Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have a question - what happens when these kids enter middle and high school - when they are in many different classrooms and there is no teacher to check what other kids have on them or in their lunch?
I have a question - what happens when these kids enter middle and high school - when they are in many different classrooms and there is no teacher to check what other kids have on them or in their lunch?
Well that is exactly the point. It's not the environment that will keep the child safe, it is the child. The environment can absolutely never be guaranteed, and these attempts to change it are ridiculous. Science does not support it.
Also the highest incidence of morbidity and mortality with food allergies occur in the teen years. This is mainly attributed to being the age when more risks are taken. I want my child to be self-sufficient and well aware of real risk by that age so we don't take that gamble with food.
Well that is exactly the point. It's not the environment that will keep the child safe, it is the child. The environment can absolutely never be guaranteed, and these attempts to change it are ridiculous. Science does not support it.
Also the highest incidence of morbidity and mortality with food allergies occur in the teen years. This is mainly attributed to being the age when more risks are taken. I want my child to be self-sufficient and well aware of real risk by that age so we don't take that gamble with food.
Just of curiosity I looked up my districts policies on this. There are 3 seperate "schools" divided between 2 buildings. One building houses the PK-1st grade. This school has no express allergy free zones, but they do provide "peanut free" tables in the lunchroom. Their statement is that when kids are younger there is a propensity to share and they want to minimize the risk to other kids. (FWIW to others who have read my posts on this: My kid CAN have a peanut butter sandwich, but his friend has a peanut allergy, so they can't sit together at lunch if he brings one.)
The other building houses the 2nd-6th and 7th-8th grades. This building provides NO segregated eating areas or allergy free zones. The statement is that by 2nd grade (7/8 year olds) the kids are old enough to be knowledgeable about and manage their own allergies.
I think this is a measured response, though I still don't agree with the implication that a 5 year old doesn't know what they can and can't eat, especially if their allergies are as life threatening as some claim them to be.
My kids went to a school that was completely peanut free....the WHOLE school was completely peanut free. As it turns out, only 2 students in the entire school (of about 300) had a peanut allergy.
It was aggravating to me to shop for food for the kids because both of my girls like peanut butter on their sandwiches, peanut butter with their celery, peanut-type granola bars, etc. It was hard to adjust and I grumbled and griped about it, seeing that the ENTIRE school had to go completely NUT FREE.
The kids' teachers had to go through the lunches and backpacks every day to inspect to make sure that there was nothing that had any nuts in it.
I thought the school took it too far for just 2 children, but as fas as I am aware, no incidents ever occurred.
Oh, and we had to send snacks each week for the whole class...I can't tell you how tired my kids got of cheez its and goldfish.
It was aggravating to me to shop for food for the kids because both of my girls like peanut butter on their sandwiches, peanut butter with their celery, peanut-type granola bars, etc.
And then there are kids like my sister who can't eat anything with milk or eggs (which includes weigh which is hidden in a lot of things) who have peanut butter as a saple food because it's one of the few treats they can have.
Just of curiosity I looked up my districts policies on this. There are 3 seperate "schools" divided between 2 buildings. One building houses the PK-1st grade. This school has no express allergy free zones, but they do provide "peanut free" tables in the lunchroom. Their statement is that when kids are younger there is a propensity to share and they want to minimize the risk to other kids. (FWIW to others who have read my posts on this: My kid CAN have a peanut butter sandwich, but his friend has a peanut allergy, so they can't sit together at lunch if he brings one.)
The other building houses the 2nd-6th and 7th-8th grades. This building provides NO segregated eating areas or allergy free zones. The statement is that by 2nd grade (7/8 year olds) the kids are old enough to be knowledgeable about and manage their own allergies.
I think this is a measured response, though I still don't agree with the implication that a 5 year old doesn't know what they can and can't eat, especially if their allergies are as life threatening as some claim them to be.
Yeah, I'm not sure where this idea that little kids are likely to share food comes from either. All the allergic kids I know are well-informed, and definitely not inclined to share food, even in pre-k. I had said earlier that my son has had 3 anaphylactic reactions, but it's actually 4 including the initial one that triggered the testing/diagnosis. The 3 subsequent attacks were: 1) Grandmother gave him cashews because she didn't believe he had a real allergy . He was very young then. 2) Pasta alfredo in a restaurant turned out to have walnuts in it. 3) Chuck e cheese cake was not so "nut-free". #2 & 3 were with me present, and despite asking all the right questions, $!%* happens. Why I mention this is of all the people I know who have allergic kids, most have had reactions with the parents present. Does this make us bad parents? No, it's just a sad reality of serious food allergies.
I have never heard of any child having an allergic reaction to food in my children's school of 700 kids in the last 5 years.
We moved to this area, to a new school and had to change everything about our kids' lunches...it was quite the pain in the rear. Not only could our kids bring anything that had nuts in it, they couldn't bring anything that had been near a nut, manufactured in a plant that had nuts, or had looked at a nut in it's life.
If it were my child with the allergy, I'd certainly adapt to the best of my ability, but to make the ENTIRE school nut free because of 2 children, I thought was a bit excessive. Try explaining to a 5 year old they cannot have peanut butter in their lunch because the school doesn't allow it. Of course, we did our best to explain that some children have an allergy to nuts and it can be harmful to them, but they don't really get it-they're 5, they want their peanut butter.
They were happy to have a peanut butter sammie when they got home from school.
Yeah, I'm not sure where this idea that little kids are likely to share food comes from either. All the allergic kids I know are well-informed, and definitely not inclined to share food, even in pre-k. I had said earlier that my son has had 3 anaphylactic reactions, but it's actually 4 including the initial one that triggered the testing/diagnosis. The 3 subsequent attacks were: 1) Grandmother gave him cashews because she didn't believe he had a real allergy . He was very young then. 2) Pasta alfredo in a restaurant turned out to have walnuts in it. 3) Chuck e cheese cake was not so "nut-free". #2 & 3 were with me present, and despite asking all the right questions, $!%* happens. Why I mention this is of all the people I know who have allergic kids, most have had reactions with the parents present. Does this make us bad parents? No, it's just a sad reality of serious food allergies.
I have never heard of any child having an allergic reaction to food in my children's school of 700 kids in the last 5 years.
True story. My sister would have a mild reaction when she was younger if she touched something thant touched her eyes. Basically her eyes would swell shut. I consider it minor as apposed to going into anaphalaxis. She actually only had that type of reaction once and it was when my mom gave her ice cream when she was a baby before she knew shew was allergic. Other than that I'd say she's been to the hospital maybe twice in 20 years. Also, I ate an egg and cheese sandwich and she sat next to me and nothing happened. I actually cooked the eggs with her sitting in the same room and she was fine.
Sounds more like Mom is having a hard time with being told what she can and can't do.
I think that the majority of parents of children with severe food allergies realize that they don't live in a bubble. We all teach our kids what to avoid and logical safety measures.
What is sad, though, are parents who think that it is too much trouble, or excessive, to keep a kid safe. Yes, odds are that nothing serious will happen, but it only takes once.
Most of the kids that I have encountered have been great about complying with peanut free areas. They realize that they may be putting their freinds in danger and feel good about being part of keeping them safe. The parents on the other hand, well that is another story.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crazymomof3
We moved to this area, to a new school and had to change everything about our kids' lunches...it was quite the pain in the rear. Not only could our kids bring anything that had nuts in it, they couldn't bring anything that had been near a nut, manufactured in a plant that had nuts, or had looked at a nut in it's life.
If it were my child with the allergy, I'd certainly adapt to the best of my ability, but to make the ENTIRE school nut free because of 2 children, I thought was a bit excessive. Try explaining to a 5 year old they cannot have peanut butter in their lunch because the school doesn't allow it. Of course, we did our best to explain that some children have an allergy to nuts and it can be harmful to them, but they don't really get it-they're 5, they want their peanut butter.
They were happy to have a peanut butter sammie when they got home from school.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. He was very young then. 2) Pasta alfredo in a restaurant turned out to have walnuts in it. 3) Chuck e cheese cake was not so "nut-free". #2 & 3 were with me present, and despite asking all the right questions, $!%* happens. Why I mention this is of all the people I know who have allergic kids, most have had reactions with the parents present. Does this make us bad parents? No, it's just a sad reality of serious food allergies.