Son keeps going to the nurse

Something is up with my 10 year old 5th grader. In the past three weeks, hes been going to the nurse repeatedly with nausea and upset stomach. I think there is nothing wrong with him, and he will continue to go back to the nurse until she tells me to come get him. I guess they are worried he's not lying and will throw up in class (the bug is going around).

He recently started on a 504 plan (within the past month) and initially complained that the teacher was nitpicking him in front of the other kids and they were starting to think he was "special" (the way he put it) and stupid. Really, the teacher is just trying to keep him on task and focused, as part of the 504 plan. But I wonder if this is why he is constantly going to the nurse. What I fought so hard for is going to backfire on me.

I have a call in to the teacher. What do you think I should say exactly? I was just going to ask if anything unusual was going on at school that might make him not want to be there?

Son keeps going to the nurse

He has ADHD. I somehow forgot to mention that.

Re: Son keeps going to the nurse

I was that kid. I would constantly go to the nurse with an upset stomach.

Mine all started when I moved a bunch of times in a short period. I was in 4 different schools and I think that is what caused it.

If kids are making fun of him and calling him special that could def be it.

I just finally grew out of it but you could have him talk to the school psy.

Son keeps going to the nurse

Does he tend to go to the nurse at the same time each day? It could be during a subject that he feels uncomfortable or distracted in (which could lead to the teacher redirecting more often - which will just add to the discomfort due to the newness of the 504).

I would ask the teacher if he/she notices a pattern of when he goes to the nurse. It may not be a specific time, but it could be if he is being redirected more often, a specific subject, or after lunch (students typically have more difficulty focusing after lunch). Ask if he/she notices any recent changes in other behaviors as well. If possible, see if you can involve the school psychologist to speak to your son at a later time.

HTH!

Message edited 1/6/2014 9:37:43 PM.

Son keeps going to the nurse

Definitely sounds like he is trying to avoid something. I would talk to the teacher and see if there is a way she can implement the 504 without singling him out all the time. He is probably feeling self conscious. They need to modify the 504 to make your son as comfortable as possible. Also, if he doesn't have a fever tell the nurse to send him back to class. It's teaching him the wrong message if the nurse keeps sending him home.

Son keeps going to the nurse

Thank you. I spoke to the teacher and I asked if there was something going on yesterday that might have made him uncomfortable. I also asked if he had been singling him out (we had spoken about this once before and he is trying to keep him on task with minimal attention drawn). The teacher said it had been a particulary easy day and he really hadn't needed any redirection at all. The teacher said he asked to go to the nurse and the teacher told him to wait a while and see if he feels better, and when he asked again a half hour later he looked really pale so he let him go.

I had a talk with my son and explained that if something was going on at school, i need to know about it. He said there was nothing and he really didn't feel good. Though he seemed perfectly fine when I got home from work.