Educating DDs Kindergarten classmates about FA...

[IowaMom]

So, after several incidents (most recently the boys trying to kiss the girls on the playground) my DDs school nurse has offered to "educate" all of the Kindergarteners (there are 4 classes) about FA/PA.  She is wanting to use the Alexander the Elephant DVD from FAAN, and also just talk about things.  Do any of you have your school nurse do this in your kiddo's classes?  Part of me thinks it would help, because kids this age would be likely to help protect DD if they were better educated, but they are also curious.  What if they decide to smear PB on her just to see what would happen?  It is unlikely that would happen sa she sits at the hot lunch table and the cold lunch kids are separate, but just a hypothetical.  Thoughts?

[Carefulmom]

I would lean against it, but I am sure that there are others on this board who would do it.  Would she name your child as the allergic child or just generally say that there are children who have allergies and could become very sick if exposed to their allergen?  I always felt that it set dd apart to do these sorts of "educational" activities.  Everyone already knew she had allergies, because she could eat almost nothing (milk, egg, peanut).  I didn`t want her to be the kid that everyone made fun of.  We actually did have a kissing incident and it was addressed from the standpoint of boundaries and this is inappropriate.  After all, it is inappropriate whether there are allergies or not.  It violates body boundaries.  Maybe it could be addressed from that standpoint.

[lakeswimr]

I highly recommend it.  We did it with DS's classmates and they were very open and understanding and concerned.  They wanted to learn how to help DS and others with FAs.

Now, years later, it is a non-issue among them.  They all know how to help keep DS safe and they do so.

The girl in Virginia might be alive today if her classmates had been taught this basic info.

We always focused on the main points of

-- don't share food with a food allergic student (don't give them your lunch/snack and don't reach into the allergic child's lunch/snack, keep your food from touching the allergic child's food.)

-- the importance of handwashing/wiping and how to use a wipe (a lot of kids just toss them back and forth between their hands)

-- it isn't cool to make fun of people who have FAs--be a nice friend

-- tell the teacher if the food allergic student looks sick!

I think the FAAN materials are very good for early elementary. 

I think this type of thing will make it much LESS likely that a child does anything like put pb on an allergic child. 

[spacecanada]

Don't forget 'The Princess and the Peanut' book - we read it to a group of young girls (Brownies, ages 7-9) last night and it went over very well - sparking lots of questions, compassion, and stories some girls chose to share about people they know who have environmental, food, and sting allergies.  We have a food-free environment (except camps) and felt it was okay for girls to identify themselves as having allergies.  We then proceeded with our lesson in first aid, including how to use an EpiPen and recognise an allergic reaction (hives, itchy mouth, breathing troubles, etc.) on top of the usual bloody noses, bandages, and bruises stuff. 

I think proper education and awareness is important at every age.  Outing a kid who may already feel excluded isn't appropriate, but teaching young kids what allergies are is important to them understanding allergies as they get older, especially if they have people with allergies in their class. 

[IowaMom]

Thank you everyone for your advice.  I am leaning toward letting her do it, but I asked that they not "out" DD as the one w/ the allergy except in her own K classroom (most of the kids know anyway).  I also took many of your suggestions lakeswmr- those were very helpful as far as what should be included. I am also going to check out the Princess with a Peanut  Allergy book, and see if it is one I would like to have read to her class.  I guess we will see how it goes

[GingerPye]

You may be surprised to learn how empathetic the younger kids are.  When they hear of a medical condition of a classmate, they tend to want to help that classmate.  Just my personal experience.