Training a Babysitter

For any parent, finding a trustworthy and responsible babysitter is of utmost importance. But for parents of children with food allergies, this task is one that carries the added weight of selecting someone who understands the seriousness of food allergy reactions and how to appropriately respond.

Before starting your search for a babysitter, decide your criteria, whether it’s a minimum age or whether they need to be trained in first aid, or other requirements. Start your search well in advance if you need someone on a particular date.

If you belong to a food allergy support group, ask other members if they might have recommendations for a sitter to contact. (FAAN offers an online support group look-up tool if you want to find/join a support group that may already be established in your community.)

Ask potential candidates for references and arrange for a pre-interview, where you can assess their dependability and your own comfort level. Talk to the potential babysitter about your child’s food allergies and introduce them so that you can observe their interaction.

Once you’ve made a decision, set up a time for training – when you will inform the babysitter of the house rules, especially those that involve food (such as whether the babysitter can bring food into your home). In order to avoid relying on someone who is not as well-versed with label reading to make a decision about what foods are okay to eat, many parents set out safe food choices for both their child and the sitter. The rule is that only foods “pre-approved” by the parents may be eaten.

Teach your babysitter how to recognize symptoms of an allergic reaction (see this list of ways a child might describe a reaction) and what to do in the event a reaction is suspected. If your child has been prescribed epinephrine, demonstrate to the sitter how the auto-injector works and where it is kept. (Auto-injector trainers are available to help practice using the device; they contain no needle or medication, and may be reused.)  Some parents choose to keep expired epinephrine auto-injectors to demonstrate proper usage on a grapefruit or orange, and have the babysitter practice as well. Remind the babysitter that this medication must be handy at all times, and that epinephrine won’t harm your child, so erring on the side of caution is advisable. Review your child’s Food Allergy Action Plan with the babysitter, and go over any questions.

Babysitters should understand that food allergy is a medical condition involving the immune system – not a food intolerance or a dislike of a particular food. Reinforce that you are available by phone for any question, no matter how minor it may seem.

Lastly, provide written contact information, such as your cell phone number, and leave your home address in case of an emergency in which the babysitter must provide it to emergency responders.

While it may be difficult to leave your child with a babysitter the first time, it will get easier over time!  

Do you have tips for selecting or training a babysitter? If so, send them to FAAN so that we may share them with others.

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