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.

I would just get some more cream, transfer it to a different vessel and tell them it is a different one without peanut oil. But Dr has demanded it is for your son's use only.

This decanting the cream idea is a perfect example of why nut bans are so dangerous.

Thea- no, not really. I ask they don't feed him with milk or let him touch it. I don't expect it to be banned nor babies to be denied milk. It would be a tad ironic if I was asking he be allowed to walk around eating peanut butter sandwiches as the other children in his room eat milk in a certain area to avoid him coming into contact with it. I'm really aing all allergies get equal treatment, with allowances for dairy riskes.

The nut allergy is a child in another room, so I've been told.

Slave, maybe? Other prescribed medicnes he has are poentially harmful to others (in the wrong dose or orifice!) and kept away. I sign them in.

Rather than reducing hours I'm going FT soon, so it's more of a worry.

I've thought about moving him, buI worry about settling. I've already moved him from a nursery who were crap with HIS allergies (yet nut free). He was using his inhaler almost daily, piriton daily and covered in weeping eczema after a while ending in finally a hospital dash (drank another child's milk).

Yes, zinc and castor. So simple after trying every prescription possible.

Theas18 the OPs ds is allergic to milk. Milk isn't banned. She isn't asking for the things her ds is allergic to to be banned.

Maybe the person who they are protecting is the nursery nurse who has to put the cream on the child's bum. Its not just children who have life threatening allergies. The life of a nursery nurse is more important than meeting the demands of a mother with a precious first born.

I suggest you go to the GP if the nappy rash is that bad. If the GP cannot sort the rash then see a skin consultant. If a nappy cream is prescribed then that is different to using a non prescription cream.

I found that bare bottom time and using re usable wipes with pain water is best for nappy rash. Its important to dry the area carefully with a towel. Poor hygiene is a common cause of nappy rash.

No, no don't decant the cream!

My DS came into contact with nappy cream that had peanut oil in it, his bottom was red raw and so, so painful.

Could you get some info from your allergy team to give to the nursery manager that might make them see what you mean?

Tough- it's strange how allergies are ranked in people's minds isn't it. Even if I try and explain about the 5 A&E visits and the symptoms I get asked seconds later if he's lactose intolerant and if it upsets his belly. OR asked if I've tried to give him some to see if he's still allergic/ to build up a tolerance.

I make up my own sort of Z&C, I use Waitrose Bottom Butter and Sudocream mixed together.

Not sure if this can help you? Have you tried Matanium?

reallytired a little odd... but to attempt to answer:
-he's not a pfb, he's no. 3
-We do see a hospital consultant/ GP/ allergy clinic/ dietcian, I'd be negligent if I didn't.
-I've already stated that I was informed that the nut allergy concerns one child in another room
-Using water is the standard norm when dealing with nappy
-it's rather insulting to mention 'poor hygeine', cream would never substitute changing/ washing. I presume this is deliberately rude on your part.

Your GP will almost certainly prescribe you what you need, and possibly even write the nursery a letter explaining the medical need to use this particular cream. The nursery staff are very likely to defer to your GP's expertise.

If there is any risk that cream from one child's bottom would get onto another child in another room, then I would be seriously questioning the nursery's hygiene policies.

I am well aware that other allergies can be fatal bartlet. If a child was anaphylactic to celery I agree that should be banned too.

The nursery has a duty to protect all the children and staff in their care as much as possible. They're not refusing to put cream on your child, just that particular cream. As a previous poster has suggested try to find a Z&C cream without peanut oil in.

China- so if a chld in nursery could have a potentially fatal reaction to MILK on your logic it shold be banned? Talking in general now.

Last post is a serious quetion, initially the nursery said they may refuse to have him considering they cannot ban milk. Talked to head office and talked risk assessments and took a few weeks to get back to me. I was worrie he was going to be excluded from attending a local nursery.

Valium, they should be doing that anyway as a matter of basic hygiene.

Yes of course They should but I would rather they realised that they needed to be EXTRA careful.

Decanting cream is SO dangerous - please don't. If it was left out and a child got hold of it...

Might it not be useful looking on the anaphylaxis campaign website and taking the nursery some information on their stance on blanket bans?

Seeyouentea If you're having problems with nurseries being able to care for your DS appropriately and take his specific needs into account due to the sheer number of other children they have to care for with allergies etc, have you considered a CM?

yanbu. it's the protein in nuts which causes the reaction. Refined groundnut oil does not pose a risk. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10722892

I can't see Nursery's problem really, as others have said, blanket bans are not the answer. I am a parent of child with allergies and have trips to A&E to prove it.

Your child will be having his nappy changed in a separate room, for hygiene purposes, a cleaned changing mat, fresh disposable gloves, his own bag of things and the staff member washing their hands afterwards. What are the staff doing, if a child with a peanut allergy, in a completely different room, is at risk of coming into contact with your child's bottom?

Good hygiene and safe storage of the cream is all that is required.

My daughter suffered terribly with nappy rash and eczema, and it wasn't caused by poor hygiene. It was only when she was potty trained and her skin was no longer exposed to any contact with poo or wee, that her skin got better.

If nursery feel they can't change their policy I am afraid I would be looking for a different nursery.

Valium- I'm not intending to decant
Damsel- I will
Flisspaps-There's a shortage of CM here, plus I have no reason to think a CM will get his allergies/ other medical needs any better. I find mny people are too blase, state of course they'll manage them but don't really listen, e.g. still use the same knife to chop all food.

YANBU op. There is a perceived hierarchy of allergies and as the mother of a child who is anaphylactic to milk, I despair.

HOwever, in that this nursery have generally kept your dc safe, I think you are going to have to adapt. They are obviously a careful and observant lot, if a bit over cautious in this case. You may need to let them persist with their rigid proceedures or risk the main issue - your dc's safety (altho I accept how bad his nappy rash is).

Not the same as she was not in pain, but our v stringent nursery once refused to let dd carve a pumpkin although there was no likelihood of allergy. I explained that this was ok (over dd's sad little face) but they insisted sbe sat it out!

nomoremrtumble- I did the same with pupmkin carving, but they let him and he was covered in hives after. I looked like an eejit.

If any child has any allergy then schools and nurseries should do all they can to protect them. The easy option is to say ban the allergen. Easier said with celery than with milk in a nursery setting I agree.

The most important issue is training of the staff and raising awareness generally. If everyone involved in the care of the children is careful no-ones child should suffer.

As children get older they have to take responsibility to avoid the allergens themselves. In the meanwhile as you say, those of us whose children have allergies need to rely on risk assessment and trust in other people to be sensible.