Girl, 8, sent home 24 times for smelling

[JeannaT]

I don't understand this article at all. If the issue is "extremely rare" that suggests some sort of medical problem with the child.
But mother claims the child does not have a medical problem.
Or are they sayint it's extremely rare for a child to be having some foul odor?
If she sleeps in clothes like the school claims, and the clothes aren't changed and washed regularly, then they can become very stinky.
But why would that be "extremely rare?"

The article was very poorly written, for sure, Jjenny. I think he was trying to say it's extremely rare for a child with an odor problem to be unfixable, or kind of a mystery to those who are really trying to resolve it.

But there are a couple things that he says in there that don't make a lick of sense. Like when he seems to state that a child with a medical issue that causes odors will be removed and be homebound until the family complies. I think he was just talking without thinking about what his words mean.

 

[Donjeta]

I think everyone should have handled this out of the news or at least spoken about the problem anonymously. The child isn't named but her mother is so people in their area can easily figure out which child is the stinky one. This child is already stigmatized among her peers at school by the odor. National attention probably does not help to solve her problem; it just makes her situation more embarrassing and more humiliating for her.

 

[jenlag]

Actions a mom, school nurse or counselor could take, other than leaving a child subject to continued embarrassment and loss of school days:

1. Locate the source - is it shoes, clothes, hair? Perhaps something in her diet.
2. Gift a simple toiletry kit and some basic instructions.
3. Offer mom some advice about inexpensive ways to freshen up, like baking soda and
vinegar.

A toiletry gift basket was given to a subordinate of my colleague who had the most offensive smell from 2-3 feet away. She was an adult, and it did not help. Sometimes people are stuck in their habits and resistant to change.

 

[jjenny]

I think everyone should have handled this out of the news or at least spoken about the problem anonymously. The child isn't named but her mother is so people in their area can easily figure out which child is the stinky one. This child is already stigmatized among her peers at school by the odor. National attention probably does not help to solve her problem; it just makes her situation more embarrassing and more humiliating for her.

And who do you think contacted the news?

 

[tlcya]

I think everyone should have handled this out of the news or at least spoken about the problem anonymously. The child isn't named but her mother is so people in their area can easily figure out which child is the stinky one. This child is already stigmatized among her peers at school by the odor. National attention probably does not help to solve her problem; it just makes her situation more embarrassing and more humiliating for her.

And who do you think contacted the news?

Federal Privacy laws prevent the school or the district from divulging this sort of information to the public. That is why the district has stated they cannot comment on a specific instance or child. They would only speak, when questioned by press about the story, in general terms regarding their policies and practices when such a situation presents itself in school.

That leaves mom, the person who made herself available for an interview at her home apparently, as the logical person who contacted the media.

 

[nosysw]

I was the case manager of a student who had an awful smell. As someone else mentioned, it seemed as if he never cleaned himself well after having a bowel movement. His clothes also seemed to exude a foul odor. His mother was called in numerous times, and she was some kind of nursing assistant, and always came in looking clean and well put together, and seemed like a caring parent who didn't know what to do. The school nurses got involved but nothing seemed to help. His teachers didn't seem to think the smell bothered him, or that he cared if other kids said something. He seemed kind of defiant about it, to tell you the truth. Someone who lived next door told me they had a bunch of dogs and the house was absolutely filthy. You would never have thought his mother would have allowed that if you had seen her. Eventually, I actually assigned a personal aide, under the guise of someone who could work with him, and provide some "hygiene training", hoping that would persuade him to take better care of himself (he was about 10 or 11 by this time). There were teachers who would out and out refuse to have him in their class and I had to transfer him to a truly compassionate teacher but even she was frustrated. I wish I could tell you the end of the story but I was transferred to another school after that year. It was just an extremely frustrating situation for everyone involved.

 

[CHERIE.T]

Maybe it's my mood but Imoo this should have never happened after the first time. The parent should have been warned then investigated for being negligent. It's the parents responsibility to take care of, feed, nurture and make sure their kids are clean. I find this disgusting.

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

I have such strong opinions about this one that it would be better if I shut up.

I will sum it up with--I think Mom is a liar, the girl is neglected and if there currently isn't drug use at that house, there sure was once. Mom is fairly young and has NO teeth and some sort of tardive dyskinesia (involuntary mouth movements) suggesting some pretty heavy drug use at some point.

I know that may sound really judgmental, but she put herself right there on tv to be judged!

I feel horribly for the little girl.

And with that I shall bow out!

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

My youngest (almost 9) son has awful and I mean awful foot odor. His shoes can and do bring tears to my eyes.

May I give you a solution? My youngest daughter has always had the rankest feet--I mean, I regularly just throw her shoes AWAY I can't even bear to donate them or sell them at a garage sale--no one deserves that! lol But what has worked AMAZING is taking clinical strength underarm deodorant (it's not a solid or a liquid, sort of a powdery lotion that clicks up) and I have her rub it on her feet and especially between her toes. It works beautifully, she can even wear flats now without socks and not kill everyone in her path.

She's a teen now (I've been doing this with her since she was a little girl) and thankfully she's fastidious and has her grooming regime down now, so I don't have to worry about it.

But I just wanted to throw it out there as it really works!

 

[jenlag]

May I give you a solution? My youngest daughter has always had the rankest feet--I mean, I regularly just throw her shoes AWAY I can't even bear to donate them or sell them at a garage sale--no one deserves that! lol But what has worked AMAZING is taking clinical strength underarm deodorant (it's not a solid or a liquid, sort of a powdery lotion that clicks up) and I have her rub it on her feet and especially between her toes. It works beautifully, she can even wear flats now without socks and not kill everyone in her path.

She's a teen now (I've been doing this with her since she was a little girl) and thankfully she's fastidious and has her grooming regime down now, so I don't have to worry about it.

But I just wanted to throw it out there as it really works!

Thanks for this post! My daughter is 8 and I swear her feet sometimes will make the dead rise. It's awful, but if she wears socks it's not as bad. We use Odor Eaters and that helps drastically when she stinks up a pair of shoes. (I literally used a half of a can in her Tom's, but they are still destined for the rubbish bin!) Flats with no socks are forbidden! Well, it should be, but she slips out sometimes without me noticing. She goes to private school and has to wear a jumper, which means in the winter time she wears tights/stockings. I even have to make her put a pair of socks on first, then the tights. Poor baby! I think have a sample of clinical strength deodorant in the closet. Thanks again!

 

[jenlag]

I was the case manager of a student who had an awful smell. As someone else mentioned, it seemed as if he never cleaned himself well after having a bowel movement. His clothes also seemed to exude a foul odor. His mother was called in numerous times, and she was some kind of nursing assistant, and always came in looking clean and well put together, and seemed like a caring parent who didn't know what to do. The school nurses got involved but nothing seemed to help. His teachers didn't seem to think the smell bothered him, or that he cared if other kids said something. He seemed kind of defiant about it, to tell you the truth. Someone who lived next door told me they had a bunch of dogs and the house was absolutely filthy. You would never have thought his mother would have allowed that if you had seen her. Eventually, I actually assigned a personal aide, under the guise of someone who could work with him, and provide some "hygiene training", hoping that would persuade him to take better care of himself (he was about 10 or 11 by this time). There were teachers who would out and out refuse to have him in their class and I had to transfer him to a truly compassionate teacher but even she was frustrated. I wish I could tell you the end of the story but I was transferred to another school after that year. It was just an extremely frustrating situation for everyone involved.

Could you at least make up an ending? Hahaha! I swear I was totally in to your story and feel so empty now, needing closure.

On a serious note, I am not surprised by his defiance. I would imagine he was teased and made fun of a lot, filled with emotions, rage, anger, rejection, sadness, etc. People build up walls, and he probably built his up and in an effort to keep people out of his walls, he maintained the poor hygiene.

 

[Donjeta]

And who do you think contacted the news?

A responsible reporter should have strongly persuaded the mother to think better of giving a named interview imo. Why make an already bad situation worse for the child?

 

[CHERIE.T]

I have such strong opinions about this one that it would be better if I shut up.

I will sum it up with--I think Mom is a liar, the girl is neglected and if there currently isn't drug use at that house, there sure was once. Mom is fairly young and has NO teeth and some sort of tardive dyskinesia (involuntary mouth movements) suggesting some pretty heavy drug use at some point.

I know that may sound really judgmental, but she put herself right there on tv to be judged!

I feel horribly for the little girl.

And with that I shall bow out!

:twocents:. You hit the nail on the head. Imoo

 

[ella971]

Can anyone provide the link with the interview of the Mom? TIA

 

[sfbaynancydrew]

Can anyone provide the link with the interview of the Mom? TIA

http://fox4kc.com/2013/04/02/girl-sent-home-from-school-24-separate-times-for-smelling-bad/

 

[OneLostGrl]

http://wtvr.com/2013/04/02/child-sent-home-24-different-times-for-smelling-badly/

 

[flipflop]

I have worked in a classroom where a child came in smelling awful everyday (It literally made me gag). It ended up that the house was a pig pen (picture a house from the TV show Hoarders) The mom said she gave her kids baths daily, however, they never had clean clothes to put on, they never had clean towels to dry off with, they never had sheets on the bed they just slept on a badly stained mattress, their jackets, backpacks etc all had a foul odor as the house had this same foul odor. After CPS was called in, they discovered that you had to literally climb into the house. They had about 8 cats and no litter box, so the cats just used any part of the house for a litter box. There was cat pooh EVERYWHERE! The kids said they had to shake their clothes before they put them on to get the cat pooh off of their shirt/pants. This house had not been cleaned in years and had a very very bad smell to it. Everything that came out of that house, kids included, had this same very very bad smell. It was not the kids fault, however, it is not fair to the kids classmates or teachers who have to put up with this smell. CPS took the kids away, the mom had a period of time to get her act together. She got the kids back, but could not keep her house clean, she continues to repeatedly have her kids taken away.

I believe it is the same situation with this case....this mom needs some serious help with cleanliness!!!!

I do not believe that this thread should be in the bullying forum, who is being bullied?

 

[treeseeker]

It kinda sounds like mom has a nasal/facial issue. Now I wonder if she simply can't smell very well? And I don't say that to bully or belittle, I truly do wonder if that's part of this problem.

 

[nosysw]

Could you at least make up an ending? Hahaha! I swear I was totally in to your story and feel so empty now, needing closure.

On a serious note, I am not surprised by his defiance. I would imagine he was teased and made fun of a lot, filled with emotions, rage, anger, rejection, sadness, etc. People build up walls, and he probably built his up and in an effort to keep people out of his walls, he maintained the poor hygiene.

Ha! LOL, I actually remembered later that I do have a sort of ending, but not very satisfying sequel...

It's such a small world out there, that even though there are literally a few thousand special ed students in my district, often times, I will come across a student I knew from a previous school, a few years after moving to a new school. I worked at a high school several years ago for about a year (I'm actually back there again) to help out some overloaded case managers and this boy was given to me to complete his IEP. Basically, the ending to the story was that I could never find him to meet with him. Another case manager told me he had a pink mohawk, or something like that, so I couldn't miss him. But, he was never in class, and generally, not in school. I set up the IEP meeting, sent letters to the parent, looked for him a number of times, called the home, all to no avail. I think the other case manager told me he was in with the pothead group (to use a term from my school days- don't remember what they were calling it at this time). So, I had to make a plan for him, with whatever information I could put together from his records, and teachers, and, I ended up leaving that school, without ever meeting him again (although there was at least no indication at that time that the smelly problem was still going on so hopefully that was "resolved"). He was in 10th grade at the time, and it looks like he went to an alternate ed program, at some point, and is listed as "graduated" which is a little hopeful. Many like him don't ever reach that designation.

Anyway, we wonder why the world is getting the way it is, but truly, with the situations I see every day in my schools, I know exactly why. It starts with parents who are either too young, or have too many other issues, to appropriately rear children. Not all of them, mind you...many try hard and do love and care for the children even under extremely difficult circumstances. But too many babies having babies, and the welfare cycle...Sad.

I agree with those who said the mom is lying. Just like the mom in this story who looked put together but raised the kids in a filthy home which was surely not put together at all.

 

[jjenny]

I think it's a simple basic hygiene issue, and not something unique or rare.
I am also not sure why it's at the bullying section. Who is getting bullied here?