Nut Allergy at day camp

[MaryEvelyn]

Ok I am getting ready to start my weekly Girl Scout Day Camp and just found out that we have a girl with a nut allergy to the point that she has an epipen pen. I have never had to deal with this before. Do any of you have experience with this and how I should handle this, I am writing a letter to all the parents and have told them that we have some children with allergies and that anything with nuts is not allowed but wanted to know what else to say.

[callyflower]

It would be nice to give a list (a LONG one) of what foods WOULD work. Do some research and find out what may be cross contaminated (even peanut free M&M's contain peanuts, fyi).

You can't go wrong with fresh fruits and veggies, cheese cubes, etc.

Also, when it's snack time, be sure and review her plate before she eats---just in case.

I'm sure it will be OK with just a little extra planning!

C

[Kristen (ColeysMom)]

Nut oils are also problems for her...so this will eliminate a TON of processed foods that use peanut oil and coconut oil, and probably a ton others...

I agree a looooooong list of ok foods is a good idea!

[peglem]

It would be nice to give a list (a LONG one) of what foods WOULD work. Do some research and find out what may be cross contaminated (even peanut free M&M's contain peanuts, fyi).

You can't go wrong with fresh fruits and veggies, cheese cubes, etc.

Also, when it's snack time, be sure and review her plate before she eats---just in case.

I'm sure it will be OK with just a little extra planning!

C

And just to be on the safe side, double check the list with the parents

[LauraP]

I agree that you should be active in educating other parents--however, you want to be sensitive to the desire (probably) of the Scout with the allergy, and not make her seem different; as we all remember, girls can be really unmerciful at times when they sense a weak member of the herd. Maybe send the list to all the parents via email? I also think the Girl Scouts may have some official guidance on this, since they have dealt with a lot of special health needs through the decades.

Good luck!

[Kristen (ColeysMom)]

I'd be willing to bet that the parents already have a good list of safe things too.

[callyflower]

My dd is in scouts and she is so sensitive to food dyes, that I always write it in big caps on every permission slip. The leaders handle it discreetly and the other girls have not been snippy about it. That being said, if you just keep it generic "a girl with allergies" it should be fine. I'm sure she's well aware of dealing with this in her daily life as well.

[Lavandula Canadensis]

suggestion from an allergy sufferer...

Since nobody is perfect... and no situation is perfect... better be safe than sorry... :o

Please verify with the parents what sould be the appropriate actions to take in case the child gets in contact with any allergen... other than giving her a shot of epipen... a micro particule of nut dust or peanut butter may kill someone :eek: (it did kill the niece of a former co-worker of mine who was an emergentologist doctor... he was seated next to her when she touched her lips with the icing of her own wedding cake with almond extract in it... she fell on the floor... too late... nobody could do anything... and she had notified the chef that she was allergic to nuts and company... and he had promised not to put any...)

The little lady might have to bring some of her own food, to make sure that she has something safe to eat... just in case everything else contains something she is allergic to... that's what I have to do... Example... although I have many allergies, I'm not allergic to nuts... I always have a handful of hazelnuts and almonds in my pocket (hypoglycemia)... so, even myself, will have to be very careful if someone tells me they're allergic to them... :)

I do not want to scare anyone here, unnecessarily, because everyone is not this much allergic... but it important that everyone takes allergies very seriously... and that every adult in charge know exactly what to do in case something happens... ;) and you seems to be very careful and caring... that's great !!! :D

Do not be afraid to discuss it openly with everyone... with the parents and the little girl's consent... nobody should be ashamed or rejected because they have allergies, or any other special needs... :)

Congratulations !!! and Thank You !!! for your awareness and your compassion and your great work with the scouts and guides... :)

[Tootsie]

Please keep in mind that "peanuts" are not truly "nuts," but a legume. You need to clarify with the parents, just what the child reacts to. For your own knowledge, I'd ask the parents if they would expect you to give her the epinephrine, and where would shekeep it, if she carries it at all times.

The general public can be remarkably ignorant of the intricacies of allergies and some will be quite adamant that "just a little, doesn't hurt anybody." Fortunately, if someone is so sensitive as to require carrying medication to counteract a reaction, they already know what to avoid. There are so many "commodity" type products on the grocery shelves, that unless it comes out of the ground and is not met with anything except water, it is suspect.

One time, I counted 47 different additives on a carton of ice cream! Cheerio.

[Lavandula Canadensis]

Fortunately, if someone is so sensitive as to require carrying medication to counteract a reaction, they already know what to avoid.

I agree with this 100%... but it's hard for an adult to know what is what on labels... :confused: with all these long and weird names... imagine for a child... The main problem I see is not from the allergy sufferer, but from the :cool: one who thinks that just a little won't harm anybody... It happened to me with 2 former friends of mine... :mad: needless to say that I never trusted them again for food... the friendship ended gradually following that...

One time, I counted 47 different additives on a carton of ice cream! Cheerio.

:eek: probably some of those are strong enough to kill a child... or to at least make him/her go sick and nuts for the rest of the day... and his/her parents too :(

The more we talk about it, the more the general public will become aware... praying and hoping that no child will ever suffer again from adult's negligence :)

[MaryEvelyn]

Due to privacy issues I can not have the name of the girl until camp starts. :rolleyes: The girls all bring their own food everyday but one and that one we cook over the campfire, the camp is suppling snacks and this year is the year for nut and peanut allergies so they have been really careful about that. I just do not want a girl to bring something in and her have a reaction to it, sometimes they just have to be near it or touch a girl that had it on her hands. I believe in over preparing so thought I would get some research now. I am telling the girls that due to several girls in camp having issues with nuts and peanuts we not be allowing anything with nuts into the unit. Found this site http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/nut_allergy.html

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/nut_allergy.html

[froggy]

My son has a peanut allergy and we have been told by his allergist to avoid tree nuts as well as lots of places use peanuts as filler with other nuts. Definitely no bakery goods. In school, no homemade goodies allowed because of cross-contamination issues. The snacks are all prepackaged, intact, and the labels are easily read. We allow fresh fruit if it's intact.
Coconut is not a nut, so that oil should be ok.
There really are lots of snacks available. But every label must be read carefully. Some things my son can eat are ritz (not the cheese ones, those are made in the factory w/the peanut butter), triscuits, and other crackers, regular oreoa, regular chips ahoy, most popscicle, some ice cream. Yogurt, fruit, cheese, etc.