I would like to contact the Boy and Girl Scouts and try to get them to consider training their Troop Leaders in Basics of Food Allergies. But I haven't the faintest idea on how I would get started in that. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/frown.gif[/img]
My church does BS - it's like a given. And the leaders seem so unconcerned that they have MA child in their midst - from my understanding it is a LTFA and they don't seem concerned to understand what is and is not okay. Very frustrating. So I wanted to take action.
Where do I go from here? And wasn't there a little girl who died from drinking hot coca at a Girl Scout's event? I wanted to include a link or article (depending on if I emailed or snail mailed them) to support and stress the importance and urgency for training in Food Allergies.
![http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/frown.gif[/img]](http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/frown.gif[/img]){kind=link}
You'll want to look at the Kailey thread by the poster kaileybriannabowles in the Main Discussion area. She died from tasting hot chocolate mix that she made at a Girl Scout meeting.
I tried searching for that (I recalled reading the thread) but I can't seem to find it now. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/frown.gif[/img]
BSA and GSUSA are completely separate organizations, just FYI. You'll need to contact them individually.
ygg
Auntamanda...they do have a program actually, I stumbled upon it at the FAAN site and asked our Brownie leader if we could do it and the girls earn a badge. She was all for it, but then she found out it was only for the older girls(the Girl Scouts, not Brownies) so she dropped the whole thing. I was kind of bummed, but really didn't want to pursue it right now. I may bring it up again though, I agree, it is important for all ages! I still have the lesson that FAAN has(it's under the be a pal program), I printed it out, so I will deff bring it up again, thanks...and good luck, great idea!!!
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Chanda(mother of 4)
Sidney-8 (beef and chocolate, grasses, molds, weeds, guinea pig & asthma)
Jake-6 (peanut, all tree nuts, eggs, trees, grasses, weeds, molds, cats, dogs, guinea pig & eczema & asthma)
Carson-3 1/2 (milk, soy, egg, beef and pork, cats, dog, guinea pig)
Savannah-1 (milk and egg)
[This message has been edited by chanda4 (edited February 07, 2007).]
Quote:Originally posted by chanda4:
[b]Auntamanda...they do have a program actually, I stumbled upon it at the FAAN site and asked our Brownie leader if we could do it and the girls earn a badge. She was all for it, but then she found out it was only for the older girls(the Girl Scouts, not Brownies) so she dropped the whole thing. I was kind of bummed, but really didn't want to pursue it right now. I may bring it up again though, I agree, it is important for all ages! I still have the lesson that FAAN has(it's under the be a pal program), I printed it out, so I will deff bring it up again, thanks...and good luck, great idea!!!
[/b]
I saw the Girl Scout badge - but I was thinking more of a leadership training for the adults. This way they THINK about the things they expose the kids to before doing things. I was hoping that not only would this protect the kids in the troops (I didn't know they were seperate BTW) but that they adults - not trained - would use this knowledge in their daily lives as well.
But they should do this for the kids too. Maybe that would be step 2. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/wink.gif[/img]
I am a GS leader, I have received the CPR training mandated by the organization, food allergies are discussed in that training. I make everyone aware at our public school that my son't peanut allergy is airborne, I find the only solution is for me to educate the ignorant.
I think you need to talk to your church leaders. They are the ones who ask people to help with boy scouts. Maybe that would be your best route. I know when I helped with boy scouts that not all of the leaders went to any special training. I am sure that if you bought this up with your Bishop/Pastor he would be very understanding and would do his best to help fix the situation.
I am a GS leader also. My DD has no food allergies (just DS), but I do have a girl in a troop does and I know one of the other troops at our school has a girl with peanut allergies also because we have accommodated her for for a couple years at our dance and ice cream parties. Our council is very good about allergies at camp and I have seen other positive postings about other councils. Just like at school though, there are always some parents that don't get it. Personally, when DS is old enough for Cub Scouts, my husband or I will get involved. I've heard BS training (at least in my area) is not near as good as GS training. The BS camp near us makes a parent come for the lower elementary grades, so he might have a chance to go though. My first aid/CPR class did touch on allergies some, but while my last refresher mentioned it more than before, it's still not a major topic. I hear statements at all of my trainings about accommodating disabilities and making sure activities are setup so that all the girls can participate. If a troop were to do something allergy related, it would have a good chance at getting an article in the leader or parent newsletter, but I've never worked above that level.
I'm a GS leader also and we have a girl with peanut allergies on our troop. My co-leader and I try and educate as many as we can and are part of our service unit events to unsure they are peanut free. When ever we do training and this subject is brought up, we educate them as well. I think it is also up to the parents to make sure their girls leaders understand their allergies and, if at all possible, be involved when food is around.
We have just ventured into BS this year as my oldest is 2nd grade. I think we may be their first PA kid. I think like any organized activity you have to be on top of your kid and speak with the leaders, you cant assume even if they went to a BSA training class that they get it. You have to talk to everyone and be invlovled in the planing process yourself!
Our meeting last week one of the leaders was shocked that I told her my kids couldnt eat the candy canes they were planing on handing out. Fortunatley there was a box that some one brought that was safe so we switched out the canes for my kids. I then got to talk with her about cross-contamination issues and hopefully next time she buys stuff she will be more aware. It seemed to go well from my point of view.
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