"Allergy" Overload!

[Lyss]

So wait, you are saying that the DCPs say their child has an allergy to a food. Then the DCKs show up at daycare with a food from home given to them by DCP that contains the allergen the child is supposed to be allergic to? The food that the DCP requests you not serve their child at daycare?
I'm not being snarky at all, just trying to understand.

Yep! I address it and usually get: "well... small doses are ok" multiple DCPs, not just one

[Country Kids]

Remember though-children are always allergic to healthy foods, never fast food or convience foods.::

[Evansmom]

Yep! I address it and usually get: "well... small doses are ok"

What???!!!!

Sorry, but what???!!!

Seriously as an allergy mom this blows my mind completely. Why would anyone in their right mind pretend to have this condition if you really don't?? I fear for my son when we try a "new" food he hasn't had before even after hours of research and I make EVERYTHiNG from scratch and we never eat out and it's exhausting!! And scary!

I'd have absolutely no tolerance for a parent that did what yours are doing. I'd term them for lying about a food allergy. Seriously. I run an allergy friendly program and we are very strict about not sharing food and kids bring safe packed lunches from home.

I just don't understand why a parent would do this.

[Unregistered]

Yep! I address it and usually get: "well... small doses are ok"

Uh..no. That is crazy pants parenting right there.

Small doses of an allergin still has the protien in it. There is no gauge to tell if the next time an allergic child eats a "small dose" of icecream it will be fatal or not.

This kind of crud makes it harder for others to believe and take seriously actual allergic people and just burns my gluten free buns!

It makes me shutter to think of an allergic child being dropped into care having been given a "small dose" of a suspected/known allergin before hand and they have a reaction hours later...

[cheerfuldom]

I think its a trend and an excuse for parents to get special treatment and attention. Their child is not like other children and therefore needs that extra amount because they are special or at least that is what they think.

i realize there are many legitimate forms of allergies but I have had the same experience with parents being crazy on this topic.

one parent said repeatedly that child was ill (aka throwing tantrums) because child was "allergic to snow" and please do not take her outside

another parent did not inform me that their child had a peanut allergy and an epi pen until drop off the first day of care. just tossed me the pen at random and said "oh yeah, you might need this" (opposite problem of there being an issue per the doctor and the parents not taking it seriously)

another parent regular giving inhalers and breathing treatments for a list of allergies that i have never seen one sign to indicate the issues. seen the kid act perfectly normal and the parent rush over, "see"an allergy attack, and bust out the inhalers. there was literally nothing wrong!

[itlw8]

ds had a milk allergy he could have up to 1/4 cup a day with no reaction more and his tummy hurt and he had diarreah so for him no fluid milk but we allowed some milk in baked goods.

I told dr symptoms, I kept a food diary and dr agreed with me .They do not test at young age unless a serious allergy.

so yes he could have small amounts but I wanted to be the one to give it to him so I could monitor how much he had. I was lucky my provider agreed to help with the food diary that went back and forth each day and she measured everything. milk and pork were his allergies.

now my niece the reaction was respiratory so much more serious.

as far as icecream my sis is lactose intolerant and sometime she just wants ice cream. so she takes her papaya enzyme and knows she will hae a tummy ache.

[Candy]

I don't think i would take a child with a certain allergy like milk or grass. Its to common and they might touch another kid with milk. Just what do parents want me to do with a kid allergic to grass how are they suppose to play outside?

[Lyss]

Examples:
-Dairy allergy DCK1- shows up with a 16oz Starbucks hot chocolate (I checked printed receipt on the cup it said "2% milk"), a milkshake from home or McDonalds (often for breakfast ), 2 adult sized cheese burritos, and she brought ice cream cones for DCBs bday (she showed up @ pick up with them). This stuff is always nearly gone win DCB arrives because they know my no junk food policy.
-Dairy allergy DCK2: DCD brought regular milk twice (just nonfat ), Ice cream cake for bday, DCM says she eats cottage cheese at "every meal & love it"
-nut allergy DCK3- sent with trail mix for snack at least 2x a week, PBJ for breakfast (PB caked on each side of bread so "jelly doesn't make the bread too soggy," reese's pieces, snack packs with the peanut exposure warning.

I should also say none of the kids that I currently have all said "no allergies" at interviews, their enrollment papers also say "none" under the allergy section

I think its a trend and an excuse for parents to get special treatment and attention. Their child is not like other children and therefore needs that extra amount because they are special or at least that is what they think.

i realize there are many legitimate forms of allergies but I have had the same experience with parents being crazy on this topic.

one parent said repeatedly that child was ill (aka throwing tantrums) because child was "allergic to snow" and please do not take her outside

another parent did not inform me that their child had a peanut allergy and an epi pen until drop off the first day of care. just tossed me the pen at random and said "oh yeah, you might need this" (opposite problem of there being an issue per the doctor and the parents not taking it seriously)

another parent regular giving inhalers and breathing treatments for a list of allergies that i have never seen one sign to indicate the issues. seen the kid act perfectly normal and the parent rush over, "see"an allergy attack, and bust out the inhalers. there was literally nothing wrong!

^This is exactly what I'm talking about (well apart from the peanut one! Yikes!), its as though they are making up allergies to make their kid "different" or "special." One DCM is always at the DR for herself or DCB, there is ALWAYS something wrong. As soon as she hears another parent talking about something their kid has DCB is at the DR and she swears he has it too.

And allergic to snow?!?! :::: Wow that tops them all!

[AmyKidsCo]

Chicken allergies?! Like, chicken the food or live chickens??

Since I'm on the food program I'm not allowed to make substitutions without a doctor's note, which helps cut down on "frivolous" requests. I'd update my policies to require a Dr's note right away, then give the parents all a copy of the updated policies.

[MotherNature]

What???!!!!

Sorry, but what???!!!

Seriously as an allergy mom this blows my mind completely. Why would anyone in their right mind pretend to have this condition if you really don't?? I fear for my son when we try a "new" food he hasn't had before even after hours of research and I make EVERYTHiNG from scratch and we never eat out and it's exhausting!! And scary!

I'd have absolutely no tolerance for a parent that did what yours are doing. I'd term them for lying about a food allergy. Seriously. I run an allergy friendly program and we are very strict about not sharing food and kids bring safe packed lunches from home.

I just don't understand why a parent would do this.

I agree completely. I, myself have several food intolerances, many of them major ones. No, it is not life threatening, but if I get gluten on my skin, I break out in a rash. You'd be surprised how many body care products have it in there. I also get very painful cramps that can last for hours, cracking painful skin lesions, & there's other stuff. I have multiple intolerances, & they were misdiagnosed for a decade. I'm finally getting well thanks to my new doctor, but it's only been a couple months. Anyway, the other day, my DCB came in carrying a biscuit. I had just drawn up a new contract & made a handbook & his mom had just signed it the day before. I got my backbone up & looked from her to the biscuit. She stammered, " Uh...he HAD to bring it with him." (She has a hard time saying no to him b/c she doesn't want to be a disciplinarian.) I said," I'm allergic to wheat & gluten." She asked,"Even just to touch it?" "Yes. I break out...." "Oh, well, you can just throw it away." Yeah...that's why I had that half page in the handbook about allergies, etc... Sigh. I was glad he was my only kid that day..

But yeah, that's terrible they would even fake that. It's not a joke. I advertise that I'm allergy aware & offer vegetarian & vegan food, mostly organic, & local when available. I also have a small group, so I have no problem doing it. I'm not reimbursed for it, as I'm not licensed, but if a parent has special requests due to an allergy, I will work with them on it.

[NeedaVaca]

I feel like you need to put a stop to this, honestly it's too risky for you to not completely know for sure what's going on with these allergies. Either require a Dr. note or if they won't test yet because the kids are too young then have them write down exact allergies and stop allowing them to bring those foods in your house. Sorry mom, you told me DCB has a milk allergy, I can't allow him to have this. How can they expect you to keep up with it if they are constantly bringing the foods that they are allergic to? Small amounts are ok? well I'm not comfortable with that, they could have a bad reaction and I can't have that kind of responsibility...

[Crazy In Mo]

"Allergies" these days really are some of the craziest things I've ever seen!!! In the past 3 months I've had 2 different parents tell me their child is allergic to milk. I say, ok not a problem but you will need to provide the milk they can have! Child's first day rolls around and ooops we forgot the milk but I think the doctor was wrong anywy so just give them whatever milk you have!!....... Wow these allergies sure do just come and go in the blink of an eye.

Some people! I just don't get it...... This whole allergy trend thing?!?

[DCMom]

Sorry but here it is a Doctor's note or a parent supplied lunch. That is the ONLY two options I offer.

This^^
I have one with a "milk allergy" (but often has chocolate milk packed in his lunch ) and two with diagnosed Celiac's. Parents bring all of their meals and I have a diet statement and doctors note on file for the Celiac's cases. Nothing with the 'milk allergy' though I have requested it several times.

[Starburst]

"Allergies" these days really are some of the craziest things I've ever seen!!! In the past 3 months I've had 2 different parents tell me their child is allergic to milk. I say, ok not a problem but you will need to provide the milk they can have! Child's first day rolls around and ooops we forgot the milk but I think the doctor was wrong anywy so just give them whatever milk you have!!....... Wow these allergies sure do just come and go in the blink of an eye.

Some people! I just don't get it...... This whole allergy trend thing?!?

Are they sure its actually a milk allergy or could it possibly be lactose intolerance? Because they are two different things and they have different effects on different people. I am lactose intolerant but I have pills I can use if needed and even if I don't take it, it doesn't have much effects if I eat it with something that neutralizes it- like chocolate, peanut butter, cereal or if I have it in small amounts like in a cheese burger (something that balances or over powers the dairy). My brother has been lactose intolerant since he was a baby and he gets really sick if he eats or drinks anything with milk.

[Lyss]

Chicken allergies?! Like, chicken the food or live chickens??

Since I'm on the food program I'm not allowed to make substitutions without a doctor's note, which helps cut down on "frivolous" requests. I'd update my policies to require a Dr's note right away, then give the parents all a copy of the updated policies.

Eating chicken, BUT just grilled/baked chicken not chicken nuggets

I require a DRs note or parent provided food. I'm not making meals for each kid because they don't like... oops I mean are "allergic" to it. If its a true or serious allergy then DCPs are very quick to bring in substitutes or a DRs note. 2 of mine just want me to provide different foods (IE chicken nuggets, no whole milk...) at my expense but when they have to provide it themselves the child suddenly no longer has it.

"Allergies" these days really are some of the craziest things I've ever seen!!! In the past 3 months I've had 2 different parents tell me their child is allergic to milk. I say, ok not a problem but you will need to provide the milk they can have! Child's first day rolls around and ooops we forgot the milk but I think the doctor was wrong anywy so just give them whatever milk you have!!....... Wow these allergies sure do just come and go in the blink of an eye.

Some people! I just don't get it...... This whole allergy trend thing?!?

I don't get it either! The milk response is exactly what I get when they forget milk. One DCP brought in regular milk not the lactose free DCG is supposed to have, just fat free When I asked he said "oops guess I grabbed the wrong one again (2nd time its happened), she'll be fine"