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4 Things To Look For In A Child Care Facility When Your Child Has Food Allergies

4 July 2016 by Lloyd Burke

When your young child has food allergies, you have to be extra careful about where you send your child to day care at. You need to make sure that the staff at the child care center you send your child to will be just as careful and vigilant about the food that your child can eat and be around as you are. Here are four things you should look for in a child care center when your child has food allergies.

#1 Policies That Limit Exposure To Common Allergens

The first thing you need to look for when your child has food allergies is a child care facility that takes an active effort to limit exposure to common allergies. For example, a considerate center may ban all nuts from their facilities so that no students who have nut allergies are at a risk of being exposed even indirectly to food that they can't come in contact with.

Or perhaps the center has a policy that all special treats, such as those brought in for birthdays, have to meet all the dietary needs of every student in the classroom.

Child care centers that already have such policies in place are probably more aware of the risks that come with food allergies and would be more willing to put other safe guards in place for your child.

#2 Children's Names & Allergies Hanging Up Where Staff Can See Them

Second, find out how the child care center communicates to all staff members which students have allergies. A good, solid center should have an area that staff only have access to, where pictures of each child who has allergies is hung up, as well as a list of their allergies and action steps to take if that particular child is accidentally exposed to something that they are allergic to.

This type of proactive set-up will ensure that all staff members, even those who are just subbing in your child's room, have access to your child's allergy information and can take steps to protect your child from an allergic reaction. This also ensures that all staff members will know the signs and what to do if your child has an allergic reaction.

#3 Central Location For Allergy Medication

Next, find out where the child care center keeps your child's allergy medication. For example, if your child needs an epi pen, find out where they will keep it. It should be stored somewhere that is central and easy for all members of the staff to easily and quickly access in the case of an emergency. It should not be locked up in one location and with the key somewhere completely different. It should be locked up safe somewhere and the key should be easy for all staff members to grab and use in the event that your child needs immediate access to their medication.

#4 Properly Trained Staff

Finally, be sure to inquire and make sure that all staff members are properly trained on how to respond to an allergic reaction. All staff members should carry first aid and CPR certifications, and should also be trained on how to use an epipen as well. You should not send your child to a child care center that does not have high training standards for their staff.

If your child has food allergies, make sure that the day care you select for them is proactive in their efforts to keep your child safe at all times and make sure that their staff has the resources and knowledge to respond properly should your child every come in contact with one of their food allergies. To learn more, contact a school like The Cottage School. 

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