8 Year Old Recovers

Good thing he took something safe and effective, not like toxic tylenol.



DEL CITY -- The 8-year-old boy who overdosed on Ritalin is now out of the
hospital and recovering at home.

Dakota Loflin's mother said the pills were handed to him by the school
secretary. It was on the last day of school last week when Dakota ingested
the 25 pills. The secretary had given the boy the bottle to take home.

Dakota's mother is thankful her son is all right, but she's now pushing for
policy changes inside the Mid-Del school district.

Officials with other school districts said they follow a different
procedure.

"The parents are the ones who are supposed to pick up that medication and
we've had cases where parents didn't pick it up so school nurses actually
sent letters home to parents to let them know it is there to come pick it
up," one school administrator said.

Now, the Loflin family plans to sue the school for child endangerment and
neglect. The Mid-Del district said it's investigating the case.

"M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004" M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t
wrote in message
. net...

Good thing he took something safe and effective, not like toxic tylenol.

And the mother should sue.




DEL CITY -- The 8-year-old boy who overdosed on Ritalin is now out of the
hospital and recovering at home.

Dakota Loflin's mother said the pills were handed to him by the school
secretary. It was on the last day of school last week when Dakota ingested
the 25 pills. The secretary had given the boy the bottle to take home.

Dakota's mother is thankful her son is all right, but she's now pushing
for
policy changes inside the Mid-Del school district.

Officials with other school districts said they follow a different
procedure.

"The parents are the ones who are supposed to pick up that medication and
we've had cases where parents didn't pick it up so school nurses actually
sent letters home to parents to let them know it is there to come pick it
up," one school administrator said.

Now, the Loflin family plans to sue the school for child endangerment and
neglect. The Mid-Del district said it's investigating the case.

"M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004" M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t
wrote in message
. net...

Good thing he took something safe and effective, not like toxic tylenol.


And it put him in the hospital for over a week. Yeah, right.

On Fri, 28 May 2004 21:41:34 GMT, "M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004"
M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t wrote:

Now, the Loflin family plans to sue the school for child endangerment and
neglect. The Mid-Del district said it's investigating the case.

And we get to the usual American punchline to any story like this.

Remember: When something bad happens to you, it's always someone
else's fault, and you've hit the jackpot!

PF

"PF Riley" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 28 May 2004 21:41:34 GMT, "M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004"
M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t wrote:

Now, the Loflin family plans to sue the school for child endangerment and
neglect. The Mid-Del district said it's investigating the case.

And we get to the usual American punchline to any story like this.

Remember: When something bad happens to you, it's always someone
else's fault,


So what if the child had died ?
I suppose it would just have been 'dashed bad bit of luck' ?
It's outrageous that potentially lethal meds are handed over to 8 year-olds.



and you've hit the jackpot!

PF

"PF Riley" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 28 May 2004 21:41:34 GMT, "M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004"
M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t wrote:

Now, the Loflin family plans to sue the school for child endangerment and
neglect. The Mid-Del district said it's investigating the case.

And we get to the usual American punchline to any story like this.

Remember: When something bad happens to you, it's always someone
else's fault, and you've hit the jackpot!

Giving a prescription bottle to an eight year old is just plain dumb. The
fact that itwas the school district's policy, makes it even dumber.

Check YOUR local school district's policy. If it is as dumb as this one,
start a campaign to change it. My district's policy is to give the
medications ONLY to parents, and no third parties.

"Brunibus" wrote in message
...

"PF Riley" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 28 May 2004 21:41:34 GMT, "M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004"
M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t wrote:

Now, the Loflin family plans to sue the school for child endangerment
and
neglect. The Mid-Del district said it's investigating the case.

And we get to the usual American punchline to any story like this.

Remember: When something bad happens to you, it's always someone
else's fault,


So what if the child had died ?
I suppose it would just have been 'dashed bad bit of luck' ?
It's outrageous that potentially lethal meds are handed over to 8
year-olds.

Obvioulsy, the 25 pills wereot lethal, as the child went home very quick.
However, I would hate to see what would be happening if the child had been
given something really toxic, like Tylenol.

"Brunibus" wrote in message
...

"PF Riley" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 28 May 2004 21:41:34 GMT, "M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004"
M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t wrote:

Now, the Loflin family plans to sue the school for child endangerment
and
neglect. The Mid-Del district said it's investigating the case.

And we get to the usual American punchline to any story like this.

Remember: When something bad happens to you, it's always someone
else's fault,


So what if the child had died ?
I suppose it would just have been 'dashed bad bit of luck' ?
It's outrageous that potentially lethal meds are handed over to 8
year-olds.



and you've hit the jackpot!

PF
=======================
A workable standard policy for any school at the end
of the school year could be that if meds are not picked
up within one week of school ending, it all gets
disposed of. I'm wondering how often Ritalin must be taken
and why the family didn't give it to him at home
and leave the school out of it.

What physical long lasting damage would come
from an overdose? If none, the school should be
liable for whatever medical bills (not covered by
the parents insurance) incurred. Nothing for
'pain and suffering'.

And yes, one isolated case gets a lot of publicity
and causes paranoia.

That's probably the best suggestion so far Mark; go out and get the policy
changed to raise awareness and help prevent it from happening again.

But for those lazy ones amongst us, just sue. It's only a couple of
phonecalls and maybe your picture on the news! Never worry that the money
you will be awarded will be taken straight away from the budgets of the
money strapped school system, it will be better spent on you and the spouse
taking well deserved break from the kids on a trip to Vegas.

"M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004" M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t
wrote in message
. net...

"PF Riley" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 28 May 2004 21:41:34 GMT, "M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004"
M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t wrote:

Now, the Loflin family plans to sue the school for child endangerment
and
neglect. The Mid-Del district said it's investigating the case.

And we get to the usual American punchline to any story like this.

Remember: When something bad happens to you, it's always someone
else's fault, and you've hit the jackpot!

Giving a prescription bottle to an eight year old is just plain dumb. The
fact that itwas the school district's policy, makes it even dumber.

Check YOUR local school district's policy. If it is as dumb as this one,
start a campaign to change it. My district's policy is to give the
medications ONLY to parents, and no third parties.

"M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004" M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t
wrote in message
. net...

"PF Riley" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 28 May 2004 21:41:34 GMT, "M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t-May 28, 2004"
M.a.r.k P.r.o.b.e.r.t wrote:

Now, the Loflin family plans to sue the school for child endangerment
and
neglect. The Mid-Del district said it's investigating the case.

And we get to the usual American punchline to any story like this.

Remember: When something bad happens to you, it's always someone
else's fault, and you've hit the jackpot!

Giving a prescription bottle to an eight year old is just plain dumb. The
fact that itwas the school district's policy, makes it even dumber.

Check YOUR local school district's policy. If it is as dumb as this one,
start a campaign to change it. My district's policy is to give the
medications ONLY to parents, and no third parties.



Mark is 100% right on this. mdd