Debbie B.
Moderator
8/20/2008
9:22 AM
120 Posts

If your child is in or has been in a preschool that you had a good experience with regarding caring for your child with food allergy, please post about it here!

Also post here any helpful tips you’d like to share regarding going to preschool with food allergy!

Debbie B.
Moderator
8/20/2008
9:37 AM
120 Posts

Per my own research and discussion with Chris Weiss at FAAN, my understanding is that at private preschools, Section 504 does not apply, but ADA does and the staff at the preschool (this is true of daycares also) are required to have at least 2 staff members trained in administering epinephrine. (Note: for a preschool that is part of public school -e.g head start- 504 does apply.)

Our kids started preschool last year and will go again this year. Here are some tips from my research and our experience.

*ask for meeting with director and teacher to discuss food allergy prior to enrolling child

*find out their knowledge level of food allergy and fill in where necessary - Consider providing handouts from FAAN, etc. and video from FAAN and epi pen/twin ject to help further their education and understanding

*Some Qs for director:
Who is epi trained or will be trained
Be sure trained on symptoms and when to admin. epi, what to do after, etc.
Where will epi be kept- be sure it is available and accessible at all times
How food will be handled with snacks/parties/art
How substitutes will know about child and are epi trained

*How will handle PB in program if allergic to peanut (e.g. will classroom, or even school, be peanut/tree nut free? If not, how will cleaning sufficiently –tables, hands, etc. be addressed, sharing of food, etc.)
How will handle other allergens for child, etc.

*If staff answers Qs to your satisfaction and you feel good about their ability and willingness to care for your child with food allergy
Write up a plan, as a team with the school, for everyday – expectations of how to help avoid the child being exposed to food allergens, that epinephrine will be available and accessible at all times, etc., and how the child will be able to participate equally with the other students
Have Allergist. fill out Action Plan (e.g. FAAN’s) and keep it WITH Epi and in file at school – put picture of child on form
Be sure staff has a phone in classroom for 911 and emergency contact #s always handy

*be friendly, understanding of their time, helpful in any way you can, thankful for their time and help- work with them as a team!


We have had an excellent experience at our preschool in Henderson - Christ the Servant Lutheran Preschool. We are not members of this church, but after much research in our area, this preschool was the best fit for us. The knowledge level/experience level of the school on food allergy was fairly minimal when I first contacted the school. However, the director- who is fabulous- was very willing to learn more and discuss ways to make their program as safe as possible for my kids to participate. The ratio for the class is only 8:1 and it is a co-op where there is always a parent participating in class (the parents rotate through the class as volunteers/helpers) so it is actually 4:1. This was important to us b/c we felt more assured of our child’s safety and care in this small class size. Another key of course was that we met with the teacher and she was wonderful – receptive, caring, knowledgeable (and willing to learn more), and consistently on-top of food allergy issues in the classroom. This program has a 3 year old and 4 year old preschool program. 3 yr olds have class for 2 ½ hrs (morning or afternoon) on Tue and Thur. 4 yr olds have class for 2 ½ hours (morning or afternoon) on Mon, Wed, Friday. There is one snack each day that is brought in by that day’s parent helper. We prepared a list for the parents of ideas for safe snacks to bring. I double checked the snack each and every school day prior to leaving the building. Our class’ snacks were all peanut/tree nut free (even not made in a facility…). School-wide they instituted a policy of no peanut/tree nut allowed. This school does have quite a few parties with food, which is one downside perhaps. (I checked all food on party days and often attended the party myself) For snacks and parties, I always had an extra snacks or treats stored in the room to replace a snack if something accidentally came in that had a may contain warning that the parent providing the food had overlooked. This school, to my knowledge, has not had experience with children who have multiple food allergies or allergies other than peanut/tree nut. BUT I have confidence that they would do everything they could to learn and then establish a safe environment for any child with food allergy that participates in their school.

Leslie M.
8/20/2008
1:46 PM
19 Posts

We are just in the beginning stages of exploring preschools for our son. We really appreciate all of the valuable information that everyone has to share on preschools in the area. As we research and visit schools, I will be sure to add what I find out. Thanks Debbie!

Jennifer S.
8/21/2008
11:59 AM
13 Posts

My older son Kaden just started preschool at Marsha's Mini School. He does not have allergies, however during orientation on Tuesday she did ask all the parents if there were any known allergies and that she has had students in the past with allergies. I am going to try to set up a meeting with the owner and teachers and see how they handle having children with allergies attend their school. I will let you all know. I know it is not easy sending your children off to school with or with out allergies so knowing that there are places out there to work with us is all the better.

Debbie B.
Moderator
8/23/2008
8:36 AM
120 Posts

I have heard great things about Marsha's Mini School in general so it'd be wonderful to learn how they are handling food allergies!

Rosalie B.
2/17/2009
3:03 PM
4 Posts

I was thinking about preschool in the fall for my daughter and that was one reason I went back to Dr. McKnight today. She had last been tested almost 2 years ago and he had said to see him again when she was 3... well, she is still allergic and I immediately scrapped the preschool plans since I am too paranoid about it... I am glad to see you guys have had good experiences so I actually will keep looking into it. Thanks!

Lisa A.
9/5/2009
1:04 PM
3 Posts

My child attends one of the KinderCares here in the valley. She started there at 4 months and is now 2 1/2. I discovered her allergy in April of this year and was very scared about her going to school. Like most preschools hers is completely peanut free. The director is very careful with everything that they do. This summer they had an edible finger painting project that they made with pudding. She went shopping at walmart and checked every label to ensure that my child would be safe and did not buy the generic brand because it was processed in a plant with peanuts. If she ever has ANY doubt not only does she not let my child have something, her entire class does not get it. She also works with me and lets me know when a birthday is coming up so I can bring in a safe alternative for my daughter so that she does not feel left out from the cupcakes and cookies. My daughter is the only child there with a peanut allergy, and I am so blessed with all that they do to make sure my child is safe. Lunch is served there and they had a picnic this summer where kids brought their own and my daughters teacher and the toddlers teacher (because they had the picnic together) wrote notes to all the parents saying not to bring any peanut products or things with traces of peanuts in order to keep my child safe. Even though it is a peanut free environment, they still went that extra step to ensure my daughter's safety. I will be sad when she moves to Kindergarten, as I am unable to find one that is peanut free. I know that my daughter is safe there and I never worry when I drop her off. Her school is the ONLY place, other than with me, that I have complete confidence in her safety.

mary b.
9/9/2009
12:13 PM
3 Posts

Jacob just started a preschool co-op with some other families from church that we know well. He's not potty trained so his epi pen went in his backpack with some pull-ups. I taught the first week and yesterday was his first day with out me. I emailed them a link to the epi pen instuctions on youtube. I also told them to call 911 first and to then call me. I wrote my cell phone number on the epipen so that it would be handy. Hopefully they will not need to use it!