Anyone with a bub less than 10kg?

[youngones]

Just wondering if there is anyone out there with a baby who is less than the 10kg minimum eligible for epi pen.

DD is around 6.5kg at 8mths and is in daycare one day a week. I don't think they are very well informed about anaphylaxis and I'm wondering if anyone else has organised for daycare or kindy staff to be briefed on serious allergies and how you went about it.

I don't think they don't care, I just think they aren't particularly well informed and I'm thinking there must be someone out there who does that sort of thing.

[Areca]

My paed authorised an epi pen for us and DD (almost 20 months) still doesn't weigh 10kg. She was about 8kg when we got it.....his advice was 'if she's going blue cause she can't breath, give her the epi pen and then ring an ambulance immediately and let them know that she has had an overdose of adrenalin.
Not sure if he would've done the same thing if she weighed less though.
If your daycare isn't well informed then I'd definitely be making sure that they are! DD doesn't go in to daycare, but she does go to a gym creche twice a week and they know where the epi pen is in her bag, they know how to give it, and they know an ambulance needs to be called immediately (because I showed them/told them etc.).
Not sure how the best way is to go about it...maybe ask your paed for advice?

[SammieSnail]

Why don't they make epi pens with a lowered dose of synthetic adrenalin for babies? :detective:

Perhaps if you contact your local provider of first aid training they could help with information etc for the day care staff.
I would say the head of the centre should call a meeting and all staff be taught how to administer the injection and told exactly what your DD is allergic to and how a reaction will present itself.

Good luck, it must be quite worrying.

[youngones]

Thanks guys, yes it is very worrying. Sammie they don't make epi pen doses for babies, because generally people don't find out about anaphylaxis until kids are eating family food at around 12mths, as it is generally advised to avoid allergens until after that time, also by then, most, but not all, babies are around the 10kg mark. We found out earlier because we took Lily to an allergist for severe eczema.

The DCC have banned all nut products in the babies rooms, but there is a fenced area that older kids can put their hands through and touch the little ones. I really don't want to be a pain about it, but they've been pretty relaxed about the whole issue. I left them with some posters, but haven't seen any of them put up anywhere yet. I asked them to put a notice up informing parents that a peanut ana baby would be in the centre on Tuesdays and to please not pack any nuts in kids lunches, but there is no notice yet.

I just don't understand why there isn't any legislation that covers daycare and the requirement for carers to be trained. I was told they all know first aid and I told them that there is no first aid if you don't have adrenaline. I don't want to wrap her in cotton wool, but I also don't want her to die because of lack of information on the carer's part.

I think DH and I are going to have to sit down with the Director and talk to her about how to go about educating the staff and any interested parents. With around 1 in 20 kids developing food allergies, there has to be more than just one kid there with anaphylaxis - it should be something all parents are concerned about.

Attitudes of other parents are amazing though - some are really great and others have said it isn't their problem. I always ask if they would be happy for my kid to go to daycare with a loaded gun, as it is just as dangerous as a seemingly innocuous museli bar or peanut butter sandwich. That generally just offends them.

[MCNmummyof2]

I know how you feel. Sophies just hit 11kg and shes almost 2. We've had an epi pen for her since 12 months, but she was only about 8.5 kg then.

Im only just now looking at daycare for Sophie, and Lachy will probably have the same allergies cause he's started to react to a bit through my milk. Home is a nut free, shellfish free and egg free place. She reacts pretty bad if she contacts as well. So all centres have to be nut free, shellfish free and egg free, and not just on the days that shes in care. I had a few friends, family etc not be all that complying, but then I just explained that it can kill her. Not many people understand the severity of anaphylaxis and its really difficult.

[dee dee]

Hi,

If it were me, I would talk to the director of the centre, and let her know just how serious the situation is. I believe that it is not good enough to go "nut free" only in your daughters class, and only on the day that she does attend care.

If the situation is not addressed properly I would look around elsewhere for another centre, that already has nut free policies in place. Anaphlyaxis is serious and your concerns should not be brushed off by your child's care provider.

Good luck

[cwsmum]

The DCC have banned all nut products in the babies rooms, but there is a fenced area that older kids can put their hands through and touch the little ones.
At DS's centre recently there was a sign put on the front door saying that there is now a child attending the centre with severe/life threatening peanut allergies. It doesn't say whether the child is there every day or just one day a week, it simply asks that no peanuts are brought into the centre. It's probably a bit easier for them to control things like nuts where DS goes coz they provide lunch, we just have to bring in fruit each day.

The director should be taking this way more seriously :yes: try making a time to sit down and talk to her about it and work out what changes the centre needs to make to make it a safe place for your child. If that doesn't work then I would be looking for another centre and also making a complaint to whoever owns the centre.
Good luck :hugs:

Just had another thought too...they shouldn't have had to ban nut products in the babies room to begin with, every centre I have worked in has had that as a rule anyway. They only allowed nut products in rooms where all the kids are over 12mths, which generally means the toddler room so all the kids are 18mths +.

[bekkyboo]

my gyms child care is a nut free zone.. .They take allergies really seriously. They know G is prone and we are awaiting specialist advice - and they keep a close eye on him all the time.

[youngones]

Thanks again guys. I guess the other problem is that there is only one DCC in our area (15-20min drive) that is guaranteed peanut free and they have a 3 year waiting list. I kind of hoped they might give preference to a child with peanut allergies, but they don't. We were extremely lucky to get a place at all.

I've downloaded some sample policy documents from the Victorian Government site and will take them in when we go to see the director. Maybe we should ask to meet with the licencee at the same time?

We're off to Sydney this afternoon for my work (DH is playing Mr Mum looking after DD), so we're going to the doc this morning to get a script for ampoules of adrenaline - not that I think we'll need to use them, but I wouldn't forgive myself if anything happened to her mid flight.

[Hokey Pokey]

Hey
My DD requires an epi pen. We were taught that it is better to give the pen than not even if they don't end up needing it, they will just get some side effects but better to be safe than sorry.

As for the child care centre, we had the same issues at school, we changed schools. Nothing is more important than your child's life and anaphylaxis is a very serious thing. DD now wears a bum bag at school which has her epi pen in it, all staff are fully trained and they have her plan and photo on the classroom room as well as on the lunch duty teachers clip board.

[Hokey Pokey]

Oh also forgot to add, her school is nut free, even banned nutella etc which I think is how it should be. My DD is allergic to ants but I understand how serious it is that I am willing to agree with not sending her to school with nut products to lessen the risk for her school mates.

[Seekrit]

Hi youngones.
I work at a primary school with a child who has peanut and latex anaphylaxis. His mum came up and inserviced all of us as to how to use the epi-pen and in every single room of the school (including places he has no access to) she stuck this poster (http://www.allergy.org.au/aer/infobulletins/posters/Anaphylaxis_plan_(child)_Au.pdf). As well as putting it in the main eating area and ensuring all staff members had one. :) That may help you with some of your daycare issues. :)

[MountainGirl]

Our preschool is Nut, egg nd shellfish free,...and the kids lunches are checked every day,... the are also monitired so that they dont share food,.. and I think all schools should be like this. I simply don't understand the attitude of a parent who says it is not their problem,....crikey,...we are talking about lives here!!!! Lets make kids as aware of this as possible, to help out the ones who are at risk!

[youngones]

Thanks again for your posts. I guess we have the added problem that we can't get an epi pen for DD until she is 10kg, or at least close and that is miles off yet, so educating staff on that is a moot point just at the moment. The other problem we have is that there just aren't many places in nursery rooms. Loads of places for 18mths plus, but under that, places are like hens teeth, so we've really not had a lot of choice, just had to take what we could get.

I too don't understand why childcare centres and kindys particularly aren't all completely nut free. It is the most common allergy and the most likely to cause anaphylaxis. I can understand why schools aren't, but at least the Government has a policy regarding allergies in schools. There is nothing at all to cover daycare.

I'm hoping that as DD gets older, we'll be able to teach her to manage it herself, but right now, it is critical that we manage it for her. I really don't want to come across as one of those demanding horror parents, but I do want my baby to be safe.