Finding daycare with food allergies

[RobynP]

Hi, everyone, first post here!

I'm hunting for an infant daycare spot (in Ottawa) for my daughter and am having a hard time finding a place that can accommodate her food allergies. She is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and unbaked eggs. I plan to provide EpiPens, but hope she never needs to use them, of course.

Does anyone have tips on finding an allergy-friendly daycare provider? Any tips on helping keep her safe? I am SO paranoid about leaving her in care, but I'm heading back to work the end of August and don't have a choice.

[Peacefulbird]

Hi. I know it is overwelming. Unfortunately I have filled up my spots and I never had an issue with allergies (cared before and currently two in my group); I would suggest you to check for caregivers with anaphylaxis training and food handling certification. I have all this and it definitely helped. Also there are already some mom caregivers who's children have allergies, therefore those mom's are knowledgeable on how to handle it.

Look into www.ccprn.com maybe you can contact caregivers from their list.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

It's really tricky in a day home to provide an allergen free environment. In a center, because no one lives there and the building isn't used for any other purpose, it's easier to accept children with allergies. But in a day home, because it's also a family home, then unless the provider's family also has the same allergy, it's a big ask that the family omits the allergens from their own diet/home.

I used to have a little boy in my care who was allergic to all nuts, all legumes, soy protein and eggs - raw and cooked. And it was a contact allergy. The additional work to ensure that a child's utensils are washing first before anything that's had contact with any allergen hits the dish water, the wiping of surfaces, the provision of separate meals, separate eating area, making sure children don't leave the table or even walk in the door from breakfast at home before their hands and faces are washed just in case they had a muffin or bread or a cereal with nuts before coming, is really hard. Being vigilant if playing at a local park in case someone else has dropped a cereal bar wrapper, leaving if other children arrive in case they have a snack with them which after eating, they touch the play equipment that a child with an allergen might touch - it's takes over the whole schedule and program.

Not all day homes have the space to provide what is needed - the liability issues alone can be huge. While I would never normally suggest a parent goes to a center over a day home once they've made that decision, having dealt with this issue before and knowing the level of vigilance needed, I would strongly recommend that's what you do. At least then, you know the only food coming into the day care fits your requirements but also, should something go wrong, then there's additional staff to move the other children away while staff focus on your child's medical emergency.

[33 Daiseys]

Hi Robyn,
If you are located in the west end, i have a nut free environment, and cater to special dietary needs