Playdough and pasta necklaces are the latest items to be banned from preschools

With the amount of childhood allergies increasing across Australia, it comes as no surprise that drastic safety measures are being taken.

But while many preschools have commonly banned items such as peanuts, others have taken it further by banning playdough and pasta necklaces due to gluten allergies and coeliac disease.

Parents have raised concerns about the banning of these items online, claiming that preschools who choose to ban these items are taking their precautions too far. 

Taking it further: While many Australian preschools have commonly banned items such as peanuts, others have taken it further by banning playdough and pasta necklaces due to gluten allergies and coeliac disease

Options: But not all have chosen to ban the items, with Lutwyche Windsor Kindergarten and Preschool in Queensland offering unique alternatives like gluten-free playdough instead… despite it being more expensive

But not all have chosen to ban the items, with Lutwyche Windsor Kindergarten and Preschool in Queensland offering unique alternatives instead. 

Louise Allison, the admin officer for the kindergarten and preschool, told Daily Mail Australia that the industry is more cautious now than ever. 

‘We tend to ask parents not to bring nuts but when it comes to playdough we offer a gluten-free playdough due to a number of children having coeliac disease,’ Mrs Allison said, who has worked in the industry for 22 years. 

• A month of Mary: From christenings to conferences the Crown…
  

  Forget the rainbow craze, food is now going goth! New trend…
  

  What happened to plates? Vibrant vegan jars are now being…
  

  From Finding Dory to The Wizard of Oz: Talented makeup…
  

Safety first: Pasta necklaces have also been banned from the activity list in some preschools, along with egg cartons, yoghurt containers and polystyrene meat trays

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF ALLERGIC REACTIONS? 

The most common causes of allergic reactions in young children are food. In particular:

– Egg

– Cow’s milk

– Peanut

– Tree nut

– Soy

– Wheat

– Fish

– Shellfish

– Sesame

Other causes are bee or other insect stings ( wasps, Jack Jumper Ants), medication and latex (rubber).

Source: Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne

‘It is a lot more expensive though and does go off quite quickly but it’s a safe alternative… much better than banning it altogether.’ 

‘We don’t use empty toilet rolls for craft here though. We can’t use them… it’s nice that they have been donated and all but you don’t know where they have been.’

Pasta necklaces have also been banned from the activity list in some preschools, along with egg cartons, yoghurt containers and polystyrene meat trays. 

But despite the increasing list of banned items across the country, Mrs Allison believes that education is the answer. 

‘We try to educate more than ban,’ she said. 

‘You can insulate a child from things at kindy but at school you can’t be sure every child has washed their hands or won’t have peanut butter so if they have severe allergies that can be a real problem. 

‘For example we have chickens here and they lay eggs… so the children who are allergic to eggs we then educate them on how to handle them.’ 

They also make sure to advise parents on all allergies and ask them to offer alternatives for birthday cakes. 

Mrs Allison said safety measures have been boosted in most areas… from sunscreen applications two hours after arrival and strict hat rules to excursions where there are two children to every one adult. 

Not safe: ‘We don’t use empty toilet rolls for craft here though. We can’t use them… you don’t know where they have been,’ admin officer for Lutwyche Windsor Kindergarten and Preschool, Louise Allison, said

‘You don’t want them to be wrapped in cotton wool but you do need to be careful as well. They are allowed to climb but if they fall, they fall on a soft surface. We allow them to play but we make sure we do playground checks for branches,’ she said.

According to The Courier Mail, some preschools are also offering ‘toy cakes’ to children which are made up of a pile of toys topped with a battery-operated candle. 

‘Whatever happened to letting kids be kids?’ one mother told the paper. ‘For those who choose to live that lifestyle, why should our children have to miss out? … I just think people are taking things far too far these days [sic].’

According to The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Lutwyche Windsor Kindergarten and Preschool’s take on allergies is the correct one.

‘Banning of products that contain the allergen is NOT recommended,’ they advise.

Education is more important: ‘Banning of products that contain the allergen is NOT recommended,’ the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne advises 

‘Banning will not succeed in creating an “allergy free zone”. It is difficult to achieve a 100 per cent ban, for a variety of reasons.

‘For example, product labels can be confusing, parents of non-allergic children may not comply with the ban, and lastly, staff and students become complacent.

‘Food containers or packages that contain the allergen should not be used. Parents of children with anaphylaxis can help by checking art/craft products for hidden ingredients, as they are often more aware of terms used.’

Preschools are also advised to have separate tables for arts and crafts and food.  

Keep them apart: Preschools are also advised to have separate tables for arts and crafts and food

‘Where this is not possible, tables must be cleaned thoroughly between uses,’ they advise. 

Parents have had a mixed reaction on social media, including mothers of children who suffer from severe allergies. 

‘Being an allergy parent is hard, being an allergy kid is even harder. I think it’s wonderful that these centres are making small changes that means that these kids can be included in activities that others take for granted,’ one woman wrote. 

‘It makes perfect sense…!!! spare a thought for highly allergic children whose lives are at risk… as a parent I don’t mind making exceptions to cater to those poor children [sic],’ another agreed. 

Others disagreed. 

‘How ridiculous!! The reason so many kids have these allergies is because they are wrapped in cotton wool and not exposed to anything!’ One woman wrote. 

‘This sucks. I was allergic and still am to a whole list of things , i had to miss out on things just me , no other kids. Why should they ? Its not fair on them . Let them play . Let them be kids [sic],’ another said.