Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Food allergy case

Just for fun, I counted the emails from the teacher regarding food items provided by parents to be served during class this school year, and there were 45+ of them. This doesn't include parties.

The kids take snacks from home every day - do they really need that many "special" snacks over the course of the year? And that count doesn't include the times *I* took in treats for the class, LOL. On a few occasions the kids had more than one special snack a day. And there will probably be a few more before school ends.

I am jealous of those of you that live in areas where the schools aren't like this. Personally I only remember having cupcakes on a very few occasions- usually holidays. Makes me wonder what changed...

My children attend a Title 1 school (one is in a GT magnet there, one is not yet) with a high level of child obesity and the amount of food treats is astonishing. At DD's previous school, a charter with many "hippie" parents, food was less emphasized. Her preschool was best of all--fresh fruit for birthdays with optional whipped cream. The kids did not care. I think some parents did. But really, why? My kids get cake at home AND cake at their parties. Do they really need cake at school??? Of course not.

Totally apart from the allergy issue, which I agree is a problem, my kids now believe that anything special should be marked with a food treat. I sort of blew a gasket when DD made a fuss about needing something sweet in her lunchbox to celebrate the last day of school. Why? The school had been throwing popsicles, candy, and pizza at them all week. I said no.

Sounds great. Those interested in creating school policies may be interested the Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Schools and Early Care and Education Programs, created by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Today's story around here:

http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regio...et-treats-to-dozens-of-students/26377594



(My son has had a lot of trouble with teacher's aides and so called "para-professionals" personally in our district and this is our state, I wonder do they even screen these people? It looks like this was a 'para-professional' who did this)

We had a substitute in Preschool tell DS (then 4.5) when he asked if he can the treat the other kids had "one or two won't hurt you" ... thankfully he didn't have any ... they were full of allergens he's severely allergic to! So, what can I say. Schools lost my trust long time ago. I know some administrators and teachers try but what good is it when the others don't?

So glad this thread was not closed... because I need some advice! So I requested that I or my DH be permitted to accompany DS on field trips as an aide considering his life-threatening allergies. Of course, principal just can not say "yes" to anything I request. I have to admit I am a bit surprised as the parents of DS's friend with diabetes accompany him on every trip but I guess it is more difficult to deal with that than anaphylaxis.

Anyway, principal proposed the following: "We could place in the IEP that DS be assigned to the group that his teacher will personally supervise when on field trips. While the entire staff receives annual training on the use of an epipen, I would further add in the IEP that his teacher would receive a follow-up individual training session with the school nurse. In addition, the two building substitutes would receive the individual training as well in the event that the teacher was absent. Further, we can write in the IEP that the school nurse will see the teacher on the morning of the field trip to personally give him/her the epipen and to review directions for use."
I guess that sounds good, no? Is that what the 504s usually contain? I would feel better with DS being with his teacher's group - the volunteer moms quite honestly are not great. But that also depends on whether or not I like DS's teacher! I don't know what do you all think?

Irena, if followed, that plan sounds better to me, because it would mean that I didn't have to rearrange my life to go on all the field trips. But there may be something missing that I am not seeing. In particular, does training on the epipen include training on how to recognize anaphylaxis? Is that part of what the school nurse would go over with the teacher? Do you trust the school nurse?

What Elizabeth said, basically.

I'd ask "why not" to the provision that a parent CAN accompany your child. There may well be field trip locations that you're simply not comfortable otherwise. The details really matter, unfortunately. Anywhere that I know or strongly suspect that an allergen is present, I wanted 1:1 adult supervision with my child, and anywhere remote/crowded/chaotic, I was also going to want to attend WITH her, just because those are situations that make recognition, treatment, and obtaining emergency medical assistance far more challenging. They also make retreat from a dangerous situation more difficult-- that's my #1 reason for wanting to go on field trips, actually. I spot risks that other adults do not, and I'm way better at "PREVENTION" than they are.

I'd push back on it, truthfully. It's probably not okay for them to REQUIRE you to attend, but if you want to on a case-by-case basis, frankly, they ought to WELCOME you. They're fools not to-- I'd interpret the fact that they think this is necessary for diabetes management and not for anaphylaxis as an indication that they are not completely convinced of what they're trying to manage. That's just me, though-- they don't seem properly intimidated enough to really have full comprehension. Two words for them. Nathan Walters.

What if your child SHOULD require medical treatment during a field trip, as well-- what does your 504 plan say about that? Who accompanies your child-- and what happens to the other kids in his group? See the problem there?

So where is your child's epipen ordinarily? If it isn't in the classroom in the teacher's care USUALLY, then the field trip adds a second dimension of "unusual/break from routine" to things. It doesn't for you as a parent, since you're used to carting them around with you, and unlikely to set them down, forget them, etc.

Might be worth considering whether or not having the teacher have a "classroom set" of Epipens is a good idea on a more routine basis.


I'd also ask who is (ordinarily) supposed to determine whether or not to administer epinephrine during the school day. Get that one in writing in your 504 plan. I'm betting that the nurse is involved. Well, in that case, why would they want a less rigorous method for a field trip, eh? The reason that I suspect this is that this would be the prime reason why Suzie with T1D has her mom or dad "invited" on field trips-- my guess is that diabetes is usually "nurse-managed" because classroom teacher(s) have said "Look, I'm not a nurse, I'm a teacher!" Well, recognition of anaphylaxis is not any cake walk, either-- something that I might point out to the 504 team. Ordinarily, no problem if the classroom teacher has medically trained backup (school nurse) IN the building with them, but that isn't true on a field trip.

I mean, hey-- if they WANT to assume the greater liability after you've generously offered to fill in for the nurse's expertise... well, you're just a parent, after all... but wow. Sure SEEMS like it'd be a lot less for the teacher to worry about when s/he is already busy with the field trip itself, though...



(Yes, I usually get what I want.)

Oh, and Sub + field trip? That scenario is an absolute NO WAY from me unless a parent is along. The adult that is in charge of evaluation and treatment HAS to be someone that your child knows and trusts, and also has to be someone that can recognize if something is "off" about your child-- a sub is very unlikely to be that person.

When DS5.10 was still enrolled in school, I insisted on his Epi being ALWAYS with him no matter where they went (library, gym, outside, etc.). I wanted it in his backpack but at the same time didn't want him (or other kids) being able to open it on the bus or in other places and hurting themselves. So I ended up putting it in a pocket in his backpack that I could put a small 4 digit code lock on and all the adults starting from the bus driver to the principal had the code as well as instructions from me to rip the pocket apart if they had to get to it and couldn't deal with the lock. He's been homeschooled for some 6 months now and we still have that lock on his backpack anywhere we go.

Our friends know all about DS's allergies and yet THEY still mess up at times. I have only ONE friend I know I could really trust and have DS spend couple hours with, maybe even overnight. If I can't trust our own friends who've known DS well for the last 5 years or so, how can I trust a stranger taking care of my son on a field trip? It's not that they wouldn't mean well, but they simply don't have the experience to cover all the bases. So I would still want to be present during just about any trip.