At Maple Lead Child Care, we care about your child’s safety, happiness, and ability to grow. For too many American children, food allergies are often a hindrance for kids to feel free and unafraid if their surroundings. For some, a minor intolerance causes daily discomfort, and for others, a serious allergy could cause some foods to become life-threatening in a matter of seconds.

2015 statistics from the Centers for Disease Control suggest 1 in 8 U.S. children suffer from food allergies each year. Plus, almost one in 5 adults develops a food allergy later in life. This is not a subject we take lightly at Maple Leaf, since safety is a top priority when it comes to the children we care for every day.

Of the nine major allergens, gluten and dairy tend to be the most common. Offering gluten and dairy-free snack options to our kids is important to keeping them safe, and we’re happy to work with you to communicate what you’re comfortable feeding your children and what they should avoid.

In the event of an allergic reaction at Maple Leaf, our trained professionals are prepared with the necessary equipment and knowledge to keep kids safe and handle the reaction in stride. We always have EpiPen and other antihistamine medications on hand in safe doses for children, and provide training on how and when to call emergency medical services or professionals for further care and help. We’re also very careful to avoid any cross-contamination in snacking and food preparation areas to prevent allergic reactions at Maple Leaf.

If your child has developed a food allergy or sensitivity, be sure to let our professionals know so we can best care for your child. We guarantee quality service and those at Maple Leaf genuinely care about the well-being of the children we watch over.

Although we’re trained to step in and help during dangerous situations and to prevent reactions, we are not the source of research or expertise when it comes to food allergens. To learn more about food allergies and their effects, you can search for related resources otn the Food and Drug Administrstion website or that of the CDC. Also be sure ask your local family physician.