Last week, Bryan's preschool class had a petting zoo come to visit. I saw the announcement about it, thought about it a little, but decided it wasn't anything that I needed to worry about allergy-wise. That is, until after I dropped him off that day. On my way home, this is how my thought process played out:
Hmmmmm... I wonder if I should have talked to his teachers a little. It's probably fine. It's probably just bunnies and chicks or something like that- maybe a goat. He might be allergic to bunnies, since I am. But that will just be a little itchy or sneezy, and he has Benadryl to take care of that. What about the goat, though? Would his milk allergy affect him with a goat? (Most people who are allergic to cow's milk are also allergic to goat's/sheep's milk.) But they wouldn't milk a goat- it's just a petting zoo. But what if they bring a cow? No, a cow is too big- I shouldn't worry about that. But what if they do? Do I need to worry about the milk if Bryan is just petting the cow? What if they milk the cow as a demonstration? And what if they ask the kids if they want to try? Bryan's teachers wouldn't let him do that, would they? But then again, I've never actually told Bryan that he shouldn't milk a cow- what if he wants to try? And the milk splashes onto his hands? He would probably break out into hives (based on past experience with spilled milk). But then what if he started rubbing his eyes with the milk on his hands- or even worse, started sucking his thumb? No, that wouldn't happen. Right? Surely, his teachers would check with me before letting Bryan milk a cow. But what about the goat...
In the end, there was no cow, no goat, and Bryan was allergic to the bunny. But clearly, I need to find something else to think about.
Hmmmmm... I wonder if I should have talked to his teachers a little. It's probably fine. It's probably just bunnies and chicks or something like that- maybe a goat. He might be allergic to bunnies, since I am. But that will just be a little itchy or sneezy, and he has Benadryl to take care of that. What about the goat, though? Would his milk allergy affect him with a goat? (Most people who are allergic to cow's milk are also allergic to goat's/sheep's milk.) But they wouldn't milk a goat- it's just a petting zoo. But what if they bring a cow? No, a cow is too big- I shouldn't worry about that. But what if they do? Do I need to worry about the milk if Bryan is just petting the cow? What if they milk the cow as a demonstration? And what if they ask the kids if they want to try? Bryan's teachers wouldn't let him do that, would they? But then again, I've never actually told Bryan that he shouldn't milk a cow- what if he wants to try? And the milk splashes onto his hands? He would probably break out into hives (based on past experience with spilled milk). But then what if he started rubbing his eyes with the milk on his hands- or even worse, started sucking his thumb? No, that wouldn't happen. Right? Surely, his teachers would check with me before letting Bryan milk a cow. But what about the goat...
In the end, there was no cow, no goat, and Bryan was allergic to the bunny. But clearly, I need to find something else to think about.
