Reasons for special dietary requirements 

Allergies 

Some children have food allergies.

A child with a food allergy will have a sudden and potentially serious reaction if they come into contact with certain foods. In some cases, the food allergy may be so serious that it affects the child’s breathing and therefore can be fatal. Common food allergies include nuts, milk, wheat and eggs. When children have a food allergy, it is important that the food they eat does not come into contact with the food to which they are allergic. Therefore, their food may have to be prepared separately. As food allergies can have serious consequences, no risks can be taken with a child who has a known allergy. 

Intolerances 

Food intolerances are different from food allergies and are not life-threatening. Reactions often come a few hours after eating the food and common symptoms include skin reactions or digestive problems. 

Common food intolerances include wheat and dairy products. Medical conditions Some children have medical conditions that affect what they are able to eat. 

Two common medical conditions are diabetes and coeliac disease. 

Diabetes 

Diabetes is a disease caused by the body not being able to produce a hormone called insulin. Insulin is important because, when food is digested, it is turned into glucose. The job of insulin is to help convert the glucose into energy, which can then be used by cells. If there is insufficient insulin, the body starts to shut down. In contrast, if there is too much insulin, organs in the body can become damaged. It is therefore a serious medical condition. 

There are two types of diabetes: 

• Type 1 diabetes is an inherited condition and is the one that you are most likely to come across in very young children. People with type 1 diabetes cannot produce insulin and so injections of insulin are given usually before mealtimes. 
• Type 2 diabetes used to be associated with older people who were overweight, but it has become more common in younger people. Type 2 diabetes can often be managed by diet alone. When a child has been diagnosed with diabetes, you should make sure that you know about their diet and also the timings of their meals. It is important that children with diabetes have regular meals and snacks.

Coeliac disease 

Coeliac disease is a condition whereby the body attacks itself if it comes into contact with gluten. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye. Foods with wheat include bread and pasta. Coeliac disease can be serious because it affects the body’s ability to absorb other nutrients from food and also it can damage the intestine. Children with coeliac disease must not be given any foods that contain gluten. 

Religious requirements 

Some families practice religions that have dietary laws. In some religions, pork cannot be eaten, while in others, beef is prohibited. Religions such as Judaism and Islam also specify how meat, including beef and chicken, should be prepared. It is important to find out from families about their religious food requirements and avoid making any assumptions. 

This is because some families vary as to the extent to which they follow religious teachings. 

Social and cultural requirements 

Some families have dietary requirements that are based on social and cultural circumstances. They may be vegetarians, for example, and not eat any meat or fish. Some families may want food to be sourced locally or meat, eggs, and poultry to be free-range. 

The importance of keeping and sharing records All early years settings are required to keep records about children’s dietary needs and share these with people involved in their care. 

Records have to be kept up to date to ensure that information remains accurate.

Good record keeping is important for a variety of reasons, as follows. Allergies and food requirements Most early years settings avoid serious incidents caused by food allergies by creating systems to prevent a child from being given the wrong foods. It is usual for photographs of children to be put up in the kitchen to remind staff about which children have allergies or particular food requirements. Early years settings also work with parents to check on a regular basis that their child’s food requirements are still accurate. 

Provision of babies’ bottles 

Records are also kept regarding making up and giving babies bottles of feed. Checks have to be made to ensure that babies are given the correct formula as different babies will have different types of milk. After each feed, the amount taken by the baby is recorded and sent home so that parents know how much feed their child has had. Food intake It is important that information is shared about children’s food intake, especially children who have diabetes, where it is important for everyone to know how much food has been taken. Parents and early years settings will also share information if older children have not eaten as well as usual.