Yesterday became the day I can officially say my baby is in preschool. There were so many fears and prayers leading up to yesterday that is was surprisingly very ordinary. I've written about why I felt comfortable with this particular preschool. I had no fears of him having a reaction.Before we left the house, I had the preschool's extra set of EpiPens sitting on the table to remind me to take them. He looked at them and asked me if they knew about his peanut allergy. I explained they did but we were taking the Epi's just in case anything happened. I thought he might even have a little PA anxiety going on.
There were lot of emotions going through my mind but happily they did not include using EpiPens and ambulances. When I dropped my little guy off, I handed his medication over and saw my Emergency Plan taped on their medicine cabinet. They said there was a copy in the kitchen and his classroom, as well.
I provided safe snacks for when they questions a food's safety. It was very similar to my potluck bag. I told them to never hesitate to pull one out if they are not sure if something is safe. I explained they only need to tell Tyler something might have peanuts in it and he will happily eat something else (I'm so thankful he is mature enough to have this attitude!).
They told me they would provide me a list of snacks but they did not. I decided to wait until they were not so busy since there were many new children and it was a little hectic. Based on the previous talks with the two directors, they serve very simple things like graham crackers and vanilla wafers. These were brands I trust so I was comfortable. I had a menu and knew lunch was hot dogs, corn, and applesauce.
There were a few bumps that I need to clear up, however. When I picked Tyler up, I asked what he had for snack. His reply was "a pink cupcake." Hmm..... My first reaction was a little freaking out. Then, I reminded myself that he needs to feel like he is safe. So I don't want to give him the impression he is not. After debating in my mind, I decided a little talk on Thursday when I drop him off will do.
These people are label readers. They have several children with PA and have never had anyone have a reaction so they know their stuff. But, for me, a cupcake is a little dangerous. I will investigate further and just make sure everyone is comfortable with the food situation, including me.
**To read about my other Mommy emotions regarding preschool, visit my other blog.
4 comments:
I had to share a quick story-I am a teacher and one of our food service workers came to me after being told that I have a PA child. She let me know that her 5 year old son was also PA and had a reaction after eating someone's PBJ at school yesterday. I asked her if he carried an epi-pen and she said that in the several years she has been working with her doc, he never told her she needed to carry one! He has had 2 violent reactions, the last of which included vomiting and diarrhea! It just goes to show you that doctors need to come together for the safety of our kids. She was so relaxed about the whole thing-with no knowledge of the severity of her son's allergy. I was baffled.
I'm so glad you found a safe preschool for Tyler! I hope it's just a terrific year for him (and you!)
I am so glad that you found a preschool that you feel comfortable with! The cupcake thing would have make me nervous, too. I think you did a great job handling that initial reaction so your son would feel good about his first day.
My son was all set to start preschool on Monday and I just got a call yesterday that they found out that the CPR/1st Aid training they had that included EpiPen training was not enough. Apparently our state has a law that they have to have state sponsored trainging. So, now I am not sure what's happening and when he will start. It SURE is stressful! Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Hey there, Robyn, hope you, Tyler, and the rest of the family had a nice week. We just concluded our first week of preschool with our PA son. It went great, thankfully! He's the only one with a "serious" food allergy. He brings his own snacks/drink while the rest of the kids eat the "peanut-free" snacks provided. The staff and other parents seem very concerned and aware of his allergy. Most of the parents, however, don't understand what a PA really means though. And I must confess, I never heard of cross-contact or cross-contamination with allergies before our diagnosis either. Hope everyone continues to have an enjoyable and safe time at preschool.
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