How's this for an original problem? Our not-quite-5-year-old is starting
summer camp tomorrow on a moshav (sort of agriculturally-based farm).
About a third of the time is spent learning about animals, and how to
look after them.

Our daughter is anaphylactic to milk. She is also animal crazy. The
question is what should we bear in mind when leting her go near animals
who are either nursing or being nursed? One issue is that she sucks her
thumb, and we are a little concerned about the possibility that she
could absent-mindedly touch an animal and then put her thumb in her
mouth.

Here are the rules we have laid down, together with the camp organizers:

1. She can only pet the animals when there is a supervisor nearby.
2. She can only pet the animals on their backs. She is not allowed to
offer food for them to eat (so she won't touch their mouths).
3. She must not suck her thumb in the animal area (easier said than
done!) and wash her hands immediately afterwards. The person in charge
of the animals will keep a special eye on her.

So - is there anything we haven't thought of? Are there any other
precautions we should take? Last time she came into skin contact with
milk (actually with a hand which had touched cheese, so it was indirect
contact) she got a localized skin reaction/hives.

On the other hand, we are talking here about horses & foals, rabbits,
and goats etc. Would she exhibit the same reactions to these kinds of
milk or just to cows milk?

Oh, the joys of parenting (grin).

Thanks for any feedback.

Debbie
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(definitely a front runner for the "most original questions" award!)