Recently I received a note from another blogger who is trying to raise awareness of her blog. I agreed to feature her blog on one of my blog post so here goes, sit back and enjoy....
Featured Blog Post
What Nannies Need to Know About Allergies
Posted on December 11, 2012 by Erin | in Nannies
The
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology published a recent study
showing that the rate of peanut allergies in children has tripled
between 1997 and 2008, as well as a 2012 study that indicated a
correlation between antibacterial hygiene products and an increased
likelihood of environmental allergies, which have also risen steadily
over the last decade.
The rapidly rising number of children with food and environmental
allergies forces nannies to make a concerted effort to inform themselves
about the various triggers of and treatments for them. The likelihood
of having at least one charge in your care that suffers from allergies
with potentially serious side effects is great enough that a
professional nanny should make every effort to learn as much as possible
about these conditions.
Food Allergies
Milk, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, soy and wheat are all common
allergens; unfortunately, they’re also so common in
commercially-available foods that nannies must be vigilant in guarding
their allergic charges against exposure. Even a small amount of a
substance that a child is allergic to can cause swelling, rashes or
life-threatening anaphylactic shock; as such, childcare providers should
not only read labels closely and examine the ingredients of any food
product before giving it to a child, but also be well-versed in the best
treatment to administer in the event of accidental exposure.
Parents of children with allergies will almost always provide their
nanny with a list of foods to avoid and instructions for treatment, and
may even specify acceptable daily menus in order to control or limit
allergic reactions. They’re also unlikely to stock foods that their
child is allergic to, making the most risky dietary situation one that
occurs when the child is having a meal or snack outside of the home.
Restaurant menus may not always include complete allergy information, so
nannies should be careful to ask pertinent questions about a menu item
that the child wishes to order. Additionally, group outings or play
dates in which one parent or caregiver provides snacks for the entire
group can also present a challenge. In order to reduce the likelihood of
an irritating food being introduced to your charge’s diet, it’s advised
to make an effort to contact the adult who is assigned to snack duty in
advance so that she can either eliminate allergens or prepare an
alternative snack for allergic children.
In these group outings, kids should be discouraged from sharing
snacks or lunches they brought from home, despite the long-standing
childhood tradition of switching food. Meals prepared by the parents or
nanny of a child without allergies could contain foods that cause a
reaction to a child who is allergic, and very young children may not
realize the importance of avoiding those foods. Nannies shouldn’t
introduce any new or untested foods to their charges, even if they
haven’t presented symptoms of any food allergies, as reactions can be
quite sudden and very severe.
Learning when and how to properly administer epinephrine as temporary
treatment for anaphylaxis until emergency medical attention is
available is another wise move, as a situation that demands immediate
intervention could easily present itself when children have serious food
allergies.
Environmental Allergies
To read more information on, "What Nannies Need to Know About Allergies" click HERE. You may also want to subscribe to Sarah's blog so that you can keep up to date in important information.
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