Peanut allergy advice please

[kaz26]

Hi I have had an enquiry for a little girl who has a peanut allergy could anyone tell me what I need in place to take this child on or what I need to do thanks in advance xx

[moggy]

Hi I have had an enquiry for a little girl who has a peanut allergy could anyone tell me what I need in place to take this child on or what I need to do thanks in advance xx

Food Standards Agency - Safer food, better business for childminders

This document you should have, if you serve/prepare food (see above), and that covers allergies.

RA it. Revise your first aid training. Talk to the parents- what is involved, how serious is the allergy- epi-pen training needed?

Decide whether you can provide the care this child needs without impacting negatively on you, your family and the other mindees. Can you make reasonable adjustments to your lives/routine/meals to keep this child safe?

I would be reluctant myself as I/we eat a lot of nut products and I think if it was a serious allergy then a nut-free environment would be safer (as they do in schools- no nut products allowed in packed lunches etc, including other children's packed lunches).

[AliceK]

If it is a nut allergy it is potentially really serious. Does the child have an epi-pen? You will need to be shown how to use this even though we are taught on our first aid courses as there are different types. You will need a detailed care plan for the child and a RA to show what you will do if they show any signs of an allergic reaction and you have to call 999, what will happen to the other children in your care for instance. Lots of foods which you probably wouldn't give a 2nd thought to might contain oil or have been manufactured in an environment where nut products are manufactured. You will need to be very very vigilant as to what you buy and where you go.
After knowing a LO who's mum died because of a nut allergy I'm not sure I would be confident enough to care for a child with a similar allergy

xxxx

[Emra81]

You def need a detailed care plan and in depth details about the nature of the allergy, likely symptoms and severity of a reaction and how to manage a one should it ever happen. I've known several children over the years with nut allergies ranging from a little boy who got a bit of an itchy tongue if he accidentally ate something with nuts in to a little girl who had to eat her packed lunch in a separate room rather than the large school hall as even being in the same room as a nut could send her into analaphylactic shock!

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I have a boy with allergies and we have an epi pen in the house and car and always take one with us on outings. Epi pen training should have been done under your first aid but if not don't take child without training.