Strategies for Integrating Dietary Needs into Your Child’s IEP

Strategies for Integrating Dietary Needs into Your Child’s IEP

It is important to include dietary restrictions if your child has food sensitivities or allergies in their IEP. Including dietary restrictions in your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) is essential for ensuring comprehensive support throughout the school environment. The IEP serves as a legally binding document that outlines accommodations and services necessary to meet a child’s educational and health-related needs. By specifying dietary restrictions due to food sensitivities or allergies in the IEP, you ensure that all school personnel, not just those in the cafeteria, are informed and obligated to adhere to these requirements.

This inclusion extends beyond meal times to encompass all school activities, including classroom celebrations, field trips, and extracurricular events. It ensures that teachers, administrators, aides, and other staff members are aware of and prepared to implement necessary precautions to prevent allergen exposure and accommodate dietary restrictions effectively.

Moreover, incorporating dietary needs into the IEP facilitates clear communication and consistency in managing your child’s nutritional requirements. It establishes a framework for collaboration between parents, healthcare providers, and school staff to develop and implement strategies that promote your child’s safety, well-being, and academic success.

By leveraging the IEP as a tool to address dietary restrictions, families can advocate for their child’s health needs within the educational setting, fostering an inclusive environment where every student can thrive safely and confidently.

Information Schools must include dietary restrictions in IEPs

The school may ask your child’s doctor to provide a medical statement before they can begin making accommodations for dietary requirements.

Please keep in mind the following when requesting information from your child’s doctor:

• Medical statements require specific information such as:
  • Your child’s disability
    • Which major life activities are affected by their disability (bowels, cognition and speech, behaviour, etc.)? ).
  • Why your child’s disability is affecting their diet.
  • What foods should you exclude from your child’s diet?
  • Choose foods to substitute.
• A licensed healthcare professional must sign the medical statement.
• The school does not need to update the medical statement every year as long as it reflects the current nutritional needs of your child.
• The school cannot ask you to submit medical charts or records as part of your medical statement.

When Dietary needs are included in an IEP, the school’s obligations change

Students with dietary restrictions are protected by federal laws and regulations not only in the cafeteria but also throughout the entire school. This includes classes, recess and specials as well as extra-curricular events, class celebrations and other school-sponsored events.

These protections are only applicable when the dietary needs of a child or student are included in an IEP. The school does not have to honour verbal agreements you may make with school staff, teachers, or administrators.

Your child can still receive accommodations if they do not have an IEP. A student’s disability doesn’t have to affect their ability to learn to qualify for a 504, unlike an IEP.

All School Staff have a Legal Obligation to:

• You should follow your child’s nutritional needs as outlined in their IEP or 504 (or similar document).
• Together, reduce the risk of food allergies in the classroom and during school-sponsored events.
  • Included are field trips, recess and extracurricular activities such as after-school programs, class parties, etc.
• Eliminate gluten-containing food from all student incentives, rewards and educational materials, including arts, crafts, science experiments, cooking, etc.
  • Make sure that your child’s IEP includes a section on what to do if a gluten-free substitute is not available. (See below).
• Implement evidence-based practice to prevent bullying caused by food allergies.
  • Develop and communicate clear policies to address food bullying.
    • The school cannot single out any child with food allergies when introducing these policies or discussing them with other students.
  • Responding quickly and consistently when bullying occurs.
  • Provide adequate supervision where food is served.
  • Notifying your parents or guardians when bullying occurs.

Addition of Dietary Goals and Accommodations to IEP

Consider the following when adding goals and accommodations for your child’s dietary restrictions.

• Communicate verbally or nonverbally needs and symptoms as they occur.
• Learn which foods you can safely eat.
  • Items from the designated food bin and items not in their bin.
• Foods that are allergen-containing foods can be identified.
• Non-food items containing allergens can be identified.
• Be sure to read labels and identify hidden sources of dairy and soy, gluten and other allergens.
• Manage activities that include gluten-containing items (Play-Doh envelopes paper mache etc.) in a safe and appropriate manner. ).
• Understanding the risks of eating food exposed to allergens by cross-contact and cross-contamination.

Sample Accommodations

You can make sure your child is learning in a safe environment by making accommodations. Here are some examples of IEP accommodations for dietary restrictions.

• Teachers and staff can use non-food items to reward students.
• Parents will be notified 24 to 48 hours in advance if there are any activities or celebrations that include gluten-containing products so they can make the appropriate substitutions.
• The school will train staff on food allergies.
• The school staff will notify parents as soon as possible if they suspect or know of any dietary infraction.
• After handling products containing gluten (Play-Doh or paper mache), your child will be able to wash their hands immediately. ).
• You can let your child use the bathroom without any restrictions.
  • This is a must for anyone who has GI problems after an exposure to allergens.
• Allergens will not be present in your child’s class.
• Parents are asked to provide the school with safe food for class celebrations or snack time.
  • The supply will be stored in a secure location that is free of allergens.
  • When the school’s supply runs low, it will inform parents.
• Staff members at the school who prepare food for your child will be trained to ensure it is safe.
• The staff will encourage your child to choose the appropriate food during meal and snack times by asking for their favourite food and refusing any other food or beverage.
• If your child is prone to mouthing, chewing, or eating any food that they can reach:
  • Water is the only beverage, food or candy that can be left unattended in any environment where your child may be (classrooms, therapy rooms, special rooms, etc.). This includes treats or food for staff or other children.
• The staff will use play scripts, social stories, or video modelling to help your child understand their dietary restrictions.

Sample IEP goals

Is it a good idea to include diet management goals in your child’s IEP or not? Yes! IDEA’s primary goal is to prepare the child for future education, employment and independent living. It is therefore absolutely appropriate to include goals for diet management in an IEP.

Here are some examples of IEP goals to demonstrate how they develop skills in diet management:

• [Children’s name] refuses to accept food that is not from home.
  • First incremental goal:
    • 70 per cent of the time, an adult will tell [child name] that they cannot eat any food brought from outside.
  • Second incremental goal:
    • 90% of the time, an adult will tell [child name] that they cannot eat any food brought by them.
• [Name of child] will monitor the consumption and non-edible food items.
  • First incremental goal:
    • Asking “Am I allergic?” will allow [Name of Child] to reject unsafe food that looks similar to him/her 2 out of every 5 times.
  • Second incremental goal:
    • [Child’s name] will not eat non-edible objects (such as plastic, wood, or rocks) without adult supervision at least 4 times out of 5.
• [Name of child] will monitor his/her safe food intake (gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free).
  • First incremental goal:
    • [Child] will only eat food that is provided by home.
  • Second incremental goal:
    • [Children’s Name] will be able to decline offers of unwholesome foods.

Special/Allergen-Free Meals Provided by School Cafeterias

Federal Law requires that public schools provide free allergen-free food in the cafeteria to children with disabilities who have a restricted diet. Children with autism on special diets because of sensory issues, allergies or food sensitivities are eligible for these services.

Including your child’s dietary requirements in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) is crucial for legally obligating the school to meet their nutritional needs. This ensures that all aspects of your child’s school experience, from meals in the cafeteria to snacks, classroom activities, and school events, are carefully managed to prevent exposure to allergens or other dietary triggers. By documenting these requirements in the IEP, you provide a structured framework for teachers, school nurses, aides, and administrators to understand and adhere to your child’s dietary restrictions consistently and effectively.

Furthermore, integrating dietary needs into the IEP empowers your child to learn self-management skills related to their diet. This process encourages independence and responsibility as they navigate social situations and educational activities where food may be involved. It also promotes their confidence in advocating for their health needs, fostering a supportive environment where your child can thrive academically and socially without compromising their safety or well-being.