Child Care options with severe Peanut Allergy

[lljsmum]

Just wondering if there are any parents with experience/opinions on the safest option for Child care for a child with a severe peanut allergy. My son will be starting care next year when I return to work 2 days a week, so we need to weigh up our options.The center that I had originally chosen before my son was diagnosed is one that doesn't provide food. I understand that all centers would have an allergy policy but was wondering if a center that provided food would be a safer option as they would then have control over every ones meal. My son will only be 17 months old so will be too young to be aware of the potential dangers of eating unsafe foods.Another concern is weather he will be "discriminated" against when we are trying to gain a place as he may be seen as a liability??? Any thoughts or experiences would be most appreciated.......

[LizzardLover]

My daughter was 3 when I discovered she has anaphylaxis to peanuts and tree nuts. She went to an ABC childcare which provided ALL meals for the kids and they were more than happy to keep the centre nut free and would call me if there were any problems. If any kids were having birthdays and wanted cake the centre could provide one OR parents could provide a BOUGHT cake with ingredients list.

Now DD is 9yo and at school and it's HARD. School is NOT "nut free" so my anxiety and worry increased 100times.

[One of THOSE mums!]

I definitely think a centre that provides food is a safer option. My Ds doesn't have an allergies and only goes to child care one day a week but they provide all food. I think it is a great idea. I would feel horrible if I accidentally made another child sick. Eg send my Ds with a vegemite sandwich but accidentally smeared some peanut butter on his bread (because someone got peanut butter in the margarine container). Another child with peanut allergy eats his sandwich and is extremely sick.
I prefer to remove the risk.
It's a shame that with the number of kids with peanut allergies all primary schools don't have a nut free policy.

[sweetsugardumplin']

I agree with PPs. A child care centre that provides food and has a `nut free policy' would be a safer option, as there is greater control over the food that children eat and are exposed to. :)

[missie_mack]

My DS is anaphylactic to egg and I actually found the childcare centre that provided food the worst. I removed him from their care within a couple of months. Despite what I was told on admission we found that they were putting DS on a table on his own to eat different foods to the rest of the kids. It was heartbreaking!
In the end I sent him to a normal centre. A few people recommended family daycare but I felt it was too much of an obligation on a persons home to be egg free- as I expected it to always be egg free not just when he was present, because of the risk of cross contamination. Particularly when he was small. The centre we ended up settling him in are very good. They check all the lunches everyday and speak with the parents should an issue arise. They also make sure one person sits within close proximity of DS when he ate. I really couldn't complain too much- and I can assure you most centres are much more aware of peanut allergies than egg. When people think egg they are picturing whole eggs, not all the foods that contain egg.
Primary school will be a new challenge for us next year. The school seems pretty proactive in helping him which was part of the reason we chose it but inevitably I will be a nervous wreck when the time comes around

[lljsmum]

Thanks for the info everyone...has anyone had trouble finding a place for a child with a known allergy??

[LizzardLover]

I can't answer that because my DD was already at the centre when we found out about her allergy.

I don't think however you should have any troubles. The number of kids with allergies is increasing SO rapidly that i'm positive your child will not be the only one there with an allergy to something.

[faroutbrusselsprout]

Thanks for the info everyone...has anyone had trouble finding a place for a child with a known allergy??

Good god no! My DS1 has had loads of allergies since he was a baby and we although he has outgrown most, he is anaphylactic to most nuts and allergic to egg.
I have always sent him to a centre which provided food and had to try a couple before they really got the message about egg... But ALL were nut free so I didn;t have to worry.
He's now at school which is not nut free but he is SO amazing with understanding with what foods he can and cannot have.
Good Luck

[Boobycino]

Yeah I agree go for a centre that provides all the meals. Because even brilliant parents like me read the labels of food I've previously sent with Jasper to realised it contains nuts?!?! Woops.

Least jaspers kindy is 'nut aware' so there's no known allergies for nuts, they just aren't supposed to have any type of nuts in any form just in case.