Thursday, September 8, 2011

Allergy Hot Lunch and Peanut Free Table

A few nights ago, I got a call from Nathan’s new teacher. We discussed the hot lunch plan available to children with gluten or food allergies at school. I told her I wanted to try the allergy-free hot lunch choice with Nathan. I also discussed this earlier with the district nurse at our meeting. The lunch is prepared at another location and then brought to the school. We would start the hot lunch today. I know many allergy parents would probably not trust a hot lunch and feel safer with making a child’s lunch but with Nathan he is very picky. If I sent cold lunch everyday he would eat the same thing…..everyday. I want him to have a variety of foods to eat.

Then we discussed the peanut free table. Nathan has an Allergy Care Plan for School. One question on the plan is:

Does child need to sit at an allergy free table? I left this field blank.

Nathan sat at a regular lunch table at daycare with the teacher and kids. I feel I needed more information on this topic before I answered the question. The table at school is only peanut free, Nathan is allergic to more then just peanuts, what about a milk free table, or an egg free table?? I can’t have him sit by himself. Nathan’s teacher told me that Nathan does sit with a teacher - just him and a teacher - I told his teacher that I don’t want that arrangement; I can’t believe he is the only allergy child in this elementary school? I would like other kids to sit with Nathan, how lonely it would be to just be with a teacher. She suggested that they could maybe sit one friend with him if that friends’ lunch is peanut free. She said they checked and it hasn’t been. She then said she was going to talk to the nurse and try to make other arrangements.

Today the district nurse called and we talked about the seating arrangements for lunch. She couldn’t believe that Nathan was the only allergy child and there is more but maybe not sitting at the table. I told her that I would fine with Nathan sitting at the end of a table and a teacher also at that table. She is going to look into it and let me know.

What do you do? Does your child sit at an allergy table? Does your child sit alone? Please leave a comment.

3 comments:

Michelle @ The Willing Cook said...

My 1st grade son just started school lunch for the first time. It was a trying first week, but things seem to be in place now and working well. I chose against an allergy table because he would be the only child there. They managed to place 3 other boys at his table and have them all spread out. I like the arrangement.

I have a food allergy blog as well and just posted how our first week went with lunch away from home. Check it out, if you'd like.

http://willingcook.com/our-allergy-home-our-first-school-lunch-experience/

Momtoallergykid said...

Thsnks for your comment, I like your idea. I also enjoyed reading about your sons first couple days of school lunch.

GRallergies said...

My child sits at a peanut free table at school and she has for 4 years now. Our hot lunches are peanut free so children with hot lunches can also sit at the table.

I feel that if the lunch room is not peanut free than a peanut allergic child should sit at a peanut free table. Peanut butter is a common lunch item, in the USA, and it is sticky.