DH and I doing "inservice" for private school

[MandCmama]

      C starts pre K on Wednesday at a small private Christian school. They have never had anyone with "severe" food allergies before  , so they are genuinely reaching out to be educated. We are going to have access to every single employee of this school (all 8 of them, lol).The nurse at M's public school is the liaison nurse, so I know they've at least had the very basics re: epi training within the last year.

     We want to cover the most important aspects of dealing with LTFA without completely overwhelming them. I seem to remember CMdeux talking about this on the old board, but couldn't find it. I was thinking of something like this:

1) Review of FAP and possible symptoms (along with what C's have been thus far) and when to epi.

2) How to epi. I literally have about 20 expired epi's and several auvi q trainers. Do you think it would be confusing to let them get the feel of a real epi? He'll be carrying auvi q. First aid and procedure after epi, including requesting ALS.

3)Cross contamination and lunch room. How do I drive this one home?  People either seem to get it or don't.

DH doesn't start back until Friday, so he is going to go over and help with lunch for the first 2 days. The fact that the school was Thrilled and Relieved by this, took a load off my mind. I get nervous when people are over confident!

[MandCmama]

bump

[CMdeux]

 


Heya!

It's been at least five years since we've actually DONE one of these, and well over a decade since we did a one-shot inservice training like this.

I have to say that if you can do it in stages-- that seems to result in better overall training.

1.  Provide INFORMATION-- that is, about which allergens, some common (and unexpected) sources, info about past reactions I used red in the layman's terms version of the Anaphylaxis Grading Chart,  and WHEN TO EPI, and the protocol to follow for allergic reactions or suspected ones in any event.  Provide your contact information and set up a meeting time.  People seem to need a minimum of a week to process the information, honestly. 

2.  Encourage questions-- make eye contact and ask if there is ANYTHING-- truly, anything-- that anyone would like to ask you or know about.  Anything confusing?  No?  Remind them that you are there as a resource for them professionally-- that they should feel free to check with you or ask questions as things come up.  PLEASE ask-- because this is effectively your professional expertise at this point in time, having lived with this so long.

3.  Train with Epi.  I like to use oranges in coffee mugs or small bowls.



I agree that it is encouraging that they are open-minded and not over-confident. 

What are you hoping for w/r/t lunchroom accommodations? 

Do you have evidence (in terms of past reaction history) to support asking for that level of accommodation?  your allergist?

[MandCmama]

Thanks CM! I thought it was you who'd done this.  I appreciate your input 

Regarding the lunchroom, we just want to see the chaos procedures they have in place, and the best way to ensure no touching/sharing of C's food...where best to seat him without excluding him. We've been practicing with him over the summer with using travel packs of wet ones to wipe his hands prior to eating and opening his own containers to minimize having others touch his lunch. Thankfully, lunch is not in the classroom. Snack is, but they will be using all safe snacks.

We just failed baked egg, though not spectacularly. Allergist feels cake or cookie crumb would be fine. Mayo or ranch smeared all over, definitely not. I've already talked to administration re this, as the whole school was (very sweetly) praying that C would pass his challenge.

[CMdeux]

I'm going to make a suggestion that you look at something like Sistema containers (you probably already have!) and maybe use CLOTH napkins-- or at least paper placemats, or a lunchbox that he can eat directly out of.

It probably will become evident what needs to be done if your DH is there this week.  That's a really good idea.

I was never that thrilled with the level of danger-- and exclusion-- re: lunchtime in those early years.  It always-- ALWAYS-- felt horribly risky to me, having allergens less than 3-4 feet from my DD while she was eating.  A single sneeze, YK?

Which brings up another thing to think about-- keeping a backup of some kind in an office space for "just in case."  If someone were to accidentally contaminate his lunch, he needs to eat SOMETHING, yes?

Maybe a couple of Enjoy Life bars and a shelf-stable juice, or something. 

[MandCmama]

Yes- we have a whole cupboard devoted to sistema containers, the Rubbermaid "block" system, etc. It drives DH crazy, but when I see something that looks like it will work, I grab it! It's not like we aren't always carting food somewhere!

And I had planned on back up food as well.  I make sure wherever we're going or wherever the boys spend their days, we have shelf stable foods.  There have been so many disasters lately, it's hard not to think about the possibility of them having to shelter in place 

Thank you again for your input!

[MandCmama]

Well training was a success 

Lots of really good questions and definite interest and attention. We've been asked to do an encore refresher later in the school year in addition to the school district nurse training.
One warning for others who may be in a similar situation- we had 6 auvi-q trainers with us and passed them around. Things get very loud and very chaotic when all those voice instructions are going off...kind of like some bizarre singing round, lol

[CMdeux]

LOL  I can just picture that.

I'm so glad that it went well-- this really sounds like a great start to the school year.   

[MandCmama]

When DH and I did the training with faculty on Monday, we, as a group, had talked about a few options to keep C safe in the lunchroom- some too exclusionary, some OK but not practicle. We figured observing lunch would be the way to figure it out.

Today his teacher approached me at drop off and asked if I thought every student being given a tray would help (this is a bring your own lunch only school). That way every student's area is defined and C will be the same as everyone else.  Brilliant!!!

Can't wait to hear from DH to see how it went...hopefully better than drop off this morning...

[twinturbo]

How are you negotiating food projects with the teacher? We're at a private religious school as well--very receptive staff on peanut, very well educated in Epipen use and anaphylaxis in general. I find it all a little eggy on food projects compared to secular private school.

DH is attending with DS1 for the first couple of weeks. I'm sure he'll have it ironed out but maybe you have something already worked out.

[MandCmama]

TT- she said "No problem. We just won't do it".  The only project she could think of that used food was dying Easter Eggs.  Director even make the executive decision that the Ranch dressing that was brought in on Fridays for "hot lunch" day (they order Dominoes and serve veggies and dip)  would be replaced with the safe creamy Italian we use...so no great masses of eggy ranch being smeared around the school- woot woot!

I'm nervous- between M's school barring outside bday treats and the ease of accommodations at C's school, I feel like some doom surely awaits around the next corner  

But until then  I'll dance!

Hope you have the same luck!

[twinturbo]

Ooh, nice! Need a high five graphic.  For the both of us.

We had some good years in private school. Most of those teachers turned into grandmother figures for DS1. Good, good people.

[MandCmama]

How is it, that in my almost 4 years of dealing with egg allergy, egg salad has never been on my radar of "very scary food items"

I guess my hatred of it made me forget it exists! But the little 4 year old, sitting next to C at lunch today knows it exists- and enjoyed every last sloppy bit of it  But the excellent news is that DH said the school couldn't have handled it better- they swooped in without excluding either child and kept C safe and the other child clean.

After this incident, and unbeknownst to us, the school has decided to be egg free as well. I know that this will just eliminate blatant egg- egg salad, hard boiled eggs, but WOW! At the convocation I was practically in tears... C's teacher stood up and said (to the best of my memory) " We have several children here this year with peanut allergy and also an egg allergy.  We have implemented some new policies this year to keep all these children safe, after all, their parents are entrusting them to us." [describes hand wiping/washing, no sharing food, no food birthday treat]" I know these seem inconvenient, but we will get used to them. My sister died 2 years ago tomorrow of ALS and the whole time she was ill I was helpless to do anything for her.  This minor inconvenience can save someone's life.  There is something we can do for these children."

BLOWN. AWAY.

[twinturbo]

  Right on. A "not on my watch" guardian. She's a keeper.

[CMdeux]

 Whoahhhhhh....



Can't remember the last time I meant that in a GOOD way in schools.