Child With Peanut Allergy

[Guest]

Hi, it's been a while since we've had a child with a nut allergy and I have spent this evening pulling together our paperwork for a child who is just joining us with peanut allergy.

 

I have done:

Administration of medicines documentation (v detailed, includes parental permission bit)

Detailed Risk assessment assessment(using the Bolton model someone posted recently)

Specific risk assessment document

Memo re Special Dietary Requirements to display in the food prep area

Note to parents re lunch boxes (with parental permission cos of confidentiality issues)

I will ring PLA insurance dept to notify them tomorrow

I will ring Health Visitor to see if she will still come in and do specific training recap with us (doubt it!)

I have timetabled part of our next staff meeting to go through the child's needs, emergency action plan, administration of medicine etc.

 

Is there anything I have forgotten????

Edited September 22, 2009 by Guest

[blondie]

no think you have done it all - we recently did epi-pen training and used the nurse at the childs doctors surgery - she was so helpful and also did a bit on asthma whilst she was there - might be worth a try

[sunnyday]

Looks like you have it covered to me!

 

We have had a severely allergic child for the last two years.........he has just started Primary .....I miss him because he was such a dear little boy.........but I don't miss the anxiety.......

 

We did get 'epipen' training in the end but he had been with us for six months by that time - not good.......

[mps09]

sounds very thorough...

 

Just a thought if you have parent helpers coming in....

 

We have a list in the kitchen re: allergies or special dietary requirements and include a photograph of the child next to their name and description of allergy, just so that anyone coming in to help can easily identify any child with special requirements. Spoke to all parents re: confidentiality, but no one wants to take a risk so no one minded!

 

We had a child who was only allowed to drink bottled water and wasn't allowed to eat apple in case she choked - so these went on our list as well.

 

HOpe this helps.

[Chill]

I thought (but may be wrong) that a child could not attend until epipen training had been completed and the all clear given by your insurance.

[Inge]

not all nut allergies require epipen ..

 

we had one without it,

 

but if they do you need to seek training specific to this child..

 

we had mum ask at drs for the training and they sent school nurse for area to us ,who covered this and asthma, eczema and anything else we wanted to know as well as sent a care plan for the child which followed them into school. She did say you had to have new training for every child and it was only for that specific child ,and if we had a new child who needed it we would have to call her again.

 

Inge

[Beau]

I had my first aid course recently and nowadays there is no requirement to repeat the training for each individual. Once you have the training then that will cover any child you might have. I am in Hampshire.

[Guest]

Remind staff that nuts can be hidden.Our child was so bad we couldn't have cereal bars-the staff have as these and they tend to be eaten on the hoof whilst setting up and there was a danger of crumbs and surfaces having had contact.

[Guest]

Thank you for all your helpful remarks and advice! I should have said the child doesn't have an epipen at the moment.....

 

I was quite surprised that the bottle of cetirizine medicine which the mum gave us was out of date. She said she had rung the GP who said that because it was unopened it was ok..... needless to say I asked for a new one by tomorrow when she's due to come again!!!!

[Inge]

I had my first aid course recently and nowadays there is no requirement to repeat the training for each individual. Once you have the training then that will cover any child you might have. I am in Hampshire.

 

 

perhaps this is another area thing...

 

or changed in last 6 months ... we questioned it at the time, and they said same at the first aid training in our area which staff happened to go on just after the training...

 

Inge

[Guest]

I work closely with a health visitor who has specialised in treating allergies.

She is adamant that, if an 'invasive' technique (e.g. Epipen), is needed then there needs to be a specific care plan set out for each individual child. Each child responds differently as to the effect, speed of onset etc, so she gets settings to set out for each child a point by point plan for who would do what and when, who would look after other children. This should be discussed with parent and health professional, and then all should sign.

How to administer an Epipen is a different matter however and whether repeat training is carried out may depend on such things as how long ago the original training was, what staff changes there have been, confidence of practitioners etc.etc.

Hope that is helpful - just remember that not all health visitors have specialist knowledge of allergies etc. and we are the ones responsible for our own settings so we need to feel sure we have done everything we can.

Gruffalo2

[Smiles]

We have a child with a nut allergy and were given training by an Allergy Nurse, we were told that we should have training for each child as each allergy is specific to that child . We were also given a care plan from the hospital for the child. Under our PLA insurance we have to be a nut free zone and under our insurance had to provide evidence of training for Epipen and various other evidence.

 

smiles

[sunnyday]

I thought (but may be wrong) that a child could not attend until epipen training had been completed and the all clear given by your insurance.

Ooops - should have made it clear in my previous post........one member of staff (always in on his sessions already epipen trained) - I made it clear to his parents that if she (trained staff member) was ever off sick or training or whatever....that I wouldn't be able to take him for that day.........

 

When we had our training - mum had her first and only training too - beggars belief really doesn't it!

[Guest]

Right then, another question..... but along the same subject.

 

Should we be discouraging conkers, acorns etc from being brought into nursery because of any possible associated risks?

 

What do you all do?

 

I have one little boy who just loves conkers (and who doesn't) and comes in with his pockets bursting with them. I found some in the playdough, some in the writing area etc and am feeling really clucky now but is a 'ban' over the top or sensible?

 

HELP!

[JacquieL]

I was wondering that and also about food put out for the birds. I know no peanuts, but what about other nuts?

[HappyMaz]

My feeling is that unless you have a child with a known allergy, you should be fine with using these natural resources in the setting. There are the usual worries about what might happen if they are eaten , but really you can't exclude everything from nursery or everything would be plastic and we can't have that, can we?

 

I know that some children are allergic to things like tree bark etc, but presumably if this child was allergic to any of these things it would be on the registration form. That said, it would obviously be wise to look for any symptoms after s/he plays with these resources and report back to mum if anything happens.

 

Maz

[Guest]

Hi just thought I'd let you know my situation, my son and I both have nut allergy, and epipens, and the LEA my son attends have policy of writing up a care plan by school nurse, to be signed by parents xx