3 Ways To Help Prevent Peanut Allergies At Child Care Centers

If your son or daughter attends a child care center, chances are one or more of the kids will have a peanut allergy. While some children with peanut allergies only experience minor symptoms such as a runny nose and mild gastrointestinal symptoms, others may develop a severe reaction known as anaphylaxis. 

If the symptoms of anaphylaxis, such as throat or tongue swelling, very low blood pressure, and difficulty breathing, are not recognized and treated immediately with epinephrine, the consequences may be life-threatening. Here are three things you and other parents can do to help prevent an allergic reaction at the child care center:

Read Labels

Before allowing your child to bring any food items into the child care center, make sure you read all labels to make sure that the ingredients do not contain peanuts. Even if the label does not mention nuts, if you are unsure, don't send it.

Certain packaged foods may have undeclared nut or nut byproducts as ingredients that are not labelled, and if given to a child who has a peanut allergy, a dangerous reaction develop. Foods not manufactured in the United States may have different labeling laws and may not be required by their jurisdiction to declare all ingredients. 

Work As A Team

If you know one of your child's classmates has a food allergy, work as a team with the other parents and care center staff to ensure that the child can enjoy a safe environment. Also, if your child is old enough to understand, have a discussion about peanut allergies with him or her, and ask that your child tell the teacher if another classmate looks sick or is acting peculiar. The sooner the staff intervenes, the better the outcome. Most children are very helpful, and are quick to tell an adult if they sense something is amiss.  

Talk About Kissing

In children with severe peanut allergies, even getting kissed by someone who has eaten peanuts can be enough to promote an allergic reaction. If your child has eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or anything else containing peanuts, stress the importance of not getting too close, spitting, or kissing anyone with peanut allergies.

Also, prior to engaging in any contact with a child who is allergic to peanuts, have your child wash up so that no traces of peanut oil is left on the skin. Tooth brushing and flossing is also a good idea just to make sure that as much peanut product has been removed from the oral cavity prior to interacting with allergic children.

If your child has a classmate with peanut allergies, talk to the child care center administration, such as at Learning Tree Schools, to learn more about how you and your family can contribute to a safe, peanut-free environment.