Beginning school is a significant step in your child’s life — and it can stir up a whirlwind of emotions for parents. When your child has a medical condition, those emotions often intensify. For parents a child with a milk allergy, the thought of handing over care to someone else can be especially stressful. Questions naturally arise: Will the staff know how to respond in an emergency? Will other children grasp the importance of your child’s allergy? Will your child feel left out when everyone else is having their milk at break time? The concerns seem endless….
As parents and carers it is natural to have doubts about how your setting will manage your child’s milk allergy – and of course the impact that your child’s milk allergy will have as they start this new chapter. However, it is important to remember that you are not alone on this process and that there is support and guidance available to help you prepare for this next step in your allergy parent journey. Read on for some practical advice from our expert team on how to navigate your child’s journey with confidence.
As a parent or carer, it is crucial to communicate extensively with the school setting about the required care for your child.
The first step will involve setting up a meeting with your child’s teacher and, if possible, school leaders and other adults who will be interacting with your child. The aim of this meeting should be to create a detailed plan to manage your child’s milk allergy whilst they are in the care of the school.
This plan should include information about your child’s specific allergies, how to safeguard against the allergen or allergens, symptoms of an allergic reaction, and steps to take in case of an emergency. This plan should be reviewed regularly to ensure it is the most up to date it can be for your child and so it is likely that meetings will be needed on a regular basis throughout the school year.
It is helpful to take a checklist with you into these meetings; often discussing your child’s allergies can be an emotional topic, so taking a checklist to refer to and notes during the meeting which you can later refer back to, will help the conversations to remain focused and productive.
If your child has been prescribed medication or uses over-the-counter treatments for their allergy—such as inhalers or epipens—you’ll need to coordinate with the nursery or school to fill out the required forms so the staff can administer them when needed.
You may also wish to talk to your healthcare provider about prescribing additional medications to be stored at school – so please allow time to do this before the start of term as there may be a delay in requesting and receiving your medication.
It would also be prudent to enquire with the school about the storage of medication and about staff training in administering emergency medication such as EpiPens. There are many training programmes available for school staff (such as Kitt Medical and AllergyWise) which you could signpost as needed. Ensuring that emergencies have been thoroughly planned for will give peace of mind should a reaction happen.
In an ideal world, the school would provide allergy friendly meals, snacks and drinks as standard – however we know that in reality this is not always possible. In general, if schools are offering milk as part of snack time, the onus is on the parents to provide an alternative if required.
When it comes to school lunches, arrangements can be made to provide allergen free meals for your child – this should be discussed directly with the school and their kitchen staff who will provide dairy free options. On occasion there may be other sources of food – such as end of term treats – on offer.
Most often these will be provided by the class teacher and so it is advisable to keep the line of communication open between school and home so that you are able to offer alternatives as necessary. Some families prefer to keep a box of ‘safe’ snacks and treats in school for ease and again this can easily be arranged by talking with the class teacher.
How you support your child in starting this new phase will largely depend on their level of understanding and unique personality. If possible, help them learn about their specific milk allergy and introduce simple habits—like avoiding other children’s snacks—so they can begin to take some responsibility for managing their condition.
Encourage them to tell their friends that they are allergic to milk and about some of the foods they are not allowed so that they can also support them. Children are naturally empathetic and, with the right guidance, are often eager to create a kind and welcoming environment for everyone, including those with allergies
Being the parent or carer of a child with a milk allergy is a very demanding and stressful role, none more so than when you have to ‘hand over’ some of the responsibility of keeping your child safe to someone else. It is important however that you take control of managing your own stress and anxieties, so that these are not passed on to your child and so that you can focus on being the best caregiver you can be.
If you wish to learn more about how to support your child (and yourself!) as they start school, our online resource ‘Preparing for Nursery or Schools with Allergies (Dr Helen Allergy)’ is a comprehensive guide for you and your child to be fully prepared. And for support with the mental load which comes with managing this transition for your child, Dr Francesca, our resident psychologist has created an online module.
Currently the UK government provides subsidised milk to schools and nurseries and many primary schools do include milk and fruit as part of their snack time (usually up until Year 2).
At present the scheme only provides cow’s milk and not alternative milks. Discuss with your individual school what the policy is on providing a safe alternative.
Yes, your child can have a dairy free meal provided by the school. The school menu should include a range of allergy friendly options and you can arrange to meet the school kitchen to discuss your child’s individual needs. Remember school meals are free for infant school aged children and this includes allergy friendly options.
Talk to the teacher about avoiding milk-containing products in lessons or celebrations. Suggest safe alternatives so your child can still be included without risk and consider providing alternatives if you feel it would be easier.
Check with the school about how allergies are managed off-site, this information may be included in the school’s educational visits policy. Closer to the time of the trip, ensure staff supervising the trip are trained, carry your child’s medication, and know the emergency plan.
Staff should be trained in recognizing allergic reactions and using emergency medication like EpiPens. It’s okay to ask about their training and request that all relevant staff be briefed on your child’s specific needs. Remember there are training courses available specifically for schools – such as Kitt Medical and AllergyWise.
Currently the UK government provides subsidised milk to schools and nurseries and many primary schools do include milk and fruit as part of their snack time (usually up until Year 2).
At present the scheme only provides cow’s milk and not alternative milks. Discuss with your individual school what the policy is on providing a safe alternative.
Yes, your child can have a dairy free meal provided by the school. The school menu should include a range of allergy friendly options and you can arrange to meet the school kitchen to discuss your child’s individual needs. Remember school meals are free for infant school aged children and this includes allergy friendly options.
Talk to the teacher about avoiding milk-containing products in lessons or celebrations. Suggest safe alternatives so your child can still be included without risk and consider providing alternatives if you feel it would be easier.
Check with the school about how allergies are managed off-site, this information may be included in the school’s educational visits policy. Closer to the time of the trip, ensure staff supervising the trip are trained, carry your child’s medication, and know the emergency plan.
Staff should be trained in recognizing allergic reactions and using emergency medication like EpiPens. It’s okay to ask about their training and request that all relevant staff be briefed on your child’s specific needs. Remember there are training courses available specifically for schools – such as Kitt Medical and AllergyWise.
