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Educational Welfare Officer

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I Find O's problem odd as K uses a pen and a pen does not look like a needle or syringe.
Tell K to get her biro out and press it to her arm or leg in class so O can see it 😡 and each time O looks do it again. Let K bully O back :D

Would K consider a pump? The reason I ask is if she would then K has the ultimate control by the hour each and every day.
 
I just mentioned on another thread about a lovely T1 boy that my son met when he was first diagnosed, who was a real inspiration to him. Said boy has a huge needle phobia! He has managed to overcome it for injecting himself, but when it came to William doing his jab, he had to turn away and went really pale 😱
I hope the school works with O to help her learn some strategies to cope - K should be allowed to manage her diabetes when and where she likes without having to worry about another child's issues, even though I'm sure they're genuine.
 
It is one thing to be afraid of needles but if O did try to dispose of K's kit then the school need to deal with that and explain to O the serious problems K could have found herself in. They should be able to do this in a non-judgemental way and at the same time enquire as to how they might be able to help O overcome her fears.

Has anyone suggested that O rather than K change classes ?
 
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Thanks once again for support😱

I gather the girl O has some serious 'issues' which school cannot discuss with me, but K tells me O has a Teaching assistant with her most lessons as she refuses to take part otherwise and often puts her head down on the desk etc. Her language can be 'more like a boy' - Ks phrase - and she uses violent imagery in her school work:confused: She has scratched a classmate who was tying to calm her down re K injecting.

It is a difficult situation and I assume that it is not an option to move O. Will talk more to Ks councellor about how she thinks we should handle it, but I have told K to make sure she tells me if there is ever ANY trouble with O and if she tries to meddle with kit again tell a teacher. We are concerned they will try to get K to leave her kit at the office which she does not want to do.

But I am not having K frightened to go to school because of this and shall tell the EWO so if I ever get the chance😱
 
MeanMum

Wow what sort of school is K going to😱

As to 'O' behaviour concerning 'K' I don't think it's actual a needle phobia, if reaction to see a insulin pen and injection is so severe then there is no way she'd be able to touch 'K's kit to attempt to dispose of 'k' equipment..

A friend who played rugby (a prop) with my ex-husband who literary faint not just at the site of a needle... But as I found out just the thought of the needle being near..

Had gone out to rugby and taken sandwiches, syringe and my insulin vial all contained in a sandwich box (old regime of 2 jabs a day and time meals) the sandwich box was coloured so couldn't see the contents... As M served behind the bar and was sorting out the pumps I asked him to put my sandwich box in the bar's fridge.. Handed my box over, and he said don't tell me that you've got your diabetic kit in there! And didn't actually answer couldn't he hit the deck first😱

And with the schools reluctance to discuss the problem with you, and putting the onus on 'K' suggests something is going on..

As 'O' behaviour is having a direct impact on 'K's welfare and education, then you have a right to know what is actually going on.. I would be getting up stint demanding an full explanation to what the truth is and what the school is hiding otherwise you will make an official complaint into both the school Goveners and the Eduction department and willing to go further if you don't get answers..


And as to the copy letter, don't take that one to heart as it's one of those letters that doesn't come across as it should do, they aren't judging you but taken on board that with 'k's diabetes and insecurity of coming to terms with it, effects the whole family not just 'k' and it's natural that families will struggle as well.. So support needs to given to all the family as a whole and not just centred around 'k'... But you can't put that in a education/department duffer letter you got to go with the 'speak'

And due to all this going on, I would be requesting if while it's being sorted that some home tuition is provided so that at least she keeps up with her maths, English subjects
 
Oh dear, I've only just seen this.....

O might have problems, but they are not K's problems. I think it's a bit unfair that K has to be considerate towards O, but O doesn't (well, I guess she can't)have to be considerate towards K.
I was going to suggest the same... move O. K can't help the fact she needs to inject. I think it was very wrong of the form tutor to make it all K's fault. I wonder why O can't be moved. If she doesn't take part in the lessons and doesn't seem to have friends in that class, it would be easier to move her. She wouldn't lose her friends like K would.
How about the TA making sure O isn't anywhere near K when she needs to inject? I think this should work both ways. It's not on K to make all the adjustments.
I agree with Ellie though - how can O have an aversion to needles and then go and try to dispose of them?
I hope you'll get this sorted soon (((MM & K))
 
Mmm, was what I said, previously - they both have to make compromises - making K have to do it all is discrimination, pure and simple.

God knows what is going on in this other child's head but have just thought - does she perceive K as vulnerable, in which case it's bullying - or is she an attention seeker of the worst kind? I have no knowledge of needle phobia to be honest, but what Ellie has said makes sense to me.

I do know a bit about claustrophobia though, and that doesn't manifest itself as rage etc it makes me feel faint, cold sweat, mega high heart rate, nausea etc - which sounds much like the barman she describes.

Whatever, it not only affects K's life and well-being, it affects the whole class and whilst they certainly do all need to be 'reasonable' towards anyone 'perceived to be different' in any way (as we all do every day) - this surely to God goes far beyond the bounds of reasonability?
 
hi i agrree with monica on this is not K only fault( she is only 12 she can do everything herself on top of her diabetes) the teachers have a part on all this as welll as O and her parents so and the EWO should know this
 
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