"I am not an idiot."

By Annie Reed, Suburban Life Publications, Tue Jul 07, 2009, 06:04 PM

Swine flu precaution comes with hefty price tag for Pleasantdale family

When swine flu fever first hit the United States at the end of April, panic about a potential pandemic left many schools agonizing over how to respond.

For one family at Pleasantdale Elementary in Willow Springs, the school’s decision to err on the side of caution has resulted in more than $2,000 of medical bills for a swine flu test the family claims was unnecessary.

Now, the Pleasantdale School District 107 Board of Education must decide if the district will reimburse the family for any of the $2,031 influenza A (swine flu) testing, which the superintendent required against the opinion of the family’s doctor.

Flu back and forth
On April 15, kindergartner Lizzie Campos and her family traveled to Mexico to visit family. Lizzie did not attend school because of illness on the four days preceding the trip, according to school records.

Before making the trip, Lizzie was seen April 12 by Dr. Luis Osorio, a physician at the Family Medical Dental Center in Berwyn. Medical Assistant Luce Martinez said Lizzie was treated for dyspepsia, a gastrointestinal ailment akin to indigestion, according to medical information given to Suburban Life with the family’s permission.

When the family got back from Mexico a week later, the school requested that Lizzie’s mother, Ana, bring a doctor’s note stating Lizzie could attend school. Lizzie saw the doctor, and he wrote the note April 23.

Three days after she returned to school, however, the school nurse called Campos asking if Lizzie had been tested for swine flu. She had not been, Campos said, because the doctor had said Lizzie was healthy.

Within the hour, the school called Campos again to say she needed to pick up her daughter from the nurse’s office because Lizzie had flu-like symptoms.

In a letter signed by school nurse Lisa Penrod and Principal Matt Vandercar, Lizzie had been “complaining of a headache, stomach ache and a cough,” with a temperature of 99.6 degrees.

According to the nurse’s log provided to Campos by the school, Lizzie had also visited the nurse’s office the first day she returned from her trip and “complained of a stomach ache.” Her temperature was recorded as 99.6 in the log. She also visited the nurse on the 29th to use her inhaler before PE class.

Campos disputes the school’s diagnosis. She said that when she arrived, Lizzie was not displaying those symptoms, but District 107 Superintendent Mark Fredisdorf said he did not want to take any chances.

He said Lizzie would not be allowed back in school until she was tested for swine flu.

Wary of risks
At the time, in light of the potential pandemic status of Influenza A-H1N1, the Illinois Department of Health was issuing daily news briefs with guidance for the public.

Fredisdorf said he made his decision to require Lizzie be tested based on a release from April 27: “For people who have flu-like symptoms and have traveled to areas where swine flu has been confirmed, they should seek medical attention.”

By April 30 news sources were reporting more than 100 swine-flu-related-deaths in Mexico, where the virus first broke out.

“With the information we had at the time, we decided the testing was necessary,” Fredisdorf said. “It was the height of the swine flu alarm, and we had over 400 students in that school who would be at potential risk. That’s a chance we couldn’t take.”

Testing for swine flu requires a doctor’s order, so Campos took Lizzie to the family physician. However, when she got there, the medical assistant questioned the order.

Martinez, who said Lizzie was asymptomatic for the flu, called the school.

“The school insisted she be tested for swine flu even though I called and spoke to the nurse,” Martinez said. “In the doctor’s professional opinion, there was no need for it.”

Campos’ doctor finally wrote the prescription for the test. Martinez said she told Penrod that the family’s health insurance probably would not cover the procedure.

Penrod did not return requests for comment.

Costly caution
Lizzie’s swine flu test, performed at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, came back negative later that day. Campos was sent a bill May 31 for $2,031, the cost of the test, and was informed that her insurance would not cover the test.

“Charges are not covered with given diagnosis,” the insurance claim read.

Campos, who is a licensed practical nurse at Advocate Christ Medical Center, believes the School District should cover the charges because the test was ordered by the school against her doctor’s medical opinion and because she disputes that Lizzie was sick.

“We would not consider paying for it,” Fredisdorf said. “There are a multitude of vaccinations and other related medical things students need, and that’s just something a parent is responsible for.”

The question of Lizzie’s disputed flu-like symptoms is complicated by her school medical records. In her 130 days present, she visited the nurse’s office 34 times, often complaining of stomach aches and chapped lips, according to the nurse log. Nine times the log says Lizzie had a temperature between 99.5 and 99.9, but she was not sent home. She also was absent 17 days for illnesses or medical appointments.

Fredisdorf confirmed he did require that Lizzie receive the test, rather than giving the Camposes the option of keeping Lizzie home from school.

“Given the potential danger, I needed unequivocal results for the well being of this girl and the entire student body,” Fredisdorf said. “This was a real and present threat.”

A spokeswoman at the Illinois Health Department said schools were especially cautioned at that time to be vigilant, and in some cases the department recommended school closures where swine flu cases were confirmed.

However, “it was never our guidance that anyone had to be tested for H1N1,” spokeswoman Kelly Jakubek said. “For schools in particular, the guidance at the very beginning was that if students had those symptoms and had traveled to those areas, they should be seen by a doctor, but it’s up to a doctor or a physician whether they’re going to administer a test.”

Fredisdorf said one other family at the school was also identified as a possible swine flu case, but the family volunteered to get the student tested.

“It wasn’t an issue,” he said.

He did not know whether that family got tested for H1N1, or just a regular flu test. Though the latter typically costs under $200, the cost of the specific test for H1N1 was $1,659 on Lizzie’s medical bill (additional rapid flu and respiratory screenings made up the remaining $400 in charges.)

Campos recently wrote a letter to the School Board requesting reimbursement for the flu-testing bills.

School Board President Leandra Sedlack said that the board has no policy regarding medical bill reimbursement but that it will discuss whether or not to give Campos a hearing at its July 15 meeting.

Regardless of whether the board decides to foot the bill, Campos already has removed Lizzie from District 107 for the coming school year.

She said Lizzie’s experiences at Pleasantdale have left her “upset beyond explanation.”

She said the school "implied that I violated the recommendation of state law and brought my child to school placing every child and faculty member at risk."

"I am not an idiot," she said. "I am a well trained health care professional and I'm very capable of recognizing any signs or symptoms of sickness in my children."

Timeline of events

April 8, 9, 13, 14 Lizzie Campos is absent from school due to illness

April 15 The Campos family travels to Mexico

April 22 The Campos family returns from Mexico

April 23
■The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces human cases of swine influenza have been identified in California and Texas.
■ Lizzie is examined by her family doctor and is given a doctor’s note approving her return to school April 27.

April 27
■The Illinois Department of Health urges caution, and says people with flu-like symptoms who have traveled to areas where swine flu has been confirmed should seek medical attention.
■ Lizzie returns to school.

April 29 The IDPH announces nine probable cases of H1N1 flu in Illinois.

April 30
■Lizzie is seen in the nurse’s office. The school calls Campos at work inquiring if Lizzie has been tested for swine flu since returning from Mexico. Campos said she had been seen by the doctor and given permission to return to school, but had not been tested.
■ School calls Campos to pick up Lizzie to have her tested for influenza A-H1N1 (swine flu). The school said she complained of a headache, cough and had a temperature of 99.6. Campos said when she arrived Lizzie did not appear sick.
■ Campos takes Lizzie to the family doctor. The medical assistant calls the school because she is “asymptomatic” for the flu. Superintendent says she will not be allowed back until she is tested for swine flu. Doctor Luis Osorio writes a doctor’s order authorizing the test.
■ Lizzie is tested for swine flu at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital. The test comes back negative.

May 1 The CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health change swine flu testing guidelines. They recommend those with mild flu symptoms be treated without testing, to focus efforts on hospitalized patients with severe illness.

May 31 The Camposes receive a $2,031 bill from Advocate Christ Medical Center for Lizzie’s H1N1 flu test on April 30.

June 16 Campos writes a letter to the Board of Education requesting the district pay for the medical bills resulting from the flu testing.

July 17 Date School Board President Leandra Sedlack said the board will discuss Campos’ request for medical reimbursement


Editor's Note:

Any school district employee knows that if they tell a parent that their child needs to see a doctor for any reason, the district is responsible for the bill. It is something you learn the FIRST day on the job. That is why teachers can NEVER recommend that a parent take their child for testing of ANY kind. So why is this case any different?

This child WAS NOT SICK! She was barred from attending school until she received this test despite a phone call from her doctor stating SHE WAS NOT SICK! She was not even given the option to stay home for a few days, SHE WAS BARRED FROM SCHOOL!

We'd like to know how many families in our district went to Mexico (Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel, etc.) over Spring break? Were their symptomless children required to have a swine flu test before their return to school like Lizzie Campos was?

Our school board and superintendent needs to DO THE RIGHT THING by apologizing and compensating the Campos family for the medical bill that was incurred due to this unnecessary test.

And please, don't say this was another OVERSIGHT!!

Top Ten Signs of a Good Kindergarten Classroom

Kindergarten is a time for children to expand their love of learning, their general knowledge, their ability to get along with others, and their interest in reaching out to the world. While Kindergarten marks an important transition from preschool to the primary grades, it is important that children still get to be children.Getting kindergarteners ready for elementary school does not mean substituting academics for play time, forcing children to master first grade "skills," or relying on standardized tests to assess children's success. Kindergarten "curriculum" actually includes such events as snack time, recess, and individual and group activities in addition to those activities we think of as traditionally educational. Developmentally appropriate kindergarten classrooms encourage the growth of children's selfesteem, their cultural identities, their independence and their individual strengths. Kindergarten children will continue to develop control of their own behavior through the guidance and support of warm, caring adults. At this stage, children are already eager to learn and possess an innate curiosity. Teachers with a strong background in early childhood education and child development can best provide for children what they need to grow physically, emotionally, and intellectually.Here are 10 signs of a good kindergarten classroom:

1. Children are playing and working with materials or other children. They are not aimlessly wandering or forced to sit quietly for long periods of time.

2. Children have access to various activities throughout the day, such as block building, pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as legos, pegboards, and puzzles. Children are not all doing the same things at the same time.

3. Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They do not spend time only with the entire group.

4. The classroom is decorated with children's original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling, and dictated stories.

5. Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. Exploring the natural world of plants and animals, cooking, taking attendance, and serving snack are all meaningful activities to children.

6. Children work on projects and have long periods of time (at least one hour) to play and explore. Filling out worksheets should not be their primary activity.

7. Children have an opportunity to play outside every day that weather permits. This play is never sacrificed for more instructional time.

8. Teachers read books to children throughout the day, not just at group story time.

9. Curriculum is adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. Because children differ in experiences and background, they do not learn the same things at the same time in the same way.

10. Children and their parents look forward to school. Parents feel safe sending their child to kindergarten. Children are happy; they are not crying or regularly sick.

Individual kindergarten classrooms will vary, and curriculum will vary according to the interests and backgrounds of the children. But all developmentally appropriate kindergarten classrooms will have one thing in common: the focus will be on the development of the child as a whole.


Copyright: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Reproduction of this material is freely granted, provided credit is given to the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Pdale Family Camping Trip

Gas: $2.60 a gallon
Campsites: $45 a night
Building school community: Priceless

Pleasantdale Family Camping Trip

The first annual Pleasantdale family camping outing was a huge success! Great fun was had by all! Photos coming soon...

Swine flu precaution comes with hefty price tag for local family at Pleasantdale School

Swine flu precaution comes with hefty price tag for local family

Sad. Sad. Sad.

Teen bullying: Tormented boy's short life ends in suicide
Death stuns suburb, raises awareness of link between bullying and depression


Chicago Tribune
By Gerry Smith Tribune reporter
July 1, 2009


The bullying seemed inescapable.

His family and friends say it followed Iain Steele from junior high to high school -- from hallways, where one tormentor shoved him into lockers, to cyberspace, where another posted a video on Facebook making fun of his taste for heavy metal music.

"At one point, [a bully] had told [Iain] he wished he would kill himself," said Matt Sikora, Iain's close friend.

Iain's parents know their son had other problems, but they believe the harassment contributed to a deepening depression that hospitalized the 15-year-old twice this year. On June 3, while his classmates were taking final exams, he went to the basement of his Western Springs home and hanged himself with a belt.

His death stunned the quiet suburb west of Chicago and unleashed an outpouring of support for his parents, William and Liz, who say greater attention should be paid to bullying and its connection to mental health.

"No kid should be afraid for himself to go to school," his father said. "It should be a safe environment where they can intellectually thrive. And he was, literally, just frightened to go to school, fearing what he would have to deal with on that day. And it was day after day."

A school spokeswoman said she did not believe Iain was bullied. Police are investigating the allegations.

Nearly 30 percent of American children are bullied or are bullies themselves, according to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological and is repetitive, intentional and creates a perceived imbalance of power, said Dr. Joseph Wright, senior vice president at Children's National Medical Center in Washington.

This month, the American Academy of Pediatrics will for the first time include a section on bullying in its official policy statement on the pediatrician's role in preventing youth violence.

Wright, a lead author of the statement, said the decision to address the issue was due to a growing body of research over the last decade linking bullying to youth violence, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Last year, the Yale School of Medicine analyzed the link between childhood bullying and suicide in 37 studies from 13 countries, finding that both bullies and their victims were at high risk of contemplating suicide.

In March, the parents of a 17-year-old Ohio boy who committed suicide sued his school alleging their son was bullied. Instead of seeking compensation, they are asking the school to put in place an anti-bullying program and to recognize their son's death as a "bullicide."

'An easy target'

Iain Steele enjoyed riding his skateboard, his father said, but after hip surgery in 8th grade limited his mobility, he picked up the guitar and impressed an instructor with his musical talent.

He was revered by younger kids in the neighborhood, often fixing their skateboards, settling their disputes and including them in games. "He was a very gentle, kind kid, compassionate to a fault," his father said.

But Iain's embrace of heavy metal set him apart from classmates. He let his hair grow to shoulder-length and wore mostly black clothing, including jeans with chains and T-shirts of heavy metal bands with dark, sometimes morbid lyrics.

For this, his classmates at McClure Junior High School in Western Springs often called him "emo" -- a slang term for angst-ridden followers of a style of punk music, said Sikora, 15.

The bullying could also be physical, Iain's friends and parents said. In 8th grade at McClure, one bully pushed Iain into a locker while he was on crutches and accused him of faking an injury to get out of gym class. But Iain rarely shied away from his tormentors, his father said, and in this case, Iain punched the bully in the jaw.

"He was mainly bullied," Sikora said, "only because he was different, or hurt or stupid things like that. He never bothered anybody. ... It was all just because he was different and an easy target."

William Steele said his son had trouble ignoring the bullying because it "was just sort of relentless." It got to the point where the father sat down with the principal at McClure and with a bully's mother. But the harassment did not subside.

Steele said Iain "had a real trust issue because he felt like, particularly at McClure, the system let him down, that it didn't deliver on its promise to protect him from bullying."

McClure Principal Dan Chick said in an e-mail that "the District 101 community is deeply saddened by this recent tragedy of losing one of our children." Chick said he takes bullying very seriously but declined to discuss details of Iain's case because of privacy issues."

As with all situations, I investigated this specific matter and took appropriate actions within the limits of my authority," Chick said.

After graduating from McClure in 2008, Iain began attending the south campus for freshmen and sophomores at Lyons Township High School, where he found new friends -- and new tormentors. A new bully emerged who at first acted friendly, but then posted a homemade video on Facebook pretending to be Iain playing heavy metal on guitar.

"It was like a public humiliation to [Iain]," Sikora said.

The family of the student did not respond to requests for comment.

Jennifer Bialobok, a spokeswoman for Lyons Township High School, said "bullying is obviously not tolerated at LT," but added, "I don't think we're naive enough to think that bullying behavior doesn't exist."

Two years ago, Lyons Township created a "speak-up line" in which students can anonymously report "inappropriate or unsafe behavior," and the school hangs posters defining bullying and explaining how to report it, Bialobok said. If any student reported being bullied, a thorough investigation would take place, with consequences ranging from parental notification to out-of-school suspension, she said.

Bialobok said she could not discuss Iain's case because of student privacy laws, but "we don't believe that bullying was an issue while Iain was attending LT. Counselors and a host of other support personnel worked routinely to make his experience at LT a positive one."

Western Springs police have not documented incidents of bullying involving Iain but are still conducting interviews, Deputy Chief Brian Budds said.

Downward spiral

By this winter, Iain's mental health had begun a downward spiral, his parents said. In February, he told them he was having suicidal thoughts and asked to be admitted to a hospital.

He stopped going to school and began attending an outpatient program, seeing a therapist and a psychiatrist and taking medication for depression and anxiety. He tried returning to school on a half-day basis, but soon became overwhelmed with makeup work and inquiries from classmates who heard rumors he had tried to kill himself. After a few days in school, Iain asked to be readmitted to the hospital, where he stayed for a week, his parents said.

But as summer approached, he began showing signs of improvement. He was easier to communicate with, did his chores when asked, and his doctors believed they had found the right balance in his medication, his father said.

"He seemed to be in a calm, happy place," he said.

Iain's parents and friends say they do not know of any incidents that might have triggered what happened June 3, when his father found him in the basement. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. He did not leave a note.

Looking back, Iain's parents wonder what factors besides bullying may have contributed to their son's depression.

Iain's favorite heavy metal bands, such as Lamb of God, Children of Bodom and Bullet for My Valentine, often have lyrics with dark messages. One Bullet for My Valentine song is about being bullied, and another song contains the refrain: "The only way out is to die."

Also, Iain was deeply hurt this spring after a brief relationship with a girl he met in his outpatient program. The two exchanged text messages, but her parents and therapists advised against them dating and about two months ago barred her from having communication with him.

Still, Iain's parents remain convinced bullying played a significant role in their son's depression. As Iain's story spread through the community, many people approached Liz Steele to describe their own experiences with bullying, depression or suicide, she said.

"A lot of people don't want to talk about mental health or bullying because it's a difficult thing to talk about, but we need to talk about it," she said. "It shouldn't be a stigma."

Meanwhile, the community has rallied behind the Steeles. In Iain's memory, his classmates tied white ribbons around hundreds of trees in the neighborhood. On June 10, about 500 people attended a memorial service at First Congregational Church of Western Springs.

Rich Kirchherr, senior minister at the church, said the community has felt a "deep and abiding sadness" since Iain's death. Kirchherr said few people seemed aware that Iain was bullied.

"There is an acknowledgment now, as people have discovered that Iain might not always have been treated with the respect that every person deserves," Kirchherr said. "Many people were surprised to hear that."

Friends have established several Facebook groups in his memory, including the "Iain Steele Remembrance Group," which has more than 700 members. The commentary on the group's wall was summed up by a Lyons Township High School student who said she did not know Iain but had learned an important lesson from his death.

"I'm learning to treat everyone with respect, even people who I don't know well or people who I might not get along with," she wrote. "If there is anything good that can come out of this tragedy, the responsibility lies with us to live with kindness and be aware that life is fragile."

gfsmith@tribune.com