Back to School

Join me in welcoming Kathy Thornburg from Food Allergy Jams. Kathy has one of my favorite Instagram accounts and also did the design work on my logo! Today she is presenting a Food Allergy Game for Preschoolers in our Teaching Kids to Be a Food Allergy Advocates Series. Check out her Food Allergy Printable Pack too!

My son was 15 months old when he had his first bite of peanut butter and his first allergic reaction. At such a young age and still staying at home with me, I felt like we had plenty of time to learn about food allergies and teach him everything he would need to know before he was old enough for school.

The years have flown by and now we are faced with the reality that preschool is less than a month away. I feel confident that in our years living with food allergies, our family is very knowledgeable about our son’s allergies, how to keep him safe, and what to do if a reaction happens. Still the thought of dropping him off at preschool and leaving him there for a few hours makes me nervous. Have we taught our son well? Does he understand why he needs to say no to foods that might not be safe? Will I get the dreaded call sometime this year that something went wrong and he is headed to the hospital?

Now is the time to quiz my little one and see how we’ve done. I need to take this time before school starts to refresh him on all he needs to know, and I need to find a way to make learning fun.

10 things I want him to know…

I am allergic to peanuts, walnuts, and dogs.

I should not eat foods containing my allergens (or pet furry animals).

If I accidentally eat my allergens, I will get sick (if I pet animals with fur, my eyes will get itchy, water, and start to swell).

If I feel sick, I need to tell an adult right away.

I need to always have my injector near.

If my mom or dad haven’t approved a snack, I need to say, “No thank you”.

I wear my allergy bracelet to help others remember my needs.

I should wash my hands with soap and water before eating.

I should not eat food from anyone else’s plate, even if they offer it to me.

Mom will always pack me a safe snack in case I need it.

After thinking through what I wanted him to know about his allergies, I needed to find a way to make teaching him fun. Here’s how I tackled preschool prep.

Food Allergy Game for Preschoolers

When I told my little guy we were going to play a game to get him ready for preschool, he was very excited to get started. I told him he could invite one of his stuffed animals to join us, and he quickly ran to find Curious George. I already had my questions typed, printed, cut apart, and waiting in a little treasure box (you can “laminate” with packing tape and use dry erase markers to make your cards last longer). I also had his allergy bracelet and his AuviQ training injector nearby to help during times of discussion. Half of the questions in the treasure box where about food allergies and covered each of the areas listed above and the other half were just silly, light questions.

My son and his stuffed animal took turns picking questions out of the box and answering them. After each question, I wrote a little note of his answer on the question card so I could look through his responses again later when I had time to myself to process the game and compare his answers to his previous answers. Over time, this helps you see how your child has grown in their understanding of food allergies.

It’s best if your child doesn’t sense they are being tested, but that you truly are playing a game and enjoying time together. You might find that only tackling half of your questions in one sitting works best so you don’t feel rushed and stressed to get through them all quickly. If at any point, your child gets frustrated or upset, end the game and tell them how proud you are of all they have learned. You can pick it up again later when the mood is better.

Sometimes, a child may not feel comfortable giving an answer, and you may need to step in and say that you want to help the stuffed animal answer the question. Then, they have the opportunity to hear your great answer and the next time you play, they may feel like they are ready to give an answer on their own. I’ve learned from experience that games like this are best done when you can be one on one. Having a lot of commotion going on in the background or a little sibling trying to swipe the game cards, can make the game more difficult.

If it starts to feel a little stale after a while, but you still don’t think your child is ready, take a different approach and consider acting out scenarios together. Have them practice packing a bag for school, sitting down for snack time, using an injector (with the trainer!) during a reaction, and saying, “No thank you”, when a friend offers food.

Hopefully, this simple game will help spark great discussions between you and your child before the new school year starts. Don’t forget…you also need to be sure your child’s teachers understand all of these same things and more (although you probably need to teach it in a slightly different way to an adult). Have fun learning and stay safe starting a new school year!

Bio

I am Kathy Thornburg, stay at home mom, food allergy blogger, and freelance graphic designer. I live in Ohio with my husband and my two littles (ages 3 1/2 and 1 1/2). It is my passion to stay current in the world of food allergies, teach my family what they need to know to stay safe, and to encourage others living the food allergy life along the way. Both of my children have eczema. My son also has asthma and allergies to peanuts, walnuts, and dogs. He has outgrown allergies to wheat and eggs. We hope you will follow our food allergy journey on ourblog and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. We love to post recipes, reviews, giveaways, and pictures of our fun meals and crafts.

Today we are shifting our focus to food allergies in school. I have the privilege of  speaking with Gina Mennett Lee, M.Ed. Gina works nationally and internationally as a food allergy consultant and educator. Using her education and experience as a former teacher and trained school administrator, she specializes in food allergy management in the school setting.  She is a parent to a child with food allergies as well as the founder of the non-profit, Food Allergy Education Network and author of the Preschool Food Allergy Handbook.

I’ve asked Gina four questions about food allergies and how they should be handled at school.

What is a 504 Plan and are they right for everyone?

A 504 Plan refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It states that “no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity”  More information about Section 504, can be found here.

Basically, a “504” is a plan created by a team to ensure that a person with a disability has equal access to the educational setting.  The “educational setting” may include the classroom, the cafeteria, the playground, the bus and school-sponsored events and activities.  The plan is typically a written list of accommodations.  For example, for a child with a food allergy, an accommodation may be, “All teachers supervising the child will be trained to recognize the symptoms of an allergic reaction and to administer the prescribed epinephrine auto-injector.”

There are many benefits to a 504 plan.  One being that the plan is legally binding and therefore parents have recourse if it is not being followed.  That being said, they may be not right for everyone.  I know of instances where the child has received less services through a 504 plan than they were receiving with a Health Care Plan (HCP).  The most important aspect of any plan is that it is developmentally appropriate, specific to the child, and that is being followed.  For tips on mistakes to avoid when pursuing a 504 plan, you can read my article for Allergic Living Magazine.

If parents do not pursue a 504 Plan what should they do instead?

The most important thing is that every child have a written plan.  Hopefully there is a system in place when the child registers for school that helps the school staff to identify children that may need accommodations.  Parents should approach the school in a spirit of collaboration with a list of concerns and medical documentation from their child’s doctor and ask how they can work together to create a plan to address these concerns.  If it is not a 504 plan, it is usually a HCP that is developed in collaboration with the school nurse.  On my website I have a list of the top 3 accommodations I think all children should have in place, but plans should be individualized to meet your child’s specific needs within that specific school setting.

How can parents and teachers work together to keep kids safe?

It is critical that parents and teachers work together to create a supportive environment for all children to learn and grow.  Kind, open and honest communication is very important.  Parents should start developing a relationship with their child’s teacher(s) as soon as possible.  I recommend meeting with the teacher before the first day of classes.  It is important that the teacher have that time to ask specific questions about your child and for you to be able to discuss any concerns you have.  Take this opportunity to stress to the teacher that you are there to support him or her and to be as helpful as possible.  Offer to look through class materials for potential allergens, be a room parent, send in non-food alternatives for prizes, etc…

The school also has a responsibility to foster a positive relationship and I believe that begins with education of school staff, and implementation of good policy.  Schools need to make sure that all staff fully understand the basics as well as the nuances of food allergy management.  There are many free training tools that schools can use.  It is important that the CDC guidelines are followed. Care needs to be taken that the child is physically safe and also supported socially and emotionally so that each child can reach their full potential as learners.

Teachers can support students with food allergies by learning about food allergies, modeling kindness and compassion, following the student’s written plan and being alert to and addressing incidences of bullying or exclusion.

What is the biggest danger for kids with food allergies at school and what can be done about it?

The biggest danger is that if a child has a reaction, appropriate action will not be taken.   In cases where children have died or been seriously hurt at school due to a food allergic reaction, it is because they were not given epinephrine at all or were not given it quickly enough.  It is critical that anyone with the responsibility of supervising children be trained to recognize the signs of an allergic reaction and that they know how to respond swiftly and appropriately.  Immediate access to epinephrine is a must.   Food allergy is a high-stakes condition.  If a mistake is made, the consequences are potentially fatal.   However, with proper protocols in place, children with food allergies can learn and function just as any other student.

Given that, I think the goal for all involved is to avoid having a serious reaction happen in the first place.  To me, the dangers increase the more we have food being shared.  I wrote a piece about food in the classroom that clarifies my thoughts on this and provides data to back up my reasoning, but I think it’s just common sense. If we can reduce the amount of unnecessary food being used in schools and classrooms we can reduce the number of reactions.  I use the term “unnecessary food” because this does not mean that no food should ever be in classrooms.  There are times when it may be appropriate.  For example, for a cooking class you need food. However, most of the food in classrooms these days is shared junk food for class parties, celebrations and rewards.  It is unnecessary and not to mention an unhealthy.  There are plenty of ways to celebrate without food and to include everyone.  I recently created a list of non-food alternatives for Kids with Food Allergies.  This can be downloaded for free and shared with school staff.  It’s important to mention that if food is to be used, it is imperative that school staff make a plan to ensure that everyone can safely and fully participate.  There is no reason for any child to be excluded from an activity due to a food allergy, or any other disability for that matter.  With advanced planning and preparation, all children can safely participate in their school community.

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Thanks Gina for lending your expertise to this very big and complicated topic.

Please visit Gina at her website if you need help navigating your school’s food allergy policies. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

For more great information about food allergies visit these popular posts: Keeping Kids with Food Allergies Safe at School, Adventures in Allergies and Food Allergies, Intolerance’s and Sensitives. Plus, check out the fantastic recipes!