Son has multiple food allergies: daycare vs in home care vs nanny

[Anonymous]

I've been home with my son and will go back to work when he is 1 year old...I can't find a suitable childcare option. I'm terrified of anyone else taking care of him besides myself (first time mom). He has allergy/sensitivity to soy, dairy and likely gluten, tomatoes...list goes on. My GI doc hasn't made many suggestions, she hopes he will outgrow most of these. We will see an allergist this week although I am told that allergy testing before 2 yrs old is not so helpful.
Please help- if your baby has food allergy what type of childcare do you use and how did you arrive at your decision? How comfortable are you? Any advice?
Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

My son has peanut and treenut allergies and has been in daycare since he was 6 months old, though we didn't find out about the allergies until he was 15 months old (diagnosed via skin test- which is controversial anyway- and several ingestion and contact reactions).

His daycare is nut-free. My kids are also vegetarian, so I send in their entrees when that day's lunch is meaty, but I do trust the daycare to feed them snacks, which should be vetted for nut contamination. We haven't had an issue yet.

However, I will say that I don't completely trust them to be as vigilant as I would be. Sometimes, the teachers will bring in something unannounced. The other day, it was red velvet cupcakes that my son (who is now almost 3) was pawing at. It did have a cross-contamination warning on it, so they didn't let him have any. However, I was annoyed that the cupcakes were left on a table within reach of my son (like I said, he was touching the box when I walked in, so technically he could've helped himself). Also, some kids brought in candy for Valentine's Day and someone included M&Ms, which are a big no-no for kids with nut allergies, and the school didn't catch that. So, I keep a bag full of safe treats for times like that, so that at least my kid can be included in eating, even if it's not the same thing the other kids are eating. He's used to not eating the same thing, being a vegetarian, and is now learning that he has to ask if a food is safe before he can eat it. Anything that a parent brings in for a party must be store-bought so the teachers can read the labels, but I wouldn't trust anyone else to keep the same level of vigilance/awareness, so I've told them that it's usually best to be safe than sorry and give him a safe treat.

At this young age, I would not send my kid to a non-nut-free daycare. He is too young to verbalize well any signs of anaphylactic shock. Ask what the policies are regarding storing epi-pens, etc.- wasn't clear from your post if your son will need an epi-pen, but if he does, always keep at least two at school, along with Benadryl.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

We had just switched to an au pair when our son was diagnosed. It actually worked out well, since we were able to show her exactly what we do ane learn with us. She was very careful because she cared about him too, and she adapted some of her home country's baked goods to gluten free for him.

[Anonymous]

Our DS is allergic to dairy/soy/eggs, though not anaphylactic or a contact type reaction. He's been in daycare since about he was a year old and we were very careful in who we selected. Our center is peanut/tree but free. No outside food is allowed unless your child has documented food allergies (letter written by ped). Outside food has to be "checked in" by staff (foods made/produced/packed in a peanut/tree nut facility cannot be brought in). Our son's teachers always let us know if there are going to be any "special" events involving food so we can send it something safe for him to have. We also keep a container of safe snacks in his room. They are SUPER careful about making sure that the kids with allergies do not get food they're not supposed to. I've popped in at random times during the day and they are always following the same protocol.

[Anonymous]

Hello, my daughter, who is now 3, was diagnosed with eczema and food allergies at 5 months. We've done all the tests over the past three years with some great allergists at Children's National (skin every 6 months, IgE blood draws yearly, and food challenges) -- all positive and likely none of the allergies to be outgrown. She's allergic to all dairy, eggs, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, and mustard - and her allergic reactions can occur with ingestion or by mere contact. She always carries and epi-pen, has an ample supply of benadryl at preschool, and we obviously bring our own food to school.

Our daughter started daycare at 9 months and although nothing is as safe as your own house, she has thrived under the care of some very loving and allergy aware teachers. Since she could talk, she has asked if things have dairy in them (she pretend reads labels to look for her no-no foods) and she tells her teachers when she feels itchy and needs some benadryl. Her teachers at her school are fantastic -- they know the warning signs for her allergic reactions, treat her proactively and carefully, and roll with the quirky punches that comes with having a child with multiple allergies and all the related issues that come with it (eczema, etc). Does it make me nervous when I come in during snack and my daughter is sitting in between two sweet, but sloppy kids eating yogurt and drinking milk? Yes, but you can't keep your kids in a bubble - the world if full of peanuts and cheese! -- and as a result of my daughter & her teachers being vocal and educating the kids about food allergies, her classmates are more aware and mindful of being safe so everyone can have fun and learn. I love it when I see one of her fellow 3-year old friends say, 'hold on, I'll hug you after i wash my hands. I had cheese.'

It is certainly scary having a child with food allergies, but it's definitely doable to have your child actively engaging with other children in a safe and inclusive preschool/daycare environment -- you just need to find the right place that understands allergies, but isn't fearful of the child or how to safely include them into the daily school activities. My daughter loves going to school and we don't let her allergies restrict her need to be a kid and learn and play with other kids her age.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello, my daughter, who is now 3, was diagnosed with eczema and food allergies at 5 months. We've done all the tests over the past three years with some great allergists at Children's National (skin every 6 months, IgE blood draws yearly, and food challenges) -- all positive and likely none of the allergies to be outgrown. She's allergic to all dairy, eggs, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, and mustard - and her allergic reactions can occur with ingestion or by mere contact. She always carries and epi-pen, has an ample supply of benadryl at preschool, and we obviously bring our own food to school.

....

would you be willing to share the name of your allergists at Children's? I've been hoping to see someone there for my child.

[Anonymous]

Hello, 13:02, I'm the mom from 9:44: We've been quite happy seeing Dr. Mansoor and her PA Anna Sprunger at Children's. They are great in providing insight on not only IgE allergic reactions, but also proactive in managing the external issues that typically present with kids with severe food allergies (like eczema, hives, etc -- all things my daughter suffers from). It has made a huge difference and made living with these pesky allergies more doable.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone, OP here. We saw the allergist today and the skin prick was positive for peanuts. So....here we go!

[Anonymous]

At age one, I would use a nanny to make sure allergies are watched over.