Food and Health Guidelines - Torfaen Family Information Service

6. Menu Planning
Special Diets
The parent/guardian should inform the Early
Years manager if their child requires a special
diet, so that arrangements can be made
to accommodate the child’s requirements.
Children can be on a special diet for a
number of reasons. Children with special
needs may require the texture of the food to
be modified in a way that makes it easier to
eat e.g. pureed or mashed. Children may
also include or exclude foods according to
their religious and/or other beliefs.
For children on a therapeutic diet, the
parent/guardian or Dietitian will provide
details of the children’s diet in a form of a
diet sheet. These diets can include glutenfree
(Coeliac), diabetic, nut-free or milk-free
diets. Therapeutic diets for food allergies are
not uncommon in young children. Common
food allergies include milk, egg, wheat,
peanuts, nuts, seeds, soya, shellfish, fish and
citrus fruits. A wide range of symptoms can
occur when a child is exposed to an allergy
such as milk protein in food, ranging from
a mild reaction such as a rash to a very
rapid and severe response where breathing
becomes difficult (anaphylaxis).
A management plant should
include:
• The child’s details.
• Information on foods the child can and
cannot eat.
• The emergency contact details for the
parents or guardians.
• The emergency procedure to use if an
allergic reaction occurs.
• The medication that the child can
be given.
• Any staff training required.
• Any precautionary measures that are
needed. (For example, for outings or
special occasions
• Review the diet on a regular basis,
for example twice a year.
In Early Years settings it is useful for a
photograph of any children with allergies to
be put up in the food preparation area with
details of the food they are allergic to, and a
mention of where to find their management
plan, to help new or temporary staff.
Sharing information
with parents
If parents are informed of what the child has
throughout the day it will help parents to
plan for the evening meal and will give them
an overall picture of how well their child
is eating.
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