Nut-free Nursery, too far?

[Seeyouentea]

Ok, I'm open to being told otherwise...

My ds is allergic to milk, soya, fish and chickpeas. Varying reactions ranging from wheezing/ vomiting/ facial swelling (milk) to excezma and nappy rash with diarrhea. It's all pretty under control and he hasn't needed his inhaler or piriton for ages. Other things yet to be indentified (he's 18 months) cause low level reactions with loose bowels and dirty nappies (up to ten a day in a bad patch) that cause instant and vicious nappy rash. I went through MANY many creams (all that I found sold and prescrbed) that didn't bring his excezma up and make it worse. We've used this cream for a while and it's great, it's the difference between being a little red and sore to open sores.

Two weeks ago his nappy rash cream was handed back because they noticed (4 months on) that it contaied peanut oil. I explained it was all that worked for ds, they've seen him at his worst. I was told I should understand as my ds is allergic too. I've said nothing yet but already his bum is getting bad. They're trying a mixture of vaseline and his excezma moisturiser (doublebase) but it's still creeping up. Nappy changing is descending back into a painful expereince full of screaming and he runs away or cries after soiling.

I'm starting to feel a little put out, one child at a time is changed by staff wearing gloves in a room well away from food. I can't see the risk of contact. Unlike the times other children eat their cereal around my son. The nursery can't be dairy free and it's well managed.

Is it going too far? I'm wondering about changing nursery if I can't find an alernative cream soon which would be a huge shame as it's a wonderful place, but I can't bear to see ds so sore.

Personally I'd remove him. His well being and comfort would be my priority.

I think YANBU! Like you said, the staff are doing it in another room, wearing gloves. ANd I'd imagine (never had a child in nursery, so could be wrong) that whatever they change him on is disposable/cleaned? So there would be minimal, if any, risk of contact?

What Esta said. I have many allergies too put apparently only peanut ones count in this country

As he is wearing a nappy, the area is covered and not exposed to children with nut allergies therefore it is up to the nursery nurse to ensure that they scrub their hands properly and wipe down changing area.

Nut bans are ridiculous - people need to be aware and banning is not the way to go about it imo. >

And peanuts are not a nut.

YANBU.. at all.

Do they have a child there who is severely allergic to nuts? The chance of cross contamination with nappy cream sounds extremely high in any case and they are being over cautious to the detriment of your own childs comfort.

Technically nut oil doesn't contain nut protein anyway.

YANBU.

@ valiumredhead are they not?

YABU Have you ever seen anyone in anaphalaxic shock? I have. Prior to this I thought it was all a bit meh and controlling. Not anymore. Truely terrifying thing you wouldn't want to risk bringing on in anyone.

YABU. Peanut allergies can be fatal.

They are a legume - you can be allergic to peanuts and not nuts.

klad yes I have, we live with the threat every day - everything is a calculated risk, I still think the OP is not BU.

Blanket bans are not effective.

Not the general conseus as expecting!

Klakaka- I have both experienced it (wasp stings for me) and seen it (as a teacher). I wouldnt want to risk it of course, but I don't feel this IS a risk.

FFSEnid- I forgot that, I remember being old this when I expressed surprise that ' vitamins (abidec) had peanut oil in.

Cant you just slather his bum in your cream when you go in the morning and again when you get home and just use the other cream at the nursery?

thehairybabymum- on the average day yes, this is what I do.When he's in one of his 5-10 nappies a day stages this doesn't last. On the average week it not an issue. We're still trying to work out everything he's intolerant to.

I believe the Anaphylaxis Association do NOT approve of nut bans because it encourages complacency and puts children more at risk because people assume everything else will be safe, so YANBU.

Sadly, people like chinadrips will think that only peanut allergies can be fatal, whereas the biggest growing allergy causing anaphylaxis is celery. People just get complacent thinking peanuts are the only thing to worry about.

Can you talk to your GP and get them to officially reccommend this type of cream so that they have to use it?

Not an efficient use of GP's time or resources, but if you have to use this cream you have to.

If they won't use it because they have a nut allergy sufferer at the nursery, which is fair enough, then I would reduce the hours that he is at this nursery.

Exactly! Bartlet

Thanks Valium. I have learned something new today! That can be my contribution at the "what do you know now, that you didn't know when you woke up this morning?" over the dinner table conversation!

Yeah, I had no idea celery caused anaphylaxis until recently either.

I don't see why a nut allergic child's medical need should trump the ops allergic child's medical need. The OPs ds will suffer without the right cream whereas the chances of the other child reacting to a tiny amount of peanut oil on someone elses arse under a nappy, vest and trousers is miniscule. I say this as the parent of a peanut allergic child (and yes I have seen anaphalaxis)

flick no that is not sensible as the nursery HAVE to be aware they are dealing with a nut product and dispose of gloves properly/ wipe down surfaces etc.

Ok I'll be blunt. Sorry.

OP don't you think it'l just a tad ironic that your child has multiple food allergies/sensitivities and the nursery cope well with the diet demands this place on him/them. Yet the moment they do something to protect someone else (and you don't know if it is a child or a staff member and you aren't entitled to know) from allergy you are in uproar

It could be one of the ladies changing his nappy that has the allergy could it not?

This really annoys me as someone who has a severe nut allergy. Why should, if my child was to have the same sort of allergy a myself, should he/she be looked after while another child with equally serious allergies is made to suffer.

If I had a child with a severe nut allergy I wouldn't mind another child having to use a nappy cream that contained peanut oil. Like you say, the staff wear gloves anyway and nappies are changed in a controlled environment. I'd go to a different nursery if they're prepared to let your little one be uncomfortable all day, poor thing

Well as a parent of a DC with multiple serious allergies, I do not support nut bans. They do make people complacent. Funnily enough it's DS's egg allergy that causes anaphylaxis for him, but yet that often gets seen as something not that serious.

Can I ask, is the cream you want to use Zinc and Castor? I know that you can get some brands of Z&C that are nut free, but ones like Boots own brand contain it.