be given them three times per day or they are timed for outside of school hours. The schools say most GPs are happy to oblige. I've not seen it written down anywhere in formal terms though.

[lashes2508]

_{do you have a policy for administering medicines - check out the info ' managing medicines on DFe website and also Ofsted there is guidance document , i did find a piece but it was an american doctor}

Edited April 30, 2012 by lashes2508

[Jeany]

Our policy is exclusion for 24 hrs after the start of treatment with antibiotics. Other than that it would depend on the illness.

[korkycat]

Hi, I've found this in 'Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings' now archived.

Prescribed Medicines

25. Medicines should only be taken to school or settings when essential; that is where it would be detrimental to a child’s health if the medicine were not administered during the school or setting ‘day’. Schools and settings should only accept medicines that have been prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse prescriber or pharmacist prescriber. Medicines should always be provided in

the original container as dispensed by a pharmacist and include the prescriber’s instructions for administration and dosage.

26. Schools and settings should never accept medicines that have been taken out of the container as originally dispensed nor make changes to dosages on parental instructions.

27. It is helpful, where clinically appropriate, if medicines are prescribed in dose frequencies which enable it to be taken outside school hours. Parents could be encouraged to ask the prescriber about this. It is to be noted that medicines that need to be taken three times a day could be taken in the morning, after school hours and at bedtime.

28. The Medicines Standard of the National Service Framework (NSF) for Children recommends that a range of options are explored including: Prescribers consider the use of medicines which need to be administered only once or twice a day (where appropriate) for children and young people so that they can be taken outside school hours

Prescribers consider providing two prescriptions, where appropriate and practicable, for a child’s medicines: one for home and one for use in the school or setting, avoiding the need for repackaging or relabelling of medicines by parents.

and this from PLA policy

"While it is not our policy to care for sick children, who should be at home until they are well enough to return to the setting, we will agree to administer medication as part of maintaining their health and well-being or when they are recovering from an illness.

 

In many cases, it is possible for children’s GP’s to prescribe medicine that can be taken at home in the morning and evening. As far as possible, administering medicines will only be done where it would be detrimental to the child’s health if not given in the setting. If a child has not had a medication before, especially a baby/child under two, it is advised that the parent keeps the child at home for the first 48 hours to ensure no adverse effect as well as to give time for the medication to take effect. "

Hope that helps

Korkycat

[Guest]

Thank you korkycat....that's helped a great deal, especially the 48 hours bit, I appreciate your time