Dear Parents and Guardians,
This is just a reminder that we have a child in Nursery with a Severe Tree Nut Allergy. Please be vigilant and mindful when preparing your children’s lunches for school as we have had a few instances where children have brought foods containing nuts into the school these last few weeks.
This allergy is so severe that any contact with Tree Nut products (ingesting or indirect contact with someone who has touched or eaten any kind of Tree Nut) could lead to an anaphylactic reaction requiring emergency medical intervention.
Examples of Tree Nuts include Almonds, Pine Nuts, Cashews, Brazil Nuts, Walnuts, Pistachios, Hazelnuts etc.
To ensure the safety of the children at school, we need to insist on your cooperation in the following:
- We are a Nut-Aware School
- Please do not send nut products to school with your child. This includes Nutella, peanut butter, fruit and nut bars, chocolate bars, pesto etc. If your helper is making the lunches, please make them aware of the above.
- If you are making things like homemade pesto at home for school lunches, please do not use pine nuts or any other form of nut in the recipe. If sending nut-free pesto or peanut butter, please let us know if it is nut free. Again, if your helper is making the lunches, please make them aware of the above.
- Please read packaging labels very carefully and discuss this with your helper or anyone else who may be involved in the preparation of your child’s lunch and/or snacks that may be brought to school.
If possible, please avoid eating nut products before school. If this is unavoidable, please ensure your child washes his/her hands thoroughly with soap and water, cleans his/her teeth and drinks a glass of water before they come to school. Please inform the class teacher upon arrival.
Any birthday celebration/party/shared lunch snacks must not contain nut products.
Please do not hesitate to discuss this with us if you have any questions.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Tamara Quinn
Early Years Nurse