Kindergarden open house, Jakob

I posted this on FB but for those of you who don't go there.....

Most of you know I have already been on an emotional roller coaster about sending Jakob off to kindergarden. I went to open house tonight and met his teacher. I waited until we were about the last ones there and asked her if she was familiar with SID and also food allergies and epipens. She basically told me she wasn's familiar and wasn't interested in learning. I realize that every parent feels their child is important and probably as a kindergarden teacher its hard dealing with the fears of sending your kids off to school year after year. Maybe she was desensatized? But I am not sure what to do now. Should I email her and give her a run down on Jakob's medical issues or wait it out the first week? I want to try to get off on the right foot with her, but honestly she isnt off to a good start wtih me. I am super concerned to send him off to school on monday with a teacher who has no idea how to handle food allergies, the epipen and also we are still dealing with the itchy penis and other skin from the allergies..I dont want her to make fun of him or embarrass him. Its hard enough. URG! I wish I could just keep Jakob home. Its been hard to let him go out into the world when he is just a bit different. The world is unkind to different people......

That really sucks, Stacy, I'm sorry! I don't know what you should do about it, but I don't think that it's acceptable for her to not be willing to learn about his allergies and learn how to use an epi pen. If she isn't willing to hear about it then she might be endangering him. Maybe try talking to her about it again, and if she still blows you off then go higher up. Because what happens if he needs his epi pen and she doesn't know what to do? She needs to let you tell her how to react if something happens - it's part of her job.

Go with your gut. If you are not comfortable sending him with that teacher, then don't. Either she takes the time to learn about his allergies or I'd request a different teacher that will care. Maybe it was just a hectic night. I would call and /or email to make an appointment to specifically discuss Jackb and his allergies. If she says it is not necessary, then I would go to the principal and then the board of education if the principal isn't helpful. You have to be the advocate on behalf of his safety, his life depends on it and you have to treat it that way. If this teacher doesn't understand that, then she's not the teacher for him.

I completely agree with this! You guys want and should have a good year!

I would contact her again and try and get her to understand the importance of the issue, but if she is not open to it, I would find a different teacher. The fact of the matter is, this is your son's health and wellbeing and she needs to be willing to accomodate and willing to help him.

How come it isn't mandatory for her and the other teachers to be competent in handling epi-pens and food allergies? We have a small school but a student started with life threatening peanut allergies and the school was made a peanut free zone and every staff member undertook training in epi-pens and a refresher course in first aid. It was an open session for parents, too.

In the end, if she is not willing to learn and not competent in dealing with your childs situation, she is putting herself at risk and the school at risk. God forbid something happened, but if she couldn't help that opens a whole can of worms.

It is their duty of care.