Okay dear food allergy friends and wise ones, I need your ideas! I need a solution. I picked up my daughter from school, who had a weird eye tick going on and was dead silent. She is a chip off the old block and talks non-stop. So, during the oddest car ride to pick up her brother, I tried to find out what was up. She remained tight-lipped. Then, I picked up my high school aged son, who was fit to be tied and ready to move to another planet. Also, tight-lipped about his day. Finally all stories were told and here is my food allergy dilemma: a child was eating nuts as a snack in my daughter’s class–which are not allowed in the classroom due to cross contact risk. As a result, my daughter failed her first test since she was so upset that she couldn’t concentrate. Then to top it off, when the teacher said that a certain kind of candy couldn’t come into the classroom due to allergies and the boy complained about why do they must have kids with food allergies in the class. What is your suggestion for re-educating this classroom?
note: Be A P.A.L. image courtesy of FARE and Crying Emotguy courtesy of Farconville via Freedigitalphoto.net
Here are more details:
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- I presented the Be A P.A.L program created by Food Allergy Research and Education to this class during the second week of school.
- The teacher is very organized and supportive of food allergy management in the classroom.
- I believe the boy possibly forgot about the no nut policy, he is generally very nice kid.
- I told my daughter that he won’t know he hurt her feelings unless she tells him.
- I spoke to my daughter about her needing to speak up. Her teacher could have asked him to stop eating and wiped down the area.
- We are role playing how to talk to others when she feels endangered.
- My daughter is in the 5th grade.
- My daughter has a 504 Plan in place that requires no tree nuts to be eaten in the classroom since materials are shared (glue sticks, etc).
My current supply of kid books and a few I picked up at the Food Allergy Bloggers Conference
Your ideas requested. I am asking for a 15 minute fun educational moment about food allergies in the classroom. So….what do you suggest as my materials or for my presentation? Any fun books, activities or story I can read? I really like the Be A P.A.L program and I can remind them about it. What else can I do to really bring it home? I was sitting at my desk trying to be creative when I realized I so incredibly blessed to be part of this wonderful food allergy community. So, I am reaching out to you. Should I create food allergy bookmarks or give them something to take home or use in class that is a reminder? What are your favorite 5th grade level educational tools?
Please share your suggestions below!
I’m fortunate that my school nurse is very good and I’m going to be speaking to all the school nurses in my district next week and will share this story of how food allergic students focus on allergens if they are in their learning environment, instead of focusing on their academics. Bottom line: students must feel safe at school and need to learn how to speak up.
p.s. My son’s issues, thankfully, were teenage related. Puberty is just plain ugly.
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
What about incorporating the “glitter” visual, as Jenny’s son’s project did? It really gets the point across about cross-contamination. Maybe explain that it’s like being allergic to glitter and everyone knows how that stuff gets everywhere, is hard to wash off completely, etc.
(((HUGS))) for their troubles!
We’ve been there Caroline. Hang in there. I think you remember the story with the bird seed project in science class? Since the students are older (5th grade – next year is middle school) how about a cool science project? Ask the teacher if it could even be part of her lesson plan for the week. Michaels craft store have those science tri-boards where you can display pictures and studies on cross contamination. Note: then the class can keep the display board as a reminder. Since the students have already been education about FA in general (thanks to you) how about educating them on cross contamination? How about the results on wipes or soap cleaning verses cleaning or wiping down with only water. Kids like “hand on” participation too. I also like the glitter test mentioned in Selena’s post. Perhaps have the students do the glitter part? Teacher may want to do this part outside. 🙂 Or maybe have a Chef visit the class or get some of the materials from Chef Keith on how the restaurants take care of their customers and avoid cross contamination and the importance of protecting and including everyone (if adults can do so can students)? I bet you could Google cross contamination ideas online.
Thanks Dana! Genius about Chef Keith! Pure Genius! I’m on it…..
Selena,
I missed that session…what was Jenny’s glitter visual??!?!?! Last night my hubby sits down and says, wow…parenting IS really hard. Hum, he just noticed? Haha-it’s been a tough few months with emotional growth and food allergy independence in our family. Growth is vital, but nevertheless, not so easy.
It was a post on Multiple Food Allergy Help, a while back on her son’s Science Fair project:
http://multiplefoodallergyhelp.com/?p=1767
🙂
PERFECT!!!!!!
Someone needs to invent a food allergy reaction simulation suit so these kids can get a small taste for what FA kids fear physically and emotionally. And although by the fifth grade many kids are packing their own snacks, the parents need to be educated too so they can assist in monitoring what goes to school with their children.
Please let us know what you come up!
Stephanie, hum…yes a simulation. The kids my daughter’s class are wonderful and I adore her teacher. It still all rolls back to effective education.
Love the bookmark idea, personally, and the Be a P.A.L. thing, too. But, if I can be honest for a moment, those kids sound like they don’t understand the seriousness of the situation. Maybe a Q&A would be beneficial like about what a food allergy attack is like, what anaphylaxis is like, how scary it can be and all that from her and your perspective. I know that when they don’t get what they want (i.e. the snack they want at that moment), kids tend to be selfish and say hurtful things like “Why do those kids with allergies have to be here!” It’s cruel, but that’s honestly disappointment talking. I truly believe he didn’t realize the impact of his words, nor the seriousness of food allergies. I know you don’t want them terrified or her embarassed, but I think a little more of the actual reality of the situation might be warrented to a point, if you get me.
I know what had the greatest impact on me and got me out of my bubble when it came to disabilities was to experience it in a way. We were given a handicap, wheel chair, blindness (blindfolded), tunnel vision, deaf, and asked to play dodgeball with these handicaps, forced to play them to the full extent of our disability (i.e. tunnel vision people had to stand sideways, people in the wheel chair got no help moving or getting the ball). It was eye opening to feel that frustration. It brought about a lot of compassion. Maybe something along these lines would be helpful.
Maybe you could have the kids separated out by colored shirts or use tags and mark them with different food, latex, etc. allergies or something and then let them only interact with those in their own groups and not let them mix or have them do something that requires the effort of the whole but that they can’t complete because someone has the wrong color on and can’t mix, etc. and that they only way they can interact is if everyone agrees to wear the same color or something like that (hope that makes sense). They will see that they isolate friends and can’t accomplish much when they have to be separated, but look at all the things they can do when they work together. Sometimes an extreme visual helps make the most impact.
I wish you the best with your talk. It is never easy to go over topics such as these, especially with kids and especially when you are personally vested in it. I know I stood by the side of a mom making a game plan for her fragile diabetic daughter with the local school, and it was rough. I found myself speaking up for her when she got too timid to do so herself, and offering to come whenever to help if that’s what it took to keep her daughter healthy and safe. In the end, the daughter ended up with the world’s best teacher and lots of support for the most part in the class room, but the staff just didn’t have the right resources to do what needed to be done and the girl now goes to a different school that seems to be much better for her. In the end, we all have to do what is best for our own, no matter what that means, but I digress. 🙂
you have three problems here, 1) the nuts in class room which have been accepted by school as risk, hence banning for cross contamination reasons. 2) teacher banning one form of candy, but not being aware of problem n1! 3)the child’s comment, quite innocent really, and its ok for kids to ask questions, I am more concerned with how the teacher responded to that question. What to do: well, first soft option, talk to class teacher, and hope she/he gets your real concern. However I think that the teacher may have the view that they understand the allergy problem because she mentioned banning a certain candy and of course nuts are banned and so are made invisable in the classroom! The second option is the principal, the head filters the implementation of all policies in a school, and classroom teachers tend to pay greater attention when a principal/head talks. As parents we are there not to make friends with teachers but to work with them to keep our kids safe, so dont be afraid to step forward and get an agreement of sensible steps to do that. Also, its worth mentioning the importance of feeling safe being of equal importance to a child as well as being safe. (its Maslow stuff darling and teachers should understand this basic stuff imo). After meeting with head, get meeting with teacher, or get a report from her. Then ponder next steps. Give great thanks for any sensible changes or apologies, you have made your childs life safer and happier at school and other kids with medical problems. Your child’s story is classic invisable exclusion. Sometimes people only see it when you lift the veil from their eyes. Good luck.
I just came across this site that may have some additional information for you and ways to present the issue or even just to be used an additional resource for you: https://www.anaphylaxis101.com/ I figured you might already know about it, but if not, I wanted you to be aware of it for obvious reasons. 🙂 Best of luck to you, my friend!
Julie, Thanks, I know the site but forgot about it completely!!! I’m going to meet with my school district this afternoon, so your timing is perfect. There was another situation at another school with a student simply not getting it. Clearly, we’re not teaching it right, if folks aren’t getting it. Appreciate your support.
Unfortunately, some people don’t want to get it, but normally it is just a case where they need it presented just that one more time in that just slightly different way for them to finally go, “I get it now!” I know my dad admitted recently that he had no idea what I’d gone through with my food allergy ordeal until he was confronted with it in his own life. He actually said he owned me an apology for his misunderstandings and some of the things he said to me in the process. I am sad that it took food issues in his own life to bring him to this place of compassion and understanding regarding food allergies, but at least he’s there!
I am so glad the info was a handy reminder. 🙂 I hope so much that things go well for you and that you end up with even greater advocates in your school because of it. Best of luck!
Julie,
That is impressive that your dad even said that! Some folks can’t get past their ego. I appreciate your support, kindness and friendship!