School allergy policy and cosmetics - AIBU to think this is overkill?

I mean how on earth would a moisturising cream even get aerosolized through normal use and you wouldn't expect cosmetics to be shared or ingested

Barmy

What cosmetics or creams ate allowed, what do the staff use.

Allergy uk actually discourage these sorts of bans, including nut bans. Its poor practice. The world has allergens everywhere, and its really important for people to learn good practices like not sharing food, checking packets and washing hands, than assuming they live in a safe bubble & can let their guard down.

Airborne allergies are actually really, really rare so the idea that people will suffer a severe reaction simply from being in a room with an allergen is overkill.

And no it’s not more important, but it is important and she will be having her medication at school as prescribed by her doctor, and obviously she will be wearing her sunscreen.

She is yes, but the difference is that we wouldn’t insist others don’t use different suncreams. We use the one she can have. Dairy is too far because it is an important part of children’s diets and for families in low incomes alternative lunchbox items are very expensive, and in some cases schools are the only places they get adequate nutrition. Also if both dairy and nuts are banned, what cheap, quick and readily accessible alternatives are suitable for vegetarians?

Why is no dairy too far? Some people are allergic to dairy- is so hard to have a dairy-free lunchbox? Your kids can glug milk by the gallon at home if they want to.

Any why does your daughter only have one type of suncream she can use? Is she allergic to the others, by any chance? Do you not see the irony of insisting your daughter's medical condition is more important than those of other children, including those which are potentially fatal?

I'd like to see you repeat this statement if you had to watch your child's airways begin to close up!

No nuts in lunchboxes is reasonable, but it goes too far when things like dairy and creams are banned. My dd has prescribed creams, and she only has one type of reasonably priced suncream she can have. I’ve not looked at the ingredients but she will be taking those to school regardless as she needs them for her own medical condition. It’s not always reasonable to expect others to avoid allergens in places like schools.

Guarantee your response would be different if you watched your young child be excluded from things due to severe allergies that they cannot control!

You must accept that there are things they cannot do and places they cannot go to

Yes, but school is not one of those places. All children in this country have a right to a state-provided education, and that is far more important than someone else's right to have nuts in their lunchbox.

Inside your own house you can demand what you like. Outside of it you can demand what you like but don't get all bent out of shape if people do not comply.

If your child has a life-threatening condition, it is up to you and them to manage it. You must accept that there are things they cannot do and places they cannot go to, instead of insisting that everyone else change the things they do.

As you've said "there are no known nut, seed, coconut or castor allergies in her class", I think you'll be fine with continuing to use products at home, unless you know she's got some close friends in other classes, who she would routinely be touching or in the immediate vicinity of, in which case a message to those parents may be appreciated. Something along the lines of "Hi Folks, Betty's little moisturiser has been sent home from school today as it contains Castor oil, and the school have extended the nuts and seed ban to cosmetics too. Betty regularly uses products with nut and seeds oils in at home on her skin directly before school, so I just wanted to check none of your little ones are highly allergic to nuts or seeds, as I know she often plays with them and I'd hate to think of a hug or game of tag triggering a huge reaction! Please let them know if they are and we can work something out".
If you don't have numbers, as school to send that out to the parents of those children, with your phone number or email attached for a response.

I think generally, this policy will have been brought in as a child is highly allergic (rather than just as a blanket rule), and the school have either had a near miss, or the child is new or newly diagnosed and they are just getting things in place for them.
Also, thank you for actually thinking about this, and showing a willingness to change if necessary, lots of people wouldn't!

My workplace has a nut ban. I’m in my 40s and have noticed allergies are on the rise, younger members of staff have severe allergies. It isn’t much of a hardship to not bring nuts into the workplace.

That's a really rude reply allthepotatoes

OP if your child's hands are bleeding, she needs the cream. My DSIS has a reaction if someone touches x then touches her. If they were friends DSIS would probably need to social distance, maybe if a friend is allergic to castor oil she could wear cotton gloves after application but beyond that she doesn't need to do anything.

What a pain OP!

I wonder if this is a result of the Nivea thing - a few years ago they added almond oil to some of their suncreams. The formulation means it doesn't actually contain the proteins people are allergic to, but it caused a lot of worry among those with nut allergies and some nurseries and schools banned it. I wonder if there's an overzealous parent or staff member who's aware of this.

I know how hard it is to find the right product for problematic skin. Definitely keep using it before school. If she needs to use it during school I'd contact the school from the perspective of "let's figure out how to balance these competing needs". It's very very unlikely there's a real risk to a pupil here.

Luckily your kids won’t potentially drop dead if someone gives them a funny look. That’s the adjustment people have to make for your kids. I think you’ve been blinkered a bit by your experience of have 3 ND kids. Your kids having needs or wants in order to manage their ASD is in no way comparable to the risk of actual death.

Although they are called castor beans they aren’t actually beans so they are not the same family as lima and kidney beans.

Peanuts are legumes so they are the same family as lima and kidney beans.

Not the case - coconut triggers a severe asthma attack and we can sometimes manage it with medication and other times need to go to A&E. I’m severely allergic to latex - so glad children’s birthday parties are over and dc don’t have to turn down gifts of balloons as they leave the parties. It was a nightmare. However, the reality is that banning all allergens isn’t possible and gives a false sense of security. Allergy charities do not support the banning of foods/products. It’s really difficult but because our allergies are not your standard peanuts or eggs no one ever tries to protect us and we’ve had to find ways to reduce risks and prepare for reactions. It can be scary, especially the first time dd couldn’t breathe when she was 7. The ambulance service had declared a major incident and I drove her to hospital going blue. Terrifying! We always ensure one of us can drive so never both drink. We’re not “alright Jack” but we understand the world doesn’t revolve around us.

Your DD has very dry skin and needs it. I'd continue using it.

In this scenario, 'suffering the consequences' potentially means dying. I think it's fair enough to ask people to give up their right to peanut butter sandwiches in order to protect others from death.

There's a huge difference between demanding someone cater to your children's wants and demanding they cater to their needs. Parents SHOULD be demanding people cater to their children's needs- they are their main advocates. Especially if that need is to be protected from something which could kill them.

And I promise, there are plenty of people who care about other people's children. I'm sorry you don't feel you know any.

I think the ban in school must be to stop them sharing a cream and that causing a reaction as it's applied to the skin. Or it could be to stop a child accidentally eating it by using the cream just before they eat or suck their fingers etc.

If you use the products at home then I think carry on. As you said, there will be lots of people who consume nuts or use nut products out of school. I also think that if a close friend of your daughter already had the allergy her and you would already know. And the treatment is benefiting her.

If she needs to use the moisturiser in school (or perhaps on a school trip) then you probably need to speak to the school to find what ingredients or a work around such as it's kept in an office.

I think it's good that you and your daughter care enough to be seriously thinking about this. You're showing a lot more kindness and understanding than a few folk on this thread.

I'm alright Jack. Clearly her allergy is not that severe, I know if someone who can't be in the same room as someone else using the allergen unless they want to end up in a&e asphyxiation.

Do you honestly think that 'Everyone with allergies should be permanently housebound' is a reasonable solution?

There is a difference passing someone on the street and sitting next to them for the whole day. Jesus wept.

And what, spend the rest of the life in isolation?
Human stupidity had indeed no boundaries.