Things To Check Out At Pre-school

[kempy99]

In an effort to be as through as possible, can you suggest other non-food items in addition to the list I've started below that I should check out at my son's preschool in terms of possible harmful gluten-containing sources?

paper towels

napkins

paper plates

hand soap

playdough

finger paint??

glue??

other art supplies????

Am I missing anything? Am I going overboard with worrying about the above.

Thanks again for your help!

Rebecca

[munchkinette]

I can't offer suggestions with the gluten, but I do want to point out that there are many ways to get sick at a preschool that don't involve gluten. I used to work in a hospital on the same floor as pediatrics. I've never been so paranoid about handwashing and germs. Kids touch tables, elevator buttons, door handles, toys, etc and then rub their eyes, runny noses, etc. I strongly recommend you get your kid into good handwashing practices and using kleenex instead of hands. (We even had training about proper handwashing at the hospital.) I'm sure it will help with gluten but it will definitely help with getting sick in other ways.

[elfkin]

I do not think you are going overboard. A child with celiac is different than an adult. Children do put everything in their mouths, touch everything and everybody, etc. I just posted a list of items that helped me (I did not see this post before I posted mine). Someone on this list just sent me a list of gluten-free items for "newbies" that included a great list of school supplies. I am sorry I can't remember their name right this moment. But I think it is in the gluten-free products/shopping forum? If you send her a message, she will send you the list. It is a great list!

As a child gets older, I am thinking it will get easier (maybe just different? new issues instead of these?) At any rate, toddlers and preschoolers are especially difficult. They don't know yet to be careful and are too young for too much personal responsibility and are so oral. We decided to do preschool at home. I AM NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD DO THIS. I am just saying it was our best way to move forward at the time. My older child has just gone gluten-free as well, so now we have all of the 6 year old gluten-free issues. (Birthday parties, etc.) Would your child's classroom use only gluten-free art supplies and soap for you? I used to teach preschool and had years with highly allergic children (mostly peanuts and tree nuts) in my class. I was always glad to do whatever I could to make them safe and happy. With crayola having so many options, this wouldn't be too hard. You could make gluten-free playdough with gluten-free flour to take in (or the class could make it as a project). Crayola model magic is gluten-free. I have also heard that beeswax is a good modeling alternative. I don't know how old your child is, but even a simple lesson about hand-washing and table wiping might benefit him/her and the children is that class. I have often thought about taking photos of different things we do to make things safe and then putting them in a book form with simple text. This could be made at home and then shared with the class. Children (preschoolers) are generally very empathetic and want to help.

I don't know if any of this is helpful. I hope you are able to work out the very best situation for your family.

Best wishes and hang in there!

[Smunkeemom]

I know that the ink my daughter's AWANA group uses for handstamps has gluten in it. I hear that stickers are okay, but like if they have the lick and stick kind you need to check them out, oh and also maybe crayons and markers.

[kempy99]

I do not think you are going overboard. A child with celiac is different than an adult. Children do put everything in their mouths, touch everything and everybody, etc. I just posted a list of items that helped me (I did not see this post before I posted mine). Someone on this list just sent me a list of gluten-free items for "newbies" that included a great list of school supplies. I am sorry I can't remember their name right this moment. But I think it is in the gluten-free products/shopping forum? If you send her a message, she will send you the list. It is a great list!

As a child gets older, I am thinking it will get easier (maybe just different? new issues instead of these?) At any rate, toddlers and preschoolers are especially difficult. They don't know yet to be careful and are too young for too much personal responsibility and are so oral. We decided to do preschool at home. I AM NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD DO THIS. I am just saying it was our best way to move forward at the time. My older child has just gone gluten-free as well, so now we have all of the 6 year old gluten-free issues. (Birthday parties, etc.) Would your child's classroom use only gluten-free art supplies and soap for you? I used to teach preschool and had years with highly allergic children (mostly peanuts and tree nuts) in my class. I was always glad to do whatever I could to make them safe and happy. With crayola having so many options, this wouldn't be too hard. You could make gluten-free playdough with gluten-free flour to take in (or the class could make it as a project). Crayola model magic is gluten-free. I have also heard that beeswax is a good modeling alternative. I don't know how old your child is, but even a simple lesson about hand-washing and table wiping might benefit him/her and the children is that class. I have often thought about taking photos of different things we do to make things safe and then putting them in a book form with simple text. This could be made at home and then shared with the class. Children (preschoolers) are generally very empathetic and want to help.

I don't know if any of this is helpful. I hope you are able to work out the very best situation for your family.

Best wishes and hang in there!

Awesome advice. Thank you!!!!!!!!

My son is 3 years old and I agree that this is such a hard age -- he is old enough to remember that he could eat just about anything and not have to worry about gluten contamination (his symptoms did not show up until just last summer and he does not seem to react to everything), but yet he's not quite old enough to understand why gluten makes him sick and/or what products contain gluten (heck, I'm still trying to figure that out). His preschool has been real good about following my instructions for his special dietary requirements, so I'm sure they will do what they can in other areas as well. Thanks again for your reply

I can't offer suggestions with the gluten, but I do want to point out that there are many ways to get sick at a preschool that don't involve gluten. I used to work in a hospital on the same floor as pediatrics. I've never been so paranoid about handwashing and germs. Kids touch tables, elevator buttons, door handles, toys, etc and then rub their eyes, runny noses, etc. I strongly recommend you get your kid into good handwashing practices and using kleenex instead of hands. (We even had training about proper handwashing at the hospital.) I'm sure it will help with gluten but it will definitely help with getting sick in other ways.

They are really really good about the handwashing rules - and with disinfecting and other methods to keep germs to a minimum.

[Guest nini]

I'm the one with the newbie survival kit with school supply lists in it...

if you would like it e-mailed to you (it is in a zip file and you will need an unzip program to open it) just e-mail me at nisla@comcast.net and in the subject put "Request Newbie Survival Kit"

[elfkin]

Thank you so much for mine, Nini!!! I am sorry that I could not remember your name! I am REALLY bad with names!! Awesome list!

[angel-jd1]

Make sure that toys and such are washed on a regular basis. Even preschoolers can still be very oral (meaning they like to put everything into their mouths). With all of the gluteny snacks the other kids eat, their gluteny hands all over the toys, and then one goes into your kiddoes mouth and POOF!!

Do they brush their teeth at school? toothpaste and closeness of everybody elses toothbrushes.

Crayons

paints (regular not just finger paint, kids still dont' use the brushes ha )

Just make sure that they have him wash his hands very well before snacks and meal times.

-Jessica

In an effort to be as through as possible, can you suggest other non-food items in addition to the list I've started below that I should check out at my son's preschool in terms of possible harmful gluten-containing sources?

paper towels

napkins

paper plates

hand soap

playdough

finger paint??

glue??

other art supplies????

Am I missing anything? Am I going overboard with worrying about the above.

Thanks again for your help!

Rebecca