Mother of hospitalized boy says school ignored her son's illness

Blake Ford, 9, has sickle cell anemia, and his mother says one of his teachers didn't take him seriously when he complained he felt ill Monday. HLN has more.

'The little boy's in the hospital now. This mother said he had a fever of 105 when he came home.'

Blake's mother, Tyesha Ford, explained to WJLA what happened when her son told his teacher he wasn't feeling well.

'He got up and told his teacher, 'I'm hot, I don't feel well.' She said, 'go get some water, sit back down, do your work.' He says he had his head on his hand on the desk. She kept saying 'Blake, do your work!'"

Three hours later and still feeling unwell, Blake went to the front office and requested to be sent home. Instead, Tyesha says her son was put on a bus in the rain and when she saw him, he could barely stand.

Sickle cell anemia is a disorder that causes a person's red blood cells to become crescent-shaped, instead of the normal circular shape.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says the sickle-shaped cells are stiff and therefore 'block blood flow in the blood vessels of the limbs and organs.'

Tyesha says her son also had a heart attack last June.

ABC reports that back in June, Tyesha had a meeting with the school's principal to make sure the school had all the necessary health forms and knew what to do in case Blake got sick at school.

HLN says Blake's school, D.C. Scholars Public Charter School, released a statement saying it takes the health of its students very seriously.

'It plans to follow up with staff and the little boy's family and review the policies and protocols.'

As of Tuesday evening, Blake was still in the hospital.