Disturbed by this incident in school-WWYD?

amother

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 11:45 am

My daughter is enrolled in a head start program.

Her teacher reported to me that she noticed my daughter scratching her upper thighs/butt and sent her to the school nurse.
She then proceeded to relay that the school nurse is now requesting a doctor’s letter stating that her rash is not contagious.

My daughter has eczema which is what is causing her to itch.
Coincidentally, she currently has molluscum as well.
This was diagnosed a while ago, and the dermatologist told me to treat it naturally as my daughter did not cooperate with the scraping.

I conveyed to the nurse that I was disturbed that the teacher and/or nurse must have lifted her clothes and scrutinized her private area to see this rash.
It is mostly on her private area and right under her buttocks.

The nurse claimed she did not check it, and that the program’s policy is if a child has a rash, a doctor’s note must be written stating that the condition is not contagious.

I am disturbed at this incident, as I believe her clothes must
have been lifted in order for the warts and rash to have been seen.

The nurse was unapologetic and still insisting on a doctor’s letter.
Should I escalate the complaint, or am I making too big of a deal out of this?
TIA

ShishKabob

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:00 pm

I think it's normal for the nurse to check and see what it is that is bothering your dd. I don't think it's out of line. If her panty was removed or moved, I'd have an issue with it. Why are you thinking of this now? a few weeks later.

amother

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:05 pm

ShishKabob wrote:

Because the nurse called to request the letter.
It just feels very inappropriate to me for some reason.
Also, my daughter never complained to the teacher that something was bothering her.
The teacher noticed her scratching and sent her to the nurse on her own volition.

amother

Denim

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:15 pm

I'm more concerned that your daughter has been in school for a few weeks with a rash that nurse thinks requires a doctors note. (what if this was another child with something contagious?)

I would believe the nurse, and I think looking at the 'upper leg' is fine.

amother

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:20 pm

amother [ Denim ] wrote:

I'm more concerned that you daughter has been in school for a few weeks with a rash that nurse thinks requires a doctors note. (what if this was another child with something contagious?)

I'd personally assume my child said something to the teacher and the nurse about having a rash, and believe the nurse when she said she didn't look at her private area.

I think 'upper leg' is fine.

The teacher did not mention anything about my daughter complaining.
Again, the rash was in a private area so it was not visible.
Why should scratching raise concerns of a contagious condition?
Many kids have skin conditions like eczema.
The molluscum is not what caused the itchiness.
It’s the eczema.

amother

cornflower

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:22 pm

This happened a few years ago!
My elementary age daughter was itching herself, had a rash all over her body,went to the nurse! They like to go to the nurse(miss school time...)
She said it looks like shingles! It looked nothing like shingles!!!
Can't come back to school until we have a drs note that she's not contagious!! So I guess it must be protocol everywhere! Sad

I had spoken on the phone to drs office they were not concerned at all, from my description.
we took her in to get the note,it was a fungal rash. Bh she went back to school.
That nurse tends to be overdramatic(think stiches right away! I got so many phone calls from her!!)
Afa your daughter, If a child looks uncomfortable I think it makes sense for teacher to send her to the nurse,that's her job!! If your daughter needed help in the bathroom would it bother you if the teacher helped her out? She is in preschool so really not so big yet!
I wouldn't make a big deal about it! One time incident!!

amother

Denim

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:23 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Nothing on the upper leg?

I think school nurses have some responsibility towards public health.

If she's not going to (and shouldn't be) looking at your child's private area - then she wants some assurances that someone else has.

very contagious = pin worms. That's what I'd be thinking if I was teacher.

amother

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:25 pm

amother [ cornflower ] wrote:

The teacher could have easily contacted me, and I could have explained why my daughter is itchy.
I don’t believe it warranted a visit to the nurse and the dramatic reaction.

amother

Denim

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:29 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

The teacher could have easily contacted me, and I could have explained why my daughter is itchy.
I don’t believe it warranted a visit to the nurse and the dramatic reaction.

Sending a child to see a nurse isn't drama.

amother

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:34 pm

amother [ Denim ] wrote:

Sending a child to see a nurse isn't drama.

Insisting on a doctor’s letter that molluscum and eczema is not contagious is a dramatic reaction.
And it took quite a bit of time to place the calls, leave messages, and receive the letter.

amother

Yellow

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:34 pm

I also think what people accept as "normal" and "protocol" is often a breach of boundaries and invasive. I'm not saying to be upset about it . Especially of your daughter is not. Just know that your instincts are on.
I remember things as a small child at the doctors office that bothered me. Kids are people too and some are more sensitive than others.

amother

Denim

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:37 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Insisting on a doctor’s letter that molluscum and eczema is not contagious is a dramatic reaction.
And it took quite a bit of time to place the calls, leave messages, and receive the letter.

So I'm not really sure what your issue is with the scenario that unfolded with your daughter - but at this point - what you are looking for is a change of school policy regarding which types of rashes require a doctors note vs parental assurances.

(involving the nurse in health matters is 100% the right thing for the teacher to have done).

FranticFrummie

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:38 pm

Nurses are medical professionals. If they overlook something important, it could cost them not just their job, but possibly their license as well.

You're making this out to be something pervy and inappropriate, and it's not. Kids that age spread all kinds of things to each other all day long. It takes constant vigilance to keep a lid on outbreaks.

BTW, any sort of open rash could possibly be highly contagious MRSA. If it was another kid who had MRSA, and they touched an area where your DD's eczema was an open sore, you'd be furious if she got an infection. You'd want to know why the school didn't do anything to prevent it. It's only fair that the school treat all children by the same standard.

amother

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:41 pm

amother [ Yellow ] wrote:

This.
It feels like a breach of boundaries and privacy.
I don’t think it’s OK.
It doesn’t feel right.
The teacher could have conveyed her concern, and it could have been easily explained.

SixOfWands

Mon, Nov 18 2019, 12:45 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Insisting on a doctor’s letter that molluscum and eczema is not contagious is a dramatic reaction.
And it took quite a bit of time to place the calls, leave messages, and receive the letter.

Unless you wanted the nurse to conduct an even more invasive examination, she has no way of being sure that it is molluscan or eczema. She would be very much remiss in accepting your word, as parents, bluntly, lie (I'm not suggesting you lie, rather, on the whole, many parents do).

Unless there's more, the teacher showed an appropriate level of concern in sending a child who was scratching to the nurse, and the nurse -- a medical professional -- showed an appropriate level of professional conduct in checking it out, and in requesting confirmation that it wasn't contagious.