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I did a search of the site, and couldn't find a specific discussion of this topic.
What is the deal with the big fear of peanuts in the last few years? I find it hard to believe that suddenly so many people are mortally allergic to peanuts, when it wasn't that common when I was a kid. (I'm in my late 30's).
First we all noticed food packages that have statements saying "Warning: may contain peanuts." These statement even show up on such obvious foods as PayDay bars, peanut butter, and actual bags of peanuts.
Then we started getting warnings on food packages that the food may have once passed through a processing plant that may or may not have once contained a peanut.
The it got really crazy. There's the burger chain that has free peanuts to munch while you wait for your food, but they have to post warnings on the door that there are peanuts on the loose in the building.
On a recent airline flight, it was announced that certain rows were designated as peanut-free zones. I thought it was some sort of religious thing.
Now I just read on a thread in this site that some schools have designated peanut-free cafeteria tables (not exactly the "cool table" I'd imagine).
So please enlighten me:
1. Are more people allergic to peanuts now than ever in the past? Or is this just the fashionable allergy du jour?
2. What is is about peanut allergies that is so much more dangerous than any other allergy? I mean, I know people who are so allergic to bees that they could die if stung, but they just carry an epi-pen.
3. Why does the world have to be altered to accomodate people allergic to peanuts but no other substance? I can see how if you're allergic to peanuts, you shouldn't EAT one. But what is the deal with just touching a peanut product, or being in a 20 foot vicinity of a peanut? My sister has a severe allergy to strawberries, but she doesn't have to go running from the room or wear a fallout suit if someone brings a strawberry shortcake in the house.
What gives? Is this some sort of conspiracy initiated by "Big Cashew?"
I'm thinking of carrying around a few peauts in my pocket at all times, since odds are, if someone mugs me, they would have this allergy, and I could fight them off by pelting them with peanuts.
As a mother of two children who have the peanut allergy I definitely understand the woes of dealing with schools in going forward with "peanut-free zones" ....
parents with children who aren't allergic don't understand that contact with another child on the playground who just ate a PB& J sandwich can kill them. If fact, I have found that when parents don't understand how sereve the reactions actually are is when the trouble starts.
The biggest part of helping your child is to educate others. Give the teachers the tools to teach the classmates, it might be one of them who saves a friends life. Just think about it this way too, if your child develops an allergy unexpectedly then they will have the tools to get help and realize they are not alone. The hard part will have already been done for them.
Also kids with asthma and other breathing issues can not take certain medications, because peanut oil is used as a time releasing agent..... ATROVENT.
One way we helped our children in school was to do a 504 Plan , peanut-free zones in the cafeteria & classrooms for the grade level....peanut-free field trips,etc. We have our child carry an Epi-Jr with her in a special labelled fanny pack, the playground monitors carry one and the nurse has one..along with benadryl.
The children in the school actually like all of the products and the food services people have incorporated it into the lunch time snacks the kids can purchase. There are great fundraisers also that don't have kids selling candy door-to-door.
Trace Atkins is a huge supporter of children with allergies, because his daughter has the peanut allergy. He is the Honorary Chairman of the www.faanwalk.org in San Diego,CA this year. They need your support too.
1. The peanut protein residue stays on whatever is touched for hours.
2. This is not a fashion trend...it is definitely life-threatening.
3. Other food allergies are able to be accommendated also. The Americans with Disabilities Act has ensured this. Have a 504 Plan meeting with the school district nurse, principle, teacher and site nurses. Carry Epi-pens on campus in various areas. Depanding on the age of the child they can carry their own in a fanny pack that is marked with medical signage. There should also be a plan of action- like a peanut drill ( strawberry drill- allergy drill) when a reaction does occur that way everyone knows how to handle the situation. Make sure to include the classmates.
The peanut allergy is number one of the allergy list around the world. Canada has already adopted peanut free areas of their country. In fact, our country is the only one that has placed profit over safety, by changing products to have peanut flour and oils, along with using the peanut oil to preserve almounds and other nuts in packaging because it is cheaper. What does that tell us? What if you had the allergy and they changed for example Quaker Chewy granola bars formula to have peanut flour (which they recently did-USA) and they didn't change the packaging to alert you to this, you had eaten it for years and today you took a bite - started to struggle to breathe, had no epi-pen on you and couldn't talk----- then what! That is exactly the type of daily situation these children go through...they need compassion, and friends who can help them.
I really is quite a serious thing. I ,myself, did not take it very serious until it hit home.
People can die from these allergies, so that makes it a serious matter.
We have a child who is allergic to milk, eggs, and peanuts. Give him a kiss with milk on your lips and he breaks out in a rash all over.
To test him further, could be life threatening. He has to have the epi-pen handy in case of an emergency.
It was just today that we learned about the peanuts. He got a rash with just having the peanut butter put onto his lips ( he was suppose to not be allergic)
Today he tested that peanuts will be an issue also.
Its not fun trying to make him a cake, trying to have him enjoy ice cream when the others are.
Its something you wish was not true.
Moms worry that something will be missed in a school situation.
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Food allergies seem to correllate with short duration or no breastfeeding. I have done zero research and am shooting from the hip with the following statement, but breastfeeding seems to have fallen out of fashion for a great many young women and couples so I wonder if it isn't possible that there are more people with food allergies. That said, the "CONTAINS PEANUT" label craze has a lot more to do with the litigious nature of our society than with the rate of occurence of peanut allergies. It isn't a PC, good natured warning but rather a CYA warning.
1. The peanut protein residue stays on whatever is touched for hours.
2. This is not a fashion trend...it is definitely life-threatening.
3. Other food allergies are able to be accommendated also. The Americans with Disabilities Act has ensured this. Have a 504 Plan meeting with the school district nurse, principle, teacher and site nurses. Carry Epi-pens on campus in various areas. Depanding on the age of the child they can carry their own in a fanny pack that is marked with medical signage. There should also be a plan of action- like a peanut drill ( strawberry drill- allergy drill) when a reaction does occur that way everyone knows how to handle the situation. Make sure to include the classmates.
The peanut allergy is number one of the allergy list around the world. Canada has already adopted peanut free areas of their country. In fact, our country is the only one that has placed profit over safety, by changing products to have peanut flour and oils, along with using the peanut oil to preserve almounds and other nuts in packaging because it is cheaper. What does that tell us? What if you had the allergy and they changed for example Quaker Chewy granola bars formula to have peanut flour (which they recently did-USA) and they didn't change the packaging to alert you to this, you had eaten it for years and today you took a bite - started to struggle to breathe, had no epi-pen on you and couldn't talk----- then what! That is exactly the type of daily situation these children go through...they need compassion, and friends who can help them.
Yeah, I didn't get the OP's jest at calling it a "fashion trend"...those who have it and medical personnel know what anaphalactic shock is and it kills. This isn't some over blown "syndrome" from the media.
Without epinephrine, someone dies. It's not something to be made fun of....
I really is quite a serious thing. I ,myself, did not take it very serious until it hit home.
People can die from these allergies, so that makes it a serious matter.
We have a child who is allergic to milk, eggs, and peanuts. Give him a kiss with milk on your lips and he breaks out in a rash all over.
To test him further, could be life threatening. He has to have the epi-pen handy in case of an emergency.
It was just today that we learned about the peanuts. He got a rash with just having the peanut butter put onto his lips ( he was suppose to not be allergic)
Today he tested that peanuts will be an issue also.
Its not fun trying to make him a cake, trying to have him enjoy ice cream when the others are.
Its something you wish was not true.
Moms worry that something will be missed in a school situation.
I went through that, and sent my daughter with her own snacks. I almost lost 2 twice in her childhood, despite our attempts to watch what went into her mouth.
The last ER doctor told us the attack comes on more quickly and severly each time, so use the Epi pen right away.
I don't think anyone thinks going into shock from bee stings is a joke. I wondered what the OP's real agenda was here...
Please! I wasn't making light of some serious issue that kills poor little children. It's called satire; look it up.
My point is that until a few years ago you heard zero about people with deadly peanut allergies, then all of a sudden, it's everywhere.
No one can answer my question about what makes peanut allergies so special, over all other allergies. You don't see "strawberry free zones" or package warnings on cans of crabmeat saying "caution: may contain shellfish." But those allergies can be just as deadly. Don't you think those poor people deserve the attention the peanut people are getting?
That was my point about the peanut thing being "fashionable." I certainly know that anaphalactic shock is serious.
I would love to hear more info from people who might know about this, who can appreciate my satirical style, and who aren't frightened parents of little children who have this allergy. We've heard from several of them, and they are understandably very emotional about the topic, and rightly so.
My "agenda" is to point out a relatively new phenomenon in our society, perhaps find more people who would say, "Hey, you're right! Where is this all coming from?" and to find out what is is about peanut allergies that makes this such a big public policy issue over all other types of allergies.
I think JimBob is onto something. Breast feeding gives kids natural immunities from mama. Also, I've read articles about how we protect our little darlings from germs and allergens, raising them in an antiseptic environment to such a degree that they can't build up natural immunity to things. Thus, they have allergies and get sicker when confronted with the "real world."
I breastfed as long as I could and then our pediatrician recommended giving my son soy formula. She said it would be a good transition from breast-feeding and help prevent any sort of milk allergy in my son. She also gave me a schedule about when to introduce specific foods, which I followed to the letter. My son has absolutely no allergies.
I breast-fed one child, bottle-fed the other, and neither of them has allergies. I don't think it has anything to do with breast-feeding. My hypothesis is that so many parents are overprotective these days that kids don't develop the natural immunities they should and as a result their bodies go ninja on them. Get rid of your antibacterial soaps, let your kids play in the dirt, let them have contact with other kids who have colds -- they will probably be a lot healthier for it. Don't protect them so much, let their bodies learn how to do what they're supposed to do.
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