Daycare and allergies

My child is asthmatic and discovered he was allergic to eggs second time he was introduced to them. He broke out in a rash and now being around eggs(depending on how they are cooked he starts a coughing attack) and after having strawberries before it's known now that he is allergic to strawberries also.

Daycare finally had a sit down about his allergies with me. Now, they want him to get tested, however the pediatrician which is also an asthma specialist has said that he refuses to A) test him this young and B) refuses to do so for his asthma because he is pretty bad...

now daycare has said from what i understand and interpret that if this is not done they will not be responsible if he has an attack to the foods he is allergic to. i think basically they are seeing it as i am potentially making up his allergies, which in fact is NOT the issue.

does anyone have any further info on this?

[bsmsl]

How old is your son?  I am asuming he is an infant, but will answer more generally.

I can see where his dr would be unwilling to test when asthma is bad.  Allergies contribute to asthma in a big way, and your son would have to be off all antihistimines for several days before the testing.  That could make an asthma flare more likely.  Maybe your dr would consider doing the test during an allergen off season, if you son seems to have one.  That would greatly reduce any risks.  

Some drs will test infants and todlers provided that the child's ability to thrive and develop properly are significantly hampered by allergies and the resulting illnesses they can cause.  A young child has many things to learn, and being sick all the time makes that very difficult.  So, you may want to discus this more with his dr.

About the daycare - it does seem like you are getting a bit of a run around.  It sounds like they may not want to deal with a child with serious allergies.  You might want to consider looking for one that is more willing to work with you or you are in for a long battle.

[mum2four]

In Australia if a child has serious allergies kindy's and school BAN the food from being allowed at the school or kindy. They often ban other food's that are high risk just to be safe if the child is extreamly bad.

I would be firmly asking them to BAN all commen allergy food's and have an emergency plan drawn up for him and put some where for every to see just in case of an emergency.

[allmymarbles]

This is completely unreasonable. You are suggesting that the the center visit the problems of one child on all the others. Also, you would be placing the daycare center in the position of having medical expertise. I am reminded of a town in Canada that has outlawed the use of perfume because some people have allergies to it. Outrageous, and out os sheer principle I shall never go there. Shall we outlaw peanuts in the United states because they are deadly for some people? Of course not.

It is the responsibility of the parents to care for their child.  Sometimes this is very problematical, but fate often visits us with problems.

[mum2four]

Are you kiding me.

By your standard a child is not entitled to an equal chance to socialize. If we dont make allowences children die or loose out on an education.

Is not hard to ban a fue items from school yes it may not seem fair and it may frustating to some parents who kids love certain foods but in the end every one is intitled to be safe. Why do you think kids get imunised not ALL kids get sick but some things are just not worth the risk.

In australia kids are not allowed to eat carrots at school for the main reason that carrots are a chocking hazzard. It's a occupational health and safty risk to let children eat carrot's. For the same reason if a child has an allergy the childcare center has protect the child and the center from a law suit. They are not allowed to refuse the child access to the center cause that would be illegal under the equal oppertunity law. the center has to work out a plan and if a child has asthma or sesuire's or allergies the school or childcare center has to create a plan to insure the safety of the child.

[allmymarbles]

I don't kid. And I certainly don't try to adjust the world to my specifications.

[mum2four]

It not about ajusting the world to my specification, it's about simple human right's.

[bsmsl]

I have had some additional thoughts to the daycare's request.  It is possible that the day care just wants a COMPLETE list of foods your son cannot eat so that they can be careful not to feed them to him.  However, food allergies are rarely diagnosed by testing.  That is only done in extrame cases, where  a food diary has proven unhelpful.  For infants, allergies are established as each new food is introduced.  That is why you only feed one new food every few days.  

I think you should have the dr write the day care a note and explain his reasons for not testing in detail, explaining how food allergies are diagnosed for a child his age, and then list the currently know allergens.  If your son is an infant, the dr should note that as new foods are introduced to his diets, more allergens may be identified and added to the list, but that can only be done as the foods are introduced.  Also, you should ask the doctor to provide an action plan in case your son does have a reaction to something while at the day care - ie what symptoms would call for the use of his epi-pen and who they should call for emergency help.  Also, you should provide training to the staff of the day care on how to use an epi-pen.

Depending on the severity of your sons allergies, you may have the right to request that certain foods be prohibitted from his rooms - peanuts are common for this.  For example, some people could die from the slightest exposure to even a peanut shell they inhale.  They don't have to ingest it.  However, as someone who has extreme allergies to fragrances, I do ask people to voluntarily not wear perfumes around me  I then  avoid those that I know where enough to leave a toxic cloud in their wake.  I take every measure with medicines I can to prevent asthma attacks as a result of exposure.   The disease is mine to deal with, not the rest of the world's.  I am blessed by those who respect me and refrain from perfumes in my pressence, but I also respect other's rights to wear perfume if they wish.  I just won't go around them.   I know some people have been offended by my lack of association with the, but they made their choice, and I my lungs have made mine.  They eventually learn the reason for my stand offish attitude and either stop wearing perfume, or accept that I don't go around them.

I hope this is more helpful.

[allmymarbles]

Human rights. OK. Let's outlaw liquor for the sake of alcoholics. (Whoops. Tried that.)

[mum2four]

I think your being a little a silly people choose to drink it does not effect a childs abilty to breath.

[allmymarbles]

You are right. It merely causes the infant of an alcoholic to be born mentally retarded.

[CYW]

sorry it took so long to respond.. but my son is 33 months old. just a lil over 2 and a half...we do have children with severe allergies to peanuts and bananas.. even to the point that a child came in with the smell of peanuts on his breathe and i sent the little girl into an anaphylactic shock. I just dont think that a daycare should have the right to force a child to be tested for foods which is proven to be allergic to, especially when the pediatrician whom is also an asthma specialist says no.

[mum2four]

I bet there are programes to help alcoholic this is the government/private organization way of trying to over come the problem of alcoholeisim. This is no different to childcare place taking a fue precations to help children stay safe from a preventable allergy like the most commen allergies. They cant be expected to be perfect but they can try and thats all that they should do is try. The same with pregnancy and alcohole causing brain damage if there was not something trying to be done about it you would not know that it causes such a huge impact on unborn babies. You may not be able to outlaw alcohole but you can sure do you best to avoide it from causeing problems. What about places that are alcohole free I bet you cant be on school grounds with a bottle of booze in your hands. How is any different to banning nut's just to be extra safe when you know a child in that school or childcare has a serious allergy.