I want to let you know about two great resources that are currently running sales promotions to help you and your allergic child prepare for the Back to School Season: Oliver's Labels and Vermont Nut Free Chocolate.
I just discovered Oliver's Labels after being contacted by them recently and I really like this product. If you've got kids in preschool, daycare or elementary school, you'll want to pick up these personalized labels that not only have your child's name but that also raise awareness about your child's nut allergy.
Labels are completely waterproof and carry a full-color "No Nuts" symbol along with your child's name or initials. Oliver's Labels also has stickers for egg, gluten and dairy allergies as well as others. You can use them to label clothing, book bags, toys, lunch bags, musical instruments--anything that your child takes to school. I really like the samples I received--they are eye-catching and quickly identify my daughter's belongings while raising food allergy awareness at the same time. Plus, when you order your labels, you get use of a free online service called FoundIt (TM) that helps you get your lost items back without having to share personal info with strangers.
I wish I'd had these sooner--especially when my child was in preschool and kindergarten. It's just one more layer of awareness as your child goes throughout their day. Click on the company's web site for more designs and colors.
If you order now, you can also receive 10% off of your initial order as a reader of this blog. Just use the coupon code OliversFriends at checkout.
Also, many of you already know how much I love Vermont Nut-Free Chocolate! They make delicious candy that is prepared in a peanut and tree-nut free facility, though they do use other allergens such as dairy and eggs. If your only concern is nut-free, however, you should know that they are running a special back to school promotion right now. Just use coupon code Back2School at checkout time to receive 10% off of your purchase through August 31st.
Vermont Nut-Free is a special treat because they make holiday and event-themed candy--a difficult thing to find if you need nut-free. The treats are great to have on hand in a "safe treats" bag that your child brings to the classroom. Check them out if you can!
I'll have more back-to-school resources in the days ahead, but I'm happy to pass along these discounted offers to all of you. If you need more info on either company, go to their respective web sites: www.oliverslabels.com and www.vermontnutfree.com.
Showing posts with label nut-free mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nut-free mom. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Back to Preschool and Daycare Food Allergy Tips
Lately I've gotten a lot of feedback and e-mail from parents with children who are preschool age or younger. I've talked a lot about elementary school tips and will have more of those in coming days, but I want to welcome these new readers to my blog by sharing some preschool and daycare tips that worked for me and my daughter.
When my daughter entered preschool after her first allergic reaction, she was the only student the school had with nut allergies at that time. Still, we did very well and had wonderful teachers, although there were a few bumps in the road (luckily, minor ones.)
By the time her sister followed her (two years later) students at the preschool had a multitude of different food allergies and dealing with allergies had become the norm.
Even at a nut-free school, understanding of food allergies varies. Some preschools and daycare centers have mandatory meetings about how to use epinephrine auto-injectors and how to avoid allergic reactions. Be sure to ask for a face-to-face meeting with key people such as the preschool director and top staff, including any staff member who will be caring for your child
One thing that makes preschool and daycare difficult is that you rely almost entirely on the teachers and staff to keep your child safe. Depending on your child's age, they will not be able to communicate as effectively about their allergies.
Now, the bright spot. Things are getting better. Peanut-free and nut-free policies have become more of a standard at many preschools and daycare centers and I would strongly recommend that you try to get your child into a nut-free preschool. Food allergy training is widespread and many schools are more aware than ever before. That doesn't mean you can let your guard down, it just means that you may not have the be the "pioneers" at your school, which, take it from me, is very reassuring.
If your school currently is not nut-free and you can't or don't want to leave, log on to the FARE (formerly FAAN) website to get stats and information to share with your school. If they have the facts, they will be more able to understand why you want the nut-free policy and why it benefits them, the school, in the long run. Preschool is too young to expect children to manage their own life-threatening medical condition; it's easier to prevent a reaction than to treat one.
Parents are often asked to give a presentation to the preschool about their child's allergies and to outline emergency plans. This is your chance to educate and advocate for your child, so embrace it! In my experience, you want to give enough information without overwhelming people. If you present your info in easy-to-read format using bullet points and lists, they'll be more likely to read and absorb the information. Beyond a Peanut flashcards are perfect to share with your preschool -- this amazing resource helps teachers and kids understand nut allergies in an easy-to-use format. I also like the Linda Coss food allergy books. My new e-book is another good resource, very concise and easy to follow. Please feel free to share it with your preschool too...they might want to download it. Several preschools follow my blog already, so see if they are interested!
When I presented my preschool/daycare info, I provided a brightly colored (easy-to-spot) binder with my daughter's name, my name and contact info and her photo. It included a brief description of symptoms to look for (provided by my allergist), a Food Allergy Emergency Action Plan (signed by my doctor) and also doctor's contact info. I included a diagram instructing them on how to use an epinephrine autoinjector (available online at FARE as part of their Food Allergy Action Plan docs). I also included a list of "safe foods" or foods that I would allow her to eat. This is a short list--and much easier to follow than an "unsafe foods" list. Update the lists as necessary--important, since labels change!
If your child eats snacks or meals at preschool/daycare, consider sending your own lunch or meals to school. You should definitely have a chat with the school cook, but sometimes it's hard to know what has cross-contact and what doesn't. Even the school may not know; the suppliers may not have that information readily accessible.
Because of this, I always sent my daughter to preschool and daycare with the following: alternative snacks (just in case, remember my school was nut-free), a homemade lunch and "safe" treats for when kids brought in birthday food.
Birthday treats are another problem. These are almost never nut-free (or dairy-free, egg-free, whatever your allergy is--you know what I mean.) My daughter ate her "safe" treats alongside the other kids, but a much better option--especially because so many kids have multiple food allergies these days, not just peanut--is a non-edible treat. I also like to suggest crafts to teachers instead of birthday food. Your motto should be: Exclude the food--not the child. For ideas on how to do this, check out this article I wrote for Chicago Parent in which I suggested alternatives to food during school celebrations.
Currently my kids get a free paperback book of their choice for their birthday. This is paid for by the PTO. Daycare and preschool work a bit differently, but see if anyone would contribute $1 to a class b-day book fund. Daycare/preschool teachers can get great deals from the Scholastic Book Club so the cost should be relatively low. Or how about stickers or colored pencils? Cupcakes may be traditional, but they don't have to be the only option.
Occasionally, preschool craft projects or activities can involve food. At the beginning of each month, ask about these projects and see if non-food items or "safe" foods can be substituted.
Understand that educating preschool staff will not be a one-shot deal. It's a good idea to check in, keep in touch and make sure everyone is on the same page. A friendly check-in can save a world of trouble. Since the understanding of food allergies varies from person to person and school to school, you may have to keep bringing your point home all year. If you remain upbeat, positive and compliment the staff on the efforts they make, you'll see that soon it will become second nature for your child's teachers. If it doesn't, speak up to the teachers directly before you go to the school director. Usually they want to help and just may need reminders. If your preschool director needs to be contacted, don't hesitate. We need to work together.
Many preschools are conducted in multipurpose buildings, including places of worship. Here is a link to a preschool held in a temple and the excellent nut-free policy they provide. Note that they say they can't control the entire building, but they give detailed steps on how they keep the classroom safe for nut-allergic children. For anyone seeking a "nut-free policy" model, check this out.
Preschool should be a wonderful, happy time for your child and even with nut allergies it can be just that. Work with your child to help them understand allergies, work with the school and then watch your child blossom!
When my daughter entered preschool after her first allergic reaction, she was the only student the school had with nut allergies at that time. Still, we did very well and had wonderful teachers, although there were a few bumps in the road (luckily, minor ones.)
By the time her sister followed her (two years later) students at the preschool had a multitude of different food allergies and dealing with allergies had become the norm.
Even at a nut-free school, understanding of food allergies varies. Some preschools and daycare centers have mandatory meetings about how to use epinephrine auto-injectors and how to avoid allergic reactions. Be sure to ask for a face-to-face meeting with key people such as the preschool director and top staff, including any staff member who will be caring for your child
One thing that makes preschool and daycare difficult is that you rely almost entirely on the teachers and staff to keep your child safe. Depending on your child's age, they will not be able to communicate as effectively about their allergies.
Now, the bright spot. Things are getting better. Peanut-free and nut-free policies have become more of a standard at many preschools and daycare centers and I would strongly recommend that you try to get your child into a nut-free preschool. Food allergy training is widespread and many schools are more aware than ever before. That doesn't mean you can let your guard down, it just means that you may not have the be the "pioneers" at your school, which, take it from me, is very reassuring.
If your school currently is not nut-free and you can't or don't want to leave, log on to the FARE (formerly FAAN) website to get stats and information to share with your school. If they have the facts, they will be more able to understand why you want the nut-free policy and why it benefits them, the school, in the long run. Preschool is too young to expect children to manage their own life-threatening medical condition; it's easier to prevent a reaction than to treat one.
Parents are often asked to give a presentation to the preschool about their child's allergies and to outline emergency plans. This is your chance to educate and advocate for your child, so embrace it! In my experience, you want to give enough information without overwhelming people. If you present your info in easy-to-read format using bullet points and lists, they'll be more likely to read and absorb the information. Beyond a Peanut flashcards are perfect to share with your preschool -- this amazing resource helps teachers and kids understand nut allergies in an easy-to-use format. I also like the Linda Coss food allergy books. My new e-book is another good resource, very concise and easy to follow. Please feel free to share it with your preschool too...they might want to download it. Several preschools follow my blog already, so see if they are interested!
When I presented my preschool/daycare info, I provided a brightly colored (easy-to-spot) binder with my daughter's name, my name and contact info and her photo. It included a brief description of symptoms to look for (provided by my allergist), a Food Allergy Emergency Action Plan (signed by my doctor) and also doctor's contact info. I included a diagram instructing them on how to use an epinephrine autoinjector (available online at FARE as part of their Food Allergy Action Plan docs). I also included a list of "safe foods" or foods that I would allow her to eat. This is a short list--and much easier to follow than an "unsafe foods" list. Update the lists as necessary--important, since labels change!
If your child eats snacks or meals at preschool/daycare, consider sending your own lunch or meals to school. You should definitely have a chat with the school cook, but sometimes it's hard to know what has cross-contact and what doesn't. Even the school may not know; the suppliers may not have that information readily accessible.
Because of this, I always sent my daughter to preschool and daycare with the following: alternative snacks (just in case, remember my school was nut-free), a homemade lunch and "safe" treats for when kids brought in birthday food.
Birthday treats are another problem. These are almost never nut-free (or dairy-free, egg-free, whatever your allergy is--you know what I mean.) My daughter ate her "safe" treats alongside the other kids, but a much better option--especially because so many kids have multiple food allergies these days, not just peanut--is a non-edible treat. I also like to suggest crafts to teachers instead of birthday food. Your motto should be: Exclude the food--not the child. For ideas on how to do this, check out this article I wrote for Chicago Parent in which I suggested alternatives to food during school celebrations.
Currently my kids get a free paperback book of their choice for their birthday. This is paid for by the PTO. Daycare and preschool work a bit differently, but see if anyone would contribute $1 to a class b-day book fund. Daycare/preschool teachers can get great deals from the Scholastic Book Club so the cost should be relatively low. Or how about stickers or colored pencils? Cupcakes may be traditional, but they don't have to be the only option.
Occasionally, preschool craft projects or activities can involve food. At the beginning of each month, ask about these projects and see if non-food items or "safe" foods can be substituted.
Understand that educating preschool staff will not be a one-shot deal. It's a good idea to check in, keep in touch and make sure everyone is on the same page. A friendly check-in can save a world of trouble. Since the understanding of food allergies varies from person to person and school to school, you may have to keep bringing your point home all year. If you remain upbeat, positive and compliment the staff on the efforts they make, you'll see that soon it will become second nature for your child's teachers. If it doesn't, speak up to the teachers directly before you go to the school director. Usually they want to help and just may need reminders. If your preschool director needs to be contacted, don't hesitate. We need to work together.
Many preschools are conducted in multipurpose buildings, including places of worship. Here is a link to a preschool held in a temple and the excellent nut-free policy they provide. Note that they say they can't control the entire building, but they give detailed steps on how they keep the classroom safe for nut-allergic children. For anyone seeking a "nut-free policy" model, check this out.
Preschool should be a wonderful, happy time for your child and even with nut allergies it can be just that. Work with your child to help them understand allergies, work with the school and then watch your child blossom!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Illinois House Passes Food Allergy Legislation for Schools
I was thrilled to read this news story about how food allergy legislation recently passed in the Illinois House of Representatives. Now the bill goes onto the state senate.
The bill will advocate that all schools need a food allergy action to follow for food allergy emergencies. Even though parents still would have a hand in their child's own food allergy action plan, there would be no need, if this bill passes the Senate, for Illinois parents to be trailblazers on policy simply because they want to send their food-allergic child to school.
I've had to be a "trailblazer" at school and luckily I've had good results for my efforts, but how wonderful if other parents would know that food allergies and action plans were already on the school's radar screen as a matter of course. That's a whole lot more than many of us have had up until now.
For info about who your state reps are, click this link and scroll down. You'll be able to find your district and reps.
Sample letters to send to reps and state senators can be found at FAAN's
"Advocacy" portion of their web site.
And if you're not an Illinois resident, how about proposing a plan like this to your reps?
The bill will advocate that all schools need a food allergy action to follow for food allergy emergencies. Even though parents still would have a hand in their child's own food allergy action plan, there would be no need, if this bill passes the Senate, for Illinois parents to be trailblazers on policy simply because they want to send their food-allergic child to school.
I've had to be a "trailblazer" at school and luckily I've had good results for my efforts, but how wonderful if other parents would know that food allergies and action plans were already on the school's radar screen as a matter of course. That's a whole lot more than many of us have had up until now.
For info about who your state reps are, click this link and scroll down. You'll be able to find your district and reps.
Sample letters to send to reps and state senators can be found at FAAN's
"Advocacy" portion of their web site.
And if you're not an Illinois resident, how about proposing a plan like this to your reps?