One of the things that most worries parents of children with food allergies is the "back to school", and even more so if our children start for the first time. And it is difficult not to think about it without feeling uncertainty about how the course will develop!
Experts appeal to information, transparency and dialogue with the school as the main keys to avoid incidents or unpleasant situations. Here’s how to proceed if your food allergic child starts school for the first time.
1) Fear is logical, but it should not paralyze us
I am the mother of a food allergic child and I know perfectly what it is to feel fear and uncertainty every time the school year begins. In my opinion, the most delicate stage is that of the first and second cycle of children, that is, from the beginning of daycare until six years old.
This cycle is especially critical because children are still very young, some have a hard time expressing themselves clearly and many do not yet have enough allergy to talk about it clearly, refuse food or act alone in certain situations.
Parents with food allergic children know the risks that our children have to face every time there is food involved and, unfortunately, we also know the general ignorance and lack of social awareness of those around us.
And maybe because of all that, the beginning of the school year makes us especially anxious and irascible. Will teachers and school staff differentiate allergies from intolerances? How will they proceed with birthdays, lunch or food? Will my child suffer any rejection for his allergy? Will they know how to act correctly in case of an accident?
Doubts and more doubts assail us as the date of the beginning of the course approaches. In my opinion, it is normal and logical to feel fear and uncertainty but we must not let these feelings paralyze us, and in our hands it must be to inform correctly and raise awareness in order for the course to run smoothly.2) Hold a meeting before starting the course
If you can not meet with your child's tutor Before the course starts, try to do it in the first few days. Inform with plain and accessible language (when you are not knowledgeable about the subject certain terms and expressions may sound confusing) about the type of allergy your child has, if You need medication, when and how to apply it and what preventive safety measures you should have with it.
Do not hesitate to ask how many people will be in charge of your child since many times the children are not only in the care of a teacher but have auxiliary, support staff or different teachers for each subject. Whatever there is, everyone should be aware of your child's allergy. So if you stay calmer holding a personal meeting with all of them, do not hesitate and do it. Your child's safety and peace of mind should be above all.
My advice is not to end this meeting until you are sure that your interlocutor has perfectly understood the type of allergy your child has and the precautions to follow. It is preferable sin of "heavy" to leave such a delicate subject to free interpretation someone's.
3) Updated medical report
It is essential that you contribute to the school a medical report of your child's allergy and that you renew it with some periodicity, especially if there are variations in the development of your allergy.
Ask your pediatrician or allergist to detail the first symptoms that should put the staff on alert, as well as any other aspect that you consider of interest, even those that may seem obvious but really are not for those who do not know food allergies up close.For example, in the case of those allergic to cow's milk proteins, it should be noted that the allergic person can not only consume cow's milk but also products that carry lactose and are not made with milk from other animals such as goat, sheep, buffalo ...
4) Rescue medication
Likewise, prepare a emergency kit with everything your child may need in case of an allergic reaction. Adrenaline, inhalers, corticosteroids ... Everything must be properly stored in a case and labeled, making sure you also renew the medications so they are always in date.
"It is advisable to ensure that the child is familiar with allergy medications and their use. Age, although it seems to parents, is not an impediment; children learn very quickly what makes them breathe well or feel better and they collaborate from a very young age "- Dr. Gloria Requena, a specialist in Allergology at the University Regional Hospital of Malaga and a member of the Allergology team at the Alergomálaga Clinic, tells us.
This emergency kit should be kept by the school and know how to use it if necessary. Ask at the meeting that you keep at the beginning of the course who would be responsible for guarding this medication and give it to your child if necessary.
Do not entertain doubts! The more you know about the treatment they give at school to food allergies, the calmer and more confident you will be.
5) Always identified
One of the first things we have to do before school starts is mark all objects and garments that our child will use throughout the course. Because if this measure is important for all children in general, it is much more so when there is a food allergy.
- Snack bag or snack bag
- Pacifiers, glasses, bottles or any food utensil
- Cushions, sheets, pillows, napkins or any other contact surface
- Creams, lotions or colognes because, beware, not all food allergic children can use any diaper cream or hygiene and hygiene product, as some contain allergenic components that would damage their skin. If this is the case with your child, label his products and inform his teacher
Via Identitorespersonales.com Make sure that your child also has some identification that describes the type of allergy you suffer: You can embroider it on your baby, put a personalized bracelet or a sign attached to the flap. This idea is especially practical during the first days of school or in the case of very young children who express themselves with difficulty.
6) Time to eat!
Find out how the school proceeds with allergic students at lunchtime. It's important to know if the center has its own kitchen or if you order the menu from an external catering; if they know the food safety measures; how they identify and locate allergy sufferers ...
If you have any questions regarding ingredients used, ask to speak with the person in charge of the dining room or kitchen, or with the company that is in charge of catering. Surely they will have no problem in providing you with a list of the brands they work with.
7) Parties with food? Raise alternative ideas!
It's also interesting that you know how the center acts at lunchtime, how students celebrate birthdays and how they celebrate the most important holidays.
If there is always food in between you can do two things:
Propose playful alternatives where food and sweets have no place. For example: change the birthday goodies for a symbolic gift to each student, or for a party in the classroom with streamers and music.
Ask the teacher to store a bag of goodies, drinks and other items in the classroom sweets that your child can take so that they offer it to him as an alternative when these types of situations occur.
8) Seek support
If you belong to any food allergy association, I recommend you lean on it. They will give you all kinds of information about regulations in force, withdrawal of food in which traces of allergens have been detected, guidelines when it comes to addressing any problems that may arise with the school ...
In addition, many associations give informative talks in the educational centers so, if at any given time you consider it of interest, you could call a meeting between the association and your school.
9) Talk to your son
And finally, do not forget how important the dialogue is with your child. Having an open and honest conversation with him is essential to positively and naturally focus his allergic condition.
"Let's try to ensure that allergic children are not stigmatized in school and reduce parental anxiety with a good learning about the illness of our children, so that in case of an accidental reaction in school, we are sure that the staff will be prepared to attend it "- advises Dr. Requena.Pixabay Photos
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