One more reason I will be homeschooling Noah in no time .... I had to send this email tonight after I picked my jaw up off the floor and recovered my breath at the news:
Hey {Noah's teacher},
Tonight, Noah let us know that at lunch today {Noah's friend} offered his pretzel dipped in peanut butter to Noah and Noah willingly dipped his finger in it and wiped it next to his mouth. I thank God he did not actually put it into his mouth and that he decided to tell us what happened. He couldn't sleep at bedtime because he was having bad dreams about peanut butter ... which is how the conversation came up at all. We have discussed this at length with him tonight as a result and he knows that we cannot risk something like this happening again. So, in light of this close call, we want to go ahead and have Noah permanently seated at a separate table at lunch from now on. Whenever possible, it would be so nice if he could have a friend sit with him as well (with no peanuts/butter in their lunch, of course). Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for how to handle this. Feel free to call as well. My number is ....
And, just to be wise about this going forward, Josh is going to contact {the principal} tomorrow about initiating a 504 plan for handling Noah's allergy at school. Thanks for your help with this thus far this year.
Kimberly
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7 comments:
wow. you said he actually dipped his finger in? How did he get that mess off. Was he all rashy on finger or mouth after that?
Scary.
He told a cafeteria monitor that he was allergic to peanuts and that there was peanut butter on his face ... and she gave him a napkin. No more, no less.
Comforting.
His skin was broken out red and peeling beside his mouth where he wiped it.
Definitely upsetting for various different points in the play by play. I'm still very emotional about it ... and the discussion that has to follow it...
yup, he sure did touch it....that sounds like what happened ot Natalie at 1 yr old when I found her with Brooklyn's PB &J sandwich having never even touched the stuff before.
His does sound as bad a reaction as hers. Use the word anaphylactic reaction, and if they understand the type of systemic reaction to peanuts that is for him, it may scare them into being more understanding too. It's no joke....Lee read that last night and was like, "wow. That really IS scary" Cuz you know when we were little we'd share and trade snacks at lunch, but they need to be sure nowadays to NOT let kids share snacks or trade them at lunch ...too dangerous.
what did you suspect when he came home with his face peeling? I always check Nat's face after school. Sometimes it's speckled and I wonder what she touched, though I know it's not peanut butter because in that case it would just be bright red, like when I gave her a jelly sandwich unknowingly with some trace of peanut butter in it.
This whole post has made me rethink sending my 4 yr old to public school just yet....we may just keep her at Central Baptist another year where they are vigilant in taking care and asking me everytime they do any sort activity with food or odd products they're unsure of.
Anyway, I'm interested in hearing how the rest of the story.
Sorry you girls have to deal with these allergies.I hope and pray nothing serious happens. I can understand why you would want to have them at home at this young age to help protect them.
Small update - for Noah's first three days at a separate lunch table, he had to sit in silence alone at the time out table with the misbehaving students. This got very upsetting for me and Josh the more we thought about it, so even though we have a meeting set up Tuesday to discuss everything, Josh emailed the county's head nurse and the principal to make sure they knew this was not what we had in mind as a "reasonable accomodation". Within hours, Josh got an email back from the county nurse saying the principal was making a spot for an actual and separate "peanut-free table" and that it would be ready to go by Monday. And Noah will be able to bring a friend, not continue to sit alone. Another small step to a much better resolution. So thankful!
Oh my gosh! I just want to scream for you. Praying for schools to really understand the magnitude of the issue.
And in response to your last comment...I can't believe they sat him with the bad kids. Poor guy will start to think he did something bad. Also, I'm fearful of the risk of being bullied because of the allergy label. I would keep a close watch on that as he gets older.
Oh, I am watching closely for sure. Today was his first day at the new Peanut Free table we got fussy that they create because that whole bad kids table was making us madder by the minute! Anyway, he still sat all alone at the new table even though he is allowed to have friends. I'm frustrated that his teacher isn't being more helpful about it. She's accommodating our requests, but nervous Noah is STILL sitting alone through all of lunch! I had to write another note for tomorrow asking her to help him feel better about asking friends to sit with him. It's just so new, he needs a little support. Frustrated that I have to ask for it still. I'm not there, so I can't see for sure how it's going down, but I don't feel like Noah's being considered unless I tell them to consider him, you know? Meeting with the principal and nurse is tomorrow ... We'll see how it goes. I'm gonna be really mad if Noah comes home having still sat all alone at lunch. :(
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