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On the flip-side of this is the girl in my kids school that is highly allergic to peanuts. There is a table in the cafeteria that is marked as "peanut free"... and the kids take it super seriously. They police each others lunches to make sure there are no peanut-containing foods in them. When this girl goes into her classes, her desk gets wiped off with a Lysol wipe before she sits down (because you never know what the student before her had on their hands)... and there is always someone willing to do this for her. After reading that article... I realize how special it is that our students have supported this girl and watch out for her, rather than make a target out of her for an allergy she can't control.
Wow! How old are they?
Were I on the staff at that school, or a parent, I would seriously organize some little event for those kids to commend them. A little ceremony where the kids get ribbons, or something, that they are good citizens or great helpers or whatever would be age appropriate.
I cannot tell you how impressed I am by them! Reading that just made my day.
This makes me worry about my daughter when we actually put her in school (We plan on moving in a year so we dont want her to start yet, we tried putting her in last month but she was bullied the first week) My daughter has COPD so sometimes she uses an inhaler and if she gets really bad its oxcgen, shes also allergic to corn, strawberries and mangoes.
Here's my thoughts about children with allergies at school. How do the other children even know which child has allergies? Think about it. It's personal medical information. The school personnel shouldn't be talking about it openly enough for other students to hear it. I'd make it clear to the school that you don't want teachers revealing the allergy to other students. If they have to sit at a special table due to a severe allergy, the teachers shouldn't indicate what the allergy is to the other children.
I also think it's a good idea to teach children to keep it to themselves. I realize with very young children that's next to impossible for them to understand. But there's nothing wrong with teaching older children that personal medical information is, well, personal and shouldn't be shared with just anyone. If another child offers a banana, they don't have to say, "I can't eat bananas. I'm allergic." They can simply say, "I don't like bananas."
I realize most parents with children who have allergies won't like this idea. However, if there's bullying at school over allergies, I would teach my children how to protect themselves from that type of bullying. It's also a good idea to teach them how to protect their life by not giving out that information to just anyone. If there was something that could so easiy kill me, I wouldn't want everyone and anyone to know about it.
I also think it's a good idea to teach children to keep it to themselves. I realize with very young children that's next to impossible for them to understand. But there's nothing wrong with teaching older children that personal medical information is, well, personal and shouldn't be shared with just anyone. If another child offers a banana, they don't have to say, "I can't eat bananas. I'm allergic." They can simply say, "I don't like bananas."
Exactly. When we got out to eat my sister simply says "no cheese" or "can I have vinaigrette instead of Ranch". No need to explain. I order no tomatoes on everything because I dont like them! Only if the waiter brings it out wrong and seems huffy with a "why can;t you just eat it" attitude does she say she's allergic.
Here's my thoughts about children with allergies at school. How do the other children even know which child has allergies? Think about it. It's personal medical information. The school personnel shouldn't be talking about it openly enough for other students to hear it. I'd make it clear to the school that you don't want teachers revealing the allergy to other students. If they have to sit at a special table due to a severe allergy, the teachers shouldn't indicate what the allergy is to the other children.
I also think it's a good idea to teach children to keep it to themselves. I realize with very young children that's next to impossible for them to understand. But there's nothing wrong with teaching older children that personal medical information is, well, personal and shouldn't be shared with just anyone. If another child offers a banana, they don't have to say, "I can't eat bananas. I'm allergic." They can simply say, "I don't like bananas."
I realize most parents with children who have allergies won't like this idea. However, if there's bullying at school over allergies, I would teach my children how to protect themselves from that type of bullying. It's also a good idea to teach them how to protect their life by not giving out that information to just anyone. If there was something that could so easiy kill me, I wouldn't want everyone and anyone to know about it.
I never thought about it that way! My children don't have life threatening allergies but I do and I actually had an ex boyfriend who took me to his grandmothers house for dinner...well, grannie didn't believe in food allergies so she cut up mushrooms and hid them under the sauce in the lasagna to see if I would have a reaction....thank goodness for the Epi-pen!
Here's my thoughts about children with allergies at school. How do the other children even know which child has allergies? Think about it. It's personal medical information. The school personnel shouldn't be talking about it openly enough for other students to hear it. I'd make it clear to the school that you don't want teachers revealing the allergy to other students. If they have to sit at a special table due to a severe allergy, the teachers shouldn't indicate what the allergy is to the other children.
My 7 year old is allergic to many things and he has to wear a fanny pack around his waist with the epipen in it. He also has to wear a medic alert bracelet. Its school policy. So unfortunatley all the kids in his class can identify which kids are allergic.
I disagree with Hopes. I think, if a child's life is in danger that the entire class should be made aware of it and the consequences of that child even being around the allergen. I think the teachers should loook on it as a teaching opportunity for the class. I know alot of people still think allergies are not real but unfortunately many children and adults have died as a result of fatal reactions.
Personally I would ask to come to school to give a presentation to the class so everybody understands what can happen. To leave it to chance is asking for trouble. A young child might not understand the seriousness themselves and not have the coping skills to avoid the allergen.
Bullying a child via their allergies...that's just sick! Unfortunately, not all kids know or consider allergies to be a serious condition (especially the food allergies).
Reminds me of a "Freaks and Geeks" episode I've seen, where one of the "geeky" guys w/ a highly severe peanut allergy was being bullied by another kid. The bully put peanuts in the guy's sandwich during lunchtime at school. Needless to say, the guy was immediately rushed to the hospital. It's sad that kids actually do this in the real world...for stupid reasons nonetheless.
Here's my thoughts about children with allergies at school. How do the other children even know which child has allergies? Think about it. It's personal medical information. The school personnel shouldn't be talking about it openly enough for other students to hear it. I'd make it clear to the school that you don't want teachers revealing the allergy to other students. If they have to sit at a special table due to a severe allergy, the teachers shouldn't indicate what the allergy is to the other children.
I also think it's a good idea to teach children to keep it to themselves. I realize with very young children that's next to impossible for them to understand. But there's nothing wrong with teaching older children that personal medical information is, well, personal and shouldn't be shared with just anyone. If another child offers a banana, they don't have to say, "I can't eat bananas. I'm allergic." They can simply say, "I don't like bananas."
I realize most parents with children who have allergies won't like this idea. However, if there's bullying at school over allergies, I would teach my children how to protect themselves from that type of bullying. It's also a good idea to teach them how to protect their life by not giving out that information to just anyone. If there was something that could so easiy kill me, I wouldn't want everyone and anyone to know about it.
Hopes makes a very good point here. Not only is it personal medical information, but a life threatening allergy is actually considered a disability as well. The school is not supposed to divulge that private information to others.
On the other hand, the more people that are aware of the allergy, and we are talking life threatening allergy here, the more unlikely it is that the child will come in contact with the life threatening allergy. I have allowed my son's teachers to discuss his allergy with the class. The fact that he has to carry an Epi-pen around with him would pretty much already broadcast to everyone that he has an allergy.
I am amazed when I observe his classmates during parties and field trips being mindful of his allergy and checking their own lunches and snacks to be certain they don't have peanuts/peanut butter, and taking appropriate action if it turns out they do, i.e. informing the teacher, sitting away from my son, washing hands thoroughly afterward.
For now, this works for us, but I am glad you brought this up because I am now starting to look down the line when my son starts middle school in a couple of years. I think that is when I am going to exercise our right to have this information kept private from his classmates, though I still think it is important his teachers are aware of the allergy. By that time, he should be able to handle his allergy on his own, IOW, he won't need the help of his classmates to keep him safe.
Bullying a child via their allergies...that's just sick! Unfortunately, not all kids know or consider allergies to be a serious condition (especially the food allergies).
This is why I have allowed my son's teachers to discuss his allergies with his classmates. There are several kids in my son's grade that have allergies, so all the kids have actually been taught how serious allergies are since Kindergarten. They've got it down pat!
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