Incubating chick eggs in classroom

[Kelly]

My son is in Kindergarten. He has peanut, tree nut and egg allergies. This weekend I received an email from his teacher explaining how another Kindergarten teacher would be incubating chicks in his classroom. All students would then be visiting his classroom, handling chicks, and handling the egg shells to study them. She asked how my son can participate in this activity.

How do I even respond?!

[yellow]

Do you have a formal 504 plan with the school?


As for a reply, I would reply that NO your child is not able to fully participate due to his disability. Then ask how she intends to handle your child's loss of instructional time sine they are doing lessons that involve his allergies. The chicks may be ok, but He can't handle egg shells!


You should cc the principal.

[CMdeux]

Agreed.  Now, if the students work in "groups" during the project, then it might be possible for your child to do the portions of the project which are not "hands on."

(Provided, of course, that those are genuine activities that foster learning.)

This one is problematic because it is genuinely instructional and there aren't a lot of equivalent substitutions.

There are a few other uses of eggs in science curriculum, but most of those are up about 4th-7th grade.  Semi-permeable membranes other than eggs are expensive to use in the classroom (dialysis membrane, basically).  So this is one of those things that requires a bit of flexibility in our thinking as FA parents working with our kids' schools.  STOPPING projects like these isn't the same as stopping a gingerbread house-- this one has genuine educational value that is hard to substitute.

(And yes, btdt, my kid has an anaphylactic egg allergy-- it's a pain.)

[AllergyMum]

My son has an egg allergy as well. For the past 3 years they have hatched eggs in his classroom but did not have the children handling them or the shells. My son loved see the birds in his classroom.

Having the kids touching shells would make me feel very uncomfortable with all the cross contamination since my child has contact reactions.

[CMdeux]

She asked how my son can participate in this activity.




Okay, well.

There are a number of things in your favor here-- but also a number of problems.

1.  The incubator is in another classroom.  YAY!  This is a win; I recommend commending the teachers for arranging things this way.  (This lets them know that you've given this some thought.)

2.  Understand that they may not even KNOW that the activity poses much of a risk.  And, honestly?  In some ways it doesn't.  My DD has very definitely handled chickens and other birds, and even chicks without ANY problems.  Eggshells, though?  No way.  I'd also NOT allow her to handle newly hatched chicks, since they may still have residual protein on them from being inside the eggs.  That "wet" look that they have is at least partly albumin.  Not good.  It's the proteins on the inside of the shell that pose the risk.  Make sure that the teachers all understand this.

3.  Since it's in another classroom, I'd meet with the teacher to discuss ways to keep YOUR child's classroom safe.  Handwashing on the way BACK to the classroom from the 'chick-hatching' room seems like the most straightforward plan there.

4.  If children will be handling shells, can they do so in sandwich baggies?  That way they can look at them and touch them without risk to your DS.  If not, perhaps HE, at least, could do so this way?  (This will depend on your comfort level and his maturity/temperment, but my DD?  I'd have allowed it, I think.  I want my DD to be familiar with her allergens, though, partly as a means of avoidance.

5.  Handling chicks... hmmm... maybe YOUR DS' chick could be spritzed down with water and paper-toweled off before he does any 'touching' at all?  At that point, immediate handwashing might be enough to reduce risk enough to make you and he comfortable with the activity.  (Maybe not, too, and that's okay.)

6.  Student/teacher ratio is a possible consideration here, as well.  Will students be doing the activity in small groups?  (Say, 1:5-6 would be my personal breaking point for my child to participate in some of the outlined modifications above-- higher than that and I'd be worried that something could happen without the teacher seeing or noticing.)

7.  alternate assignments-- this one is sort of a last resort, but not necessarily a bad idea as long as the FA child isn't singled out...  that is, if three or four children (often this is "one from each group") are chosen to spearhead or discuss something special about the activity (what they thought was most interesting/etc. or share drawings, pictures... etc.) then this is less noticeably a "modification" for FA reasons.

HTH.  Your teacher asked for help.  That is a good thing.   

[maeve]

CM,
To your suggestion for #4, I would add having the allergic child wear disposable gloves even when handling the shell in a bag and then washing hands afterward.  I say this only because the teacher or other adult who puts the shell in the baggie may contaminate the outside of the baggie; they likely won't think to wipe it down after they've placed the shell in it. 

As someone who's DD had a contact reaction to egg-residue in a classroom that was cleaned up after a lesson involving egg, it only takes a small, unseen amount to cause a reaction (and for it to get worse if said child rubs the protein in her eyes).

[maeve]

Another thing that hasn't even been considered here is the risk of salmonella to all the children from handling both chicks and the shells.  That's a not insignificant risk. 

[CMdeux]

Thank you, maeve!!  I meant to add that to my point about handwashing being "standard" operating procedure here.  That completely needs to be about something other than the child's FA.

For the safety of ALL students, handwashing after handling chicks, eggs, etc. is essential.   


(Of course, it will help everything else in BOTH classrooms from becoming contaminated, too.)

[Kelly]

Thank you for your advice and input!  (After stressing about Valentine's Day and the 100th Day of School, this was just one more thing to worry about.)

[Susan]

Lol, I've been on Facebook too much, I'm looking for the "like" button! 
Great ideas!

[eragon]

when my son was nursery age, we had this problem, only with ducks! however due to health and safety each child had to wear a plastic apron and gloves.
i thought this was a bit much really, but it made our lives easier!!

I did before i realised about the aprons consider letting him take part, if one on one care for him on this occasion. at 4yrs he would understand not to lick fingers until his hands were washed , after handling a chick. But would still need close adult observation. Hives wouldnt bother him if he handled the chick for a short time and washed hands straight away!

once he was 7yrs, and this cropped up, i let him handle any animal he choose. handwashing suitable to remove allergen etc.

now flash point to teens, cooking at school, does get hives occasionally, but can ask  adult to crack egg for him.

[Mfamom]

I meant to reply to this earlier.
My son did this in first grade.  He has since outgrown his egg allergy. 
While the eggs were incubating, there was no touching of the eggs or shells.  they were in a warm aquarium and the kids could look, no touching though.

Once they hatched, the children were allowed to handle them with teacher supervision and while wearing cotton disposable gloves.

I was so worried about this thinking about all his allergies.  worrying about what they would be feeding the chicks, if he would be allergic to them (he's allergic to lots of environmental things and some cats/dogs)
All turned out fine for him and the kids really enjoyed the project.   Brace yourself because in 2nd grade, they had crayfish in their classroom.  Seems like it never ends