How To Train A Babysitter About Food Allergies in 3 Steps - By A Food Allergy Coach & Mom
I know it can be terrifying thinking about your child having a food allergy reaction when you’re not there! So how in the world can you trust someone to look after them so you can have a date night or take a much-needed break? I’ve got a few tips in this post.
Hi there, I’m Corinna! I help severe food allergy parents keep their kids safe without missing out on life at home, school, at social events, and while traveling. I believe that food allergy families and kids deserve safe & fulfilling life experiences, and it’s my goal to help you get there!
If you believe this too, make sure to follow me on Instagram @friendlypantry and sign up for my FREE Food Allergy Kid’s Empowerment Guide. You’ll get tips to get your child ready for independence, PLUS I’ll keep you in the loop about the allergy lifestyle programs I offer and ways to connect with hundreds of other anaphylactic food allergy mamas like you! Hope to see you there!
Let’s start with a question you may want to ask your babysitter before you do anything else.
How would you take care of someone with a food allergy?
This question is really important, but don’t worry if they don’t know the answer right away. They can learn as long as they have a good attitude & desire to learn. That’s why I would hire them for their good attitude towards learning about food allergies instead of hiring them for ALREADY knowing how to manage food allergies. If they have a good attitude and willingness to learn, then you can teach them what they need to know.
Here are a few tips:
1. Pick someone mature enough to make good decisions.
You may not want to go with the 12-year-old who just finished their babysitter’s course. Try looking up adult nanny services or look for mature teens in your neighborhood.
2. Train them well.
In the beginning, you may want to have them come over for an hour (paid) to go over your child’s emergency plan, where the epinephrine is kept, how to use it, and answer questions.
I highly recommend you go over scenarios with the babysitter and let them practice using trainers OR if you have them, expired epinephrine on an orange.
The cost of this additional training time will be well worth it, for your peace of mind.
You might be wondering, how do you explain food allergies?
There are so many myths and misconceptions about food allergies, but this is your chance to break through the myths and clearly explain food allergies to someone looking after your child.
You want to make sure the babysitter understands food allergies aren’t a lifestyle choice or a sensitivity but could be a true emergency. You want to make sure they understand the seriousness of it all.
To do this, I like to show them a copy of our Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan and go over it in detail. By using the Emergency Plan, you can be sure you don’t forget anything. You especially want to talk about the symptoms of anaphylaxis, and how to treat it with epinephrine.
A great way to bring this home is to go over specific scenarios of symptoms that could happen and ask the babysitter what they would do. Refer to the Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan for the possible scenarios and what to do.
You can go to this article about anaphylaxis from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology for a clear description of symptoms, treatment, and prevention.
PRO TIP - I always have an expired EpiPen (or a trainer) that they can use to practice on an orange. Allowing them to “try it out” greatly increases confidence for them AND you! You can go over possible scenarios from the Emergency Plan with them for extra practice.
Don’t forget to talk about cross-contact and the fact that even a small trace of allergen getting into your child’s eyes, nose, mouth, or diaper area can cause a reaction. You may want to ask them not to bring outside food into your home and to only serve foods that you have already approved (see the next tip).
3. Make things as easy as possible.
Start by pre-making food or snacks that will be served while you’re away. You could also schedule your time away outside of eating hours so food isn’t an issue. Try an afternoon date or late dinner so you can feed the kids and leave afterward. Taking extra steps to make things as easy as possible for the babysitter will give you more peace of mind and increase safety.
Conclusion
I hope this post helps you understand how to train a babysitter about food allergies so you can feel confident leaving your child for a much-needed break. I’m cheering for you!
If you liked this post, follow me on Instagram @friendlypantry, and check out my resources below!
Premium Resources:
90-Minute Variety Booster - Your Quick & Easy Way To Get More Allergy-Friendly Variety You & Your Kids Love
Get Others To Take Food Allergies Seriously - Easily get others to take food allergies seriously and help you keep your child safe instead of making you feel like you're being super vigilant for no reason.
Get Over The Fear of Trying New Foods - Feel calm instead of nauseous so you can give your child the new foods your doctor recommended.
Calm Epinephrine Workshop - Help you and your child feel positive about the epinephrine injector so you never hesitate if it’s needed.
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