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Allergies and intolerances

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Original poster

Multiple Severe Allergies + School Won't Allow Packed Lunches?

221 replies

AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 16:52

Hello,

Please could I get some help/guidance?

My daughter has multiple severe allergies (Anaphylaxis) to:
-eggs
-nuts
-peanuts
-dairy
-sesame
-lentil
-penicillin

She is due to start primary school this sept, she will be joining Reception. I've spoken to a senior member of staff at the school regarding my daughters allergies and they have informed me that they do not allow packed lunches. They seem very adamant about this..

Last year at her first nursery (who also banned packed lunch), they made a mistake and gave her dairy cheese which resulted in my daughter having a severe reaction and nearly dying. Obviously after all of this I want to avoid anything like this ever happening again. She's 4 years old and she trusts any adult that helps her, I want to provide her safe food from home and eliminate anyone 'giving' her food that could potentially cause her harm... It's a large school with 90 children in Reception so I just want to reduce the risks as much as possible but I feel like I'm fighting against the school and getting no where.

The staff member made a flippant comment that "it's like opening your door and being hit by a bus, you just never know what will happen" which is NOT the same as suffering from multiple severe allergies. I feel really alone in dealing with this and wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar?

OP posts:
ScootsMcHoy · 07/06/2022 18:18

So she's inferring that the possibility of cross contamination in a large school kitchen is similar to that of an attempted murder in the reception classroom by someone putting something in her lunch box???

She sounds insane.

Grumpybutfunny · 07/06/2022 18:19

Can you consider another school? If all the other kids are eating family style she is likely to feel left out if she is the only one with a packed lunch.

Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:19

WhatNowwwww · 07/06/2022 18:11

Use this phrase to them OP. It’s a legal requirement that they make reasonable adjustments and this is a perfectly reasonable and sensible request! Plus it’ll make things easier for their kitchen staff.
I also think allowing the charity to speak to them sounds a good idea. Definitely put your foot down!

Show quote history

will do thank you. I asked today if I go to see the lunch process and I'm still not happy can she bring a packed lunch and she said.."she can't say for sure, i should raise the concerns and they can address them".

they are just so adamant she eats their school meals and I don't get it...

they also have a fruit and milk break time where they all sit on a carpet and drink cartons of milk. she said my daughter can sit on a table away from them and drink a milk replacement...................is this a reasonable adjustment?

OP posts:
Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:21

Grumpybutfunny · 07/06/2022 18:19

Can you consider another school? If all the other kids are eating family style she is likely to feel left out if she is the only one with a packed lunch.

We live next to this school, I can literally see it from my back garden lol. I will obviously have to move her if it comes to it. But right now I would like to fight for whats fair and right as she should be able to attend her local school regardless of her allergies/disabilities.

OP posts:
Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:21

ScootsMcHoy · 07/06/2022 18:18

So she's inferring that the possibility of cross contamination in a large school kitchen is similar to that of an attempted murder in the reception classroom by someone putting something in her lunch box???

She sounds insane.

😂😂😂

OP posts:
becausetrampslikeus · 07/06/2022 18:21

Do you think that she need to sit away from the other children ? Or is that unnecessary singling out?

Yarnasaurus · 07/06/2022 18:22

I've only skimmed the thread but I would strongly recommend you contact the school nurse allocated to the school. The nurse won't be based in the school but it you Google 'school nursing team + your local authority name' it should lead to them. They can be great allies and advocates.

The hit by a bus comment is ridiculous, but I really don't think many people understand serious allergies at all. I've been told I don't need to worry now I have epipens, which shows how little people know of the risk. I do not think anyone would take me up if I said: "here you go, eat this poison, you'll be fine as I've got a small vial of anti-venom here which should be enough to probably keep you alive for 10 minutes while we wait for an ambulance."

The Natasha Allergy Foundation are also very good and might be worth contacting.

Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:22

WhatNowwwww · 07/06/2022 18:13

I think an IHCP is probably what she needs instead of an EHCP. Individual Healthcare Plan.

thanks will research

OP posts:
EatSleepReplete · 07/06/2022 18:24

Lulu1919 · 07/06/2022 18:05

She could have the vegan option ?

Only if it didn't include nuts, peanuts, sesame or lentils. And wasn't prepared in the vicinity of the non-vegan options. Cross contamination is usually an issue with anaphylaxis.

Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:25

becausetrampslikeus · 07/06/2022 18:21

Do you think that she need to sit away from the other children ? Or is that unnecessary singling out?

they said she will sit on a special table which is sad but i'm totally fine with it as i think it's the safest thing given the severity of her allergies.

She sits on a separate table now at her nursery and wears a special red apron that i made that reads "do not feel me i have allergies" 😪she's fine sitting alone, it's not ideal but she's not at the age where she can advocate for herself plus she loves grabbing food and 'sharing'..

OP posts:
ExPatHereForAChat · 07/06/2022 18:28

OP my DS has multiple Anaphylactic allergies too, including dairy, egg and legumes so I completely get it.

I'd never allow the school to make his meals, it's just asking for trouble.

For me, both the risk of cross contamination and the risk of staff getting things wrong is too high.

You've had some great advice so far and the school would be foolish not to bend the rules on this one.

Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:30

Yarnasaurus · 07/06/2022 18:22

I've only skimmed the thread but I would strongly recommend you contact the school nurse allocated to the school. The nurse won't be based in the school but it you Google 'school nursing team + your local authority name' it should lead to them. They can be great allies and advocates.

The hit by a bus comment is ridiculous, but I really don't think many people understand serious allergies at all. I've been told I don't need to worry now I have epipens, which shows how little people know of the risk. I do not think anyone would take me up if I said: "here you go, eat this poison, you'll be fine as I've got a small vial of anti-venom here which should be enough to probably keep you alive for 10 minutes while we wait for an ambulance."

The Natasha Allergy Foundation are also very good and might be worth contacting.

A few people have mentioned speaking to the nurse...i believe the deputy mentioned something about the nurse today and writing a risk assessment but i will definitely look into speaking to them myself.

Having an epi pen is not a cure...i really hate these kind of comments and agree a lot of people don't get it.

i will look into natasha allergy foundation too...i think she may be the girl who ate the pret baguette as the name rings a bell.

OP posts:
Phineyj · 07/06/2022 18:31

I think you should consider another school as they obviously think they know better than you and that is bad, bad, news where any kind of special need is concerned.

I say that as a teacher and mum of a child with SEN.

Just because you can see the schoolf from your house, doesn't automatically make it the right choice!

Phineyj · 07/06/2022 18:33

One of my students was friends with poor Natasha.

I can't imagine us making stupid comments about buses 😞

Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:33

ExPatHereForAChat · 07/06/2022 18:28

OP my DS has multiple Anaphylactic allergies too, including dairy, egg and legumes so I completely get it.

I'd never allow the school to make his meals, it's just asking for trouble.

For me, both the risk of cross contamination and the risk of staff getting things wrong is too high.

You've had some great advice so far and the school would be foolish not to bend the rules on this one.

Were you allowed to bring packed lunch? Did you face any resistance.

I've had some great suggestions and will be working on putting them into action right away.

The deputy mentioned they manage several kids with allergies just fine including a kid with a tomato airborne allergy..but their words mean nothing after what happened at her last nursery. I will never trust anyone again to prepare her food.

OP posts:
Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:34

Phineyj · 07/06/2022 18:31

I think you should consider another school as they obviously think they know better than you and that is bad, bad, news where any kind of special need is concerned.

I say that as a teacher and mum of a child with SEN.

Just because you can see the schoolf from your house, doesn't automatically make it the right choice!

fair point. i will be seeing how things go in the next few weeks and looking at my options

OP posts:
Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:35

Phineyj · 07/06/2022 18:33

One of my students was friends with poor Natasha.

I can't imagine us making stupid comments about buses 😞

so sorry, it's so awful what happened to her.

OP posts:
Greenkitten · 07/06/2022 18:42

That’s awful they won’t allow a packed lunch! I know it’s not the same or serious in any way- but my little boy is vegetarian. The school knows this. A couple of times they have given him a chicken pie or meat sausages because they ran out of veggie options. Obviously it wasn’t life threatening like your daughter- and it’s only our lifestyle choice, not an allergy. I imagine a kosher family would be rather more angry their kid had been given pork sausages, of course. Anyway, my point is- in my experience, the lunch service at primary school doesn’t seem to have very robust controls over who eats what meals. You can’t trust them to give her allergy appropriate foods imho it’s too dangerous.

Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:45

Greenkitten · 07/06/2022 18:42

That’s awful they won’t allow a packed lunch! I know it’s not the same or serious in any way- but my little boy is vegetarian. The school knows this. A couple of times they have given him a chicken pie or meat sausages because they ran out of veggie options. Obviously it wasn’t life threatening like your daughter- and it’s only our lifestyle choice, not an allergy. I imagine a kosher family would be rather more angry their kid had been given pork sausages, of course. Anyway, my point is- in my experience, the lunch service at primary school doesn’t seem to have very robust controls over who eats what meals. You can’t trust them to give her allergy appropriate foods imho it’s too dangerous.

Exactly theres so many kids at school and a limited amount of staff, the chances of them getting something wrong is pretty high :(

OP posts:
BadlydoneHelen · 07/06/2022 18:46

Will there be a potential problem with her sitting next to the boy who eats his packed lunch? Because presumably you won't be able to dictate what is or isn't in his lunchbox. I would be worried about the possibility of contamination from that.

BlanketsBanned · 07/06/2022 18:47

If they are being this difficult about something that is so important then I wouldn't trust them to look after my child and would look at another school.

Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:49

By the way I just want to clarify I'm not just sending her to this school because I can see it fro my garden 😂It's rated an excellent school by ofsted and has many other great points...it's just unfortunate that we are experiencing some resistance against packed lunches. I want to try and work things out with the school if at all possible and of course I will not be sending her there if I feel they are not taking her allergies seriously

OP posts:
Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:49

BlanketsBanned · 07/06/2022 18:47

If they are being this difficult about something that is so important then I wouldn't trust them to look after my child and would look at another school.

fair point.

OP posts:
Original poster
AllergyMumma · 07/06/2022 18:51

BadlydoneHelen · 07/06/2022 18:46

Will there be a potential problem with her sitting next to the boy who eats his packed lunch? Because presumably you won't be able to dictate what is or isn't in his lunchbox. I would be worried about the possibility of contamination from that.

I've been told there is a member of staff on this table supervising, but details can't be given until they confirm who is attending this year. I will of course be asking for more details and ensuring there are measures in place to prevent cross contamination

OP posts:
krazykatzlady · 07/06/2022 18:58

Yes it's a IHCP she will need. Individual Health Care Plan.
Input from parents & medical staff.
Plan for medical eventually.
Includes training for staff, and what to do in emergency.
The school/local authority arrange it and it is reviewed annually or when something changes.
Plans for in school & school trips etc.
Where EpiPen are kept, who is the trainer etc.
You can apply now yourself to get the ball rolling, look on your LA website for help, or IPSEA.