Is it reasonable for 10 children to tuck into a peanut containing lunch at nursery?

[bobbybob]

Ds is allergic to eggs, latex, peanuts and bananas (and some other stuff).

I recently found out that the new vegetarian nursery menu relies heavily on peanuts for it's protein. I complained and said it was not suitable for any child under the age of 2 to be eating peanuts, it certainly wasn't suitable for 20 of them to do it right next to my ds.

here are an extract from their response.

"we do not believe that the removal of all peanut based products from our meals is justified or in the best interest of all the children that we care for."

I'm in NZ so the law will be different, but some massive buck passing is going on here. They are saying that the inclusion of peanuts was to satisfy the heart foundation for an endorsement.

Anyone got some points for me to make in my response, suggestions for what to do next, or articles that back up that children under 2 simply should not be eating meals based on peanuts?

Medical info www.allerg.qc.ca/peanutallergy.htm

www.oma.org/phealth/allergy.htm

www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8126-1515232_2,00.html

Maybe of interest not sure if its the ammunition you need though.

News articles www.whas11.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8705V784.html

www.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20030909-0050-ca-peanutboy.html

www.myparentime.com/articles/article126.shtml

www.freep.com/news/education/qnut23.htm

In america a lot of parents seem to use the disability laws to get peanuts banned.

bobbybob my daughter didn't show signs of peanut allergy until after she was given peanut butter at playgroup. I'm not actually suing them for it but tell them that a friend of yours considered suing her child's playgroup after the child was given peanut butter and developed peanut allergy. Ask who their insurers are, if they have cleared this policy with them and if all staff are fully trained in treating anaphylaxis. They are not covered legally if they use your child's epipen for another child in an emergency buT I don't know if I'd tell them that. I know about it because I said my children's school could and was told their insurers wouldn't cover them unless it had been prescribed for the child.

have you said that if your child suffers a reaction at nursery you will hold them responsible and will take them to court because they will have failed to provide a safe environment?

This is the offical nz government advice - so I'm afraid they have some backing for introducing peanut from age 3. However unless they are totally sure none of these children is from an atopic family even the governmanet advice says not before 3.

www.medsafe.govt.nz/Profs/PUarticles/peanut.htm

The funny thing about peanut allergy is that it is those children who don't have other allergies and don't have risk factors that get stuck with this for life, children like Bob with multiple allergies often outgrow it.

The risk factors in the article seem quite wide, for instance heaps of children have at least one parent with asthma, eczema or hay fever. The nursery cannot possibly know this - so they should play it safe.

Their version of healthy eating is not the same as mine - I know that. For Bob chocolate (kinnertons) is healthy because it is natural and doesn't kill him. A banana is still natural but will harm him significantly.

But I'm not sure the other parents realise that the "hearty casserole" their 18m.o. pride and joy is eating contains peanuts, and could be setting them up for a peanut allergy later on.

I'd tell them - with information about what it is like to have a peanut allergy. If you don't know them all you could hand out notes when they pick up. They probably have no idea of what is happening.

It is quite possible to do a balanced healthy diet for children without including nuts, they can serve wigwamburgers instead Seriously there are plenty of alternatives. For a healthy heart oats and linseed or fish are good foods to include, not nuts. Have you spoken to the health federation?

In dds primary school parents are asked not to bring any peanuts or any derivatives containing them into school. I didn't know this, of course, and sent dd2 into school with a PB sandwich. The classroom assistant told her she shouldn't - it put her off PB for life! Apparently there's a girl in school (one of several, but she's the least well off) who will have a reaction if there are even peanuts in the room she's in.

So yes, I would kick up a stink about it. Trouble is, as you say, how? Sorry, I'm not being much help, just wanted to offer you my support.

By the way, what the hell is a wigwamburger???? Sounds barbaric!

this is the website for the heart foundation programme

www.nhf.org.nz/index.asp?PageID=2145820300

and this is their contact page

www.nhf.org.nz/index.asp?pageID=2145820224

Would you like some e-mails to them, bobbybob telling them how this campaign is being interpreted and telling them what it could mean?

Feeding peanuts to that age group is irresponsible, nurseries in the UK just don't do it. 1 in 200 children now have an allergy to peanuts (dd included). I do feel that alternative sources of protein could be sort. Good luck

I mean sourced!

Yes I have thought of contacting the Heart Foundation and pointing out that their peanut butter menu suggestions should be for age 3 unless no eczema, asthma and hayfever in family.

Some other emails may make my complaint about the nursery menu harder to ignore.

I am also contacting my local allergy support leader so that she can explain to this woman in words of one syllable...

The actual nursery agrees with me, but it's the HO that has spent all this time (read money) getting this new "healthy" menu off the ground, not asked for any parents opinions and now obviously somebody's job is on the line because they screwed up.

have sent this e-mail

"I understand from a friend that their nursery is including peanut protein in meals because they consider this is necessary to qualify for your healthy heart award. Hopefully this is a misunderstanding as the children at the nursery include under 3s. As you no doubt know government advice is not to expose children under 3 to peanut if there is any family history of allergies. As that includes families with asthma and eczema it means a large proportion of the population. Since I am from an atopic family myself I really hope you can reassure me that it is NOT necessary for nurseries to include peanut protein in menus to qualify for the award.

If by any chance nurseries have been advised to use menus containing peanut protein I hope that advice will now be speedily withdrawn!"

Will let you know what the response is

I cant/dont understand why all schools are not peanut free...does know one understand how dangerous this can be?!

Great email Tatt, it will be interesting to see their response to that one. I'm sure it's something to do with support given by a major food manufacturer who makes these meat substititutes, either to the Heart Foundation or to the Nursery.

Inspired by Tatt, I have sent this email to a named person at the Heart Foundation:

My son attends a nursery which has recently qualified for one of your healthy heart awards. As it provides a vegetarian hot cooked lunch for the children obviously they have to source proteins from plants and dairy products to provide full nutrition. They are very proud of this award, and as a parent it is great that they are taking nutrition seriously.

However, I am concerned that both their menus and he recommendations of sensible nutrition on your website advocate the use of peanut products (such as peanut butter and Sanitarium Nutolene) in the under 3s.

1. Current Government advice is that peanut products should only be given to children under 3 if there is no family history of atopic conditions. As this includes eczema, asthma and hayfever in either parent or a sibling, this would be a large percentage of people that should be avoiding peanut products for their toddlers.

2. My son is allergic to peanuts and the centre will not stop using them, even on the days that he attends, because and I quote ?had the ingredients not been suitable for children, for any reason, we would not have received this accreditation.?

3. The centre does not believe that the removal of peanuts is in the best interests of all the children that they care for.

Allow me to disagree. Peanut allergy affects many children, and early exposure is a significant risk factor. The numbers of children going through their centres and the incidence of nut allergy, along with the fact that the peanuts are not declared clearly on the menu board displayed means that at some point there will be a death. Peanuts are not an essential part of any diet, including a vegetarian diet, and they are not worth losing a child (or an award) for.

Good for you Bobbybob. Well said.

Have you contacted your local MP? They love getting involved in issues like this and can REALLY get results. A phone call from a local MP (or an official letter) can make all the difference. They might also have some advice regarding official channels that you could persue.

Does your centre receive any public funding? If so, I'd also be complaining to the Ministry of Education (I think they provide the funding).

I can't believe they include peanuts AND DON'T PUT IT ON THE MENU!!

If you get no joy from any of those sources, you might consider talking to your local newspaper, or a tv program like Fair Go, or Susan Wood's CloseUp - a bit of public spotlight might just do the trick.

Good luck

(by the way, check out www.philandteds.com in answer to your booster seat question from another thread. They have a seat that goes up to 38 kg, and although not supplied with a tether strap, is adapted with a slot that you can use with a tether strap that you can buy seperately - according to their managing director, who I recently spoke to about your question on tether straps and car seats for heavier kids in NZ)

they don't even mention it on the menus - they're mad. I thought I had problems with the local schools! A health visitor suggested that I write to the director of education. Wonder how you'd find out who their insurers are - are they obliged to display a certificate of insurance cover for public liability.?

Already tried Ministry of Education - they don't care.

EEK!

I'd try local MP next. My local MP is brilliant with this type of thing.

Bobbybob, if was part of the Heart Foundation I would be ringing the nursery after reading your second point, after all it wouldn't look nice in the news to say somebody has had an anaphylactic shock after following the Heart Foundation menus and be prized for that!

Having said that, DS is allergic to tomatoes and from time to time, even when they cooked separate meals for DS, something managed to get into DS's menu: a sauce they didn't check or even in an occasion... they thought that baked beans were OK, obviously they would have realised the thing had tomatoes if they have cooked them themselves, but they just opened a tin of beans, how on Earth could they know there was more than beans in it??? .

Silly question - how do I find my MP?

Any good? Have got to go and feed DS so haven't checked the link!

Think you're right that peanuts are a ridiculous thing to serve to nursery children, whether with allergy or not - but criminal to serve them if there is an allergic child there

Involve the press, maybe?

Want to do it privately so that they don't "lose face". I think this is what they are most afraid of. They have worked hard on the menus and here is the allergic kids mother causing a fuss!

A letter from an MP or a DR is more likely to have them checking their liability insurance, and making the change quietly and without fuss as if it was their idea. As they haven't actually told anybody - they could do this.

Involving the press would just involve their PR company, and I would come across as the mother who just wants everybody to miss out because her son can't have something. NZers really think that everyone should be allowed to do anything they want (I was suprised at how much in my previous career in advertising) and whilst they like the underdog, they don't like weirdo fuss makers.