A question for childminders looking after children with allergies...

[mumtosp]

Hi all,

I have a quick question for childminders who look after children with allergies... Do you cook for them or do you expect the parents to send in packed food??

My son is allergic to wheat, soya, eggs and nuts. He has an epipen, but that is only in case he ever has nuts. The allergy to wheat, soya and eggs is not life threatening and he doesn't need an epipen for these. My previous childminder had refused to cook for him, saying that she didn't want to take the risk. So I had to provide everything from breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on a daily basis. My son will be starting with a new childminder soon, and when I first spoke to her, she was very willing to cook for him and said that as long as she knows what his allergies are, she can ensure that alternatives are available.

However, now she is telling me that as part of the epipen training, she has been advised that she should not be cooking for him and if she insists then she will lose her registration.... Is that true? Do none of you do any cooking for children with allergies ??

TIA :)

Not a cm but can't see why cm can't buy /use gf bread - pasta etc and soya milk if in mash

Tho may cost more to buy this stuff so may not want to

Honestly? I'd be terrified of getting it wrong and harming your child. Maybe the cm has had second thoughts and is telling a white lie?! I don't know that it is a lie btw but I can understand why the cm might be finding a reason not to provide food.

Also wouldn't you be happier with providing it all? Less chance of getting it wrong for your child who might get sick if a mistake is made.

I am a cm. And a mum to a 5 year old with multiple allergies and who is an epipen user. As a mum I am used to glancing through ingredients etc its second nature to me now. As a cm I would not consider providing food for potentially life threatening allergies and I wouldn't expect anyone else to do so for my son. I mind a child with coeliac disease and a diabetic both of whom I am able to care for. I ask all parents to bring a packed lunch and I provide snacks so buy wheat free bread etc to cater for him. If I used a cm and when friends/relatives care for my son I provide all his food so I can be sure of what he's eating. I think your cm has probably been keen to help and has now looked into it further and decided the risks too high.

I have catered for children with allergies - coeliac, bananas, dairy, etc. With nuts it's a bit different, because we have nuts in the house as a family and I would not be able to guarantee a nut free kitchen.

They do deliberately scare people at epipen training and rightly so, it should be taken seriously.

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies. Since my first post, I've had another chat with our cm and as you all are saying she has been scared by the epipen trainers. I do understand all your points. However, I know DS's allergies are not severe as our home is not wheat, soya, egg and nut free (those are his allergies). It's only over time that we have learnt this.... I could sit next to him and eat a bowl of nuts and it wouldn't impact him. Also, the epipen is only for his nut allergies as the doctors are being cautious. He does not have a life threatening reaction to either wheat, soya or eggs. We actually have no idea how DS would react to nuts as he has never had any.

When I explained all this to the cm, she felt more comfortable. I need to now have a letter from the doctor explaining all this and that combined with the epipen training would make her more comfortable to cook for DS.

I don't mind cooking for DS and have been doing it for a long time now... I just thought it would be nice for DS to have the same food as the other children whenever possible. Currently since he has a packed lunch and dinner, it's always different from what everyone else is having...

:)

It's good you've sorted something out.

Does that mean the cm is cooking similar but separately for your son? Or the other children in her care are also having a wheat, soya, egg and nut free diet?

Also, I think I am just being a. bit emotional about DS starting with a new CM....
I can recall that with the previous CM I was hoping that she would cook for DS, but over time I got used to cooking for him and in fact was even glad that I could control the quality of what DS ate.... so I have no idea why I am reacting like this...

btw, DS had his first day with the new CM and he was fine

teddy when her training will be done, CM will cook for DS when she is making something that he can eat... e.g. jacket potato, soup (which DS can have with a wheat free roll) and things like meat and veg should be fine anyways. Currently the trainers are telling her that her setup is not equipped enough as she does not have a separate kitchen for DS... which is actually not required...