Allergy -school - governemnt hoops - vent

**imagine** · 08-25-2009, 12:20 PM

Having and allergy/intolerance already makes you feel different enough when you are a kid.

Last year doc said Littlemiss could not have milk anymore and wrote a note on a prescription paper. School then said they were required to have certain papers filled out by doc. Okay. Doc wanted Littlemiss to have water or juice to drink instead of milk. Doc would prefer water so would we. They said she has to have juice as that is what they are required to substitute. She can't even bring water to have with a school lunch. Okay we play by their rules (that they have to follow)

So this year, we and the doc fill out all the correct papers. She goes through the line getting juice like always and they say she can't have juice without paying for it but she can bring a drink from home. The Government changed the rules. I'm very happy about this change as it is what we really wanted in the first place.

My vent is when they state the rules. They act like you were breaking rules and you should have known. Why, how would we have known? All the paper work we had to fill out this year was the same as we have filled out before and were required to have juice not water and couldn't bring it from home.

When you try to figure out how they want to handle bring drinks from home. They act like you are trying to pull on over on them or trying to fight them or something. The teachers get confused on how to handle things without making the other students think your getting away with something. It feel like you are them breaking rules again trying to follow the new rules.

Don't they realize we aren't fighting them. We are trying to figure out how to feed our children ( drink in daughter's case) without inconveniencing anyone or making her feel odd.

Why do I always feel like the bad guy when we are trying to follow the rules?

QM · 08-25-2009, 12:32 PM

Thankfully the school that DD1 goes to has been pretty good. No major problems to speak of. (DD1 has a severe peanut allergy.)

I can totally relate to feeling like the odd 'woman' out. There have been numerous times at playgroups that I have to tell other parents that the playgroup is peanut/nut free and they have to put their snack away. It should be the staff's responsibility to oversee that people are abiding by the rules, but I always have to be the bad guy and keep things checked out. ...Probably because it's always on my mind.

I'm sorry to hear that you have to go through this. Just know that you are not alone. Many of us have children with allergies, and we have to somehow help our kids feel like they're 'normal' without making too big of an issue about their allergy and protecting them at the same time. It's a very hard thing to juggle.

**imagine** · 08-25-2009, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by QM

Thankfully the school that DD1 goes to has been pretty good. No major problems to speak of. (DD1 has a severe peanut allergy.)

I can totally relate to feeling like the odd 'woman' out. There have been numerous times at playgroups that I have to tell other parents that the playgroup is peanut/nut free and they have to put their snack away. It should be the staff's responsibility to oversee that people are abiding by the rules, but I always have to be the bad guy and keep things checked out. ...Probably because it's always on my mind.

I'm sorry to hear that you have to go through this. Just know that you are not alone. Many of us have children with allergies, and we have to somehow help our kids feel like they're 'normal' without making too big of an issue about their allergy and protecting them at the same time. It's a very hard thing to juggle.

Yes, it is a hard juggle.

It was because of my son's milk allergy ( He has outgrown it) That I became a stay at home mom. I couldn't find a daycare that realized no milk or milk products meant you can't feed the boy pizza or mac and cheese. His preschool took it the other way they fed him peanut buuter crackers everytime even though I packed safe fun food in his backpack for when someone braough things like cupcakes

**AmyBoz** · 08-25-2009, 12:47 PM

The government has a very special way of making a very easy thing into the most difficult thing imaginable. I'm sorry you are struggling with this right now.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-25-2009, 12:50 PM

We're thankful that DS11 has a lunch program at school that will take his special diet into consideration. Most kids in his class also suffer from the same problems, so the staff is more able to adjust. I haven't dealt with approaching his teacher about his gluten free diet yet, so I'll have to write a note for Thursday and make sure that the teacher gets it.

**guest002** · 08-25-2009, 07:08 PM

My son has a corn and rice allergy. It is very interesting to say the least. I just don't understand why teachers continue to give out candy as rewards in classes. This is a minefield. I mean candy got handed out on day 1!

WTH! That was even before the forms got sent home to fill out. What's wrong with giving out a sticker? And baked goods are killing me. All pre-made frosting have corn syrup in them.

**bumplett** · 08-25-2009, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by AmyBoz

The government has a very special way of making a very easy thing into the most difficult thing imaginable. I'm sorry you are struggling with this right now.

Bravo!!!