I just need to vent

[tatt]

we are having great difficulty arranging an appointment for allergy testing as the nearest major hospital doesn't have ANYONE doing allergy testing, unless you count the one who does it at the nearby private hospital. Our gp didn't even know where to send us initially. When I rang to check what was happening he'd referred us to the guy who does private testing - and he hadn't yet bothered to reply. So he now has the name of the doctor I think we should be seeing.

My daughter's school have arranged a picnic for her class on Friday. The children will be allowed (one might even say encouraged as they've been told what to take) to bring peanuts. This week biscuits have been provided at break time - one type she knows is unsafe and she can't tell about the other as they don't have the packet. She is allowed to take her own. On a school trip (residential, a week) one of the staff was terrified of needles, something we only discovered on the day of the trip. We are relatively new to this school and I don't want to make a fuss this week as I know its SATS week but what a terrible bleeping school . (Bleeping is my daughter's latest craze. Although I tell her its only for those of limited vocabulalry it seems to fit here!)

Thanks for listening, I feel better for having a rant at people who will understand how I feel.

OMG Tatt, I can't believe they are encouraging the children to take peanuts with them!
I can believe the biscuit situation - twice I've seen nursery staff at our nursery offer a little egg-allergic toddler a biscuit and then check the packet afterwards

Rant away!

I have found many adults to be terribly cavalier about children with allergies. I imagine it stems from lack of understanding and the widespread misuse by the clueless of the word allergy. I have countless acquaintances who are allergic to all sorts of things by their own definitions. Allergic to peanuts? Oh well surely he'll be OK if he just has a little bit.....

My view is simple. Peanuts aren't needed as part of our diet, they are not essential and can be left out. And no other child will be 'deprived' by not having peanuts. Personally, I think your school should be banning peanuts not encouraging them to be eaten. For the sake of not risking a child's life then surely it would be better for all. Especially if there is a needle-phobic around. Would the school knowingly endanger a child's life in other ways?

I've been thinking about this a lot recently even though ds is only 18m. I think you've got every right to rant and feel the way you do.

I agree Rant away. i do. my daughter who is nearly two has a dairy allergy and i am constantly in our local shops asking why it is impossible to get ingredients lists.

i went to my local bakers the other day and asked her what was in a particular item and she told me to return to the shop the following afternoon to see the manager.

obviously i didnt buy anything and returned the following day to see the manager and express my concerns.

People do think that 'a little' wont do any harm my reaction is always the same

how would you feel if this could kill you child!!

well I took a letter to the teacher today saying what arrangements would need to put in place to protect daughter (wipes for her hands, epipen with her throughout the party). Also told him that he may be a good teacher but he is not a caring individual - he didn't like that. Another teacher came along and told me I had to make an appointment to see a teacher. So I then got an immediate appointment with the head and told him that I was very upset. I did not think I should need an appointment to discuss a threat to my daughter's life. I'm told they will ban nuts at the party and I have told them that is the wrong thing to do now because the children will know why and blame the daughter.

My daughter is old enough now to be reasonably sensible about her allergy and she has to learn to live in high risk areas eventually. However we can't totally trust her to be careful in a party atmosphere. More importantly we don't now trust the staff to respond properly if she does have a reaction. I got the usual "we have had children with allergies before" argument - so they've been lucky so far! I feel a letter to the governors coming on asking why they don't ban nuts at parties/ whether I should really need an appointment when my child's life is at risk.