Almost everyday I send my kid into a room where 90% of his classmates have a potentially deadly weapon hidden in their lunchboxes. My son’s kryptonite happens to be peanuts. After ingesting peanuts, my son will go into anaphylactic shock. Anaphylaxis is defined as “a severe allergic reaction that occurs rapidly and causes a life-threatening response involving the whole body.” You guys…nothing will bring on mom guilt like watching your son struggle to breathe while tackling him so a paramedic can hit him with an epi-pen because he took a bite of his sister’s PB & J.
That is a story for another day.
Today, I want to share with you how I have overcome my fears and what steps I’ve taken to make me feel comfortable sending him to school:
According to FARE {Food Allergy Research & Education}, “Researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.9 million children under age 18. That’s 1 in 13 children, or roughly two in every classroom.”
Give your child the tools to advocate for themselves: Unfortunately, my son has experienced what happens when he eats peanuts. We have turned this terrifying incident into a learning experience. He takes his allergy very seriously. If your son or daughter has not experienced a severe reaction, I would suggest having these difficult conversations with them. We talk about the signs and symptoms. He practices on fruit using the expired Epipens. We give him different hypothetical situations that he might find himself in, and help talk him through them.
Educate the School: Have a meeting with the classroom teacher and secretary before school starts. Make sure they understand the signs and symptoms of a reaction. Make sure they understand how to administer the Epipen. Provide them with a list/resource of acceptable snacks and treats. Explain that you will be involved and are a quick phone call or email away if they should have any questions. Store the secretary’s number. Trust me. You will be using it often.
504 Plan: Food allergy students qualify for a 504 plan. I highly recommend making an appointment with your school district to put one of these in place. A 504-plan allows students’ accommodations in the classroom. A quick google search will bring up useful information to include in your child’s 504 plan. For example, in our 504 plan, it is outlined how the peanut-free table is handled at lunchtime.
Volunteer: Per our child’s 504 plan, we are allowed a spot on every field trip and in every classroom party. One of us is always attending these events. My son’s classmates and their parents have {overall} been awesome about sending safe snacks and checking with us if there are foods they want to bring in. However, if you have ever been to an elementary field trip or holiday party you can see how a food allergy could be a total nightmare in these situations. In addition to showing up, we always volunteer to bring food. This way we can make sure that the food is safe for our son to eat and he can be included with his classmates.
Medicine: Triple check that the school has all of your child’s medicines and dosing information. We have put together boxes with our son’s emergency medications. On the box, we have emergency contact information, dosing, and warning signs. The secretaries and teachers have expressed how helpful these boxes have been. Our son’s school keeps his medicine in the office and in his classroom. This box also helps me feel better if there was ever a substitute teacher. The directions are right at their fingertips.
Thank You Treats: I know the struggles of navigating the food allergy world. It is tricky, frustrating, and time-consuming. We like to show our appreciation for other parents and teachers working hard all year to keep our son safe by doing something “extra” for them. We have bought the entire class popcorn on Popcorn Friday. We have provided pizza on a half day. At Halloween, we provided the materials so his classmates could make their own slime. We include a quick note thanking his classmates for being awesome at keeping him safe. These small gestures have gone a long way in helping people show more compassion instead of isolation.
Do I still worry? Every. Single. Day. I send up lots of prayers for his safety. I obsess over news reports on social media. I cry when he is bullied or excluded. However, I am at peace with him being at school.
Do you have a child with allergies? What have you done to help keep your kids safe while at school?
