Child Needs the Doctor

Child Needs the Doctor

by: Kelly - 08-02-12 15:40

Hi,

Hope someone can help. I have a child in my care who for the last 2 months has had a gungy ear and holds it. We have said on numerour occasions to the parents to go to the doctor. 

Mum says she has been reffered but there is nothin wrong then dad came in and said she hasn't been to the doctor. 

Mum has bought the child earmuffs to put on when outside but the ear is constantly leaking. 

Personal opinion is they dont want to take the child to the Doctors but in our opinion she needs to go and they need to be honest with us. 

Can i phone their health visitor to find out more? Any advice would help.

Thanks

by: sparkie

nop you can't phone the health visitor. I would and have said you have a duty of care to the other children and obviously any body fluid is not good. tell her that before you can let her come back in to the setting you need a drs note. that will force her hand also it is neglect so note when you have suggested going to the dr. good luck

by: playpal

I agree that this could be seen as evidence of neglect so make notes (with dates) of any discussions you have with the parents. Also it sounds like the child is unwell and in pain, they should not be coming to nursery in that condition and you need to stress that to the parents. It could be something as simple as the child having got a something stuck in her ear which has set up an infection. I think you have to take a firmer line!

by: sparkie

She could have a burst ear drum. which causes this type of discharge, I have had a couple that this has happened to but it concerns me what parent would leave a child like this!

by: Katsie

I had a child with this issue a year or so ago... A new starter in the preschool. The stench that used to come out of it was similar to what I had when I had an inner ear infection. I explained exactly this to the parent and she took her child to the drs, where they said that she had exactly that.

I find that offering experience and examples of what it could be/ the urgency to get it checked out usually helps. By no means am I a doctor nor pretend to be.

You can call the HV with consent from the parent, but if there is no consent, you can still call your link HV and say that you have a child.... All with no names etc- and they will guide you on what to say etc.

by: kaz (the first one!)

I have a very lathargic child who is overwright and lies down everywhere, even outside in the wet playgound. Both parents are big and when we mention how tired she seems, the mother comes up with different excuses such as she had a cough all night (although not coughed once in the session) or she went to bed late last night.

My staff are getting really concerned and doing extra obs on the child but we are not sure what to do next. They are a pretty affluent family so don't access the children's centre (who are usually great for getting messages across!) and the mother used to be a member of my staff before she had this child.

We are concerned there may be a medical reason the little one is so lathargic, such as childhood diabetes but not sure how to approach this with parents! Sounds so daft when you type it all up!

Any advice?

by: sparkie

Now thats tricky. Is there a member of staff you could get to talk to them? 

i'd record everytime you speak to them. Will you can empathise that she has been poorly why not ask if you can chat to Health visitors just to 'put your mind st rest' as you are concerned how long this is going on or it would be easier than mum trying to share your concerns third hand? good luck

by: Jam

Dealing with parents who won't accept anything is wrong with their own child i think often just want reassurance that it's ok to admit that something maybe wrong.So if you use your own or past experiences when talking to them and explain clearly and firmly that if the condition is dealt with now,then it is less likely to cause problems later on. For advice you can alsways ask the school/nursery senco and see what they say. Keep records of all meetings and concerns.

by: lydia adams

Hi, If this becomes a safeguarding concern you can contact the Health Visitor without the consent of the Parent's, in order to ascertain the childs needs and to build a bigger picture of what is going on here.

However, you need to be able to justify such an action, are there any other concerns regarding the childs care etc? If so, could justify telephoning the HV team. I would make LOTS of written obs r.e childs ear - sign and date. Make a record of any conversation with Parents - again sign and date.

Good Luck x