Peanut/Food Allergy Moms: Need some support

My son has an egg and peanut allergy. He'll be 2 this summer. I've been looking for preschools to send him to in the fall (2-3 half days/week). My in-laws currently watch him full time while I'm at work. I am so nervous to send him to school and risk him having an allergic reaction. The peanut allergy really scares me. I mean, he's never even had a peanut reaction (we only discovered the peanut allergy through a skin test we had done originating from a reaction to eggs). Of course, my head always thinks worst case scenario of what could happen. I'm not sure how severe his allergy is but the resulting bump from the skin test was very large (if that's even an indication of severity?).

There is one school that I really, really love but it is not peanut free (but are extremely allergy/peanut-aware). The do have an option for PB&J sandwiches on the lunch menu but only for lunches (and my son will not be there during lunch--he'll only be there in the morning for snack). The school provides peanut (and egg) free snacks but they do give the option to parents to send in their own snacks for their own child (could be a granola bar or something). They said because my son has an allergy that he will never eat anything someone else brings in (even if they claim to be allergy friendly). They seem to be really on top of it.
I looked at another school that is "peanut-free" but it almost seemed like they weren't as on top of things as the first school. Almost like a false sense of security. For instance, they gave me the list of ingredients in the snacks they provide and one said (in bold and caps), "may contain trace amounts of peanuts". Really??

Sorry for the long winded vent. I've just been totally stressing about this decision and I feel like it's falling all on my shoulders to pick the school. Not really sure what I'm looking for here but I know that there are quite a few other allergy moms on these boards that can probably relate. The unrealistic nervous mom part of me wants to keep my son at home where I can keep him safe...forever, lol.

What is everyone else's situation with school/daycare and how do they handle meal-times? Are you nervous when you drop your child off?

Thank you!

Peanut/Food Allergy Moms: Need some support

Hmm. As far as understand, any NAEYC accreditied daycare has to be peanut free (including if parents bring their own snacks, they are not allowed to have even products that say manufactured in a plant that handles nuts, at least this is how my DC operates). Maybe look for a school that is accredited?
http://families.naeyc.org/find-quality-child-care
My kids don't have food allergies, but I don't think I would be comfortable with either of the situations you describe. Too much can go wrong at snacktime with kids...
GL!

Re: Peanut/Food Allergy Moms: Need some support

My DS does not have allergies, but I am a pre-k teacher in a non-peanut free school. This year I have 3 students with allergies: one is allergic to peanuts/tree nuts (very severe that she cannot touch anything with nuts in it) one peanut/tree nut, eggs and a few others and one with tree nut allergy. I have all three of them sit together at a table. We wipe everything down before and after snack and lunch. If students in the class have peanut butter for snack or lunch they must wash their hands when they are finished with the peanut butter. Parents provide all snack and lunches but for special party days or birthdays where there is an outside snack brought in my allergy children's parents will send in snacks that I keep in the classroom for these days. They get to have a special snack as well, just one that was sent from home. I am not allowed to give them anything that isn';t sent from home. They know not to share snacks which I go over at the beginning of the year and several times during the year. I have not had any incidents in all the years I have been teaching. It works out. I know its scary. The nurse gives us a list of the children with allergies and their emergency care plans which outlines if they have an epi-pen or benedryl and when to get it and how much to give if the nurse is not available in an emergency situation. I would talk to the school and the nurse at the school and see how they handle allergies. HTH!

Peanut/Food Allergy Moms: Need some support

My son has a peanut allergy and while he attends a nut-free preschool right now, he will be going to public elementary school in the fall. The thought does scare me, but it is something we'll always have to deal with, so all you can do is teach them about what they can't eat from early on and make sure the school has benedryl and an epi-pen on hand. My son's preschool has both in a ziplock bag that they keep in the office should they need it. I also have to bring in a separate snack that they keep in the classroom for birthdays when the parent brings something in from home. Even though it is a nut-free school, they don't take any chances. I'd say go with the school that you feel most comfortable with, even if it is the non-nut-free one, if they seem more on top of things.

Re: Peanut/Food Allergy Moms: Need some support

Sorry no advice here, but just wanted to send My DD has an egg white allergy but I am currently home with my twins. I def would stress out about it exactly as you are!!

Also, has your LO been blood tested for the allergies? We haven't had our follow up Dr visit after the blood test yet, but from what I understand they will give me a "number" that tells you the severity of the allergy which is more telling than the skin test. Maybe another "allergy mom" can confirm this.

Re: Peanut/Food Allergy Moms: Need some support

Message edited 3/15/2013 1:29:23 PM.

Re: Peanut/Food Allergy Moms: Need some support

My son is also allergic and I prefer nut free schools. Its been very clearly communicated to the other parents that it is NUT FREE and it was done for my son. He has been exposed to peanut twice. 1st time(we were told he was negative and he had peanut butter crackers)-hives, 2nd time(he snuck a piece of halloween candy) profuse vomiting and an ER visit. I plan to never have another exposure.

Peanut/Food Allergy Moms: Need some support

Thank you everyone for your responses. Its so nice to know I'm not alone. Makes me feel a lot better.

Re: Peanut/Food Allergy Moms: Need some support

My DS also had egg and peanut allergies. The preschool is peanut free. They showed me the boxes of everything they would give for snack and I approved them. When they have birthdays, he eats a snack that I have provided for him. His teachers ask me about anything they may have in the class - like Friday they had green bagels for st. Patricks day and asked if he was able to have that. They would never give him anything without checking with me first.

The fact that the one school allows peanuts/peanut butter would really make me uncomfortable and nervous.