Swollen, sore & angry toe...

[Clare63]

Need a bit of advice, Connor has come home from school today with a swollen, red and angry big toe looks to me if it could be an ingrowing toe nail. He is making a huge fuss, I can see it looks sore and is possibly infected. He says he can't possibly go to school tomorrow because its too painful and he won't be able to wear shoes and socks.

 

My dilema is should I keep him off or make him go to school, he already had Monday off stressing about his CAMHS appointment later that day, his attendance is so poor, the woman on reception is quite rude to me when I phone him in sick that I have got to the stage where I absolutely hate phoning and speaking to her, I have asked SN to explain Connor's problems so perhaps she could show some empathy.

 

Feeling a bit vulnerable tonight and can't make a decision for toffee, my DH and I have a two appointment with the Outreach people in the morning.

 

Sorry to waffle but I am confussed, what would you do send to school with bad toe or not ????????

 

All advice welcome

 

Clare x

[di30]

Hi Clare.

 

Personally I would get Connor's toe checked out in case it is an infection.

 

Daniel 12, he has had lots of time from school too, but most things have been genuine, and I used to hate ringing the school too, he's your son and not the receptionists, if she was in your position then she would do the same.

 

We have Daniel's CAMHS appointment tomorrow morning, and he is already asking for the full day off and complaining !!

 

You do what you think you should do Clare, the school should understand if you kept him off to check this issue out.

 

Good luck hon, and hope Connor's toe gets better soon.

Di xxx

[Clare63]

Thanks Di,

Will check him out in the morning, I do believe its painful and there's nothing happening tomorrow for him to want to bunk off for. GP's is less than 2 minutes from our house so will whip him down there in morning.

Hope your appointment goes well .

Clare x

[witsend]

Understand how you feel - but think I would keep him off on the proviso that he sees the GP tomorrow about it. If it is infected and left untreated it could track up his foot and get pretty nasty and it's unlikely to resolve itself without antibiotics. I know when kids have so much time off because of 'emotional' issues it can make you reluctant to keep them over anything physical you normally wouldn't have to think twice about, but the toe does sound pretty bad.

Stuff the woman on reception - does she have to live your life? No! she is there to take messages not to make judgements and I'd be tempted to tell her that if she's funny with you! Well I would if I was in strong mode otherwise would probs just cry . If you cant bear ringing couldn't you get someone else to do it? Or just not ring and send a note in when he goes back - if anyone says anything then you could explain how uncomfortable this woman makes you feel the hopefully she will feel very guilty .

Take care

Luv Witsend.

[KarenT]

I'd keep him off.

 

I had J off school for a day a couple of weeks ago, for the first time in his life (he's in Y3). All that was wrong was an itchy rash on his feet - he was perfectly fit and well otherwise. However, he was having some problems with kids teasing him and winding him up and he was getting into trouble for reacting, and I KNEW that this itch was one more thing that would contribute to that. I felt certain that if he went into school he'd land in bother because he wasn't coping WITHOUT the itch, so to go in with it would be asking for trouble.

 

It's the end of year anyway so they won't be doing much of importance. His health and state of mind come first.

 

Karen

x

[Bard]

I'd keep him off.

 

I had J off school for a day a couple of weeks ago, for the first time in his life (he's in Y3). All that was wrong was an itchy rash on his feet - he was perfectly fit and well otherwise. However, he was having some problems with kids teasing him and winding him up and he was getting into trouble for reacting, and I KNEW that this itch was one more thing that would contribute to that. I felt certain that if he went into school he'd land in bother because he wasn't coping WITHOUT the itch, so to go in with it would be asking for trouble.

 

It's the end of year anyway so they won't be doing much of importance. His health and state of mind come first.

 

Karen

x

 

That would be my reasoning exactly, B's in isolation for the next two days anyway, as he's not coping with the end of term very well!

Anything extra would just tip him over the edge, and anyone he could take down with him.

Feet and toenails are very painful things if damaged, lots of nerve endings, socks and shoes add to the irritation and not much chance to keep off them.

[KateBall]

In any event you need to go and check out the infection at DRs. My ds had this problem and we tried all sorts of antibiotics but the infection just stayed. In the end he did have to have a little op to remove the ingrowing toenail. It might be if you manage to stop the infection with ab's that you could avoid this (even so the op was no big deal and its sorted the problem once and for all).

[Clare63]

Thanks everyone for your replies,

 

I did keep him off school, I chickened out ringing that woman on the reception desk and ended up leaving a message on the SENCO's answer phone as I knew her extension to dial !!!!

 

My husband and I had an appointment at a SN school today to meet with the outreach worker, she was fantastic gave us loads of tips and will be writing to the school with her recommendations etc, so could get Con to GP's this morning, however when I rung they suggested taking him to the walk in clinic, which I did when we got back. It was packed but my DS and I managed to find two seats, then he got really stressed so we had to go and stand outside to wait, luckily we were seen within the hour, a lovely nurse gave us treatment for the infection and put on a very neat and impressive dressing on his toe ! we've got to wait for the swelling to go down then they can see how to treat the ingrowing nail.

 

Unable to wear sock 'n shoes and limping around in flip flops he'll be off school tomorrow, being at senior school and having AS I really can't see him coping with school in flip flops and the possible ribbing or foot stamping that could happen. Ah well we did manage two days this week.

 

Thanks again, think I was having a bit of a wobble yesterday and could not make a decision to save my life, if you know what I mean.

 

Clare x x x

[Frangipani]

Glad you kept him off school, those things are sooo painful.

 

Hope it gets better soon. You may need to go to the GP or a Podiatrist as they can get nasty if infected needing Penicillin.

 

Take care

 

Love

F xx <'>

[Clare63]

Thanks F, we have been referred to the Podiatrist, I guess that's someone who specialises in feet ?

 

Clare x

Edited July 13, 2007 by Clare63

[jlp]

Glad you got sorted!

 

I find like Karen that small physical things that don't really warrent a day off in themselves can tip G over the edge. We often miss the last week or 2 of term as he's so stressed and wound up anyway if I even attempted to send him in with anything else no matter how small it would warrent a total meltdown and a phonecall before I even got back to the car!