[hiccamups]

Our ANA child is not yet primary school so we've not had to broach this topic in great detail yet, though I'm wanting to be prepared for next year.

How much of a restriction is in place at your child's school - in the classroom, to protect them from the food? Do you worry about another child touching yours after eating and touching the ANA foods?

What about breakfast before school? Do you ask that parents don't feed their child that food before school?

Do the other families comply? Do you get a hard time about it? Is the school supportive?

I'm getting a little nervous because whilst his smaller kindy group is aware and helpful, I can't guarantee that in the next, larger group.

[Canberra chick]

DS is anaphylactic to eggs and peanuts (with the eggs, he would have to eat something eggy to react that badly). His school has a full nut ban, but no egg ban.

In Kindy the teacher would ensure he didn't sit next to someone eating egg, but now they don't ask. Though DS tells me that if anyone in his class has egg in their lunch, they tell the teacher. And most of his classmates don't eat eggs or peanut butter for breakfast because they don't want to make him sick. This has got nothing to do with anything we said or did. But DS is quite assertive and also very open about his allergies, so I'm sure his classmates got told about it pretty quickly!

[Bacongirl]

Neither of my children are ana, but quite a few of their friends and classmates are

Our school has a total nut ban and regularly reminds/asks parents not to give peanut butter before class. DH's teacher have also sent home specific requests that children have their hands & faces washed if any peanut product is consumed in the household before school. Then girl in his class is very very sensitive.

The classes all have the child's photo and a list of the allergy and response either in a file on their desk or I've even seen them hung on the wall in the room (where the teacher can see - but not everyone that walks into the room - I think for privacy issues)

I imagine this time of life must be so scary for ANA parents and I always hope that other parents are as aware of the consequences as we are.

[siemp]

DS was kindy - note the WAS

They dealt with his ANA requirements badly and honestly could not deal with his ongoing condition (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome).

He is set up for school (If we can get him healthy enough) and the plan is the school will/has

- Changed the turf to the soft 'plastic' fake stuff
- Have organised the teacher to carry an epi pen as well as he will be required to wear a pouch and medic alert
- Have installed picnic equip so kids aren't eating on the ground but picnic tables (Year levels rotate their breaks so everyone gets a go).
- Posters up everywhere
- DS will have special art supplies which do not include textas/ 'wet' colours
- Students in his year level will be asked to avoid fish products (i.e. tuna)

That said DS's condition is quite unique, and he is medicated daily to try and prevent ANA.

[hannahsmummy]

Hi my dd's school is pretty good although we have had a few issues over the years...

Her school is nut free but everyone knows her and knows her allergies

Tanya

[RatbagBob]

DD is anaphylactic to nuts. The school is nut free and they regularly remind people not to bring nut products to school. The office has an epipen and management plan for DD and every other child with allergies and they go to training regularly. Recently they sent out an email reminding parents that the epipen jr was about to expire so to please make sure the ones they provide are up to date.

Everyone has been very supportive, although I will admit it's a great deal easier in that DD has the most common allergy that people know about and that most bans are geared towards. I imagine it would be more dificult if she were allergic to eggs, or tomato or something else like that.

We only found out about DDs anaphylaxis recently, so I haven't felt the need to get people at school to modify their behaviour, because said behaviour wasn't an issue before.

[hiccamups]

Thanks everyone. It's interesting that there is still the belief that nuts are the most common allergen. I wonder if there is any truth in that these days.

Our school doesn't have a nut ban either.

All the kids eat in class, which will minimise contact with random kids and food, but I'm wondering if I need to be conscious of kids with dirty hands etc.

How can we find out if it's purely by ingestion that he will react? I'm still feeling a bit unsure about it all.

[Excentrique]

I hope noone minds me asking a question, but since a child at DS's daycare suffered an anaphylactic reaction requiring an ambulance I have been thinking about it. Another child simply touched the child with dirty fingers and he suffered a life threatening reaction. Its an easy thing for a busy parent to slip up on, peanut butter on toast for breakfast and off to school/daycare in a hurry before washing hands.

If you have an anaphylactic child, do you have to sort of expect a reaction is highly likely to eventually occur when that child is in school?

[hiccamups]

If you have an anaphylactic child, do you have to sort of expect a reaction is highly likely to eventually occur when that child is in school?

I suppose the dream is that you don't expect it. You really want your child to be safe. The risk of death from anaphylaxis is very real, so it's a massive fear.

Our DS has milder allergies and I am not precious about the potential reactions from those foods. He's had them at school before. A rash, hives, etc.

Unfortunately, even a mild allergy can tomorrow become anaphylactic with no warning. There doesn't seem to be any predictable trend so you can never really have any confidence.

[roses99]

The school I work at (supply/contract teaching) has a great system for playground duty, that I haven't seen at another school, but is worth adopting.

Every teacher on playground duty must carry a folder that contains the photo and details of every child at the school with severe allergies. The A4 lists contain a thumbnail photo of the child, the details of the allergy and how it must be avoided and the treatment plan (location of epi-pen etc).

It seems to me to be just one extra line of defence for these kids. We're also completely nut-free.