Help, need advice, food allergies and school.

[WeLoveLilo05]

Hi,
I have been on this board from time to time, my daughter has a peanut allergy. But now I need some help, I feel like I am in a little bit of a pickle.
I am currently student teaching in a kindergarten classroom, this will be my 4th week there. We have a little girl who has a peanut and milk allergy. Her mom doesn't want her to feel left out so she still sits at the regular table, a note went home to all parents of the children in our classroom to make them aware of her situation. My co-op teacher also enforced the no sharing of lunches/snacks rule.

So this week we did apple smiles, it was apples, marshmallows, and it was supposed to be peanut butter, but co op teacher substituted it with cream cheese. We pull out the cream cheese and it occurs to me that this little girl probably can't eat this cream cheese, right? since it has milk in it. I mean I am aware of peanuts, but don't know much about milk allergies but I am figuring that this little girl cannot eat this b/c it contains milk. I tell my teacher and she said that she just wont give her any cream cheese.

Now on Monday I am supposed to do a lesson with M & Ms (she makes up the lessons and I put them in lesson plan format and do them), from my own daughter I know they have on the label, may contain peanuts. I tell this to my co op teacher, and she says they are not the ones with peanuts. I said I know, but I am unsure of the severity of this girls allergies and I don't know if she can eat them. Now, she speaks with the mom and the mom said she could do the lesson but not eat the MnMs, now I think this is unfair, all the kids will be eating candy and she can't have anything? DO you think I would be over stepping my boundaries if I got this little girl skittles? I don't think it's fair.

And now, on Wed my supervisor is coming in to observe a lesson, again it is patterns in math. This time its with goldfish, I think to myself goldfish should be ok, but then I get them, bring them home, read the label and realize they are cheddar and contain milk. Now, if I mention this to co op teacher I am thinking she will get annoyed with me, b/c she seemed a little annoyed when I mentioned the M&Ms and the cream cheese may not be safe for her. But i just dont't feel comfy and I don't think it's fair that she will be excluded, she won't be able to eat them. I also feel that its just not safe. Is there anything else I can sub for this for her? DO sweddish fish come in colors?

What would you do if you were me? It's not my classroom and if it were I think if I had a child with a food allergy in my room I wouldn't do lessons with food in them. My teacher basically has the lessons all done for the week and tells me what I am doing, I made up 1 lesson myself. I don't know if I suggest something else if she will be upset with me b/c she has been teaching for over 20 years I have only been in the classroom for 4 weeks and taught like 6 lessons.
Please, I need your help, don't flame me, I just don't know what to do!

 

[JessicaR]

Get the goldfish pretzels. I don't think anybody should be annoyed with you for looking out for this little girl. I like the idea of the skittles too!

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

Get the goldfish pretzels. I don't think anybody should be annoyed with you for looking out for this little girl. I like the idea of the skittles too!

I got them the colored goldfish to make patterns with the colors and then she has marshmallows from the apple smiles left over.
Think I should get sweddish fish and the goldfish pretzels for her?

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Is it a true milk allergy? A lot of times people will say that basically as shorthand for 'insensitivity' or 'intolerance' which is much more common. In that case, having milk itself (and certain other dairy products) would upset her stomach, but not cause and anaphylactic reaction, while a product containing dairy as one of many ingredients (like a baked product) would not. Maybe some more clarification from Mom is in order?

 

[mum4jenn]

Not all kids with milk allergies have reactions to things made with milk.

I am a school lunchroom manager and we have lots of milk allergies and it is just the milk itself that they are allergic to. Only one child about of about 20 or so can not have cheese.

 

[laughinplace199]

Actually, I think I recall reading somewhere that Goldfish pretzels have milk in them, or maybe they're cross-contaminated because of being on machinery with the cheddar ones, I can't remember.

Could she use Skittles for the Goldfish project too?

I'm surprised that the parent(s) of this little girl and the teacher have not had a discussion about what she can have or not have. In my kids' school, any food (whether for a party or a project) has to have the ingredient list read by the school nurse. The nurse would then tell the teachers if there was anyone who could not have it. My DD10 has food allergies. I always send a note in or talk to her teacher and the nurse in the beginning of the year so that we're all on the same page. I ask for a heads-up when there will be a food situation so that I can send in something similar for DD if she can't have what the rest of the class is having.

This little girl is lucky to have you watching out for her.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

Is it a true milk allergy? A lot of times people will say that basically as shorthand for 'insensitivity' or 'intolerance' which is much more common. In that case, having milk itself (and certain other dairy products) would upset her stomach, but not cause and anaphylactic reaction, while a product containing dairy as one of many ingredients (like a baked product) would not. Maybe some more clarification from Mom is in order?

I am assuming that it is a true milk allergy b/c the mom was there the 1st week of school in the lunch room with her dd. There was a little girl who had yogurt sitting next to the girl with the FA, the yogurt was very close to the little girl and her mom actually moved it over to the other side and said that her son was has a milk allergy too, his eye blew up after he touched yogurt and then touches his eye.

I think the school is very lax about FAs, this is the 1st year EVER they have a had a peanut free table in the lunchroom for a little boy in another grade.

Think I should just pre cut different colored construction paper into shapes of fish and ask them to make patterns with that? or get a big fish template and ask them to draw a pattern on the fish? I am supposed to be reading Rainbow fish to them, but I found another book called pattern fish that looks really cute and thought maybe have them put a pattern on the fish instead. I just hope my co op teacher doesn't get mad at me or thinks I am over reacting over this, but having a daughter who has an allergy and seeing her have a reaction scared me to death and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

 

[Christine]

Good for you for looking out for this little girl!!

I will give you my own perspective as a mom with a 14 y/o son with a peanut allergy.

First, this child does need to learn that life is not going to be fair for her...EVER...when it comes to food. Really, it's okay that she cannot eat the same snack as these kids.

On the fairness issue, though, when it comes to academic activities, by all means, this child needs to be on a level playing field with the other kids. All math activities involving food should NOT contain any peanut or milk products. While it takes a little bit more thought and planning, I'm sure there are things that can be substituted. Skittles are a GREAT choice but don't bring the Skittles because "it's not fair". Make sure you use the Skittles in the activity and make sure she is safe. Plain M&Ms actually contain more peanut particles than you would think and the "may contain" has been on them for years with plenty of allergic kids reacting to them.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I wouldn't buy the little girl anything to eat. I know your intentions are good, but you could inadvertently give her something that she shouldn't have and she could have a reaction. If you, personally, bought the item and fed it to her you would be personally responsible. You should not be the one to read labels and spectulate on what she should and should not be eating.

In my preschool classroom, we haved 2 kids who are designated "no food except what's brought from home." If other parents bring in treats for birthdays, etc., these kids don't get any.

However, you don't want the child to feel left out. And if many lessons are done with food, I would give the mom a chance to send in a special bag of food for her child. Tell her what kinds of foods are used in lessons and let her determine what she could provide as a substitute. One of our moms even sent in a special bag of cookies that her child can have instead of birthday treats.

In cases like this, you really need to protect the child. But don't forget to protect yourself as well. Let the mom decide what foods her child can have at school. She will probably be more than happy to provide it.

 

[momof1princess]

i am allergic to milk myself (not lactose intolerant or sensitive) and i have no trouble eating goldfish crackers or something similar, such as cheez-its. i even make mashed potatoes with whole milk and eat them with no issues. however, if i have any milk or milk product straight, such as a cup of ice cream, i develop trouble breathing within about 5 minutes. i applaud your effort to include the little girl in the lessons and i would think your co-op teacher would be grateful, since she doesn't seem very concerned about the little girl's welfare (IMHO, there are many other things she could use to teach with besides food). perhaps you could contact the girl's mother regarding the severity of her milk allergy and whether or not there are any foods containing milk products she can enjoy?

 

[mjkacmom]

Why don't you ask the girl's mother was IS safe to eat. Use foods from this list for lessons.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think this class should stop doing projects with such junky food products! Goodness gracious!

 

[Tosie]

Thank you for being so concerned. We need more people out there like you.

As a parent of a food allergic child, I would have a meeting with you and ask you what lessons you had planned that involved food. I would then not only provide you with a list of safe foods, I would also ask that you would let me know ahead of time and I would provide YOU with the safe foods.

We are lucky - food is not allowed in the classrooms at our school.

As far as any "fairness" issues are concerned, my dd and I both agree (she is 8 and has lived with this her whole life) she'd rather miss out then get sick..or worse. But I have always gone out of my way to make sure she wasn't left out. It's MY job and MY responsibility as her mother.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would contact the parent and ask for a list of approved snacks for her. Sounds like you will need this list since your teacher is constantly using food in her lesson plans.

 

[JessicaR]

Why don't you ask the girl's mother was IS safe to eat. Use foods from this list for lessons.

This is probably the best idea.

All allergies are not created equal so let the mom define it.

 

[bushdianee]

I was lucky last year. I had a child with a peanut allergy but her Mom works at the school so if I had questions I could get a quick answer. I kept a box of fruit snacks that Mom had approved on hand for her. Mom had just said to not worry about treats but I didn't feel right haveing her sit out while the rest of the kids had something. Also a couple of times when the child had said that she could eat things I wasn't sure of, I usually just gave her what I knew she could safely have and more than once when I double checked with Mom the answer to the food in question was no.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Not to be a jerk but why does every lesson involve food? Even if my child didn't have allergies I don't want them eating marshmallows, m&ms, goldfish etc. every day. Use counters or some other device. I have never heard of a K class (or even pre-K) constantly using food to do lessons. Sorry but I think the whole thing is over the top. Eliminate all the food period. There is no need for it.

 

[Christine]

Not to be a jerk but why does every lesson involve food? Even if my child didn't have allergies I don't want them eating marshmallows, m&ms, goldfish etc. every day. Use counters or some other device. I have never heard of a K class (or even pre-K) constantly using food to do lessons. Sorry but I think the whole thing is over the top. Eliminate all the food period. There is no need for it.

I wondered this too. I guess these are food items that help get the kids excited to learn? The whole reward system for learning. I've never really agreed with that. At that age, most kids LOVE learning and don't need a circus to get them to do something.

I think with all the food allergy/issues that go on, the schools need to not use food to teach something like math. A party is one thing. A student does not *have* to be accommodated at a party. Learning is quite another. All students have to be given reasonable access/reasonable accommodations to learn. Using possibly allergenic food items in a lesson is not accommodating that student.

 

[momof1princess]

I wondered this too. I guess these are food items that help get the kids excited to learn? The whole reward system for learning. I've never really agreed with that. At that age, most kids LOVE learning and don't need a circus to get them to do something.

I think with all the food allergy/issues that go on, the schools need to not use food to teach something like math. A party is one thing. A student does not *have* to be accommodated at a party. Learning is quite another. All students have to be given reasonable access/reasonable accommodations to learn. Using possibly allergenic food items in a lesson is not accommodating that student.

this was my thought. DD's teachers never used food to teach lessons. we sent in flash cards, small items they could count, regular playing cards, etc. i would think that with a child with food allergies in the classroom, a teacher with 20 years experience could come up with other strategies besides using food in lessons.

 

[luvmy3]

I would contact the parent and ask for a list of approved snacks for her. Sounds like you will need this list since your teacher is constantly using food in her lesson plans.

ITA. You could give the list to the teacher so that she is aware of what is safe and what isn't.
I'm surprised that with a FA child in the class that the teacher would use food in the lessons. Some children only have to touch the oils from a peanut to have a reaction, so using food that may have traces of peanuts could be quite a risk. Whats wrong with those little colored bears and shapes that we use in our K class, why the need for food

BTW I think its wonderful that you are so concerned about this student especially since the teacher doesn't seem to be.