- Hidden Culprits -
Be aware of potential food allergies in these common classroom items and preschool activities.

ITEM/ACTIVITY
EGG
WHEAT
DAIRY
SOY
PEANUT/ TREE NUT
Tempera Paint
Macaroni Art
Egg Carton/
✲ ✲
✲
✲ Craft Projects
Finger Paint
✲
✲ Crayons
Soaps Paper Mache
✲
✲ ✲
✲ ✲
✲ Craft Paste
Bird Feeders
Bird Seed
Potting Soil
➤ R educing exposure to allergens (non-food prizes,
appropriate snacks, hand washing, no food projects,
washing down tables and chairs).

➤ M ake sure wipes are available.

➤ I f possible, make it a nut-free zone.

➤ H ow to include your child in all aspects of the program
— paying close attention to the psychological factors that
accompany food allergies.

How to Handle Food Allergy Emergencies
➤ S et up a communication chain.

➤ Access to Epi. Discuss where will it be stored.

➤ U se Epi, then call 911 (ask your doctor for more specific
emergency procedure guidelines and give this to the
school). ➤ I dentify role of staff in a food allergy emergency.

 STEP 3: ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN
TO ADVOCATE
Even though preschoolers are young, teaching them to
advocate for themselves is smart. Here are a few things
to discuss.

➤ L et them know there’s a plan in place and point out
✲
✲ ✲
✲ who’s in charge of their care. This reduces their anxiety
and yours.

➤ Teach them what an Epi Pen is and how to use it.

➤ Stress a no food sharing policy.

➤ Kids may not be able to articulate certain things, but
they do understand things intuitively. So tell your child
that if something doesn’t look and/or feel right, like a
snack that’s being provided, it’s OK to say no and let the
teacher know.

➤ If they are having reaction symptoms, instruct them to
immediately alert a caregiver. Here are some common
descriptions by preschool children.

• Tongue feels itchy/heavy/tingling/burning/hot.

• Something in the back of the throat/throat feels thick.

• Mouth and/or tummy feel funny/weird.

For parents, the most difficult thing to master in the food
allergy management and prevention process is to stay calm.

Nothing is ever perfect or foolproof and more often than
not, you are the educator for the teacher and/or director.

Always remember to look at the situation critically
and calmly.

Rachel Ornstein Packer is an Annapolis-based writer focusing
on food allergies, nutrition and diet.

12 August 2018 washingtonFAMILY.com
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7/25/18 3:29 PM