Dairy/soya intolerance- nursery asking for proof

[Anonandonandonandon]

DC2 has been attending her nursery for almost 2 years now. She has milk and soya intolerances. Nothing serious, but causes skin rashes and an upset tummy. She was diagnosed and referred to a dietician as a baby, but discharged at 2 because we’re managing it fine at home and taking all the advice about milk ladders etc.

She has always been on a non-dairy, non-soya diet at nursery and there have been no issues with it (except for when they stopped giving her coconut milk due to a new no nuts policy 🤦‍♀️, replaced it with soy milk for other kids and gave DC dry cereal for weeks before we found out!)

The nursery is now insisting on GP confirmation to keep her on her meal plan. I’m really not keen on bothering my GP about this right now!

Any idea why they want this? It makes no sense to me.

Just show them one of your letters from the dietician. Your discharge letter will probably summarize everything.

School caterers often ask for proof before they provide for special diets so you may as well get it sorted. Nursery are asking for proof because it is more difficult providing for special diets and a lot of parents use intolerances when they mean fussy. I speak as a parent with a child with allergies who has had to supply paediatrician and dietitian letters.

Coconut isn't a nut!

@dementedpixie

Coconut isn't a nut!

I know! We had this discussion many times over. It made no difference but they’ve switched to oat now, fortunately.

Do you have a copy of the letter from the dietitian?

We had to provide out sons nursery with a letter from dietician to confirm our sons diary allergy so they could cater to his diet :)

Find your hospital letters as the gp will charge upwards of £40 for it as it classes as a private request so not covered by NHS. You will need to provide it for school also.

That seems excessive, when telling our sons nursery they just accept any allergy and cater accordingly cooked fresh on site each day.

Surely giving dairy/soy will itself be proof of the allergy because they’ll see the rash/stomach upset.

I have a child with dairy intolerance which has never been confirmed by tests or had dietician involved. Gp just told us to try dairy free and it stopped all of my sons symptoms. Tried him with dairy again and started up instantly. Gp was happy that this was the cause, we've never been to dietician?
School have been absolutely fine about it, not needed any paperwork.

I have offered a dietician’s letter. I’m just not sure where they are.

Hopefully, by the time school comes, it won’t be an issue and we’ll have completed the milk ladder. She is making good progress. I’m sure I’ll be able to fish out the letters by then anyway.

I think it’s the fact that I pay the nursery £90 a day that has made me a bit grumpy! I sort of expect them to make a reasonable dietary adjustment!

@Anonandonandonandon unfortunately in order to deviate from normal they have to have medical proof. I had endless rows with school when dd first started. We have nothing formal as her consultant hasn't tested her for them as community gps saw and confirmed but having moved about no one will sign a letter without seeing it but as citrus can trigger anaphylaxis they won't test her as it's too risky. Am in a proper catch 22!

Dd is allergic to citric acid as well as lactose intolerant and dairy being an eczema trigger so avoided. My gp wanted to charge me £150 for letters to cover each issue. We put her on packed lunches and she would stand her own on not having milk, oranges, tomatoes etc. I got called into the heads office on her taster day. She was 3 (end of August birthday) never set foot in school before, knew no one as she had do preschool in a different town and she defiantly stood her ground and refused to eat the orange slice, tomatoes or drink the milk. She informed adults she had never met before that she wasn't allowed them as they made her sick.

I was mortified at being called in but also massively proud that she was so confident she could hold her own in that environment. The head was very apologetic that the office hadn't informed anyone of the email I had sent to advise the issues she has and her allergies and to commend me on having made sure dd knew what she could/couldn't have.

Humph. Well, we’ll see what they say to my offer of the letter.

DC will check that it’s “Sarah milk” or “Sarah cheese” before she will eat anything! All dairy foods are given her sibling’s name. It’s cute.