Nursery won't give soya milk without doc's note

[heliotrope]

Hello all, haven't posted for a while as have learnt to live with DS1 allergies and DS2 doesn't seem allergic. However, DS2 does have nasty eczema which seems as though it might be exacerbated by drinking cows milk. Doctors have been dismissive and won't refer for any allergy testing, and I'm just pleased that he doesn't seem to have the instant hives etc that DS1 would have with milk/egg.
HOwever, we thought we'd take DS2 off cows milk as a drink to see if it helps, so took a box of Alpro Junior to nursery, to be told that they have a new policy (it is local authority run) that they can't give alternative milks without a doctors note. They can only give him water.
I'll have to go back to the doc's now and see what they say, but I'm cross that nursery can't trust me to decide. I wonder if it is because they have a lot of parents wanting to do trials to see if the milk makes a difference and its a headache for them.
The doctor has always said it is highyl unlikely that the eczema is diet related (not sure why given older brother very allergic...), but has always said 'well if you think it would make a difference just remove some foods and see how it goes' (as if it is easy to identify trigger foods with a quick elimination diet!!). Anyway can't see them wanting to waste time writing letters to nursery.
Sorry just a moan really but interested if anyone else has come across this.

[gallicgirl]

I think they're wrong and I wouldn't be happy. The nursery are basically removing your right as a parent to decide what is suitable for your child. How old is DS2? If he's under 1 maybe they're thinking soya doesn't have suitable nutrients but if he's over 1 then I think they should do as you tell them.

I'd be concerned what else the nursery thinks is suitable/unsuitable for a child.

As for the GP, IIRC my niece's GP had the same attitude about her eczema. Ask for a second opinion if you're not happy.

[ballstoit]

Erm, what if you were Vegan? They are removing your right as a parent to decide what your DC can and can't eat.

Both school and nursery were really good about removing dairy when DS was having constant runny nose. Didn't have to provide a doctors note, just told them I'd decided he wasn't having dairy for a month to see whether it made a difference (was suggested by hospital ENT consultant, in my experience if we'd had to wait for them to write nursery a letter DS would have been doing GCSEs before it was posted!)

[garliclover]

I find the nursery's policy very odd. My DS's keyworker never bats an eyelid when I give her alternative milks such as Kara or Oatly. The nursery even ordered in soya milk for him when he was drinking it (and have been very understanding when I told them that we're temporarily removing it from his diet). How annoying for you that they demand doc's note: I mean, really!

[eragon]

I agree with your nursery. many parents are unaware of the difference between ige allergies v intolerence, so , a if a nursery takes parental advice, and they have no plan in place should accidental injestion occur and the child suffers as a result.

its worth remembering Thomas Egan, who died at nursery from his milk allergy, lots of factors were involved in his death, but the parents and staff had no idea of the seriousness of his milk allergy, and no one was prepared should something go wrong.

asking for medical evidence is a sign of good practice, that indicates good working policies in this area.

[pinkytheshrunkenhead]

My local authority have provided a coeliac meal for my dds for 2 years (which i pay for) and now after all this time they need a letter from the GP to confirm (costing me £10)

[ChocaMum]

Your GP is wrong, eczema is strongly related to allergies and is commonly diet related, with cows milk protein and soya being very common exacerbating factors. So it is very sensible to do a 6 weeks trial of no dairy, although you do have to exclude ALL dairy so read all labels as so many things contain cows milk. And considering ds1 has allergies then that also increases the risk for ds2. How old is ds2?

Definitely demand a referral from your GP to an allergy specialist and then at least you will have support from dieticians etc when excluding a major food group like dairy. Good luck.

[heliotrope]

Thank you all for replying. He is 16months.
Interesting that another LA (unless it is Southwark too, pinky?) has changed their policy.
Eragon - I agree about them needing to have all the facts and be prepared - that would be a good development which helps everyone. In fact with DS1 allergies nursery looked after him for 3 years based entirely on our instructions (signs for wall, piriton, emergency instructions etc). But for DS2 theres no indication at all that he has life threatening allergies and i'm just asking to bring his milk, so I just think it isn't quite the same thing in his case. I guess it's a good safeguard, although pretty unhelpful in our case.
I'll keep trying with the GP anyway!