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.
My daughter is in kindergarten, and they bring a morning snack to school. One day we were giving her a granola bar for snack and she freaked and said she can't bring that because it has peanuts and someone is allergic. Now, that was true last year in preschool, but there isn't anyone allergic in her class this year. But even my non-allergic daughter is aware to be careful about peanuts. I think that is great, because one of her good friends is allergic, and we are careful to wash hands and face before playing with her.
I think that generally, elementary schools have to take more responsibility for keeping allergic kids safe than a middle or high school would, just because little kids may not be trustworthy enough to be dealing with life-threatening issues on their own yet.
I think that generally, elementary schools have to take more responsibility for keeping allergic kids safe than a middle or high school would, just because little kids may not be trustworthy enough to be dealing with life-threatening issues on their own yet.
This sounds like a perfectly intelligent and logical approach, but as the parent of a child with life threatening food allergies here's why I think it's a bad idea and a bad precedent, one is assuming that all parents have the same knowledge-base on food ingredients and allergens.
If your child does not have food allergies or food sensitivities you cannot possibly be expected to be an expert on food allergens. The family of the food allergic child is relying on the knowledge (or lack thereof) of other parents to keep their child safe, which goes beyond risky, it's outright dangerous. The parent of the food allergic child is well read on the topic, knows the specifics of the allergen, how can everyone know everything about all allergens to know not to send them to school?
Here's an example; Allergen statements (separate area on ingredient list May contain: wheat, eggs, etc.) on foods are only a recent development, and not required in all countries. But does the average person know the names of all tree nuts? Does the average parent without food allergy knowledge know that Mortadella, Coconut, Karite and Mandelonas are all tree nuts?
A parent may not knowingly send in foods containing allergens but may still do so.
Food allergic kids need to be very well educated prior to starting school, and they must know to NEVER take food from another kid, and only take food from an adult after asking about allergens, it's the only way to protect them. They themselves are the first line of defense.
As a parent of a now 9 yr old boy with milk, eggs, peanut and tree nut allergies it is very important to have an allergic child tested routinely as IgE levels can change. We have blood draw every 6 months which is then sent to our allergist at a clinic in LaCrosse Wisconsin. We get very detailed results. We have had special tests performed using his blood work a few years ago to get specific results for a variety of foods and the specific proteins. Also we have tests done for Ig4 levels, which measure the body's immunity to certain allergens.
Bottom line education of yourself and the child is so very important. It is with this information we approach the school teachers, nurse and principal each year. He is in 4th grade this year. We have found all teachers to be wonderful and they greatly appreciate our information and willingness to help them, as most teachers in our small school district have yet to have an allergic child. Our school district is peanut safe....meaning the school doesnt serve peanut products (school uses sunbutter) but peanut butter sandwiches, crackers can be brought from home for lunch for use in the cafeteria. Our son sits at a table and a para makes sure no one at his table has any peanut products. Now for milk and eggs, he does sit next to those who drink regular milk. For him, he does have to ingest milk to cause severe reactions and also our son is very knowledgeable about the situation and not a risk taker. Thus no problems. But each child is very different. There are several epi-pens kept at school, we use the new talking ones. Everyone is educated around him on how to use it if needed. It has yet to be needed. He was born with his allergies.....
Okay, so when my daughter was little (elementary school age), there were always notices sent home periodically about "please do NOT send your child into school with peanut butter sandwiches or anything containing peanuts. We have a child in the class/school who is severely allergic"
Now, she's been in high school for 3 years and no notices.
I'm sure there won't be any at college.
What happens to the "allergic" children once they become adults??? They are "deathly allergic" to peanuts (or whatever) and cannot be within 1000 feet of a peanut or they will die. So what happens when they grow up and go to work?? Do they post signs at work asking their co-workers not to bring in peanut products? What if they're at a sports bar? (notorious for peanuts) Or if they're on an airplane?
I guess my question is, once you're an adult and the world no longer revolves around you, you can't ask people not to eat or bring in certain items just because you're allergic (I'd love to see someone try to tell someone at a job not to bring in peanuts or tell the building cafeteria to please not serve or have any peanut products!) so what do you do???
The airborne peanut allergy is very very rare. Some parents who may not get their child tested frequently or see an appropriate doctor may now understand the differences in types of responses and thus may go a bit overboard. For our son, it is contact and ingestion. He has yet to contact peanut, and is levels are too high for any food challenges. Same for dairy and eggs and tree nuts. Peanut sandwiches are brought into our child's school for lunch. He does sit at a peanut free table with friends....a para checks to see food. But we know as parents educating him and others are the most important things. Our son is very careful, intelligent and knows to never take food from anyone unless it is checked. That is a key.
I just went for a tour of my old high school for our 25th reunion. On the door of many of the classrooms, there were "Nut Free Zone" signs. There is a neighboring district that is completely nut free in all of its schools, from elementary on up.
I need to put that sign on my house; my SIL is definitely nuts.
Some parents who may not get their child tested frequently or see an appropriate doctor may now understand the differences in types of responses and thus may go a bit overboard..
I agree that some parents go overboard. However, doctors unfortunately can't really tell with too much accuracy how a child may or may not react to an allergen, which is the difficult part. My dd has had an epinephrine shot seven times in her life (3 errors by relatives, 3 restaurant errors and one bad reaction to an allergy shot). She also has had Benadryl too many times to count. Each time her reaction has been different, which is confusing and often scary since we are never sure how bad she is. I guess it may be more obvious if someone's throat closes up, but my dd tends to have more blood pressure/heart problems etc. when she has a bad reaction.
The time she received epinephrine from the doctor, ironically, would have been one time I would have not given it to her myself. She had a tingly mouth and swollen arm from her environmental allergy shot, but it didn't seem as severe as her reactions from milk.
It does seem nearly every parent I have encountered at my dd's schools have been fortunate that they have avoided giving any epinephrine shots to their child with allergies. I do think if a child has never had a serious reaction than the likelihood is probably good that they are not suddenly going to have a severe reaction at school from an allergen they contacted through other kids' food. Despite my dd's difficult history, she hasn't had a severe reaction at school. We always pack her food, and she doesn't eat any snacks provided in class without a thorough vetting of the ingredients. She has had lots and lots of hives though at school from all those milk-loaded school foods ending up on hands and tables!
My daughter is in kindergarten, and they bring a morning snack to school. One day we were giving her a granola bar for snack and she freaked and said she can't bring that because it has peanuts and someone is allergic. Now, that was true last year in preschool, but there isn't anyone allergic in her class this year. But even my non-allergic daughter is aware to be careful about peanuts. I think that is great, because one of her good friends is allergic, and we are careful to wash hands and face before playing with her.
I think that generally, elementary schools have to take more responsibility for keeping allergic kids safe than a middle or high school would, just because little kids may not be trustworthy enough to be dealing with life-threatening issues on their own yet.
HI5 and big hug for your daughter, I am truly proud about your child I am sure she will grow in to a good child some day with a good values and respect. yes that is the reason send the flyers.
As a parent of a now 9 yr old boy with milk, eggs, peanut and tree nut allergies it is very important to have an allergic child tested routinely as IgE levels can change. We have blood draw every 6 months which is then sent to our allergist at a clinic in LaCrosse Wisconsin. We get very detailed results. We have had special tests performed using his blood work a few years ago to get specific results for a variety of foods and the specific proteins. Also we have tests done for Ig4 levels, which measure the body's immunity to certain allergens.
Bottom line education of yourself and the child is so very important. It is with this information we approach the school teachers, nurse and principal each year. He is in 4th grade this year. We have found all teachers to be wonderful and they greatly appreciate our information and willingness to help them, as most teachers in our small school district have yet to have an allergic child. Our school district is peanut safe....meaning the school doesnt serve peanut products (school uses sunbutter) but peanut butter sandwiches, crackers can be brought from home for lunch for use in the cafeteria. Our son sits at a table and a para makes sure no one at his table has any peanut products. Now for milk and eggs, he does sit next to those who drink regular milk. For him, he does have to ingest milk to cause severe reactions and also our son is very knowledgeable about the situation and not a risk taker. Thus no problems. But each child is very different. There are several epi-pens kept at school, we use the new talking ones. Everyone is educated around him on how to use it if needed. It has yet to be needed. He was born with his allergies.....
So education is the key from all sides.
-Dan
My daughter too. She is 9. My daughter is allergic for peanuts, soya, eggs,pollen, since she was 6 months old I take her to blood allergic screenings every 6 months. Now last month she is getting less allergic for eggs as screening says. But I am not going to try till I get a clear pic of that. that is first time I got that information. At some point I am happy if she grow out from allergies but it is hard to say as they are kids. where my daughter go to school gave maximum support so the parents they were very care full not to send those products.
This sounds like a perfectly intelligent and logical approach, but as the parent of a child with life threatening food allergies here's why I think it's a bad idea and a bad precedent, one is assuming that all parents have the same knowledge-base on food ingredients and allergens.
If your child does not have food allergies or food sensitivities you cannot possibly be expected to be an expert on food allergens. The family of the food allergic child is relying on the knowledge (or lack thereof) of other parents to keep their child safe, which goes beyond risky, it's outright dangerous. The parent of the food allergic child is well read on the topic, knows the specifics of the allergen, how can everyone know everything about all allergens to know not to send them to school?
Here's an example; Allergen statements (separate area on ingredient list May contain: wheat, eggs, etc.) on foods are only a recent development, and not required in all countries. But does the average person know the names of all tree nuts? Does the average parent without food allergy knowledge know that Mortadella, Coconut, Karite and Mandelonas are all tree nuts?
A parent may not knowingly send in foods containing allergens but may still do so.
Food allergic kids need to be very well educated prior to starting school, and they must know to NEVER take food from another kid, and only take food from an adult after asking about allergens, it's the only way to protect them. They themselves are the first line of defense.
You are absolutely correct! My FA son's first grade teacher tried to give him a cookie as a reward and it had been processed on shared equipment with pn/tn items. Her husband is a doctor and she isn't evil...she just didn't keep it in the forefront of her mind.
Even if the classroom is pn/tn free there is great chance they are present.
Thank God my son is diligent in his allergy needs.
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.
