Peanut-free schools? (St. Paul: how much, home, school districts)

[teeteeca]

We are moving to the twin cities some time in the next 6 months and I have a 5-year-old that will start kindergarten in the fall. Does anyone know if any of the schools around St. Paul are peanut-free or at least experienced in dealing with severe peanut allergies?

Thank you!

[MNNative]

Though I can't speak for St Paul schools specifically, I'm pretty sure that most schools in the area take peanut allergies quite seriously. Both school districts that we have dealt with have specific policies regarding this issue. Our current school goes so far as to have a specific lunch table where no one is allowed to use it unless they have a peanut-free lunch (and the lunch monitors check everything).

[golfgal]

All schools have some kind of policy to deal with peanut allergies. I know in our schools you can't bring in any balloons because of latex allergies-there are signs right on the doors. If there is a child with a peanut allergy they pretty much take them case by case and deal with them appropriately.

[teeteeca]

Good to know. Thanks!

[MNbabe]

Yinghua Academy in St. Paul is a peanut-free school. No peanuts in the school lunches, no peanuts in the donated snacks, and no peanuts in my daughter's bag lunch, even though she doesn't have an allergy herself.

[Slig]

Originally Posted by MNbabe

Yinghua Academy in St. Paul is a peanut-free school. No peanuts in the school lunches, no peanuts in the donated snacks, and no peanuts in my daughter's bag lunch, even though she doesn't have an allergy herself.

Do they check all bagged lunches at the door for peanuts? I doubt it.

[sarahrose]

Most schools deal with it very well...our son has a severe allergy to peanuts, and it's airborne too. He goes to otter lake in White Bear. The school nurse keeps tabs on the whole thing, and the area of the school he is in is peanut free due to 3 other kids having the same allergy, and they take it all very seriously, and check all snacks, and things that are brought in, They send a letter home every year to remind parents not to send things that contain peanuts, or may contain peanut due to several children with peanut allergies. The staff are trained with epi pens, and are shown a video on anaphalaxis and how to deal with it and respond properly. Being that the school most likely want to avoid a lawsuit, they are very on top of food allergies. My son is 9, autistic, does not speak, and in 9 years, the only reaction he has had was the first time I gave him PB and he nearly died...since then because of my vigilance, and the schools strict health plan, he has been reaction free. Hope this helps a little.

[moving123456]

My school passed out peanut butter sandwiches.

It seems like everybody suddenly has an autistic kid that is allergic to peanuts and ballons.

[ozzie679]

Are peanut allergies a new thing? I never heard of a peanut allergy when I was in school in the 70s and 80's.

[sarahrose]

It is strange how much more you hear of peanut allergies, but in places like China, they are not that common...you'd think they would be with all the peanut dishes, but they are not. I was told that because we roast our peanuts instead of boiling them (like in china) it actually makes the peanut more allergenic. Honestly, I can deal with my childs mental disability because it won't kill him..but that damn peanut allergy scares the hell out of me, and is something that is potentially lethal. I grew up in the 70's too, but knew of only a couple of kids with nut allergies.....and a few with bee sting allergies as well.