Nursery and CMPI / soy allergy

[NothingsLeft]

I've posted about this before but still having problems & could do with some advice.

DS has CMPI/soy allergies and keeps getting ill at nursery. They have made him ill three times in two months. I was wondering how other people manage childcare & allergies.

I send in all his own food, provide his own bowls, have given them red paper to keep a food diary on but it keeps happening.

I'm bumping in desperation.

DS has been waking screaming every night this week from exposure at nursery.

I feel terrible for him and pretty pissed off tbh. im also on the verge of getting the sack as I can't function at work. Plus this is costing me £1200 a month.

Sorry to be of little help. Could you explain what happened when the exposures happened so we can help to think of ways to prevent it?
My dairy allergic ds starts nursery in a month and this is my worst nightmare. I'm sorry this has happened and would like to help if I can.

Thanks I appreciate it. He has a non immediate allergy since birth to dairy & soy.

I know it's happened by his symptoms. It start off with the dodgy nappies or vomiting, then reflux, tummy ache, no appetite, poor sleep and poor weight gain. It takes 2-4 weeks to get him back in track & is the same everytime.

Nursery deny giving him unauthorised good but often write it in the day summary or I can see he has had sesame seeds or example in his nappy & know we haven't given them.

I'm at a loss & utterly exhausted. I'm sure others must manage it, I think we've just been unlucky. You will be fine I'm sure although totally get your anxiety.

Does your ds have a care plan from the hospital?

Dd2 had one and the nurse went in to her pre school to do epi pen training, allergy awareness etc etc.
They always do her snack first so that she doesn't come into contact with anything she is allergic to.

I think you need to speak to them and be quite firm, it is really not acceptable for them to keep exposing an allergic child to things that will make them ill.

You need the Community Children's Nurse in to talk to the Nursery & implement a Care Plan. Speak to your HV for the CCN's contact details

To be totally honest I would seriously consider taking your ds out of nursery and into one that can manage it much better. Three times in two months is unacceptable. Both my dds have multiple allergies (milk, eggs, lentils, strawberries) and have had a combined 8 years of nursery. There has been one accident in that time. The nursery were devastated when it happened and the staff member involved was given a disciplinary. Even more measures were put in place.

I assume you've done the care plan, epi-pen training etc with them so they know what's expected. It doesn't sound as though they are taking it seriously.

but there are many nurseries/CMs who do.

I echo what other people have said. I would honestly look at changing setting. Even if it never happens again I would think you would always be worried.

I hope you get sorted.

Thanks. There's no care plan but I will contact the community children's nurse tomorrow and hopefully get one.

I agree they are not taking seriously. I think because its not an immediate allergy, they don't think it's as important. There's lots of denial and it could be teeth, there's a tummy bug going around type comments. It's allergy related though. Definitely.

I will have a look around again at other options I think. They were the best I saw by a long way. I've not been impressed by childcare really.

could you try a different nursery.

I have told this story before but my son has multiple severe allergies (milk, soya, wheat, egg, kiwi, lentils, nuts (to name a few!)) and has been at nursery since 7 months and they have never ever fed him the wrong thing, and they even go to the effort to ensure his meals look as similar to what the other children are having as possible so that he can join in (the chef even made neocate ice cream for him!)

they have done this I think by a lot of care and importantly by having very rigourous procedures. in the baby room all children would be fed/ have bottles in bibs that could then be removed and washed so he wouldn't touch contaminated clothes (in toddler room they just change the clothes if its needed). the children with allergies have a special table which is a different colour, but it sits along side the other tables (so they don't feel left out) and is supervised all the time. they have different colour plates etc and posters of children with allergies in the room where they are meeting. I also spent a long time discussing it with the chef, the room manager and the key worker. It can be done!!! but they need to be very dedicated to it.

Care plans are good and necessary but more important is the will of the staff to do it. You only really work that out by talking with them. It really is a partnership so that they feel they can discuss it openly with you.

re nurseries in general, we have looked at about 8 or 9 and they do vary massively! What about a childminder?

I've just called the HV who is going to get back to me about the care plan. They did say they are not sure it will work as its up to the staff to implement it.

tired that's lovely and makes me realise they doing no where near enough to accommodate his needs. They did offer to feed him separately in a high chair but that feels like a punishment for him bring segregated from the other kids.

I looked at childminders and wasn't impressed. I work shifts so I was initially hoping it would be a more flexible option. I will look again. He slept last night so I will a bit more positive today. Thanks to the help

It gets easier Nothingsleft. Once you have child care who really care, you can almost forget about it and leave them to it.
You'll get there.