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Preparing the Food Allergic Student
for College and Beyond
October 19th, 2011 at 7:00
Massachusetts General Hospital
O’Keeffe Auditorium
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA 02114
Please join the MassGeneral Hospital Food Allergy Center and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network for a program on how to manage food allergies in the college setting.
An expert panel will highlight the process on how to inform colleges of the presence of a food allergy, engage college disability services, notify and provide documentation for college health services, secure a safe housing environment, and coordinate dietary needs with food services and how to discuss with peers.
Featured speakers will include:
Wayne Shreffler, M.D., PhD Director of the Food Allergy Center Mass General Hospital
Marion Groetch, MS, RD, CDN Senior Dietitian Jaffe Food Allergy Institute Mount Sinai School of Medicine New York, NY
Christopher Weiss VP, Advocacy and Government Relations of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
Sheila Tucker, MA, RD, CSSD, LDN Boston College Executive Dietitian, Auxiliary Services and Part-time Faculty, Connell School of Nursing
Nancy Rotter, PhD Pediatric Psychologist, Food Allergy Center Mass General Hospital
Laura A. De Veau, M.Ed. Assistant Dean of Students for Residence Life Mount Ida College
The program is free and open to the public. Seats are limited.
Please RSVP to foodallergy@mgh.harvard.edu or at the
Food Allergy Center at MGH Facebook page
Honestly, I'm not sure that it is realistic (other than at a very small institution) to EXPECT that dining halls can get this 100% right for a person who is highly sensitive to a food allergen. Maybe for a single treenut or for peanut alone. But for wheat? For soy, egg, or milk? They simply CANNOT meet their obligations to the rest of the student population without retaining the use of the allergen(s).
Sure-- it "should" be possible for anyone with any disability to be given a fully inclusive college experience just like their peers--
but realistically?
Nobody should believe that it will actually happen that way day in and day out for four years or more.
That's like insisting that a Thai restaurant SERVE YOU SAFELY if you have a peanut or shellfish allergy. Or that a pizza place make you something safe if you have a milk allergy. KWIM? Then to expect them to KEEP doing it every day.
With that said-- the HOUSING arrangements are what will need coordinating through disability services. Because MFA/LTFA students may well need the ability to prepare food for themselves in order to reduce risk. This may be contrary to institution residency requirements, etc.
Something to know:
many larger institutions (particularly those with graduate populations) may have efficiency apartments and 'family' student housing on or near a campus. Students who have a NEED for kitchen facilities or other special living arrangements by virtue of disability (such as the need for a live-in aid or service animal) may be prioritized for such housing. But without going through disability services and being a QID, this is likely NOT going to be an option that will be even mentioned-- much less offered.
Also know that frequently, demand for those housing slots is VERY much higher than supply-- so mention it EARLY ON if you think this is something to pursue.
Many of the people in administrative positions (and certainly in faculty ones) will never have had experience with a true LTFA before. Know that, and be pleasant and patient with their relative ignorance--
but involve disability services. Right from the start. Because they DO know, more often than not-- and they can help others on campus to understand your needs and what is an okay (inclusive/non-identifying) way of handling those needs-- and what is NOT okay.
("Hi-- this is ________, everyone. S/he has a food allergy. I'll let him/her explain it to everyone." :paddle:)
• Avoid any breaded products (chicken sandwiches, breaded-fish sandwich, chicken nuggets, pork fritter, etc.) as the batters on these items often contain milk proteins. Also items could be fried in the same oils as products that contain this allergen.
• Avoid the desserts as they may or may not have dairy products in the mix. All desserts are baked in a large convection oven and have the possibility for cross contamination. Fresh fruit is the most nutritious dessert and it is dairy free!
• The breads made in the bakery can contain dairy products. Manufacturers may change the formulation of the product and we may not be aware of it. Always just ask to read a label.
• Soy Silk milk is available in all of the residential restaurants.
• Following a milk-free diet can be tricky! Milk and milk products can show up on a label under many different names.
Okay, Ginger-- one thing that you'll want to be VERY careful about is that the filtering that the system does is not inclusive of cross-contamination risks.
ONLY actual ingredients, and even that isn't foolproof-- for example, "Margarine and Mayonnaise" popped up as being 'fine' even after I filtered for results that didn't contain egg...
and "ice cream, vanilla" was included when I filtered for treenuts and peanuts.
Basically, what THEY thought was safe as breakfast fare was hot/cold cereal (which, okay-- MAYbe... though I know of quite a few items there that are UNSAFE in terms of PN/TNA), sausages, and fruit... but some of the listings rang alarm bells for me with my years of experience-- for example, cut-up fruit and sausages are both risks in a kitchen that uses eggs and treenut containing foods.
KWIM?
There are things there that the filters claim as "okay" but that the advice on the main page suggests are NOT okay due to cross-contamination avoidance advice. So do be wary of anything that seems too good to be true.
Let us know how it goes, too-- because this is definitely one of the better systems that I've seen in action-- provided that it works the way it is supposed to. (That is, if dining staffers know to keep labels, etc. available and have been trained to recognize XC risks and answer questions.)
Okay, Ginger-- one thing that you'll want to be VERY careful about is that the filtering that the system does is not inclusive of cross-contamination risks.
ONLY actual ingredients, and even that isn't foolproof-- for example, "Margarine and Mayonnaise" popped up as being 'fine' even after I filtered for results that didn't contain egg...
and "ice cream, vanilla" was included when I filtered for treenuts and peanuts.
Basically, what THEY thought was safe as breakfast fare was hot/cold cereal (which, okay-- MAYbe... though I know of quite a few items there that are UNSAFE in terms of PN/TNA), sausages, and fruit... but some of the listings rang alarm bells for me with my years of experience-- for example, cut-up fruit and sausages are both risks in a kitchen that uses eggs and treenut containing foods.
KWIM?
There are things there that the filters claim as "okay" but that the advice on the main page suggests are NOT okay due to cross-contamination avoidance advice. So do be wary of anything that seems too good to be true.
Let us know how it goes, too-- because this is definitely one of the better systems that I've seen in action-- provided that it works the way it is supposed to. (That is, if dining staffers know to keep labels, etc. available and have been trained to recognize XC risks and answer questions.)
CM,
The last part of your post had me thinking that this is really an area where FAAN and FAI could lead the way. They should get on the forefront of developing a good practices guidelines for colleges and universities and then offer a searchable database to FAAN members looking at colleges of those schools who participate in the program.
Okay, Ginger-- one thing that you'll want to be VERY careful about is that the filtering that the system does is not inclusive of cross-contamination risks.
ONLY actual ingredients, and even that isn't foolproof-- for example, "Margarine and Mayonnaise" popped up as being 'fine' even after I filtered for results that didn't contain egg...
and "ice cream, vanilla" was included when I filtered for treenuts and peanuts.
Basically, what THEY thought was safe as breakfast fare was hot/cold cereal (which, okay-- MAYbe... though I know of quite a few items there that are UNSAFE in terms of PN/TNA), sausages, and fruit... but some of the listings rang alarm bells for me with my years of experience-- for example, cut-up fruit and sausages are both risks in a kitchen that uses eggs and treenut containing foods.
KWIM?
There are things there that the filters claim as "okay" but that the advice on the main page suggests are NOT okay due to cross-contamination avoidance advice. So do be wary of anything that seems too good to be true.
Let us know how it goes, too-- because this is definitely one of the better systems that I've seen in action-- provided that it works the way it is supposed to. (That is, if dining staffers know to keep labels, etc. available and have been trained to recognize XC risks and answer questions.)
Having looked at dining services at several colleges now, I have to say that the scary thing is the colleges want to accomodate, think they can accomodate, but don`t get it. Some of the things CM Deux pointed out are scary to me. I cannot fathom letting dd eat vanilla ice cream (assuming she were not allergic to milk, referring only to the peanut issue) without my calling the manufacturer, and most likely it would be shared equipment with nuts. We did find one school that does not serve any peanut or tree nut products other than a jar of pb out where the silverware is for the students. So that school has no risk of nut cross contamination. Unfortunately, that is not the school that is most academically compatible with dd. The school that dd wants to go to told me that they could accomodate dd, but when I asked, they serve Thai food there, use peanut sauces, etc. No way is she eating three meals a day in that dining hall.
And quoting maeve:
"Basically, depending on the school and its dining options, most dining halls are buffets/cafeterias and I don't let DD eat at one of those now, why would I expect her to be able to when she goes to college?"
I just can`t see how so many on this board with older kids have had their kids go safely off to college. It seems like I am missing something. Most of the ones I have checked don`t really understand cross contamination and how little it takes to have an epi/911 moment.
Okay, Ginger-- one thing that you'll want to be VERY careful about is that the filtering that the system does is not inclusive of cross-contamination risks.
ONLY actual ingredients, and even that isn't foolproof-- for example, "Margarine and Mayonnaise" popped up as being 'fine' even after I filtered for results that didn't contain egg...
and "ice cream, vanilla" was included when I filtered for treenuts and peanuts.
Basically, what THEY thought was safe as breakfast fare was hot/cold cereal (which, okay-- MAYbe... though I know of quite a few items there that are UNSAFE in terms of PN/TNA), sausages, and fruit... but some of the listings rang alarm bells for me with my years of experience-- for example, cut-up fruit and sausages are both risks in a kitchen that uses eggs and treenut containing foods.
KWIM?
There are things there that the filters claim as "okay" but that the advice on the main page suggests are NOT okay due to cross-contamination avoidance advice. So do be wary of anything that seems too good to be true.
Let us know how it goes, too-- because this is definitely one of the better systems that I've seen in action-- provided that it works the way it is supposed to. (That is, if dining staffers know to keep labels, etc. available and have been trained to recognize XC risks and answer questions.)
Having looked at dining services at several colleges now, I have to say that the scary thing is the colleges want to accomodate, think they can accomodate, but don`t get it. Some of the things CM Deux pointed out are scary to me. I cannot fathom letting dd eat vanilla ice cream (assuming she were not allergic to milk, referring only to the peanut issue) without my calling the manufacturer, and most likely it would be shared equipment with nuts. We did find one school that does not serve any peanut or tree nut products other than a jar of pb out where the silverware is for the students. So that school has no risk of nut cross contamination. Unfortunately, that is not the school that is most academically compatible with dd. The school that dd wants to go to told me that they could accomodate dd, but when I asked, they serve Thai food there, use peanut sauces, etc. No way is she eating three meals a day in that dining hall.
And quoting maeve:
"Basically, depending on the school and its dining options, most dining halls are buffets/cafeterias and I don't let DD eat at one of those now, why would I expect her to be able to when she goes to college?"
I just can`t see how so many on this board with older kids have had their kids go safely off to college. It seems like I am missing something. Most of the ones I have checked don`t really understand cross contamination and how little it takes to have an epi/911 moment.
The biggest threat to your children on campus is hands down, booze and drugs. Booze especially. I wasn't a party girl, a science major, and rarely there on weekends and I know this. Personally, I have zero plans of sending a newly
Well, until recently, even a year ago, I thought I would just make sure that dd goes to a college nearby and lives at home. But when your child hits 10th grade and gets their 10th grade PSAT scores, then if their scores are very high, they start getting the recruitment letters. Tons of them. I have thrown away dozens and dozens. And then I realize that I am depriving my child of an opportunity to attend dozens of excellent colleges by forcing her to pick one where she lives at home. The fact that I was depriving her of an opportunity that she would have if not for the food allergies is not something I anticipated. I didn`t anticipate feeling guilty for telling her that she must attend a school close enough to live at home, because she has LFTA. The reality hits when your kid reads the letters from all the schools that want them and you have to tell your kid that you won`t let them go due to the allergies and your child looks so sad. If your kid works hard to have a high enough GPA, test scores, community service, and extracurricular activities that will get them into almost any school, then I really believe that they deserve to go. She works so hard that it makes it very very difficult to tell her that she can only go to a few schools, not the ones that are too far to live at home. I am not sure I am there yet. It is much harder than you could imagine, when you really have to do it.
The luckiest of them are the peanut allergic kids. Because people take that one seriously.
We just had a young man die here due to a cross-contaminated meal at a small-medium campus that was supposed to be aware of his milk allergies. Combined with an epi-pen failure (needle bent) it was a series of events that led to his death.
I think the only way DS1 could be safe and eat a balanced diet at this point would be to have access to a kitchen of his own which might ultimately limit where he goes to school if we have to add in the cost of an apt as well. Trying not to think that far in advance though.