Table 6 Managing concerns relating to eating out venues and concerns surrounding allowing child to eat out independently
Trial and error when eating out: |
1) Initially when we found out about (son’s) allergy, we had to tentatively go into these places, we had to scour the menus, and ask questions of the staff,…and being conscientious about trying something…but, because it’s (Asian restaurant) one of these places where you can eat as much as you like, it would be taking a little bit at a time… (P2, M 8–12: Peanuts, tree nuts) |
2) Sometimes you will buy something you know and if you go to a deli or something and things are just a bit loose and you can sort of pick and mix, you can try to think what you think would be best and what would be safe, but sometimes you just honestly don’t know exactly what is in something. So that makes it sometimes a bit risky and sometimes you just trial it once. (P1, M 13–17: Peanuts, tree nuts, milk) |
3) (Child response) If it’s (burger chain) chips or something like that then I’ll take a bit of a risk, just to see if I can actually eat there. And if it hurts, I’ll just leave it. You just have to or else you won’t eat. (P5, F 13–17: Cereals containing gluten) |
Relying on others to ensure child’s safety eating out / away from home: |
4) He’s starting the nursery in August….My elder sona went to that nursery so I’m kind of feeling quite confident but there’s all the additional information that I’m going to have to give them about (name of child with FH)….And my friend’s son uses the nursery and they said they’ve got photos of the children and what they can and cannot eat so they know what their allergies are. So it’s taken very seriously. And certainly the crèche has been fantastic. (P15, M < 8: Peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, cereals containing gluten) |
5) ….even if it’s to do with the canteen and actually the chefs and stuff within the school. They send a letter home – … you have to fill out a general form – I think it might just be at the beginning of every year just for the kids that are likely to have school meals and it does say straight away any allergies you have to specify them there. (P3, F < 8: Sesame) |
6) At the start (nursery) struggled….They have had a couple of slip ups like the (ready mix dessert) and a couple of times because the teacher will go on holiday….They have had the repercussions….either the projectile vomiting or they have had to change really bad nappies. They don’t hide it, they do tell you and then they apologise profusely…I feel quite let down sometimes because I stress to them when I go in. (P9, M < 8: Milk) |
7) (Caregiver addressing child) It might have been when you went back (to school), sort of September time….Well you’d had 6 weeks at home….Then you go back to school, eat something in the canteen….And then you were poorly…. I have complained at school because nowhere else will listen to me…I’ve complained a lot at school about it and they still haven’t done anything. (P5, F 13–17: Cereals containing gluten) |
8) Going away on school trips, people not appreciating, my son is fine with this, he won’t have a problem. They don’t appreciate how difficult it actually is and how cautious you have to be. So we had quite a battle with the school regarding that. They wouldn’t sort of appreciate that someone eating peanut butter beside him could cause a problem. But they weren’t willing to put a ban out….. (P8, M 13–17: Peanuts, tree nuts) |