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my son's class is the "peanut allergy" class (they group them together) and were given a choice at the after the beginning of the year to switch (my son wanted to stay). I'll admit I've got a picky eater and it's been a bit of a pain in the *ss and I will definitely ask both children not be in next year just for convenience.
The county is now requiring parents of allergy children to chaperone on any field trips, band, sports games off property b/ of the liability etc or they must stay behind(the school nurse isn't around). This is got to be quite a hardship on working parents!
You are EXACTLY right. I am an educated person and know that you can't guarantee 100% in a school, but you can prevent people from bringing it in to school. If their parents pack something and it is unclear if there is any type of nut product/oil in the food, then that child is given something else by the school, or he sits at a different table away from everybody else. That is how they do it at a school here, even though it isn't a policy in that school district. I know that we're talking about school here, but my 21 year old nephew didn't know he was allergic to pistachio nuts until he had a severe reaction in which is face became very swollen and his throat began to close. Luckily there was a friend with him that was able to rush him to a hospital nearby. Unfortunately there are plenty of people that don't have someone around, don't have a hospital that they can get to soon enough, or eat something that doesn't list a nut product as an ingredient. Unfortuately it takes someone dying before action is taken. I'm 40, and did not know anybody that was allergic to nuts until I met my wife 8 years ago. She grew up with the allergy and had to sit alone on the stage because of it.
I would be more than happy to trade my son's life threatening nut allergy for a picky eater anyday . I'm sure all of the parents that are insensitive to this issure wouldn't think that the grass is greener on the other side.
You are EXACTLY right. I am an educated person and know that you can't guarantee 100% in a school, but you can prevent people from bringing it in to school. If their parents pack something and it is unclear if there is any type of nut product/oil in the food, then that child is given something else by the school, or he sits at a different table away from everybody else. That is how they do it at a school here, even though it isn't a policy in that school district. I know that we're talking about school here, but my 21 year old nephew didn't know he was allergic to pistachio nuts until he had a severe reaction in which is face became very swollen and his throat began to close. Luckily there was a friend with him that was able to rush him to a hospital nearby. Unfortunately there are plenty of people that don't have someone around, don't have a hospital that they can get to soon enough, or eat something that doesn't list a nut product as an ingredient. Unfortuately it takes someone dying before action is taken. I'm 40, and did not know anybody that was allergic to nuts until I met my wife 8 years ago. She grew up with the allergy and had to sit alone on the stage because of it.
Does your child have an epi-kit on site at school so it can be used in an emergency? I wonder about small schools w/ no school nurses. Very scary stuff. I have a family member who nearly died from a bee sting . . . he has an epi-kit w/ him at all times. But I don't know what they do about this at schools b/c of liability issues. ????
I know what you are saying about checking food, but honestly, there have even been recalls b/c the manufacturer did not properly label a box or carton showing peanut oil (or that peanuts had been processed in the same plant). I don't trust the school system enuff to assume that even if they have a rule that they can guarantee my child's safety b/c I just don't think there is any way to guarantee that stuff won't get through due to error (despite good intentions on everyone's part).
It is so hard to send our precious children off to school as it is . . . just a very difficult situation for all concerned. I know if my child had diabetes, for example, I would be so concerned every hour of every day that things were being handled properly and someone was noticing my child's condition.
Usually the school nurse or administrative office has 1 epi-pen and then there is another one in the classroom. We make sure that they also have liquid benadryl too.
I would be more than happy to trade my son's life threatening nut allergy for a picky eater anyday . I'm sure all of the parents that are insensitive to this issure wouldn't think that the grass is greener on the other side.
Really? Be glad the schools at least do SOMETHING for kids w/ peanut allergies. As the mother of an asthmatic child that has to be on preventive meds constantly, been in the hospital numerous times, can't go anywhere w/o her rescue inhaler........ the schools don't do SQUAT for us or these kids. "Too bad" we get told that they have to go outside on ozone alert days. "Too bad" we get told that they have to do "pacer tests" in p.e. and end up in the nurses clinic and HOPEFULLY the nurse is THERE (they go between schools in some areas) and can actually UNLOCK the cabinet where the childs rescue inhaler MUST stay. Our state FINALLY passed legislation last year that w/ a doctors note they child can keep it w/ them at school but some schools still refuse to go by that. "Too bad" we get told that our child must wait and wheeze and go into a full blown asthma attack IF the nurse is not there and they have to wait on mom or dad to bring them another rescue inhaler. "Too bad" we get told all the time that the schools "just can not do ANYTHING to help your child". People die from asthma too. I'm tired of being the parent of a child that ALSO has a medical condition that can kill her and NO ONE cares a rats behind about them. Even another poster on her back when this thread was "alive" said to me, "the schools can't do something for everyone". WTH IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN? It's okay to tell the ENTIRE school that the students AND their families MUST change their eating habits but that it is NOT okay for a handful of kids to stay in from recess a few days a year when they NEED TO?
And your comment about some of us w/ kids that only eat peanut butter sandwiches "should have been a better parent" by teaching our kids better eating habits......... stinks. Really?!?!?! Sorry, but I HAVE taught my kids GREAT eating habits and my kids as tots ate TONS better than most kids and still do. I just have one child that does not like lunch meat and I don't blame her at all. Afterall when you don't eat lunch till late in the day and it is warm, YUCK!!! She would much rather pack a lunch full of fresh fruits and carrot sticks but that doesn't hold her over enough throughout the day for her school activities. A peanut butter sandwich WILL! Same goes for days when they are out of the school on field trips. A lunch meat sandwich in this warm weather can make someone ill in a heartbeat. I'm just saying that your comment concerning that is TOTALLY OUT OF LINE AND UNCALLED FOR!!!!!! You have no idea what else our children eat along w/ their peanut butter sandwich. I'd put my kids diets up against anyones. Ask my kids if they want McD's and they will turn their nose up at it.
I would be more than happy to trade my son's life threatening nut allergy for a picky eater anyday . I'm sure all of the parents that are insensitive to this issure wouldn't think that the grass is greener on the other side.
Where would you have it stop? Shall we ban everything from schools that can harm a child? Let's keep them all inside for recess because of the air pollution, or the danger from the thinning ozone layer, or because someone is allergic to bees and omg they might get stung!
Let's kill all the grass because some kids have hay fever. Let's get rid of bright lights because we have epileptics. And for god's sake, let's get rid of anything that has sugar because we've got diabetic kids. Don't forget the children with allergies to fish, strawberries, bananas, dairy, wool, etc. How about kids with gluten allergies -- let's get rid of the bread in schools, yeah!
See where I'm going with this? Your child is not "special" because they've got an allergy. Too bad that they do, but hey we all have problems and we learn to cope with them.
You should consider youself lucky that you children don't have any life threatening issues. Would it bother you at all if, because of your ignorance and selfishness, that YOU and your child kills another person because you cross contaminated something with the nut product that you had to send in to school? Isn't it better to be safe than sorry.
So do YOU feel better that FORCING an asthmatic child outside on a high ozone day could cause them to go into a full blow asthma attack. Require hospitilation, parents to take off work, more medical expenses, etc. and HOPEFULLY the child gets better and DOESN'T DIE. "better to be safe than sorry"......... I sure haven't heard those words from ANY school ANYWHERE when it comes to kids with other medical life threatening issues.
And if your child doesn't eat anything other than peanut butter, or can't live without it, then maybe you could have done a better job at being a parent and giving your child a better/healthier diet. This doesn't just apply to you, but to all of the other parents that feel the way that you do.
This comment was UNCALLED FOR!!! Maybe YOU should do a better job of teaching YOUR child to stay away from the things he is allergic to. MY child IS a good and healthy eater!!!! And for your information peanut butter IS a "healthy" snack.
How about considering yourself lucky, and trying to help come up with options and solutions instead of just contributing to the problem.
How about considering yourself lucky that the schools actually DO something about kids w/ peanut allergies as they sure don't for other kids. Stop complaining and be thankful YOUR child is not PHYSICALLY FORCED to do something that could cause them to have an attack.
Don't know if you would be suprised at the fact that an elementary school now sits those kids in which they, and their parents, feel they would die without peanut butter at their own table at each lunch period, and there is only one at each.
How about the kids that DO get a school and/or teacher that understands WHY they can not go outside on certain days. Those kids are left to stay inside by themselves while their classmates are outside running and playing. Meanwhile they are stuck inside having to sit quietly and read a book. At least the child sitting at a different table is STILL doing the same activity as their classmates.
but why not do as much as we can to prevent those that are easy to
prevent.
EXACTLY!!!!!! But for ALL kids that might have a need. But YOU better NOT complain when your child can not go outside on a pretty day because one of their classmates can not.
Sorry but this IS a touchy subject to me and seeing some get a special treatment just because their parents scream the loudest is NOT always in the best interest of the whole. I've known of schools that have told the students AND their families that because of 1 student that has a peanut allergy NO ONE can eat ANY peanut product EVEN BEFORE COMING TO SCHOOL!
Don't know why you are attacking me because of your issue with your child having asthma and the way that he/you are being treated. I don't know why your school had the policy that it had, and I would be pissed too. I actually have no idea what the policy is where we are, but I'm sure going to make it a point to ask the principal when we meet with her about the nut free/tolerance issue. I'm not here telling you "too bad", or when is enough going to be enough with getting the local, state and national gov'ts involved. I wouldn't want your child to be isolated any more than I would want mine. I think that the people that have a problem with nut free/tolerance policies would probably have a problem when it comes to dealing with asthma and other issues too, as long as it doesn't affect their child.
Has your child ever tried some of the soy nut butter brands that are out there? I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't have had PB growing up, but now I found a brand of soy nut butter in which there is only a slight difference in taste, but none in texture. Are there any cereal/snack bars that your child would eat to tie them over for a bit? I used to brown bag it for 12 years of my life. Now there are some cool insulated lunch bags made of nylon/vinyl in which you can put an ice gel pack the would help to keep the food cooler. How about Jelly sandwiches. If someone that has a child that is a picky eater, they can go to a bookstore for other options, or go to The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network or Welcome to FaanKids - A foodallergy site just for kids. Options do exist for some, although I'm aware that there is no option for a child with athsma if the schools don't keep the inhalers in the classroom. I would fight like hell about that too.
I know that the grass isn't greener on the other side. I wouldn't trade a food allergy for an asthma child either, but I would for a child that is a picky eater. My child is not a picky eater, and we've found PLENTY of foods and snacks for him that aren't made with nut products. People should stop to think about how their lives would be different if they had to care for a child/person with a potentially life threating issue, or physically or mentally challenged. You should thank your lucky stars every day that you only have a picky eater.
I would scream just as loud as you if my child's schools had a crappy policy for children with asthma or other issues. I was only responding to the people that have a problem with the nut free/tolerant schools. NOWHERE did I ever state that my child's issue is more important that yours. NOWHERE. I actually thought that the converations at discussion right now where about issues related to nuts in schools, not any other issues. This is what came up when I did a google search. You seem to be the one that came on here to scream louder than me "but what about my child?" Still don't know why you chose to attack me when NOWHERE did I mention that my child's issues are more important than anybody else's issues (other than picky eaters). Sorry for your anger, and I hope that you can do what needs to be done to protect your child, which is what I'm trying to do too. And I am still going to ask the pricinpal of my child's school what the policy is for a child with asthma, as I am ON YOUR SIDE.
Can a school mandate that all students be peanut free ?
That was the topic of discussion that I was getting involved with, which is from 2/12/08. I'm sure if you do a search on Google like I did about asthma policies you can find other people in the same boat as you, and support you, AS I DO... I would not want harm done to your child, and want him to grow up to be happy and healthy too. Why would you ask questions to me about wanting your child to be harmed by being forced to go outside if it is unsafe for them to do so? I would want there to be realistic options for the children too. You're preaching to the choir... I'm on your side, but you certainly don't seem to be sympathetic to my, and my child's, plight.
Last edited by Beretta; 03-07-2008 at 04:21 PM..
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