Dairy Intolerance

[klc106]

Hi all

We have a child due to start with us shortly and she has a severe dairy intolerance. Even the smallest crumb can cause a reaction within 20 minutes! This includes screaming, a rash all over and very runny nappies and sometimes sickness.

 

We have never had a child with an allergy like this before and so I was wondering what we will need to do? I am assuming a full risk assessment but what about a health care plan or anything else? :unsure:

 

For snack we mostly have fruit and a biscuit which will be fine as long as we buy dairy free biscuits and offer soya milk instead of cows milk. Also cooking activities can be worked around using dairy free substitutes.

 

I am concerned about lunchtime as although she will bring her own lunch, its the crumbs etc. of the children around her.

 

Any advice is most welcome :1b

[lashes2508]

Wow never heard of a dairy intolerance this severe only if ingested , talk to mum about how they manage when eating around others , there is little dairy in bread but it sounds like super supervision at snack times otherwise isolating this child could be just as detrimental .

[lashes2508]

Have just checked out a few lactose or dairy intolerant sites , none mention this reaction so it sounds rare , I have witnessed this reaction with children with nut allergy so definitely a new one on me .

[Foreveryoung]

Gosh I'm going back 12 years since I last looked after a child who had this type of severe reaction!

It's very much managing the risk, if I remember right a staff member would sit next to him, he would be placed at the end of table therefore not letting him become a sandwitch between two children this reduced the risk down to one child at other side which would be manageable. The child didn't look/feel isolated as it was small groups around table, I can remember spending most of my time on high alert, it's very rare by sounds of it to be this bad. I would for our area, invite in parent and health nurse to develop plan x

[mundia]

I presume the child has been assessed to ensure this is a dairy reaction and not anything else?

 

 

Also with this severity, does she require an epipen?

[finleysmaid]

Does she have any medication to help with the reactions and do you have information from her doctor regarding this? (or has the parent decided this is what it is...sounds much more like the reaction you get when you are coeliac!)

Is this an Allergy or an intolerance....I would be contacting your insurance company too!

Is she OK with soya?

Have a set of snack plates etc just for her and wash these separately and I tend to rinse with boiling water just to ensure they are ok...you may want to store these in a sealable plastic bag too.

 

...sorry just read Mundia's post ....similar thoughts

[finleysmaid]

Look at severe lactose intolerance online

[klc106]

Thanks all. I am good friends with mum and been to appointments with her so I am quite in the know. I have also witnessed the reaction when she has got hold of a crumb from quavers or mini cheddar! She has been diagnosed as severe dairy intolerant and is under a dietician too.

[Cait]

Speaking as a very sensitive coeliac, I always have Piriton on hand in case I think I might have been glutened. It greatly reduces the symptoms I suffer with, and if taken quickly enough, can reduce how long the symptoms go on for. In my case, up to nine days of severe diarrhoea, cramps, bloating, headaches, exhaustion and general bleugh!

 

I don't know if Piriton helps with lactose, but Mum might. If so, you will need permission to administer and somewhere safe to store a bottle.

[lashes2508]

Oh my Cait , my sympathy for you and everyone having to deal with such reactions and intolerances.

[lashes2508]

Epipen training what is everyone knowledge / thoughts regarding this and the rules , we have a little boy starting September with nut allergy , mum was going to bring in training DVD and advise us all regarding use , symptoms . We covered this is in our first aid training but when HV did 2. Yr check , she told mum it had to be delivered to setting bY doctor , doctor told mum children's centre , cc said district nurse !

 

What do you do as previously it was a nurse but then we were informed differently .

[lashes2508]

Actually don't worry just found the http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/healthcarewebsite and excellent advice and downloads on there so could be helpful to you KLc106

[klc106]

Mum has spoken to the dietician today after a reaction from touching a cheese packet and he has said it is a severe dairy allergy by the sounds of it and that it will require lots of lifestyle changes such as siblings eating dairy free snacks etc. He is going to see her again in September but has said to give him a call if any concerns until then. And he said to give piriton to help when she does have a reaction so thank you Cait!

[lynned55]

Check your insurance. If we have a child with an epi pen we have to have certs stating what training we have.

[klc106]

She doesn't have an epi-pen. Thanks all

[finleysmaid]

She doesn't have an epi-pen. Thanks all

 

I would say even though she doesn't have an epipens that I would inform your insurance company, it appears quite likely that something may trigger a response ....and even though i'm sure you can never imagine your friend getting cross about an issue I think I would prefer to be cautious!

Sounds like you are going to have your work cut out! Be careful with junk modelling items brought in . As soon as she has a reaction that causes breathing difficulties I think would be requesting an epi-pen or jext just to be safe.

Tricky if you take the children out...you may even need to ensure she has 1-1 help to keep an eye on her.

Good luck!

[Smiles]

Also be wary of the other children touching the toys after snack/ lunch. We had a child in a similar situation and he had a severe reaction from touching a toy that a child had touched after eating his lunch and then the child with the reaction touched it.