Seeking advice on allergy policy at co-op

[Samm]

Just ask her fill out the allergy section.  She should be able to put into words any medical concerns.  If she refuses, then her son can't be treated any differently from anyone else who left it blank.  To do so might even be discrimination.

[justasque]

Only, you don't have to worry about cross contamination.

 

Speaking as an allergy mother, the safely consuming 3 peanuts means that you do not eat products that contain peanuts. This is the point where you stop having to worry about them touching things or eating products that are certified as being from a factory with no peanut cross contamination possible. You get to live a fairly normal life where you can let your guard down. You just don't eat things with peanuts in them. If you do take a bite and realize it has peanuts, you stop eating it, but you don't have to rush to the eR.

 

As to why she left the form blank, I think this post shows why. She knew if she had written it in her son would have automatically been eliminated from the class. She probably wanted to be able to speak to you and explain the situation in a manner not possible on the form. She did not hide his allergy, she waited until she could further explain. She DID let you know about his allergy. It just isn't something that fits into your form well.

 

The OP said the child mentioned the allergy, not the mother.  If the issue was complex, the mother could have written "minor allergy issue - please consult with mother" on the form, so that the teacher could contact her ahead of the first class.  That way, the teacher could plan her lessons before the first class, to be sure that she did not include peanuts in the class foods.  

 

I have, several times, included a notation on health forms about an issue that was unlikely to arise, with a brief explanation of how to handle it if it did occur, together with the item needed for the appropriate interim remedy to be used while I am being contacted.  The more accurate the information a caregiver has, the more likely they will handle a situation appropriately, and with the least amount of stress for all involved, including the child.

[Katy]

Does your coop have liability insurance?  If so I'd start there.  Insurance guy might lay down the law for you so you're not the bad guy.  And if not, if you have a lawyer on retainer that might be a call worth making too.  There's not only the issue of death, there is the issue of reasonable accommodation of disability to think of.

 

If not, or if insurance doesn't care, then I'd have her sign a statement that 1) she acknowledges she lied by not disclosing the allergy on the form and 2) it is a mild allergy and trace contamination should not make him sick and 3) she releases you and the coop of all responsibility concerning the 7 year old's health and allergenic state.  I wouldn't only have her sign that, I'd have it sealed by a notary.

 

Also, I'd create a form for the child's physician with check boxes - yes, this is fine even in the presence of peanuts; yes, this is fine even if another student in the class had peanut butter for breakfast; no, this is only fine in a peanut-free facility; yes, this is fine ONLY with an epi-pen trained adult monitoring the 7-year old; no, this is not fine under any circumstances.  I would think such a form would be a way to absolve you of responsibility.

[Lolly]

The OP said the child mentioned the allergy, not the mother.  If the issue was complex, the mother could have written "minor allergy issue - please consult with mother" on the form, so that the teacher could contact her ahead of the first class.  That way, the teacher could plan her lessons before the first class, to be sure that she did not include peanuts in the class foods.  

 

I have, several times, included a notation on health forms about an issue that was unlikely to arise, with a brief explanation of how to handle it if it did occur, together with the item needed for the appropriate interim remedy to be used while I am being contacted.  The more accurate the information a caregiver has, the more likely they will handle a situation appropriately, and with the least amount of stress for all involved, including the child.

 

I did miss that. I guess she figures dc is at the point where he is capable of managing not eating peanuts on his own. If they are cooking the foods, he will know if peanuts are involved and simply not eat it. However, she should have contacted or filled the form out in some manner.

[unsinkable]

I think she and her son should be kicked out of the co-op entirely. If she lied about THIS, who knows what else she'll lie about?

 

/end sarcasm

 

:rolleyes:

[Farrar]

I always take allergy cues from parents. They're the experts on their kids. I'd say option A and maybe ask the mom to sign something saying that you talked about the risks.

 

It's uncool that she waited to inform the teacher, and I understand being concerned about liability but a number of the reactions in this thread seem like a little much to me.

[YaelAldrich]

I always take allergy cues from parents. They're the experts on their kids. I'd say option A and maybe ask the mom to sign something saying that you talked about the risks.

 

It's uncool that she waited to inform the teacher, and I understand being concerned about liability but a number of the reactions in this thread seem like a little much to me.

I hear you on that but to many (because of the media and well-meaning FA parents) people are scared to death about killing someone else's kid with an allergen.

 

I wasn't THAT kind of FA parent (we traveled, ate in restaurants, did sleepovers) ;), and now that we have been having families over with life threatening food allergies (LTFA), I am scared that I might kill someone's kid since we do have peanuts and tree nuts and what have you all over the place!  This is mostly because I know now that we dodged bullets for many years.  My daughter's allergies are very serious and we never had a reaction aside from the few times we knew she ate peanuts by accident.  OIT took us out of that fear completely.

 

If it's hard for me (and we avoided peanuts), I'm sure others are more scared.

[Farrar]

Yes, people hear "peanut allergy" and freak out. But I've known a real spectrum of parent approaches which I assume (in part because the parents say so) that it's all based in good medical advice. I think this is one of the hardest things about understanding allergies - they're all different.

[sassenach]

Option A, but mom has to stay in class with him.

[Guest]

My own experience -

 

I teach at a co op with no allergy policy. Several kids have allergies and it is disclosed but we don't blanket ban any foods or activities. It is up to the kids and their parents to decide what is safest for each kid and work with the instructors, as needed, to modify things.

 

As someone with allergies myself I appreciate this. Even the first and second grade allergy kids know what to avoid and question and the peanut kid hasn't had an incident yet. Neither have I or the other allergy sufferers. As early as possible teaching the kids to manage their conditions is so much safer than relying on others to be careful enough. And our cooking classes aren't nut free, either.

 

The real world isnt safe for food allergy sufferers of any age. Our co op has a blanket disclaimer policy for all members and each individualo family has full responsibility for any injury in participating. That is good enough for me as a parent and teacher, both. It has worked out extremely well for us.

[Reefgazer]

B.  Or alternately, let the mom attend the cooking class with him and help him prepare his food.

So our co-op offers a cooking class (kids make and eat their creations), and on the first day a student tells the teacher he has a peanut allergy, which his mother didn't inform us of, despite there being a clear allergy notification section on registration. 

 

The mom says that due to desensitization treatments he's received, he can now eat up to 3 peanuts a day with no reaction.  In my opinion, this is still a serious food allergy and we cannot be held responsible for keeping the student safe.

 

Do we:

 

a) let him take the class and instruct all cooking teachers not to include peanuts in their recipes

 

b) say no, students with severe allergies cannot take cooking classes, since our teachers are not trained professionals, and there is no professional oversight of what goes on in the kitchen, so the co-op can't assume this risk.

 

Obviously I favor option b, but am interested in hearing what other co-op people and parents of students with allergies think.  I think it was unreasonable for the mother to not tell us about a serious food allergy and then sign him up for a class where he eats (the boy is around 8 or 9 years).  His mother thinks he's safe.  Is that good enough?

 

Please, enlighten me!

 

[FaithManor]

IF the co-op does not have liability insurance, I would be very, very hesitant. People say they would never sue, and then when the medical bills are big, sue.

 

A few people ruin it for everyone else. But that is the nature of this society, and especially one where medical care is insurance industry driven. 

 

Probably the first thing that should be done is to find out if you have liability insurance. The policy I had for my music studio spelled out a number of guidelines in that i had to follow in order to have coverage for specific incidents. Any group that offers classes like this in a formal setting - ie. organized enough to have medical forms that are supposed to be submitted - needs coverage.

[Samm]

 

 

The mom says that due to desensitization treatments he's received, he can now eat up to 3 peanuts a day with no reaction. 

Wouldn't she also have to guarantee that he never takes his dose or any part of his daily dose before cooking class to ensure that he has a high threshold during it (when the risk is all on the cooking instructor to do right)?

[catz]

I was coming to mention liability too.  I would be very nervous about having a 7 year old with allergies in a cooking class.  And what kitchen are you using?  If you're using a church kitchen or something like that, who knows what that space is regularly contaminated with.  I would be EXTREMELY uncomfortable for liability reasons, especially if mom was not going to be there.  3 peanuts does not seem like much in a space where peanuts are regularly eaten.  If you are working as a volunteer parent, I especially think this is quite a bit to ask if this wasn't already planned and advertised as a peanut free class.

 

Honestly, running a cooking class with a group of kids that young sounds a little scary to me in general.  I think cooking is certainly something kids this age could learn, but it would be better with one on one or possibly one on two adult-child interaction.  Impulse control is not a strong point in kids in this age range.  If this were teens, I'd have no issue, but still want the allergy form filled out and liability release signed.

[TX Native]

At the overnight camp my children attend, they used to accommodate allergies. But then they decided they couldn't realistically do this because they allow kids to bring snacks from home and the kids can receive care packages in the mail. Even if they banned food from home or mail, kids might bring it secretly and they didn't want to inspect every luggage or care package content for 100 or so campers. Plus one week they had campers with peanut allergies, dairy allergies, and a celiac child in the same week. It was hard for them to keep up being sure the children weren't exposed to their problem food. They now have a bold statement on the application, right above the required parent signature, that they are not an allergy free camp, they are not able to accommodate allergies, and each parent needs to decide for themselves if the camp is right for his or her child. The kitchen supervisor told me they don't use peanut or seafood ingredients in their meal prep and they do provide alternatives for most common allergies. They try to not cross contaminate for these kids, but they do not guarentee allergy free. There is a statement releasing them from liability. It is worded much more complex than this and I suppose a lawyer was involved in the paperwork change. Something like this sounds like a good thing to consider for everyone in the co op as long as food is prepped and eaten on site if the liability insurance doesn't already address this issue.

 

If the child in your co op remains in the cooking class, I would make the parent bring any necessary sub ingredients. I would make her add the allergy info to the form and state that excluding the info initially put the co op and child at risk. I would see if the allergist would sign a clearance for the class, with the form stating the class does not guarentee exclusion of peanut exposure in any specific amount. Next class, I would consider accomadating for a peanut allergy, but still have some sort of legal waver for participants to sign that the co op organization is not responsible for adverse food reactions. Come to think of, this would come in handy if someone claimed to get food poisoning as well.

[cera2]

What does the teacher want to do?  

 

If I was teaching the class I would not be willing to accept the liability and would have to back out of teaching if you asked me to take on that responsibility.  It wouldn't be something I was willing to deal with (especially since the mom lied about it which would make me question everything she told me).  

 

 

[Ellesmere]

I understand not wanting that responsibility. (I'm still open to hearing from the other poster that I asked who disagreed if it is fair to ask the teacher to go peanut-free. :))

I'm also wondering, just out of curiosity -- was she planning to do recipes with peanut products? Or is the teacher concerned about cross contamination? What would you have said if she had disclosed?

I'm just curious about if there was a policy in place because (and I know it doesn't help with a parent who leaves the form blank!) if this treatment is available in your area, you may find this situation with other kids in the future. From what I understand, not every patient progresses at the same rate and to the same tolerance level in programs like that, so it is always up to the clinical judgment of the allergist. 

Or just draw a line about allergies in general because not everyone can do these treatments. Most severely allergic people have to learn that the doors aren't always open. And it's not rude for a restaurant or a camp/class to say "we are unable to accommodate allergies" because it's often true and I'd rather an upfront admission rather than a casual "Oh, sure we can do it" only to discover they had no clue. I think that camp described above sounds reasonable. A place doesn't have to go allergen free to be allergy friendly.

Still, I would probably cry with happiness if a friend or teacher offered to learn to treat an emergency. I would never ask someone to take that on but to know there was one more person in our life who could inject if either my child or I needed it -- it would mean so much. Families with allergies go through a lot of social stress (and yes, some people are a pain about it), so any bit of patience and accommodation is meaningful. 

http://www.foodallergy.org/be-a-pal

Now, I completely understand not wanting to teach allergic kids in a kitchen. It's funny because I often hear of people who are too relaxed about it or don't fully understand how much is involved in knowing emergency procedures. It's more than knowing how to use an Epi or just practicing avoidance.

So in a way it's nice to hear that people take severe allergies seriously. I also am wondering, though, how much more confusing (than it already is) it will be when these sorts of treatments and desensitization programs become more widespread. Will people get treatment so they can have freedom but still be almost as restricted because their treatment results are not understood?


Slightly off topic but in case anyone is interested there is a Coursera course on Child Nutrition and Cooking. Haven't watched all the videos but I noticed week 5 has a short video posted about food allergies.
https://www.coursera.org/learn/childnutrition/home/week/5
 

[lollie010]

This thread is going to make my brain hurt. I won't be able to get it out of my mind for days. :) My almost 7yo has a life threatening peanut and tree nut allergy. I have a daughter with non-life threatening food allergies. I am an attorney. And my husband is a culinary arts teacher. This brings up so many issues I could write a thesis on it! But, I don't have any real advice, yet. I'm still pondering. :)

 

Just some brief thoughts for now...it would not be difficult to accommodate this particular child, especially with the cross contamination risk eliminated by desensitization. My husband has taught cooking classes for 15 years and has never needed to use peanut or tree nut products to complete a lesson. Most semesters he has at least one child with food allergies in his class and he has always made whatever effort necessary to include the child. Not only is it the right thing to do for the student, he is required by law to do it.

 

Whether or not there is a known food allergy in the class, it is important for anyone who works directly with kids and food to be aware of the signs of an allergic reaction, how to avoid cross contamination and what to do in an emergency. It could actually be worked into a very valuable lesson for all of the students. My husband has designed such a training program. It's really cool and the kids get excited over his chef coat and hat.

 

I think that in the near future everyone will pause before serving a peanut or treenut product to any group of kids as many/most food allergy deaths occur with unknown or undiagnosed allergens.

[Tsuga]

There are two issues here.

 

Issue 1 is a disability issue. I think that with the exception of very high-level culinary certifications, the class should be as allergy-friendly as possible, so, (a). Accessibility to all is important, IMO. People need to adapt.

 

Issue 2, as NorthwestMom pointed out, is a liability issue having to do with the fact that a parent lied by omission about her son's allergy. I have a real problem with that. I would institute policy (a) but I would have a really serious talk with the mom and explain that she was wrong to leave that out without specifically calling you and speaking to you BEFORE turning in the form to clarify what she needed to write on the form. Even though her son would be welcome, she needs to give a complete answer on the form, for the safety of her son, simply because some people are not careful if they don't have a clear message about an allergy. Help her fill in the form if need be, and yes, consult insurance if need be.

 

I still wouldn't use peanuts but I also wouldn't bring up the child's peanut allergy in front of the class.

 

Good for the mom for getting her son out there, but too bad she chose not to fill out the form properly.

[lollie010]

Another thought...desensitation is done under very close medical supervision. I would be surprised if she has not discussed this very issue with the allergist. My son's allergist talks with us a lot about this kind of thing (forms and how to fill them out, what accommodations to ask for, which accommodations are probably not necessary). Doctors generally go under the assumption that the kids are in school all day, so they discuss this liberally with their patients. With the information provided I would not assume that the mom "lied" or falsely filled out the paperwork.

[Peplophoros]

Just some brief thoughts for now...it would not be difficult to accommodate this particular child, especially with the cross contamination risk eliminated by desensitization. My husband has taught cooking classes for 15 years and has never needed to use peanut or tree nut products to complete a lesson. 

 

Whether or not there is a known food allergy in the class, it is important for anyone who works directly with kids and food to be aware of the signs of an allergic reaction, how to avoid cross contamination and what to do in an emergency.

 

I agree. It would not have been difficult to accommodate.  No nuts in the recipes, mom stays in the room to help (and to alleviate any fears the teacher might have). Done.

 

After having it percolate a bit, my biggest beef is that she intentionally mislead the co-op by leaving the allergy disclosure section blank.  She was trying to make life easier for herself and her child, but in the end made it much, much more difficult. 

[catz]

I agree. It would not have been difficult to accommodate.  No nuts in the recipes, mom stays in the room to help (and to alleviate any fears the teacher might have). Done.

 

After having it percolate a bit, my biggest beef is that she intentionally mislead the co-op by leaving the allergy disclosure section blank.  She was trying to make life easier for herself and her child, but in the end made it much, much more difficult. 

 

:iagree: Suppose the first day recipe would have included peanuts?  I shudder to think.  I teach co-op classes and a lot of upfront planning goes can go into a class like this.  The teachers were  planning and working under the assumption of no allergies based on the forms.  In terms of accommodating, I think there is a difference between a professionally run class in a closed and controlled kitchen and a volunteer parent run class in a borrowed kitchen that has many groups using it over time.  You don't know if the kid might walk through the door already exposed to the equivalent of 2 peanuts that day.  You don't know how the kitchen was used the previous day possibly.  I think it's really unfortunate the mom put you all in this position.  She withheld important information that she was asked directly about and didn't allow you to make an educated decision about planning.  That alone is enough to ask her to consider another class for her child this semester.    And I do have a life threatening allergy in my family so I do get it. 

[YaelAldrich]

:iagree: Suppose the first day recipe would have included peanuts?  I shudder to think.  I teach co-op classes and a lot of upfront planning goes can go into a class like this.  The teachers were  planning and working under the assumption of no allergies based on the forms.  In terms of accommodating, I think there is a difference between a professionally run class in a closed and controlled kitchen and a volunteer parent run class in a borrowed kitchen that has many groups using it over time.  You don't know if the kid might walk through the door already exposed to the equivalent of 2 peanuts that day.  You don't know how the kitchen was used the previous day possibly.  I think it's really unfortunate the mom put you all in this position.  She withheld important information that she was asked directly about and didn't allow you to make an educated decision about planning.  That alone is enough to ask her to consider another class for her child this semester.    And I do have a life threatening allergy in my family so I do get it. 

Nothing would have happened in your scenario.  Nothing at all.

 

The kid in question more than likely has already eaten his dose already (many protocols do one dose in the morning and one in the evening, some only once a day).  Let's say he was never told there was a peanut dish to be made.  He could touch the peanut containing substance(s), make the food, even lick his fingers.  If he did lick his fingers, he'd probably realize there was peanut in the food and stop eating it right then and there.  The end.  He wouldn't eat the food with the peanut and all would be well.  Ta da!  :hurray:

 

ETA:  Or say that they made the food with peanuts and he wasn't told and he didn't know and he ate a piece of the food (let's say peanut butter-oat-chocolate bars).  In an entire recipe there may be about 1/2 cup of PB.  Now divide that by 12.  So that's approximately 2/3 of a tablespoon of peanut butter.  The conversion of that is about 5 peanuts.  Not the best and probably the MD would want to be notified, but probably all would be well, especially if this person is staying at 3 peanuts for a while.  In my daughter's protocol they doubled the dose until 3 peanuts, then went up one by one.

 

I'm still in agreement she should have said something and perhaps given you an info sheet (or phone number) from the MD who is doing OIT, but really, truly, pinky swear - nothing would happen. :hat:  

[YaelAldrich]

Wouldn't she also have to guarantee that he never takes his dose or any part of his daily dose before cooking class to ensure that he has a high threshold during it (when the risk is all on the cooking instructor to do right)?

If this mother wants her kid to keep on being desensitized, he will have to continue to dose until the allergy is gone (yes, in some cases the allergy will go away due to the OIT process).  That means dosing every 9-15 hours the correct amount of allergen.  At this level of peanut, he cannot eat ADDITIONAL peanut (unlike my daughter), so he would need to be aware the food being made has peanuts.  He could not EAT it, but he could MAKE it, and TOUCH it and SMELL it.

 

[December]

Would not allowing him to take the class open you up to being sued for violating the ADA?  A quick Google search is telling me that those with allergies are protected from discrimination by federal law, but I don't understand the specifics.

[kitten18]

I understand not wanting that responsibility. (I'm still open to hearing from the other poster that I asked who disagreed if it is fair to ask the teacher to go peanut-free. :))

I'm also wondering, just out of curiosity -- was she planning to do recipes with peanut products? Or is the teacher concerned about cross contamination? What would you have said if she had disclosed?

 

I'm just curious about if there was a policy in place because (and I know it doesn't help with a parent who leaves the form blank!) if this treatment is available in your area, you may find this situation with other kids in the future. From what I understand, not every patient progresses at the same rate and to the same tolerance level in programs like that, so it is always up to the clinical judgment of the allergist.

 

Or just draw a line about allergies in general because not everyone can do these treatments. Most severely allergic people have to learn that the doors aren't always open. And it's not rude for a restaurant or a camp/class to say "we are unable to accommodate allergies" because it's often true and I'd rather an upfront admission rather than a casual "Oh, sure we can do it" only to discover they had no clue. I think that camp described above sounds reasonable. A place doesn't have to go allergen free to be allergy friendly.

 

Still, I would probably cry with happiness if a friend or teacher offered to learn to treat an emergency. I would never ask someone to take that on but to know there was one more person in our life who could inject if either my child or I needed it -- it would mean so much. Families with allergies go through a lot of social stress (and yes, some people are a pain about it), so any bit of patience and accommodation is meaningful.

 

http://www.foodallergy.org/be-a-pal

 

Now, I completely understand not wanting to teach allergic kids in a kitchen. It's funny because I often hear of people who are too relaxed about it or don't fully understand how much is involved in knowing emergency procedures. It's more than knowing how to use an Epi or just practicing avoidance.

 

So in a way it's nice to hear that people take severe allergies seriously. I also am wondering, though, how much more confusing (than it already is) it will be when these sorts of treatments and desensitization programs become more widespread. Will people get treatment so they can have freedom but still be almost as restricted because their treatment results are not understood?

 

 

Slightly off topic but in case anyone is interested there is a Coursera course on Child Nutrition and Cooking. Haven't watched all the videos but I noticed week 5 has a short video posted about food allergies.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/childnutrition/home/week/5

 

I posted again on the first page.

 

I guess I don't know what to say. I can't think of how this could inconvenience the teacher. She simply makes recipes that don't contain peanuts/peanut butter.

 

I can't understand why it would be necessary for her to use those ingredients.

[HSmomof2]

I may be in the minority, but I would choose B. Because of his age, most of all. If this were a high school student, I would probably choose A.

 

Do you know if the mom not see the allergy disclosure on the registration form, or did she omit it on purpose? Not that it makes a difference at this point.

I agree^^^^, especially with younger children.

[Joker]

Has anyone asked mom if she would like to participate in the class as well? Is she expected to volunteer her time for her child to participate in the co op and her class is the same time as the food class? 

 

I wouldn't want to exclude the student and think his mom didn't know best. I can understand being apprehensive but I would ask his caregiver to help with the class before I excluded him completely. 

[justasque]

I posted again on the first page.

 

I guess I don't know what to say. I can't think of how this could inconvenience the teacher. She simply makes recipes that don't contain peanuts/peanut butter.

 

I can't understand why it would be necessary for her to use those ingredients.

 

It will inconvenience the teacher if she has already have planned her recipes for the semester, printed up the recipes, calculated the nutrition information, and bought the ingredients.  So it would be inconvenient to have to take the time to change the plans and purchase new ingredients.

The co-op asked about allergies on the registration form, presumably in part so that the teacher could plan and shop accordingly.  

The mother didn't disclose any allergies.  

 

I think that this kind of allergy can be easily accommodated, if it is disclosed up-front - it's largely a matter of awareness and making a plan in case a reaction does occur.  And of course any child could have an unexpected allergic reaction (or other medical emergency), so a co-op of the more-formal-than-a-playgroup variety should have a plan for such situations even if there are no known allergies amongst the students.

 

However, whether the teacher has the time or the desire to re-work her lesson plans and re-shop for new ingredients is another question entirely.  It's easy to say "what's the big deal, just substitute, she can pick stuff up on her next shopping trip".  And that's probably what she will do, because (volunteer?) teachers are usually nice like that.  (It's probably what I would do.)  But it's still an imposition on her personal family time, and the teacher's likely graciousness in making the required changes shouldn't be casually expected or taken for granted.

 

Parents whose children need accommodations should communicate with the co-op in advance; the allergy question on the registration form is there to prompt them to do so.  Which the mother in this case did not do.  

[Carol in Cal.]

 

Still, I would probably cry with happiness if a friend or teacher offered to learn to treat an emergency. I would never ask someone to take that on but to know there was one more person in our life who could inject if either my child or I needed it -- it would mean so much. Families with allergies go through a lot of social stress (and yes, some people are a pain about it), so any bit of patience and accommodation is meaningful. 

 

 

That is exactly what I did with the little boy in my daughter's class.

It was inconceivable to me to possibly stand there helpless while someone suffocated. 

[MomatHWTK]

The exclusion would be discrimination, IMO, but not illegal as a coop is a private entity.  The mother has probably faced this type of discrimination before and thus chose not to mention an allergy that has been desensitized.  As OP mentioned, the reason she didn't mention it was that people wouldn't understand, the subtext is that her son would thus be excluded.   :(

[Lolly]

It will inconvenience the teacher if she has already have planned her recipes for the semester, printed up the recipes, calculated the nutrition information, and bought the ingredients.  So it would be inconvenient to have to take the time to change the plans and purchase new ingredients.

The co-op asked about allergies on the registration form, presumably in part so that the teacher could plan and shop accordingly.  

The mother didn't disclose any allergies.  

 

I think that this kind of allergy can be easily accommodated, if it is disclosed up-front - it's largely a matter of awareness and making a plan in case a reaction does occur.  And of course any child could have an unexpected allergic reaction (or other medical emergency), so a co-op of the more-formal-than-a-playgroup variety should have a plan for such situations even if there are no known allergies amongst the students.

 

However, whether the teacher has the time or the desire to re-work her lesson plans and re-shop for new ingredients is another question entirely.  It's easy to say "what's the big deal, just substitute, she can pick stuff up on her next shopping trip".  And that's probably what she will do, because (volunteer?) teachers are usually nice like that.  (It's probably what I would do.)  But it's still an imposition on her personal family time, and the teacher's likely graciousness in making the required changes shouldn't be casually expected or taken for granted.

 

Parents whose children need accommodations should communicate with the co-op in advance; the allergy question on the registration form is there to prompt them to do so.  Which the mother in this case did not do.  

Only, in this case, it really doesn't even have to be accommodated. The boy can handle peanuts. They can go ahead with every dish they planned. He can make the dishes, even if they have peanuts. He simply declines eating them.

[Ellesmere]

I posted again on the first page.

 

I guess I don't know what to say. I can't think of how this could inconvenience the teacher. She simply makes recipes that don't contain peanuts/peanut butter.

 

I can't understand why it would be necessary for her to use those ingredients.

I didn't see your response to my question. I'm not arguing. I enjoy discussing on threads like this because I usually learn something new and either change my view or better understand what someone else's POV is. It can be hard to talk about these things IRL -- a lot of people just don't care to hear about allergies, so I really value being able to discuss it here. Ok, the rest of this isn't specifically to you -- just using it to think some more.

 

I wasn't clear and I was asking more about if the class were to have other allergic kids sign up -- and I imagine this isn't the last allergic student (in OIT or not) that will attend their co-op classes. If the treatment is available in her region, more people are going to be trying it. If the instructor wasn't brought in on the understanding that she would have to make it allergy-friendly, is it fair to bring that up after it has begun? I see both sides. I also think, though, that this child doesn't need the same precautions that most would need. So I'm back to thinking it's not particularly fair or necessary to change the class plans at this point for this child. But I'm glad to hear they could have done peanut free easily.

 

Now she has responded that they could have made plans around him but is still stuck on the form being misleading.

 

And I understand why she feels misled but again, if this kid went through the program that I am thinking of -- yes, the parent should have had a discussion, but this conversation is exactly why she didn't. Because the instinct was to dismiss the child from the exact situation his treatment gives him the freedom to do. It can be hard enough to find people willing to learn emergency treatment and how to make things allergy-friendly, let alone people who will listen to an explanation of how this treatment works, and how yes, he's allergic but yes, he's safe to be there.

 

 

[December]

The exclusion would be discrimination, IMO, but not illegal as a coop is a private entity.  The mother has probably faced this type of discrimination before and thus chose not to mention an allergy that has been desensitized.  As OP mentioned, the reason she didn't mention it was that people wouldn't understand, the subtext is that her son would thus be excluded.   :(

 

What I was finding online was that the ADA applies to private schools, unless they are directly operated by a religious institution. 

[cintinative]

Only, in this case, it really doesn't even have to be accommodated. The boy can handle peanuts. They can go ahead with every dish they planned. He can make the dishes, even if they have peanuts. He simply declines eating them.

 

I think this is a matter of opinion. One, we are not his doctor. Would his doctor want him to test out his peanut tolerance by participating in rolling peanut butter cookie dough into balls? I don't know, and as a teacher I would be unwilling to make such assumptions.  Sometimes allergy treatments are three steps forward, four steps back.  As an assistant in a current elementary cooking class, my position on this would be: no peanuts/peanut based products in class, or he has to leave and sit in mom's class on the weeks we use them. I would be truly uncomfortable to assume that because he has had desensitization he is totally safe to be around peanuts. I say this because I had an anaphlyactic reaction to an allergy shot. You just don't know and can't assume. Ever. 

 

OP I would call your attorney, talk liabilities, and make mom fill out the form.  Then I would make sure child is not in the class if the teacher uses peanuts. It is not worth assuming and getting sued later by the mom because something goes awry. Mom can assume on her own time, but it is not fair to put that burden on your volunteer teachers.

[YaelAldrich]

I think this is a matter of opinion. One, we are not his doctor. Would his doctor want him to test out his peanut tolerance by participating in rolling peanut butter cookie dough into balls? I don't know, and as a teacher I would be unwilling to make such assumptions.  Sometimes allergy treatments are three steps forward, four steps back.  As an assistant in a current elementary cooking class, my position on this would be: no peanuts/peanut based products in class, or he has to leave and sit in mom's class on the weeks we use them. I would be truly uncomfortable to assume that because he has had desensitization he is totally safe to be around peanuts. I say this because I had an anaphlyactic reaction to an allergy shot. You just don't know and can't assume. Ever. 

 

OP I would call your attorney, talk liabilities, and make mom fill out the form.  Then I would make sure child is not in the class if the teacher uses peanuts. It is not worth assuming and getting sued later by the mom because something goes awry. Mom can assume on her own time, but it is not fair to put that burden on your volunteer teachers.

 

As I have said before, my child had graduated from this protocol.  It's really no problem.  But she should have gotten an info sheet/note from her kid's OIT MD so all this worrying wouldn't have to happen.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I would have a very hard time with it because she did not truthfully disclose his allergy in the paperwork, which makes me very uncomfortable, and the child is only 7 years old.

 

I recently went through something similar, and we had to consult a lawyer. If your registration form is a legal document, please note that the parent broke the law (at least here in WA) by stating an "affirmative lie" - by leaving the allergy section blank, she lied by omission. He is still allergic to larger amounts of peanuts. Check your insurance coverage! Both for the co-op and for the teacher personally. Now she knows about the allergy, so she could be personally liable if anything goes wrong and she does not handle it correctly.

 

I do not think it is fair to the teacher for the family to place the burden of planning and responding for what could be a terrible allergic reaction on the teacher. The equivalence of 3 peanuts is not a lot. I appreciate that the child has had desensitization therapy - but the parent should have disclosed that, along with what symptoms to look for and how to respond if a reaction starts. 

 

If the parent had filled out the forms thoroughly and had had a direct and transparent conversation with the teacher - I could go along with that. But the parent did not tell the teacher *anything* until the child disclosed. 

 

And despite everything I wrote above - my heart is with the child. I want him to be safe. 

If the child was desensitized that means said child should be eating 3 peanuts everyday so I can see why she left it blank so ti say she lied is really not true IMHO. 

 

Also, any co-op cooking class should omit peanuts and tree nuts IMHO since these 2 allergens are the most frequent cause of fatal reactions and there are tons of recipes without these ingredients. I would carefully clarify with the mom whether said child could eat food from cooking class or not. Perhaps, mom could provide alternate treat and check ingredients before each class too. 

 

Also, most co-ops are fairly small so would not mom be in close proximity?

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I think this is a matter of opinion. One, we are not his doctor. Would his doctor want him to test out his peanut tolerance by participating in rolling peanut butter cookie dough into balls? I don't know, and as a teacher I would be unwilling to make such assumptions.  Sometimes allergy treatments are three steps forward, four steps back.  As an assistant in a current elementary cooking class, my position on this would be: no peanuts/peanut based products in class, or he has to leave and sit in mom's class on the weeks we use them. I would be truly uncomfortable to assume that because he has had desensitization he is totally safe to be around peanuts. I say this because I had an anaphlyactic reaction to an allergy shot. You just don't know and can't assume. Ever. 

 

OP I would call your attorney, talk liabilities, and make mom fill out the form.  Then I would make sure child is not in the class if the teacher uses peanuts. It is not worth assuming and getting sued later by the mom because something goes awry. Mom can assume on her own time, but it is not fair to put that burden on your volunteer teachers.

Again to me it is just common sense for any co-op or school to not use peanuts or tree nuts for any class activities and it is very easy to do. many kids discover they are allergic for the first time while in school so this makes sense to me.

[YaelAldrich]

If the child was desensitized that means said child should be eating 3 peanuts everyday so I can see why she left it blank so ti say she lied is really not true IMHO. 

 

Also, any co-op cooking class should omit peanuts and tree nuts IMHO since these 2 allergens are the most frequent cause of fatal reactions and there are tons of recipes without these ingredients. I would carefully clarify with the mom whether said child could eat food from cooking class or not. Perhaps, mom could provide alternate treat and check ingredients before each class too. 

 

Also, most co-ops are fairly small so would not mom be in close proximity?

 

Actually if one is being cautious, one should omit dairy as it is also a scary allergy.

 

That might create some cranky people though.

 

There is also milk OIT. 

[Peplophoros]

I think this is a matter of opinion. One, we are not his doctor. Would his doctor want him to test out his peanut tolerance by participating in rolling peanut butter cookie dough into balls? I don't know, and as a teacher I would be unwilling to make such assumptions.  Sometimes allergy treatments are three steps forward, four steps back.  As an assistant in a current elementary cooking class, my position on this would be: no peanuts/peanut based products in class, or he has to leave and sit in mom's class on the weeks we use them. I would be truly uncomfortable to assume that because he has had desensitization he is totally safe to be around peanuts. I say this because I had an anaphlyactic reaction to an allergy shot. You just don't know and can't assume. Ever. 

 

OP I would call your attorney, talk liabilities, and make mom fill out the form.  Then I would make sure child is not in the class if the teacher uses peanuts. It is not worth assuming and getting sued later by the mom because something goes awry. Mom can assume on her own time, but it is not fair to put that burden on your volunteer teachers.

 

Yes, this exactly.

 

She instructed her son to come find her when they used peanuts in class.  This could be every single class!  But if we had known in advance, we could have done something about it. You can imagine what the teacher was thinking when the child announced his allergy as they were going over a recipe that contained peanut butter.  If I had been the teacher, I would be livid. 

 

I'm sure he is in fact very safe, but the fact that she completely disregarded our registration process, she disregarded the right of the teacher to know what kind of danger he was or was not in due to allergies, and she disregarded any kind of consideration for our legal liability should something go wrong is unacceptable.  And I'm sorry, but can anyone really tell me that this is not STILL a serious allergy, even with desensitization?  

 

This is a class about EATING.  And the recipes contain peanuts.  He is SEVEN.   His mom is not around (but in the building).  No one in the room knows how to identify or treat an allergic reaction.  These are the facts.  And they may not make mom scared, but they sure as hell do me, who am responsible for the co-op's financial and legal health.

 

I just can't justify the risk.

[YaelAldrich]

Yes, this exactly.

 

She instructed her son to come find her when they used peanuts in class.  This could be every single class!  But if we had known in advance, we could have done something about it. You can imagine what the teacher was thinking when the child announced his allergy as they were going over a recipe that contained peanut butter.  If I had been the teacher, I would be livid. 

 

I'm sure he is in fact very safe, but the fact that she completely disregarded our registration process, she disregarded the right of the teacher to know what kind of danger he was or was not in due to allergies, and she disregarded any kind of consideration for our legal liability should something go wrong is unacceptable.  And I'm sorry, but can anyone really tell me that this is not STILL a serious allergy, even with desensitization?  

 

This is a class about EATING.  And the recipes contain peanuts.  He is SEVEN.   His mom is not around (but in the building).  No one in the room knows how to identify or treat an allergic reaction.  These are the facts.  And they may not make mom scared, but they sure as hell do me, who am responsible for the co-op's financial and legal health.

 

I just can't justify the risk.

 

I have said this to you (and everyone here! LOL) several times.  He is SAFE, as safe as he could be.  He can TOUCH, SMELL, WORK WITH and everything else but eat the peanut.  

 

It is a serious allergy which has been mediated by oral immunotherapy.  In your circumstances, he is SAFE.  

 

She did not come clean and while I understand why (this is the reason why), she was in the wrong.  The mother doesn't need to be right there.  It would be nice if someone else learned how to administer an Epi-pen but it isn't actually rocket science.  The kid would know he is having an allergic reaction (unless he's never had any reaction, which is rare).  Someone could go get the mom and it she could administer it.  Or perhaps he could do it - he's old enough.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Yes, this exactly.

 

She instructed her son to come find her when they used peanuts in class.  This could be every single class!  But if we had known in advance, we could have done something about it. You can imagine what the teacher was thinking when the child announced his allergy as they were going over a recipe that contained peanut butter.  If I had been the teacher, I would be livid. 

 

I'm sure he is in fact very safe, but the fact that she completely disregarded our registration process, she disregarded the right of the teacher to know what kind of danger he was or was not in due to allergies, and she disregarded any kind of consideration for our legal liability should something go wrong is unacceptable.  And I'm sorry, but can anyone really tell me that this is not STILL a serious allergy, even with desensitization?  

 

This is a class about EATING.  And the recipes contain peanuts.  He is SEVEN.   His mom is not around (but in the building).  No one in the room knows how to identify or treat an allergic reaction.  These are the facts.  And they may not make mom scared, but they sure as hell do me, who am responsible for the co-op's financial and legal health.

 

I just can't justify the risk.

Again, it should be a very easy fix to choose recipes without peanuts and tree nuts which should be a given IMHO. it is not very difficult to change plans here and I am sure if said teacher needs ideas for new recipes without nuts I am sure there are moms who would help. It seems very inflexible to me to not change plans to nut free recipes which should just be policy IMO.

[emzhengjiu]

If I were a voluneer teacher, I wouldn't want the responsibility unless I had a statement from the mother or from the physician once I was told of the allergy. The liability would be too great a risk for me to assume for a non-paying job. I would be uncomfortable with only a verbal assurance.

[mathnerd]

If I were a voluneer teacher, I wouldn't want the responsibility unless I had a statement from the mother or from the physician once I was told of the allergy. The liability would be too great a risk for me to assume for a non-paying job. I would be uncomfortable with only a verbal assurance.

I agree. Please ask the mom to fill the allergy section of the form instead of leaving it blank. Tell her that the instructor needs all the details to make sure if she is following safe procedures for him.

[Ellesmere]

Yes, this exactly.

 

She instructed her son to come find her when they used peanuts in class.  This could be every single class!  But if we had known in advance, we could have done something about it. You can imagine what the teacher was thinking when the child announced his allergy as they were going over a recipe that contained peanut butter.  If I had been the teacher, I would be livid. 

 

I'm sure he is in fact very safe, but the fact that she completely disregarded our registration process, she disregarded the right of the teacher to know what kind of danger he was or was not in due to allergies, and she disregarded any kind of consideration for our legal liability should something go wrong is unacceptable.  And I'm sorry, but can anyone really tell me that this is not STILL a serious allergy, even with desensitization?  

 

This is a class about EATING.  And the recipes contain peanuts.  He is SEVEN.   His mom is not around (but in the building).  No one in the room knows how to identify or treat an allergic reaction.  These are the facts.  And they may not make mom scared, but they sure as hell do me, who am responsible for the co-op's financial and legal health.

 

I just can't justify the risk.

Thinking a bit ahead -- no one in the room with food knows about allergies or treatment. I think a couple of people have said this  -- if this is more than just a playgroup and this is an educational setting serving groups of children, it is worth knowing the signs of an allergic reaction and the steps for emergency treatment and also having allergy-friendly policies (let the parent provide food, let the kid self-carry, make sure someone trained is present, etc.) I posted earlier a link from a course on child nutrition and cooking and it made a point to discuss allergies as part of the educational process.

 

And, now that you have give more details, then yes, I see your issue with how it happened. I disagree with how that was handled (I'm not sure what the mother thought would happen -- no one would notice he was going off to find her when the peanuts came out?) and if she had just left the form blank and not told him to go find her, then I'd better understand her. 

 

I know you were just asking about what to do with this child (let him stay or not), but what about the future? What about other kids? He's not going to be the only allergic kid you ever deal with. If this treatment is available in your region, maybe other kids like him might come across your path.

 

No, I can't assure you about his desensitization because I do not know what treatment he's in but if it were me, I'd be very happy to give out articles and research along with a doctor's note of clearance. This is a genuine question, not at all snarky -- is that enough for you or what else would you want for documentation? I ask because I'm not a director and I don't know what you would need.

 

I hope this will be an opportunity to work things out because if I were to be in charge of the legal protection and overall safety of a group of kids, it would be a priority to have someone trained in food allergy treatment -- not because I have a kid with allergies, but because it's not unheard of for a person to have a serious reaction before ever knowing they have a severe allergy. I mean, we didn't know our kid had a serious allergy until one day it exploded and we thankfully had access to treatment. Anyway, I think it is great you would have been willing to work out a peanut free cooking class ahead of time and I wish you both luck as you work out this issue. 

 

[Tess in the Burbs]

ok I didn't quote who said it above about people adapting, but I had to comment.  My kid has life threatening allergies.  I would never expect a co-op teacher who has put together a class for the year to adapt her plans for my kid.  First, I wouldn't put him in a food class due to the risk of cross contamination even if it were advertised nut free.  But this woman is teaching a class and has prepared her plans for the year.  Changing ingredients to avoid nuts isn't always easy, and recipes do not always work with equal substitution.  This teacher shouldn't have to go home and cook more to figure out her substitutions.  She shouldn't have to read food labels on every product just to be sure he isn't exposed to peanuts.  I hate asking friends to check labels when my kid comes over, but to ask a teacher who has a prepared year of stuff ready to go?  No way!!! 

 

I am curious what the co-op decided to do.  I was looking for a co-op for my kids this year and one we looked at had a no fresh food policy.  Only store bought processed/packaged food was allowed.  No homemade anything.  Bakery items from the store or prepackaged food only.  Blew my mind.  My son can't have any store made bakery items.  He can't have many prepackaged foods.  No fresh foods allowed.  It was weird.  And it has to stem from something someone brought in at some point!?!??!

 

I personally think if the mom can't be on site with him, the teacher can deny him in the class.  It isn't fair to ask the world to adapt to issues that society doesn't have overall.  A physical issue...sure, let's do ramps and pool contraptions.  Let's offer education to those who might have been denied in the past.  But to ask everyone around to adapt food wise isn't fair.  What if this teacher had dairy, gluten, nut, and some random fruit allergy kids?  What if she has every single allergen on the top 8 plus the weird extras?  no, for her to have class, she needs to teach it as she knows it.  At some point we have to draw a line in the sand and say no.  My kid can't go to camp at most places in this country due to allergies.  I am not going to ask a camp to change their entire way of running things so he can be there for 5 days.  It's not fair to this teacher to ask her to accommodate him.  And my kid has food allergies.  I can't imagine doing what this mom did.  

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

ok I didn't quote who said it above about people adapting, but I had to comment.  My kid has life threatening allergies.  I would never expect a co-op teacher who has put together a class for the year to adapt her plans for my kid.  First, I wouldn't put him in a food class due to the risk of cross contamination even if it were advertised nut free.  But this woman is teaching a class and has prepared her plans for the year.  Changing ingredients to avoid nuts isn't always easy, and recipes do not always work with equal substitution.  This teacher shouldn't have to go home and cook more to figure out her substitutions.  She shouldn't have to read food labels on every product just to be sure he isn't exposed to peanuts.  I hate asking friends to check labels when my kid comes over, but to ask a teacher who has a prepared year of stuff ready to go?  No way!!! 

 

I am curious what the co-op decided to do.  I was looking for a co-op for my kids this year and one we looked at had a no fresh food policy.  Only store bought processed/packaged food was allowed.  No homemade anything.  Bakery items from the store or prepackaged food only.  Blew my mind.  My son can't have any store made bakery items.  He can't have many prepackaged foods.  No fresh foods allowed.  It was weird.  And it has to stem from something someone brought in at some point!?!??!

 

I personally think if the mom can't be on site with him, the teacher can deny him in the class.  It isn't fair to ask the world to adapt to issues that society doesn't have overall.  A physical issue...sure, let's do ramps and pool contraptions.  Let's offer education to those who might have been denied in the past.  But to ask everyone around to adapt food wise isn't fair.  What if this teacher had dairy, gluten, nut, and some random fruit allergy kids?  What if she has every single allergen on the top 8 plus the weird extras?  no, for her to have class, she needs to teach it as she knows it.  At some point we have to draw a line in the sand and say no.  My kid can't go to camp at most places in this country due to allergies.  I am not going to ask a camp to change their entire way of running things so he can be there for 5 days.  It's not fair to this teacher to ask her to accommodate him.  And my kid has food allergies.  I can't imagine doing what this mom did.  

I can see your point because my kid was allergic at one point and I would not have signed him up for this class However, this kid is desensitized which is different IMHO. Yes, this mom should have alerted the co-op of the situation beforehand.  I still contend that it should be policy for a cooking class to be peanut and tree nut free since these 2 allergies are responsible for most fatalities. Other allergies exist but they are not the main cause of fatalities usually. Peanuts and tree nuts account for about 90% of fatalities so to me that is compelling to just make that a blanket policy. FTR I would still not let my own allergic kid participate even if this were the policy but that is me. I would let a desensitized kid do it though.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11150011

 

As for retooling recipes I still do not see that as a big deal since we are talking about a class for little kids. I bet you could google nut free recipes for kids and find scads of them in minutes. I don't see this as being a big deal at all. Now of course the mom should have given a heads up but I still think nut free should be a policy.

[December]

 And they may not make mom scared, but they sure as hell do me, who am responsible for the co-op's financial and legal health.

 

I just can't justify the risk.

 

If you are worried about lawsuits, I really think you need to make sure you are exempt from following the ADA before you make this decision.  Being a private entity doesn't exempt you.  

[Tess in the Burbs]

I can see your point because my kid was allergic at one point and I would not have signed him up for this class However, this kid is desensitized which is different IMHO. Yes, this mom should have alerted the co-op of the situation beforehand.  I still contend that it should be policy for a cooking class to be peanut and tree nut free since these 2 allergies are responsible for most fatalities. Other allergies exist but they are not the main cause of fatalities usually. Peanuts and tree nuts account for about 90% of fatalities so to me that is compelling to just make that a blanket policy. FTR I would still not let my own allergic kid participate even if this were the policy but that is me. I would let a desensitized kid do it though.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11150011

 

As for retooling recipes I still do not see that as a big deal since we are talking about a class for little kids. I bet you could google nut free recipes for kids and find scads of them in minutes. I don't see this as being a big deal at all. Now of course the mom should have given a heads up but I still think nut free should be a policy.

 

But the issue isn't just providing nut free recipes.  To say it is nut free requires her to also purchase nut free products.  I haven't found chocolate chips easy to come by that aren't cross contaminated with nuts.  I buy the Enjoy Life Brand which is EXPENSIVE, especially since it's harder to find the 5 lb. bag anymore.  Why should she have to purchase more expensive products and charge the rest of the class more to ensure it is nut free?  As a society we are letting situations force change on everyone when in reality, if mom wants her son to cook, teach at home where it is safe.  Let her buy the expensive ingredients he can eat.  And teach him how to cook for his allergies.  It would be more beneficial than expecting the teacher to change her plans.  If I go to any cooking class in my area they post if it is gluten free/dairy free/nut free or if all allergens will be present.  If I sign my kid up for a class with nuts I am taking a huge risk.  And I wouldn't expect the company to change their class just b/c I want to take it.  I still think the mom is wrong and the co-op needs to say no food allergy kids can participate due to liability issues.  The teacher should have ultimate say.  

[Guest]

 

That's what drives me nuts. Apparently us adult and child allergy sufferers with non nut allergies just get to figure it out because we aren't special snowflake enough to get catered to with the co op policies. This is why I'm so grateful our co op lets each family figure it out and no teacher is held liable. Yes, it was time consuming to work with a lawyer to figure out the proper release forms and such. But in practice it avoids the false sense of security in people and classes being 'safe' and allows these issues to be handled as needed on a one on one basis.