Student's Peanut Allergy Leads To Ban Of Lunchtime Favorite

[Squatch]

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. -- Some young St. Johns County students are no longer allowed to bring a popular lunchtime food to school. Peanut butter has been banned.

A kindergarten student at Ocean Palms Elementary in Ponte Vedra has a peanut allergy that has forced the student's classroom to become a peanut-free zone.

Not all parents are happy with the changes in other students' diets and the inconvenience caused by the peanut ban.

"That's just a typical thing that a kid brings to school and it's something my son likes. It's quick and easy for me in the morning. To not be able to bring that and have to do something else is a burden on ME in the morning," Torres said.

Link
------------------

:popcorn:

[MissB]

1. It is all about "me" with some folks, isn't it?

:rofl:

[midlife_mo_Jo]

52. I know someone who has child with a severe peanut allergy

and she thinks a peanut-free zone in the cafeteria and the particular child's classrooms are more important (no opening lunch kits in class), because so many foods, nutrition bars, etc., have peanuts, peanut oil or peanut traces in them, and parents will get compacent about what their child packs. It's easier to for the lunch monitors to police a lunch zone than an entire cafeteria. Let's face it - if your child doesn't have the problem, are you going to remember to check that nutrition bar label six months down the road when you stop to grab foods for his lunch kit? We eat potato chips fried in peanut oil. There's just so many products that can slip into a lunch kit.

I truly sympatize with the families, and do believe that accommodations have to be made. I never realized how serious and how difficult it is to parent a child with such an allergy! It requires constant vigilence.

[DemBones DemBones]

165. Excellent points. It would be safest for the

child(ren) allergic to peanuts not to eat at the same table with others since many foods other than peanut butter contain peanuts or peanut oil. The allergic kid(s) need to be protected. But policing everything brought by all other students is a big job.

At the same time, I understand the "selfish" mother who is annoyed that she can no longer make peanut butter sandwiches for her child. I had a child who would not eat lunchroom food (smart kid!) but would eat peanut butter sandwiches. Every day. Nothing else would do for lunch at school. Other things weren't eaten so I quit sending them. I don't know what we would have done if her school had banned peanut butter. She's been a vegan for years now, no surprise there.

[Beaverhausen]

2. I lived on peanut butter when I was young

still love it to this day. It would have sucked if I couldn't have had my PB&J's.

This sucks but then again, I know peanut allergies are really deadly.

By the way, melting peanut butter on popcorn is yummy!

[Cha]

185. Gross! Peanut Butter

on Popcorn.:P No, I'm sure it's very good..I can't eat peanut butter anymore or I'm sure I would try it.

[Warpy]

3. I went to school in the 50s

and most of us ate peanut butter sandwiches. It was something our mothers could put together half asleep, it was cheap, it was nutritious, and we'd actually eat it.

I never saw any kid turn blue from my peanut butter sandwich although I knew a few kids who said they were allergic to all sorts of nuts.

I think the burden of proof is on the complainer that a kid across the room eating a peanut butter sandwich is going to make her kid sick.

This is ridiculous.

[mzteris]

7. people DIE from peanut allergies

it's a well proven medical condition.

[Romulox]

20. Unless peanuts are banned from the world, these ultra-sensitive individuals

Will likely not survive long in the 99.9999% of the world outside of kindergarten.

So my vote is also for hysteria/massive overreaction.

[alittlelark]

103. I'm 43.

see post #74

[hedgehog]

138. A lot of people outgrow their allergies as they age.nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

107. So don't give THEM peanut butter.

I've never heard of peanut butter going airborne, so the chance of contamination from non-allergic student A to allergic student B is like NIL, so long as B knows not to eat other peoples' lunches.

Silly. Just silly.

[mzteris]

145. actually

I know a kid who went to preschool.

PB was banned.

One of the kids in the room had had PB on their toast at breakfast before school.

Came to school. Touched some toys.

The allergic child touched the same toys.

Et voila - thank god for epi pens.



BTW: Why do you think they no longer serve peanuts on airplanes?



Also - I don't really advocate the banning - I think anyone with a child that allergic should probably keep them at home where they're safe. That's why god created homeschool. B-)

[MissB]

11. Some kids are so allergic that just touching a surface

where another kid has put his peanut-butter covered fingers would send the kid into anaphylactic shock. It isn't just a matter of making a kid sick - it is about killing a kid. That kid has a right to an education, just like the peanut-butter eating kids. The kids can take a few hours from having peanut butter. It won't kill them.

Having an epi pen doesn't always save a life.

[Warpy]

36. Then why not a peanut free zone?

Why do all the other kids have to suffer because one kid has an allergy?

Kids should wash their hands after lunch, anyway. Why aren't they? Tables should be wiped down after use. Why aren't they?

Are we going to ban peanuts entirely because some people in the world are allergic? Just how far is the rest of the world going to have to go to protect a few people? Should this kid be taught tactics on how to avoid environmental contamination or is he going to spend his life wrapped in cotton and stuffed in a closet?

I'm saying all this as someone who has to read labels very carefully because of a few very serious food allergies.

[MissB]

47. I suppose the school was trying not to be exclusionary to the student.

Or they're erring on the side of caution, figuring that denying some kids peanut butter is better than having a kid die from an allergic reaction. It could be based on advice from their insurance carrier as well.

Schools treat the situation differently.

Getting kids to wash their hands properly. :rofl: I'm sorry, but kids are perfect little disease vectors. Peanut allergies can be airborne as well.

I know there are a couple of kids at my kids' school that are allergic - but there are no food bans and no special tables set aside. Perhaps their allergies aren't as severe.

Also, some airlines remove peanuts from flights if they are made aware in advance that a passenger is allergic. So accommodations in the real world aren't exactly abnormal. It'd be just like banning perfume in an office.

[Katherine Brengle]

54. "Suffer?" Are you serious?

Um, no one "suffers" from not being able to have a pb sandwich. People do, however, suffer from going into shock and dying from being exposed to someone else's.

[NorthernSpy]

102. thanks, but it's up to me to protect me from me...

People with food allergies do have precautions that we take, like washing our hands, or choosing not to wallow in the gooey, crumby remains of someone else's lunch. Once we reach a certain age, we're old enough -- and know the drill well enough -- to protect ourselves. And we are the ONLY ones who can do that.

[piesRsquare]

199. And what if you've got an Asperger's kid in the same class...

...who won't eat anything BUT a peanut butter sandwich? And no, the kid WILL NOT eat something else. What happens then? Force the kid to go hungry?

I had an Asperger's student who only drinks carbonated water. The kid will absolutely NOT drink any other type of water. She's 14 now and has been this way since she was two. If carbonated water were banned, the kid wouldn't drink any water.

Not so cut-and-dry.

[FLDCVADem]

69. Well said, Warpy

Two kids at my childrens' school were diagnosed with peanut allergies a few years ago. The parents of both kids wanted all peanuts and peanut products banned from the school, but most of the other parents objected, and the school worked out a compromise that was fine with one parent and not with the other. Lunches would be inspected, and the allergic child would sit with children who had no peanut products in their lunch boxes. The table with the allergic child was wiped down thoroughly before lunch began, and everyone had to wash their hands immediately after eating. We've had no problems whatsoever.

My opposition to banning peanut products from the school because of allergies is not based on the fact that my kids love peanut butter (they do), but rather my belief that such bans bring a false sense of security to the allergic child and his or her parents.

The fact is that there are many, many products out there that don't necessarily contain peanuts that are still dangerous to an allergic child. Crackers or snacks that may have be prepared using peanut oil, or even products that have nothing to do with peanuts or peanut oil, but that were prepared/packaged with machinery that also process peanut products. So to be completely safe, we're not just talking peanut butter, we're talking many other items that most people would not even associate with peanuts, and thus would send to school without thinking twice about it. So, an allergic child is told that the school is "peanut free", making it more likely that he or she will feel completely safe with any of the food there, rather than following the necessary guidance concerning food that isn't prepared at home by a parent that is aware of the dangers.

While I have great compassion for any family that is dealing with this type of allergy, I don't find it at all reasonable for any parent to expect me to do my shopping and food preparation based on allergy that my child doesn't even have. These children are going to have to learn to adapt to the world around them, not expect the rest of the world to adapt to them.

As always, just my two cents.

[Warpy]

90. "such bans bring a false sense of security to the allergic child and his or her parents."

Thank you. That was part of the point I was trying to make that a lot of parents are missing.

[LeftishBrit]

116. Actually, this sounds like a good solution if it works

and I see your point about false sense of security.

The problem is that it only works if the school is adequately staffed, and all staff are clued into the problem. Which is of course how all schools *should* be. But sometimes are not.

[NorthernSpy]

124. oh, you wanna hear about a false sense of security?

College kid buys his favorite snack -- a packet of chocolate-chip cookies -- from the dorm vending machine. He'd eaten them numerous times, and he'd never had a reaction. Well, this time was different.

I don't remember whether he had his Epi on him or not, but it didn't matter in any case. He died.

It turned out that the factory had some peanut butter cookie batter still in the mixer when they started mixing up the new batch. They didn't think it would matter.


The problem is that it turns out that because peanut products are banished from so many homes where allergic people live, a lot of them can't reliably identify such items by smell. (Somebody studied this.) So where most people would unwrap a snack and a think, hmmm -- that smells like peanut butter, many peanut-allergic people would sense nothing amiss.

[Dulcinea]

208. Hear, hear!

These children are going to have to learn to adapt to the world around them, not expect the rest of the world to adapt to them.

I sympathize with these kids & their families, but they won't spend their lives in a bubble (we hope.)

[Canuckistanian]

163. Man , what is with you?

Did you not hear what the other posters had to say? A few micrograms of peanut oil can make a severely allergic kid sick.

A few hundred can kill. And that's just from skin contact.

Peanut Allergy: The Facts
For people with a severe peanut allergy even the smallest trace of peanut protein can lead to hives, sweating, anaphylactic shock and - in very severe cases - death.

An allergic reaction could be provoked by something as simple as eating a meal that's been cooked in a vessel that previously had peanuts in it (eg: a wok used to prepare an Asian meal) or even by the smell of peanuts (peanut allergens have been shown to travel through the air).

Since peanuts are now very often used in a wide variety of cooking and food products - anything from peanut oils to fillers in spaghetti, canned foodstuffs and many baked food products - and are frequently served from open dishes in restaurants and bars, this can make peanut-allergic people's lives a nightmare.

http://www.peanutvan.com.au/allergies.htm

Don't you think it's a small price to pay to leave out ONE ingredient from a kid's lunch to save another from severe sickness and death?

Or should kids die for your right to serve peanut butter to your kid?

[NorthernSpy]

46. not so -- every known death has resulted from actually ingesting the allergen...

I have a nut allergy myself, and I DON'T think these bans are a good idea in most circumstances.

[MissB]

58. Did they ever rule on the cause of death of that teenager that kissed someone?

I'm not a peanut-nazi myself, so I'm not "up" on all the death data wrt peanuts.

[NorthernSpy]

82. the pathologist ruled out an allergic reaction...

... but in the story I read -- if I recall correctly -- they didn't go into specifics beyond that.

Many of those who do ultimately die of anaphylaxis have coexisting asthma (it's one of the risk factors that distinguishes a food allergy with a high likelihood of causing a fatal reaction from one that probably won't). A concurrent asthma exacerbation may play a role in some of these deaths. I guess there are lots of possible factors.

But you just can't have an allergen-free world. If the slightest touch or whiff of peanuts could kill you, then you'd soon die just from walking around in public. Such a level of sensitivity would warrant seclusion and full-on Bubble Boy treatment -- not just some lame peanut ban.


The only way to protect an allergic person is to give them the things they need to protect themselves -- not to go and confiscate their friends' cookies and sandwiches and stuff.

[LibertyLover]

173. IIRC it turned out that she had eaten peanuts

knowing that she was allergic to them.

[NorthernSpy]

200. "Teen died from an asthma attack, not from peanut butter kiss, coroner says"

Is this the story we're all referring to?

Teen died from an asthma attack, not from peanut butter kiss, coroner says.
Provided by: Canadian Press
May. 11, 2006

SAGUENAY, Que. (CP) - A Quebec coroner has ruled out a peanut allergy as the cause of death for a 15-year-old girl.

Coroner Michel Miron said Christina Desforges died after suffering an asthma attack last November in Saguenay, about 250 kilometres north of Quebec City. The story made headlines around the world after it was revealed her boyfriend had eaten toast with peanut butter and then kissed her.

But Miron pointed out today that nine hours had passed before he kissed Desforges.

He also says a recent study showed that, after one hour, most people who had eaten peanut butter no longer had allergen in their saliva.

Miron added that the fact Desforges had smoked pot before the asthma attack did not help.

http://aol.mediresource.com/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=9878&news_channel_id=139&channel_id=139&relation_id=10578

[KittyWampus]

48. that kid has a right to an education but he needs to eat in the nurses office if he's that sensitive

Or the school needs to set up a small "peanut free" cafeteria area.

#1. peanuts may be in foods that parents are unaware of

#2. peanut RESIDUE may be in foods that parents are unaware of (foods processed in plants that also process peanuts)

#3. kids can be cruel and decide to see what happens if little Johnny gets a peanut sandwich in his face

#4. restricting every other childs choices is unncessary and inconvenient. Peanut butter keeps well unrefridderated, is nutricious, is relatively inexpensive, many kids favorite.

[beevul]

149. Among all the over-reactive suggestions, we have a winner!!

"restricting every other childs choices is unncessary and inconvenient."


Well said indeed (Props to warpy for the sentiment also.)


It could have been said more simply or succinctly. Simple common sense. That seems too much to ask for, sadly, in present times. I suspect that many people, FAR too many people, reach for a blanket prohibition on a thing by default without giving it much thought - rather than doing whats more obvious after actually thinking about it for a while.

[DemBones DemBones]

212. I agree. Kids can be made to feel special because

they get to eat in a special area, rather than being made to feel excluded. Their health has to come first so separating them from others at lunchtime and snacktime is the best solution, eliminating any chance of accidents.

They will be dealing with the allergy for many, many years and have to accept that most people eat and enjoy peanuts and peanut butter but they can't. It is an unfair restriction on the others to forbid them to eat what they like. Some kids want peanut butter sandwiches every day, won't eat anything else. What are they supposed to do?

There is no perfect solution but if I had a child who was allergic to peanuts, I'd prefer s/he not eat with classmates. Keeping the allergic child safe is more important than keeping him/her in the group at all times. The kids are together in class and at recess so isolation at lunch isn't going to be terrible, especially if there are other kids eating with him and/or if a teacher or aide spends time with the child(ren.) Extra attention from adults is usually appreciated by kids.

[JVS]

126. Maybe these kids need to live in bubbles then, or wear gloves

Everyone else has a lives to lead, and when they get outside of school there's going to be peanutbutter traces there.

[SidDithers]

16. It's more than making a kid sick...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/peanut-allergy/DS00710

As the most common cause of life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), peanut allergies account for 80 percent of fatal or near-fatal allergic reactions each year.

Sid

[hedgehog]

26. Aren't there any desensitizing treatments?

I'm just curious, because I know several people who took allergy shots for years, but I've never heard of people taking allergy shots for peanuts. i wouldn't expect them to eat peanuts, just to be able to be around them.

[SidDithers]

34. No idea...

my daughter has Celiac Disease, which is similar to a food allergy, so I'm sensitive about food issues at school. I don't really know much about peanuts.

http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/168/10/1279

More info there. Peanuts seem to be the worst:

Peanut allergy deserves particular attention. It accounts for the majority of severe food-related allergic reactions, it tends to present early in life, it does not usually resolve, and in highly sensitized people, trace quantities can induce an allergic reaction

Sid

[Trillo]

68. Not one mention of a danger to others,

other than those with the allergy itself.

edit, emphasis added:

Children should be discouraged from sharing food at school or parties and should be encouraged to wash their hands after meals. School personnel should be made aware that a child has a food allergy and should be provided with photo identification of the child and a list of known allergies. Children with food allergies should always wear MedicAlert bracelets.

[SidDithers]

73. I don't think anyone is claiming that peanuts...

are a danger to someone who is not allergic.

:wtf:

Sid

[Trillo]

Did you read the article you linked to?

It says nothing about the danger to the person who is allergic of others eating peanuts. It doesn't even recommend that peanuts be banned from school.

[SidDithers]

99. The paper recommends minimizing exposures...

and links to Anaphylaxis Canada for more information, who do recommend that schools be peanut free.

The question of banning anything in schools is controversial. We live in a world that is
contaminated with potential allergens. Anaphylactic children must learn to avoid specific triggers.
While the key responsibility lies with the anaphylactic individual and his family, in the case of a
young anaphylactic child, the school community must also be aware.
In our school, the significant allergies are to peanut and nuts. There are allergies to other foods
and insect/wasp stings as well. We have appealed to the community to keep peanut
butter (in particular) and other peanut/nut products out of the school.

http://www.safe4kids.ca/content/schools/anaphylaxis_school_policy.pdf

Sid

[Trillo]

117. Not the same paper you cited earlier, nor does it appear as research.

It is not clear what that paper is that you just excerpted, there doesn't appear any identifying info, though the URL and homepage itself may indicate advocacy.

Can you find any reputable scientific papers that document a danger to the person with a peanut allergy if another person who is not allergic eats a peanut product?

[SidDithers]

183. That link is in the paper I cited earlier.

The authors of the paper link to Anaphylaxis Canada for more information.

The danger is in cross contamination. We're talking about school-age children here.

Sid

[Trillo]

191. Yes. Think of the children.

Not just the allergic ones (who must also be protected).

Here's a thought. Why not just outlaw peanut farming and peanut processing and sales? That gets rid of the whole schebang, and protects against all peanut derived anaphylaxis, unless someone is breaking the law.

To top it off, outlaw the commercial collection of fish and shellfish, and their processing and sales!

Just think of the benefit to the Prison Industrial Complex! Why think so small?

[SidDithers]

192. Alright, I'm done...

'cause you're intentionally, or unintentionally, too obtuse to continue with.

My comment about children was with respect to cleanliness and contamination. I don't believe that the entire world should be child-friendly. I do, however, believe that a school cafeteria or classroom should be.

Sid

[Trillo]

194. Al-left...I'm not yet done.

The research paper you cited earlier, and which I excerpted, spoke to the cleanliness issue, it stated that children should be encouraged to wash their hands. Seems like a good lesson anyway. Yes, the school should have epikits available, and the children with allergies wear their Medi-ID (or whatever they're named) bracelets.

But it sounds like that's a lot of work for the school and administration. So it's much easier to get parents to agree not to make peanut butter sandwiches, to assume the trouble and increased costs for the administration. That's what this is really all about: Shifting financial responsibility, with an emphasis on shiftiness and deemphasis on responsibility.

You know it too.

[pitohui]

41. no

i'll tell you what my allergist said to me

the shots aren't proven to work, but people think they do, because a certain number of people age out of certain allergies and so they think the shots worked -- this is non lifethreatening type allergies like animal dander, some pollens, etc.

hence it's a placebo for some patients (they can feel they're doing somethinng) and a moneymaker for the pharma co. that produces the shots and the doctor who supervises the giving of the shots

you can't play this game w. something as life threatening as a peanut allergy or a bee sting allergy, which never goes away with age and in fact only gets more severe with every subsequent allergic reaction

i'm probably summing this up very badly but allergy shots aren't much different from the idea of homeopathy, lots of people thunk it's real, but honestly there's not a lot of science there

or sayeth my allergist back in the day while explaining why the shots would be a waste of time for me

(as he predicted, even without the shots, i've noticed a great lessening of my reaction to fur dander w/ age -- so if i had had the shots, i would have spent a lot of time, pain, and money to be grateful to a product that did nothing that wasn't going to happen anyway) :shrug:

[hedgehog]

139. Jeez - I hope your allergist is wrong.

My poor son had two shots weekly for years, and those are painful shots!

[charlie]

79. There is a new treatment for peanuts

that is purported to be simple and 100% efficacious in rendering them harmless:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/77666.php
http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2007/07/23/daily22.html

[piesRsquare]

201. Hey, that's cool! n/t

[pitohui]

17. peanut allergy is a recent development, TREE nuts allergies are different

your friends in the 50s were allergic to TREE nuts

peanuts are not nuts, they are legumes, related to such as soy

i have another post i just left on this issue, speculation, but i've heard discussion that the rise of peanut is linked to feeding a child soy products too young

[hedgehog]

140. American soy products are different from those elsewhere because

most of the soy raised in the US is genetically altered. Brazil is switching to GMO soy. I wonder if we'll see some odd reactions there?

[SidDithers]

4. This is new in Florida?...

Wow, our kids' school has been completely peanut free for at least 4 years now.

Sid

Edit to add: and the "burden" of coming up with different lunch items has not been onerous.

[Virginia Dare]

10. They set aside peanut free tables at our schools..

seems to be a workable solution.

[SeattleGirl]

5. Oh fer fuck sake!

What's next? Strawberry jam?

:eyes:

[depakid]

I actually know someone who's allergic to strawberries!

Though not to the point where she breaks out in hives when someone else is eating them!

[SeattleGirl]

53. That's why I said what I did.

I know that for some people, food allergies can literally be deadly, but to ban that food completely just goes too far, I think.

[depakid]

67. That's not exactly what they're doing

Seems they're having difficulty segregating the peanuts from the "non-peanuts." According to the article, eventually it looks as though they want to have a "peanut" "non-peanut" tables.

Why this should be so difficult, I don't know. Then again, I've never run a Kindergarten in Florida.

[SeattleGirl]

75. It's difficult because it's Florida.

:eyes:

[mudesi]

144. That's because you're ignorant....

...of the severities of peanut allergies.

It amazes me the number of people in this thread who don't get that a mere droplet of peanut oil left on a doorknob is enough for a child with a peanut allergy to drop dead.

[SeattleGirl]

167. Um, no I'm not.

I know that people can literally die from peanut allergies.

Just seems there is some other way to deal with it than to completely ban it, is all.

[Marrah_G]

25. I know a young woman allergic to dairy

It will kill her. Talk about having a crappy allergy. Going out to eat is a bitch, even having friends over is a pain for her. She has to check everything to make sure there is no dairy because it would kill her. Can you imagine how sucky it was in school for her?

Anyway there was no point to my post except to ramble on about another unusual thing.

[SeattleGirl]

57. I also have a friend who is deathly allergic to dairy.

I'm certainly not making fun of anyone with a bad food allergy. I'm only saying it's stupid to completely ban something because one person is allergic to it.

[Marrah_G]

80. yup I generally agree

The only iffy thing with PB is that it takes a spec of the oil to trigger it. Like one kid eating PB and touching another, or passing a toy. I'm really torn on this one.

[SeattleGirl]

120. You do have a point there.

The two main sides seem to be (IMO):

1. These are kindergarten kids, who are not old enough to be truly aware of what coming into contact with peanuts/peanut butter can do to him/her.

2. It does send a message that if something could possibly harm one person, then it is off limits to all persons.

Guess I'm a little torn on it too.

[mzteris]

146. as in she'll stop breathing and die if it gets on her?

'cause that's what happens to some people allergic to peanuts.

[SeattleGirl]

168. Not if it gets on her, but certainly if she consumes any dairy at all,

there is a good chance she would die.

[mzteris]

177. oh - you did really mean a "dairy allergy"

not just what people usually mean when they say they're "allergic to milk" - like a lactose intolerance thing.

You're right. That is also a very serious issue.

Again, though, I'd probably have to keep my kid out of PS altogether, if it were me.

[SeattleGirl]

181. Oh yeah, a serious allergy to dairy.

I know what you mean, though; many people say they are allergic to milk when in fact they are lactose intolerant, not allergic like my friend is.

As to keeping your kid out of PS, would there be a guarantee that they would be safe in a private school?

[mzteris]

184. I meant homeschool -

or possibly an online school.

Also, many schools district have a "home school" option - wherein the kid is enrolled and a "teacher" comes to their house once a week or so to handle the coordination. From what I've heard, though, those type of programs are more successful in the short-term, but if you're a "permanent homeschooler" you're better off with your own curriculum program.

[SeattleGirl]

187. Oh, I see.

I wasn't aware of the option of having a teacher come to the house once a week. I do know that there are associations of families who homeschool their kids, and they have group activities, etc., which I think it great, because it helps kids with their socialization.

I can see where having your own curriculum, if you plan to home school your kids through graduation, would be the better choice.

[mzteris]

190. Having a teacher come

is restricted to "need based" - usually for a medical reason - like extended hospitalization, illness, operation, or bed rest or something of that nature. Though there are other reasons and I suppose lifethreatening allergies would be covered, too.


We had a friend who was having severe unpredictable seizures so he had a "home school teacher" until after all of his surgeries and his meds were adjusted so he could make it through a day at school.

My niece was hospitalized with kidney problems (many years ago) and then was at home for an extended period - they did a combination of a home teacher and a "homeschool curriculum" when it became apparent that the "home work" the school was sending wasn't challenging enough.

[SeattleGirl]

198. Okay, now I see.

My mom had to have that for awhile. She was a preemie, and was unable to go to school a lot of the time, because of illness. My grandmother taught her a lot, but there was also a teacher that came to the house to help her out too.

[janetle]

88. I'm from Seattle and my daughter is deathly allergic to crab

At least people do not eat crab at school much but she had to be excused from a school project when they disected crabs.

And restaurants around here are a problem for us though we carry an epi-pen. We don't take her to all-you-can-eat crab nights.

And we cannot cook or eat crab if she is at home because the steamy water can send her into an asthmatic attack.

It is a problem and I'm just glad crabs are not as common as peanuts though in the Pacific Northwest, it is not far off---esp. at parties where crab may be in sushi or dip or hors d'oeuvres!

[janetle]

She can't kiss her boyfriend if he's had crab, shrimp, or lobster

I'm serious.

[LeftishBrit]

105. I have never heard of anyone stopping breathing or dying from exposure to strawberries

I HAVE met some people who couldn't eat strawberries because they felt sick or got a rash from doing so. But that's a different level of problem.

Food allergies are common, and are usually no reason for restricting the diet of anyone but the allergic person. Peanut allergy is uncommon, but can be fatal for those who have it. That's the difference between peanuts and e.g. strawberries.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. I haven't been this upset...

since they started building all those aesthetically horrible handicapped ramps.

PC run amok.

[Squatch]

8. ...

:rofl:

[fishwax]

128. .

:rofl:

[slackmaster]

9. My brother has a bad peanut allergy, and he made it through school just fine

Without more information, I think the ban is an overreaction in this case.

[soleft]

12. Moms love Jiff

[PDenton]

13. you can take the PB&J from my cold dead hand

Jesus, no peanut butter? What's next, no freedom fries?

If my life were so miserable that I couldn't eat peanut butter, couldn't be within ten feet of peanut butter, I think I'd just have to live at home rather than spread the misery to other people. What's next, mandatory wheelchair use?

[Wiley50]

19. scraping it from the roof of my mouth is a different story though n/t

[pitohui]

14. is this or is this not caused by soy in a young child's early diet?

this allergy did not exist when i was young, and a few years back i heard a THEORY that it was caused by the prevalence of soy in the modern diet, esp. if it's in formula or in the many, many, many food products a child might consume before age 5

any update on this?

the consequences of a lifelong peanut allergy are severe and mean that for a lifetime the victim is dependent on always having an epi-pen to fight the allergy, which besides making the victim a nuisance to all around her, also puts severe restrictions on how freely the person can travel to where she might not be able to make her nut allergy known, it also affects what's available to her to eat in a diaster or survival situation where nuts and chocolates are quick compact source of calories (peanuts are NOT nuts, they're legumes like soy, but they end up in survival mixes)

it closes doors and i think we need to find out why this type of allergy is exploding

this ain't like my allergy to cats, folks -- sure that closes doors as far as people i can visit or date, but people w. peanut allergy don't just sniffle and get swollen eyes and have a higher rate of asthma/cardiovascular disease, they can effin' die in minutes from breathing a little peanut dust

as far as the "it's a burden on me," maybe this mom is just a fuckwit, but when i was a kid, there were many days when it was PBJ or no food at all (admittedly we were low income at that time, but know what -- plenty of families are low income even today) -- i don't know if removing a traditionally affordable basic food is going to solve longterm the very real problems caused by this issue -- the school has gotta do what it gotta do to keep this child from having a reaction and maybe a respiratory arrest -- BUT we also need to get at the root source so that more children don't develop this

[sandnsea]

18. I don't eat soy

I recently discovered I have peanut allergy. I also haven't noticed being a nuisance to anyone because peanuts aren't really that common a food, except for kids.

[pitohui]

21. well i was actually hoping for data not anecdotes

i think we all have lots of anecdotes

while your peanut allergy is mild, there have been reports of peanut allergies so intense that a young girl was, for instance, put into shock by kissing her boyfriend who had earlier eaten peanuts

others have such a severe reaction to the dust that peanuts must be banned from the flights they're on
-- the risk of the personn going into shock and causing a diversion of the aircraft was considered real

i see many here take it lightly, well, they just don't seem to understand that this allergy can progress to life threatening severity for some people

what i was really hoping was that the study of the soy/peanut connection had been released or at least a progress report -- if it has been debunked that's worth knowing too

[sandnsea]

35. What you have is anecdotes

Otherwise it would be easy for you to report the data yourself. You seem to do that a lot, which is why I posted an opposing anecdote to show how useless they are. Because people have a peanut and soy allergy, it does not correlate that the soy caused the peanut allergy and that isn't what any of the researchers are saying.

[pitohui]

43. we both have anecdotes, i'm bumping this in hopes of getting an informed response

it would be courteous to read my post, which is a question, before jumping all over me

[sandnsea]

56. Then Google it yourself

and post the data, which says people with peanut allergies can also have soy allergies - not that the soy is causing the peanut allergies. You jumped to that conclusion yourself when that isn't what the researchers are saying.

[hedgehog]

141. It is a discussion page. nt

[mzteris]

160. here

the suspected connection between soy formula and peanut allergies were from 2003.

This study (2005) pretty much lay that to rest:

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1399-3038.2005.00326.x


Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
Volume 16 Issue 8 Page 641-646, December 2005

". . . The use of a soy formula during the first 2 yr of life did not increase the risk of development of peanut-specific immunoglobulin E antibodies or of clinical peanut allergy."



*******

Besides, most kids who are allergic to peanuts are *not* allergic to soy - so I'm not sure how soy could be responsible for a peanut allergy anyways..

[PDenton]

33. I don't think it has anything to do with soybeans

Discounting soy oil and lecithin, soybeans are not part of the average American's diet. Soy oil has been used for decades, though, in the US as a food ingredient and infant formula.

There might be a link between the increase in childhood diabetes, autism, and asthma being more common- they might all be auto-immune related diseases. But I don't believe soybeans are to blame.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

65. Except for countless children being fed on soy formula from infancy

due to an allergy to cow's milk.

Conceivably, a child who was already prone to allergies (e.g. sensitivity to cow's milk) and couldn't be breast-fed and was therefore fed soy formula might go on to develop a peanut allergy.

But pitohui is correct in that severe peanut allergy is a relatively recent phenomenon. When I was a kid fifty years ago, I was highly allergic to things that cause respiratory allergies, and I knew a couple of kids who got stomach upsets if they ate eggs or dairy products, but I NEVER heard of kids going into anaphylactic shock from ingesting peanuts.

This was in the days before soy-based baby formulas. If a kid couldn't tolerate cow's milk, they'd try goat's milk, which is often easier to digest. (Breast feeding was out of fashion then.)

However, it is not the least bit natural for a baby to be ingesting large quantities of soy. Even cultures with traditional soy foods don't eat the stuff in vast quantities.

[PDenton]

92. allergies are often idiosyncratic

Which is a nice way of saying we have no idea what causes them. A possibility is fewer children now days are exposed to animal dander and disease, there is evidence a certain amount of illness makes the autoimmune system respond in a more normal fashion. Children prone to allergies might also be living, whereas in the past they might not have lived. There are many possibilities besides the soybeans. All we do know is autoimmune and suspected-autoimmune diseases are increasing.

Also, allergies often developed in popular foods. For instance rice allergies are more common in the US than North America.

[sandnsea]

127. It's an allergy to a protein

Children may be allergic to one legume, or several. Being allergic to one doesn't cause the child to become allergic to another.

http://www.allergicchild.com/soy_allergies.htm

[mzteris]

147. NO. n/t

[sandnsea]

15. Recently, a child died from peanut allergy

I don't remember the details, but it was at school in a situation where they knew the child was allergic. When they described the breathing problems, I realized that was the breathing problem I'd been having and stopped eating peanuts myself. It's real, and differs in degree from person to person. Vegetables and ranch dip would be more nutritious in a school lunch anyway.

[pitohui]

30. i hope you have also checked w. your allergist

yes, the usual reaction to a peanut allergy is a breathing problem, over time and continued exposure to this food (which is a hidden ingredient in MANY items) you can go into shock and actually stop breathing

you need to be evaluated to see if your allergy is such that you need to carry an epi-pen and wear a warning bracelet

your allergy may be mild now but they progress

contrary to your post above, peanut (especially peanut OIL) is a very, very, very common ingredient

also there are other causes of shortness of breath and i don't think self diagnosis is the way to go w. something as potentially life threatening as this

forgive me in advance if i misconstrued something but it sounds like you are just guessing your breathing issues were caused by peanuts, PLEASE tell me i've wrong and you've confirmed with your doctor

[sandnsea]

38. No, I stopped eating peanuts

and the wheezing went away. It was a friggin' miracle I tell ya!

I can't get quality treatment for the serious illnesses I have - let alone this very minor annoyance. Thanks for your concern all the same.

[pitohui]

50. ok so you don't have a peanut allergy and really have no idea how serious this is

i'm glad your wheezing went away but i'm going to put this down to coincidence

the severity of reaction that people get from peanut allergies is not, just, oh i'll stop eating peanuts now, they have to be treated for anaphylactic shock

[sandnsea]

119. Because that's exactly what I said, lol

You're a real piece of work. I said I didn't go to the doctor because it wasn't serious in ME. I said I first considered it when I read of a child DYING. Obviously I figured out it's serious in others.

:crazy:

[havocmom]

78. sandnsea, am curious: do you eat lentils?

Since they are also legumes, I was wondering if they might trigger reactions in peanut sensitive people?


Anybody? Lentils are one of my fav sources of vegetable protein and can be fixed so many ways. IT would be horrible if it was all based on the legume thing.

Peas? My nephew (who had many allergies and bad asthma as a youngster) would get violently ill from one little pea.

hmmm, anybody?

[sandnsea]

115. All legumes can be allergins

The peanut allergy is really mild for me, a slight tickling in my lung really. I eat peanuts so rarely, that if I hadn't actually been eating trail mix at the time I read the particular article, I probably wouldn't have even put it together with that annoying wheeze I got on occasion. I don't eat lentils, haven't noticed anything with peas or green beans, etc.

But yeah, all the legumes are part of the peanut allergy. When you have one, you should pay attention to whether you might have others.

http://www.allergicchild.com/soy_allergies.htm

[RubyDuby in GA]

22. Try to think about it from the poor kid's point of view

He's already going to be picked on because his peers are hearing their parents gripe about it at home.

Also, I feel bad for him because he can't have a staple of childhood. Poor fella!

And that mom who is just soooo burdened by having to fix something else for her little angel - get over yourself real quick lady - a child's life could be at stake.

[soothsayer]

23. George Washngton Carver --- Terrorist!

[gollygee]

24. People are very selfish

There were two kids with peanut allergies at my daughter's preschool last year - one with a very severe allergy. I didn't give her peanut butter or any kind of nut before she went to school ever. This isn't a joke - kids can die from touching something your kid touched after touching peanut butter. Or breathing peanut oils on someone's breathe. How severe the allergy is depends on the kid.

But my right to feed my daughter peanut butter isn't as great as someone child's right to live.

Peanut allergies have been around for a long time but they're much more common now. My parents had friends whose son died in the 80s of a peanut allergy.

[Javaman]

27. Why are they more common now? that's a scary prospect. nt

[pitohui]

32. in #14 i put the THEORY i've heard

last i've heard "no one knows why" this is exploding, i've heard a theory it's related to the explosion of soy in the american diet, was looking to see if anyone had anything more recent

[Javaman]

40. I wonder what the rate of nut born allergies are in asian nations?

isn't soy a huge part of their diet?

[pitohui]

45. that's what i'd like to know, because i also heard it was round-up ready or GM soy

i don't want to spread rumors, i wanted to ask a question

the rfk jr. anecdote seems to suggest the problem works the other way -- the kid is allergic to peanuts and now can't eat soy products, because in usa, they are almost invariably GM and may have DNA peanuts in them

[MissB]

64. Here is an interesting little snippet

From this link: http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/conditions/05/18/peanut.allergies/

"As a country becomes more developed, allergy rises and rises. And the notion there is that in the more-developed countries, you may be getting less exposure to infections and germs and other things that may stimulate your immune system in a direction other than allergy," Wood said. "The more your immune system is kept busy by exposure to germs and infections early in life, the less time it can devote to things like allergy."

Anne Muñoz-Furlong, head of FAAN, says "Perhaps our homes are too clean -- we've done too much to take away the job of the immune system. We don't have parasites, a lot of the childhood diseases you vaccinate and don't have, so maybe for some people, the immune system is looking for something to do and decides, 'Aha, I don't like milk' or 'I don't like peanuts,'" and the body then attacks the food protein as if it were an enemy invader."

Another theory researchers are looking at is that children are exposed too early to peanuts.

Adding to the confusion is that in countries like Indonesia and Thailand, where peanuts are ubiquitous, there is virtually no peanut allergy, leaving the experts to concede they really don't know for sure why food allergies are on the rise.



***

The whole "clean house" thing probably explains why my kids don't have peanut allergies. :rofl:

[hedgehog]

137. I think this is a false correlation

First of all, less developed countries have a high child mortality rate. Maybe these kids are dying of something else before they get asthma or maybe they're dying from asthma. Second, the highest rates of asthma in this country tend to be among city children living in older homes. Ther is also a correlation with living in an area infested with cockroaches.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

71. Not a HUGE part

I have somewhat of a sensitivity to soy that developed after drinking soy smoothies every day one summer.

A soy smoothie will still set off symptoms, as will large quantities of "texturized vegetable protein" in a prepared food.

However, I can go to Japan and eat miso soup (less than one teaspoon of miso dissolved in fish broth, possibly with the equivalent of 1 square inch of tofu chopped up in it) or a miso-based stir-fry (again, a small amount of miso is used) with no problems.

Most Asian people do NOT eat soy in the vast amounts consumed by Western vegans.

[Javaman]

76. Thanks for the info. :) nt

[catchnrelease]

193. Don't know if this is correct or not,

but I was told that the majority of the soy consumed in Asian diets is fermented...like miso, soy sauce, etc. Same source agrees with you, that the idea of Asians eating large amounts of soy is a misconception. And finally, that the human body cannot really properly digest unfermented soy, and it can cause all kinds of digestive upsets. (This comes from a co-worker who goes to a nutritionist that recommends foods that are as unprocessed, organic and natural as possible.)

[Retrograde]

170. In the past people just died

If you look at old geneologies, you see a lot of kids dying in infancy or in early childhood. Some of these may have been allergies to common foods, but it's hard to tell.

I think the modern American sanitation fixation is also playing a part. I think there's some exposure to germs and maybe even allergens that's necessary for kids to build their immune systems. Due to the power of advertising, we're spraying and scrubbing common bacteria out of our homes, while encouraging super resistant strains to multiply.

Allergies were not common when I was a kid 50 years ago. In fact, I don't think I met anyone with strong allergies until I went to college (although my mother claims I was allergic to strawberries and tomatoes as a small child, which may be 1st child hypercaution on her part): I noticed then that the rate of allergies reported seemed to correlate with the families' income levels.

Unfortunately, the way to tell if a given person's allergy is real, exaggerated or psychosomatic can have rather serious - and sometimes fatal - side effects, but I'd love to see some real testing explaining what's happening.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

28. Nothing like an over-reaction to a reaction.

'Course mommy dearest could either a) Fix the kid something that's safe for him to eat, or b) tell him to stay away from peanuts or anything that contains peanuts.

Lot's of people are allergic to bee/wasp stings (I'm one). I've learned (the hard way) to avoid the critters.

[Missy Vixen]

100. Preach it

>Lot's of people are allergic to bee/wasp stings (I'm one). I've learned (the hard way) to avoid the critters.<

I carry an epi-pen because I'm allergic to bee stings. Anyone with this allergy learned a long time ago to manage the allergy, or they wouldn't be around to talk about it.

Julie

[Beaverhausen]

29. Even scarier- GMO foods causing whatever the allergen in peanuts to be in other foods

RFK Jr. talked about this on his show a few months ago. He has a child with severe peanut allergy, and now that Monsanto, etc. are Frankenfooding everything they are finding whatever enzyme it is in peanuts that makes the kids sick in other foods. Not good.

[Trillo]

31. Ban Peanut Butter, Arm Teachers with handguns

:wtf:

Surely the school will supply free substitute lunches to all former peanut butter sandwich eaters, since their budget is so bloated and all. Besides quick to make, peanut butter is an inexpensive protien source, if you're not allergic to it. Wonder how egg salad sandwich's hold up sans refrigeration.

It's the War on Poverty(!), waged by school districts, no poor folks allowed.

[BlooInBloo]

37. Fuck Americans are wusses. So *nobody* can eat pb&j now? Christ.

[AngryOldDem]

63. I know of some kids who are deathly allergic to peanuts and anything that has peanuts in it

Truly scary, considering how many things have peanuts listed as ingredients, no matter how far down on the list.

Corn is another problem. I've known people with severe corn allergies, and they have a hell of a time making sure what they eat won't kill them.

You never heard of the like when I was growing up. Why the food sensitivities all of a sudden?

[BlooInBloo]

66. Because people pander to wussiness, resulting in a race to the bottom.

[LeftishBrit]

111. So you think it's a 'race to the bottom'...

that my friend (a very successful person by the way) wasn't allowed to die from her peanut allergy when she was a kid?

100 years ago, people didn't have the medical facilities to 'pander to the wussiness' of children who weren't tough enough to cope with infections without antibiotics and immunizations; or to survive eating food that wasn't hygienically prepared. One-sixth of children never reached their first birthday; but I suppose that helped breed a master race of tough people. But then again, maybe it didn't. Adults weren't all that healthy then either, despite all that weeding-out of the 'wussy'.

[BlooInBloo]

114. I think the *increase* in people with these ailments is the result of wussiness...

... not the people with those ailments themselves. As even a minimally charitable reading of my words would make clear.

[mudesi]

142. Why are you allowed to post here?

It amazes me that you haven't been banned yet.

Increase in "wussiness" indeed. :eyes:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

39. In this case one person's burden is another persons life

To ease that mom's "burden" could mean that a child might die.

Let me see now, ease of making lunch in the morning, or a kid dies from your selfishness?

Decisions, decisions.

[Buns_of_Fire]

42. When peanut butter is outlawed, only outlaws...

I'm constantly amazed how people my age ever survived childhood.

I feel for the child, though. From what I understand, this is going to be a lifelong concern for them, and the rest of the world will most assuredly not be so accommodating to their situation.

[Trillo]

44. We have someone with peanut allergy in the family.

The danger to that person of others eating peanuts is non-existent.

The authoritarians are lying.

[SidDithers]

49. Anecdotes are much more reliable...

than published research.

Sid

[Trillo]

59. What published research?

Who funded it?

[SidDithers]

70. See post #16 and #34...

Not sure about the Mayo Clinic's funding, and the peer-reviewed CMAJ article declares "No competing interests".
Sid

[LeftishBrit]

210. Then they need to be taught about the risks, and ultimately take responsibility for their own lives

But they can't easily do so in kindergarten. It's like ALL of us are at risk from being run over when we cross the road, and after a certain age it becomes our responsibility to look after our own safety. But all young children need to be protected from cars, and assisted when they cross the road. Similarly, seriously allergic young children need to be protected from peanuts. This could be done by making the kindergarten a 'peanut free zone', or by separating peanut and non-peanut areas and having responsible adult supervision (providing school lunches could solve a good deal of the problem). But either way, looking after the safety of young children is *not* the same as saying that they should never be responsible when they're adults. Incidentally, the world does accommodate to adults' nut allergies by labelling products that contain nuts; and then it's up to the allergic person to read the labels and avoid the products. But small children can't read labels.

[Katherine Brengle]

51. A lot of schools already do this - some people are so allergic that just being close could kill them

People who complain about are selfish assholes - if it was their kid, they wouldn't think it was unreasonable.

[AngryOldDem]

55. Some schools segregate the peanut allergy kids to their own tables

I find it amazing all the things kids are allergic to these days.

[BlooInBloo]

60. Isn't it astonishing what a sickly, fragile country we've become?

[BlooInBloo]

61. I think they should ban ALL WHEAT products for those with gluten allergies!

Just keeping the idiocy-ball rolling.

[SidDithers]

72. Gluten won't produce anaphylaxis...nt

Sid

[BlooInBloo]

112. Ah. Some allergies are important, others.. not so much. Gotcha!

[LeftishBrit]

118. Exactly! Or rather, some can kill you; some can't.

[BlooInBloo]

125. According to 5 minutes of googling, gluten allergy can.

[SidDithers]

188. Sorry you wasted 5 minutes...

but you're still wrong.

Gluten doesn't cause anaphylaxis, except in very rare circumstances, but the Mayo clinic link in post #16 states that 80% of fatal or near-fatal cases of anaphylaxis are caused by exposure to peanuts.

Sid

[gollygee]

157. Some allergies will kill you if the kid sitting next to you is eating it

some will only kill you if you are personally eating it.

[DemBones DemBones]

171. Gluten can kill you if you have celiac disease. Ingesting a few

tiny crumbs from wheat bread or cookies, etc., because your food was prepared on the same surface as gluten-containing foods, can cause serious problems for anyone with celiac disease, which has many different symptoms and which most doctors are ill-informed about.

Celiac disease can cause cancer, intestinal bleeding, CNS problems, cardiac problems, and more.

Anyone of European descent is at risk for celiac descent, but don't assume you're home free if you're not of European descent. It has recently been discovered that it is far more common than previously thought, as in 1 out of 5 rather than then 1 out of 1000 have it.

In Italy, the government has mandated screening all young children for celiac disease. People with celiac disease have certain antibodies in their blood that others don't.

[SidDithers]

186. My daughter has Celiac Disease...

if she eats gluten, which has happened on occasion, she'll spend the night vomiting and with diarrhea. It will also take time for her body to heal, which means that she isn't absorbing nutrients properly for a period of time.

Undiagnosed Celiac Disease can lead to cancer later in life, but once a gluten-free diet is begun, there is no increased risk compared to the rest of the population.

But a Celiac will not go into anaphylaxis if exposed to gluten.

Sid

[NashVegas]

133. Wanna Talk About Idiocy Balls?

I think it's pretty idiotic to attack others over a recent phenomena that's made what was once a harmless food staple into a killer, instead of putting some thought (or even a financial contribution!) into research to find out why the phenomena is occurring, and working to gather the political will to eliminate the cause when it's found (cause you can bet it's related to some sort of industrial matter, IMO).

[BlooInBloo]

134. Sure... let's talk about it....

... Since I work for a cancer research non-profit making tens of thousands less than market rate (which I could personally do better than), let's talk about how little I give.

Please, let's talk about it.

[NashVegas]

150. Fascinating ...

Ready for that vacation?

[Emit]

62. My son is allergic to nuts

He learned at a very young age to stay away from nuts and to this day, if he smells nuts, he stays away. Seriously, the kid can smell a nut a mile away. Now, I have read that some people are so allergic to nuts that even the smell or saliva from someone eating nuts can cause a reaction. That being said, I just made my daughter a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for her cold lunch today -- while my son was in the bathroom getting ready for school. And I don't let my girls eat peanuts or nuts in the car when he's in the car with us. In his case, the smell doesn't cause a reaction, but it makes him nauseous. At some point in the future, that may change; I know severity of allergies can change, and he might become more sensitive.


At my kid's school, no homemade products are allowed as treats for parties and such (I think that was a recently passed state or county thing) and they do not serve nuts at all for lunch. I think they're wise in doing that. The last time my son was exposed to nuts was when he accidentally took a bite out of a muffin that had finely chopped almonds on the top. Man oh man was that scary -- right in the middle of the cafeteria at the Monterey Bay Aquarium! His first, immediate response is projectile vomiting! Anyway, if our school didn't have the nut rule thing, we'd work around it. The school nurse has an epi-pen with his name on it, and we've gone over the procedure in the event she needs to use it.

Bottom line? Keep in mind this article is referring to one classroom -- not the entire school. I can see both sides, but, ultimately, it's up to me as a parent to teach my child to stay away from nuts. They could kill him. Fortunately, the older he gets, the easier it will be.

[alittlelark]

74. I have an anaphalactic reaction to peanuts and tree nuts.

I was dead for 15-20 seconds when I was 4... I am now 43 and have had a minimum of 30 full blown (ER) reactions, along w/ many lesser ones. I've had these reactions from bread (extra protein added), stew (thickened w/ walnut flour), a strawberry pie (almond flour in the crust), fish (macadamia oil), eggrolls, cookies the bakers said were safe, choc chip cookies cooked on the same pan that peanut butter cookies had been cooked on...... I rarely eat out anymore, eat nothing at cocktail parties, bring my own food to almost all events...

It is a VERY ugly allergy, and a difficult way to live your life. After you have many reactions your throat loses elasticity and you have a tendency to choke.

At my son's school, Bullis, there are 3 'nut free' classrooms. I have never heard a parent complain.

When I was a kid my allergy was quite rare... it is now all too common.


PS - I will have a full-blown reaction to less than what you would get on the tip of a toothpick - after you've wiped it off.

[Emit]

81. Question, if you don't mind my asking.

Because my son has this allergy, I have a question if I may? Does any of your reaction include projectile vomiting? He's never had an anaphylactic reaction -- yet. But we know it could be just a matter of time. His allergic reactions have always initially included, when he was very young, a complaint of spiciness followed by projectile vomiting followed by hives from head to toe. Any of that sound familiar?

edit spelling

[alittlelark]

94. Mine is similar, but it starts w/ profuse salivation

and a tightening of the throat - perhaps that is his 'spiciness'? As for vomiting I always try to induce it in myself, so I'm hanging over a toilet already... I've never thought of it as projectile vomiting.

The hives are a horror, but at least by the time you get hives the real crisis has generally passed.

In the ER they give IV adrenaline until you have stabilized, then IV Benadryl for the inevitable hives (and to bring you down from the adrenaline).

I'm not sure how old your son is, but you need to teach him that a controlled panic reaction is his best bet. He will have people around him tell him to 'calm down and breath', but as he gets older he should learn how to 'force' a panic in his brain. The body pours out adrenaline in a panic - Extra time that may be nessessary to get to the hospital or an epi-pen. I'm pretty sure the skill has saved me at least once.

[Emit]

109. Thank you so much for the advice -- I've never met anyone else with this allergy and he's

only 6, so getting an understanding from him about it has been hard (his last reaction was when he was about 4 and a half years old -- he's had 4 exposures, with the last 3 being accidental and with increased symptoms at each exposure).

I will particularly keep in mind the advice you gave at the end, about the controlled panic reaction, and learning how to 'force' a panic in his brain. I would have never thought of it in those terms. Thank you very much!

[hedgehog]

83. It's reactions like yours that tell me we need to do more research.

There has to be a way to eliminate this instead of keeping an epi-pen handy!

[Emit]

86. Yeah! My son's epi-pens cost me $200 per year and that's after what insurance pays n/t

[Lone_Star_Dem]

91. People don't understand how sever allergies can be

What can cause a rash in one person can kill another. Yet they're both classified as allergic. It's the degree of the allergy that makes them different.

My daughter is allergic to certain types of ant bites. She's been bitten by one wee, little ant and went into full anaphylactic shock within minutes.

EpiPens are her savior now.

[Pithlet]

77. Even if my kid's class didn't officially ban peanut butter

If I found out one of my kid's classmates would die if they came into contact with the slightest amount of peanut butter, I would stop packing peanut butter. I'll never cease to be amazed at the utter selfishness of some people.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

97. I would too.

My kids could have certainly got their PB&J fix after school & on weekends.

I'm not causing some poor child more heartache.

[SidDithers]

104. You mean you wouldn't whine and stomp your feet...

if your precious angel was denied their peanut butter sandwich?

As the parant of a child with a food sensitivity, I thank you :hi:

Sid

[Emit]

121. When my son's football coach found out he was allergic to nuts, and I asked that

snacks for the games not include nuts, he said, "Just bring your own snack." I was kinda hurt by that for my son's sake -- no 6 year-old wants to be excluded or singled out from his team -- but I didn't object. However, I have noticed that all of the moms and dads have made a point to suggest non-nut snacks on the sign up sheets before each game, just for my son's sake. That's a nice gesture and it's much appreciated. As was the sentiment expressed in your post.

[damntexdem]

84. Is the student allergic to nuts (peanuts being legumes)?

Almond butter is quite good, as is cashew butter. No promise, but the kids might like it.

[hedgehog]

85. In the last 20 years I've seen an amazing advance in the drugs used to prevent asthma attacks.

Note the term "prevent", as in drugs you take on a daily basis so you never have an asthma attack! it's about time treatments were developed for other life threatening allergic reactions!

[Blue-Jay]

89. I don't think the answer is more drugs.

Maybe "don't eat peanut butter" is a good solution. Frankly, I doubt that the kid actually has an allergic reaction from being near a PB&J, but that's just me.

[alittlelark]

98. The allergic child's classmates will get PB on their hands,

They will then touch tens or hundreds of things... The allergic child need only touch the same thing and wipe their mouth with their hand.

This IS kindergarten.

[Blue-Jay]

123. They should ban pooping too.

[alittlelark]

129. No, but making sure kindergarteners wash their hands after

they poop certainly helps the spread of disease - wouldn't you agree.

[Blue-Jay]

132. I would indeed agree with that.

I just find the notion of kids running around with with peanut butter-stained fingers smiting their allergic little comrades to be ridiculous, if not somewhat apocryphal. It's the stuff of urban legends.

One kid had a reaction! Let's ban stuff! <--- What a load of crap.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

101. It's not unheard of in highly allergic people to have a severe reaction to secondary contact

Which means touching where the peanut has touched then touching their mouth, etc.

Generally measures such as the one described in the OP are only used in the case of such a severe allergies.

[gollygee]

158. What I was told

with my daughter was to not feed her any nuts or nut butters the days she was in preschool (she went in the afternoon right after lunch), and if she accidentally had any, to thoroughly wash her hands and face and brush her teeth, and then to alert the school so they could keep the allergic kid and my kid apart.

I don't question the rules if someone has an allergy that severe.

[hedgehog]

113. Apparently you haven't had to deal with asthma.

I'm all for studying why so many people have so many autoimmune diseases today. I'm firmly convinced it's a result of exposure to so many petro-chemicals and heavy metals since before birth. They're in our food, in our water, in our air, in our clothes. In the meantime, I'd like me and my family to be able to keep breathing so I'll keep using drugs.

I was lucky- my son's asthma was a slow moving variety - he'd get progressively worse over about 24 hours. We only spent about 2 or 3 nights sitting in the ER before his doctor prescribed a home nebulizer. I can't imagine the stress of worrying about a child's exposure to something as ubiquitous as peanuts!

[Blue-Jay]

122. "Apparently"...

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means...


In less snarky terms, yes indeed I have had to "deal with asthma", and I don't quite get how you made such a weird leap in logic.

[hedgehog]

136. I'm trying to be polite and assume that you don't understand how .

terrifying a full scale asthma or anaphylactic reaction can be.

I've never dealt with a peanut allergy, but I wouldn't question someone who told me that they had such a life threatening allergy that they had to avoid any exposure to peanut butter.

In my experience, some people who haven't had to deal with chronic diseases such as asthma, allergies, chronic fatigue, fibromylagia, psoriasis, depression etc don't have any idea of how debilitating these conditions can be. I've seen people over and over again suggest that if we changed our attitudes, ate better, got vitamins, did exercise, used olive oil, used aloe etc etc etc we wouldn't need to use drugs. The drugs are expensive, they have side effects and it's a pain to take them every day. We take them because they make a normal life possible. I'm sure that all the people out there with severe peanut allergies would love to take a pill once a day if they knew it would make them safe.

[Snarkturian Clone]

87. Hope this doesn't lead to a pb ban for everyone.

Slippery slopes and all.

Let's just put it this way: the same day peanut butter is banned to the public, I start collecting firearms.


On as more serious note, I've seen someone suffer from peanut allergy and it's definitely a concern. I just keep wondering why there are so many kids with this allergy nowadays ---I went to a fairly large (3500 student) elementary school and I didn't know one kid who had this condition.

[mainegreen]

93. "Attn all parents: Please make sure your childs lunch does not contain any of the following:

Eggs, Milk, Cheese, Wheat, Rice, Seafood, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Shellfish, or Soy.
Parents must make sure that no store bought food contains these ingredients, their derivatives or were produced in a facility that handles these products. Additionally the parents may not handle any of these ingredients 48 hours prior to making their child's lunch.

In the interest of simplicity, parents may want to consider sending their kids to school with a bottle of French's mustard, a package of bologna and water every day until they graduate."

[alittlelark]

106. You forgot Strawberries...

see post #74

[BlooInBloo]

130. If they don't they're being selfish.

[liberaldemocrat7]

166. No: if people don't consider people with allergies, they act SHELLFISH. :)

I believe that both people with and without the allergies cannot act SHELLFISH about this.

The school should have a separate lunchroom for severely allergic people.

I would encourage friends of people allergic to peanuts, to eat in this separate lunchroom sometimes.

Those who want to eat peanut products should get to eat these products in the regular lunchroom. I would encourage people not allegic to peanuts to wash their hands after eating and not eat anythig with peanut products in a classroom with people who have peanut allergies.


Both people who have allergies and not can help each other and not act SHELLFISH.

[Pithlet]

148. Peanut allergy isn't your typical allergic reaction.

They can die, over the very tiniest amount. Say a kid washed their hands, but an invisible amount gets stuck under their fingernail, and then they pass a crayon to their allergic classmate. The allergic classmate could die. This ban is not an overreaction. And it's such a small accommodation to make for a potentially deadly outcome. I don't get why it's such an outrage. I wouldn't think twice about packing something else if one of my kid's classmates were allergic.

[mainegreen]

152. Even the priciple of the school admits it's not the right solution

and will be implementing peanut-free and non-peanut free tables instead of the blanket ban. Plus I think that it's better for both the staff and the student to understand there is a risk. Because there is a risk no matter what they do. Trying to ban peanut products in our society is about as pointless as trying to ban corn: any ban will fail. Better everyone be working on the assumption that there are peanuts rather than that there are not.

[Pithlet]

153. I think it is the right solution.

It's a shame the principle is caving in to the parents that pitched a fit. If the reaction weren't deadly, I'd agree. But it isn't worth the risk that a student at a peanut table comes into contact with the allergic child after lunch is over. Even the compromise poses a risk, because direct contact isn't even needed for there to be a serious reaction. I wouldn't dream of sending my child to school with a substance that could kill another student. I don't see what the big deal is. It's not as if they're being told they can't ever eat peanut butter. They just can't bring it to school, because it's deadly poison for one of the students. My kid's teacher asks us not to pack certain substances for far less serious reasons. We didn't pitch a fit. We just pack other things. I doubt any of the parents who protested would be so cavalier about it if were their own child who could die if they came near it.

[gollygee]

156. I do agree with this

A problem I've heard about complete peanut bans is that people then assume that everyone is following it 100%, and people simply don't. Even people who mean to follow it might forget one day, or grandma might make the lunch one day, or whatever. I know if I had a child with an allergy like this I wouldn't count on every other kid's parents to be careful enough. I'd find some other solution, even having my kid eat in a different room and having someone oversee the kids wash their hands and wipe their faces after they eat. Something that recognizes that peanuts do come into the school.

[Pithlet]

159. I think that's a valid concern, but there's no way to absolutely guarantee no contact either way.

I still think the chance of contact is much greater if lots of people are bringing in peanut products every day. There isn't much the allergic child can do to avoid contact either way, aside from never going near anyone or touching anything anyone else touches. That's not going to happen. The less peanut products coming into the school on a daily basis, the better. There may be the occasional slip up, but that's still better than no ban at all. I'm not sure it makes the parents of the allergic child any less vigilant. They're always going to be aware that there's a danger of contact. They live with it 24/7.

[gollygee]

161. I'm sure the parents are vigilant, but they aren't at the school cafeteria at lunch time

they have to count on school employees and the parents of all the other kids. They aren't on site to oversee it.

[Pithlet]

164. That's why I think an outright ban is best.

But, I don't really blame the principle for tying to compromise between both sides. I reserve my judgment for the parents who complained about it. I can't imagine wanting to send your kids to school with peanut butter knowing it could kill their classmate. I would have thought that parents would get the note, understand, and simply stop packing peanut butter. It isn't as if there aren't thousands of alternatives. It's a perfectly reasonable rule, and a life is at stake. It shouldn't have even been an issue.

[gollygee]

216. But again, an outright ban assumes people will follow the ban

and they won't. There will be someone in every school on the planet who won't take it seriously, or won't think it's a reasonable request, or will simply forget at some point. When my daughter's preschool made a request that kids not eat peanut butter at home before they went to school, I complied and was very careful. But even that would make me scared as a parent if it were my kid who had that allergy. And there weren't kids bringing in their own lunches there -the school had complete control over what food went into the school. A situation where several hundred kids are each bringing a lunch? No way can it be safe.

It is a reasonable rule, but I don't think it's a good rule because I don't think it's safe to assume every parent of every kid will be careful enough. And I think that because a life is at stake.

[gollygee]

154. Peanut allergies are different because people don't have to eat them themselves to have a reaction

if someone sitting next to someone with a dairy allergy drinks milk, the kid with the dairy allergy will be fine. It isn't like other allergies.

Also, I know kids allergic to different food colorings so French's mustard would be out too. :D

[piesRsquare]

202. No bologna either, dude.

Nor salami, ham, pepperoni, sausage, bacon, etc. Can't insult the Hallal/Kosher folks!

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

95. A friend worked with a woman who was so allergic to nuts she

would have a reaction (mild) if someone in the break room had kung pao chicken. She ended up dying at work after eating half a chocolate truffle. The manufacturer had recently changed the formula & started using peanut oil. And she worked at the airport where EMTs were available 24/7. That's how bad her allergy was. This kid could have the same extreme reaction.

And, they're working on other solutions.

The principal said the school is working on a more permanent solution. He said they would probably end up with a peanut-free table in the cafeteria and another table that allows peanuts.

[LeftishBrit]

96. I think the problem is that when people hear the word 'allergy'...

they tend to think of something like sneezing or feeling sick if you eat the food; and assume that the only reason why others would be expected to refrain from bringing peanuts to school is that the allergic child might be upset or feel tempted by seeing others eat things that he can't. If that were all, then I'd tend to agree that you can't expect everyone to avoid the food, and that the allergic child has to get used to seeing others eat things that he doesn't - just as anyone with food restrictions has to.

But peanut allergy is another matter. With a severe peanut allergy, it's not just that you can't eat peanuts; it's that you can get a life-threatening reaction to even touching something that has recently been in contact with peanuts. An adult friend of mine knows that it's dangerous for her to eat peanuts, and avoids them; but on one occasion she started to eat a food that had been *near* peanuts, and she did not realize it. She couldn't breathe, and her friends had to call an ambulance as an emergency - fortunately, she was quickly taken to Casualty, treated properly and recovered. It is a very serious danger to some people.

I think that if most people realized how dangerous peanuts truly are to those with an allergy, they would be happy to go to a little inconvenience to avoid the danger. If once they realize, they still are unwilling, then I think they are selfish and callous, and, however they may vote, have the basic attitude of a right-winger.

I have worked in a primary school where parents were asked to keep it as a 'peanut free zone' because of a child's severe allergy. Nobody created a problem, once they realized the situation.

[NMMNG]

108. I flew recently

There was a passenger on-board who had a peanut allergy. They didn't serve peanuts and none of the passengers were allowed to even open products containing peanuts during the flight. It makes sense. Some people are so sensitive that even touching or inhaling peanut residue can cause a reaction, and it's not like a plane can make a quick landing at an ER.

[Chovexani]

151. That happened to me flying from BWI to PHX

I was disappointed that I couldn't eat the PB&H I packed for myself, but it was no biggie. I am anaphylactic myself (though my triggers are tree nuts & bee stings), so I have all the sympathy in the world for these folks.

People just don't understand the severity of it.

[mod mom]

110. This just happened to me. I gave my fourth grader a snack of cranberries + walnuts and

she came home to say she was not allowed to have any nuts in the room. When she opened her container, she was sent to put them in her locker and had to go w/o a snack. By 4th grade children are responsible enough to know not to share. I think this is overboard.

[BlooInBloo]

131. "responsible enough to know not to share" - BWAHAHAHAA!!!!

[renie408]

180. But don't you think the kid that might DIE would be smart enough not to ask? n/t

[THUNDER HANDS]

135. I used to tell the girls in my high school

that I was allergic to cotton bras.

But they never took those off.

selfish beotches.








;)

[JVS]

175. They were trying to kill you

[SmokingJacket]

143. I've discovered an easy solution: sunflower butter.

With enough sweetening it tastes just like peanut butter, but without the peanutty essence. Hard to explain, but it really is a workable substitute.

In my kid's class, it's the TEACHER who's allergic!

[cynatnite]

155. My son's classroom has been a peanut free zone...

for a while now. Nothing new about this. It's been like this in many schools for a while.

[Kaylee]

176. My daughter's school is nut-free also...

It really isn't a big deal or any type of inconvenience when packing her lunch. My son's preschool serves the meals, and is aware of kids with nut allergies and takes precautions not to serve nuts in those classrooms.

[Liberal_in_LA]

178. 'nut free' hee hee

[Kaylee]

182. I knew when I typed it....

I'd get a Beavis and Butthead response. :evilgrin:

[DemBones DemBones]

162. Nutella sandwiches are popular in Europe.

Nutella is chocolate hazelnut butter and super delicious. You can buy it in the US. Don't know if it's more caloric than peanut butter.

Eating it out of the jar would be highly fattening, but very tempting. :evilgrin:

[SidDithers]

189. And nutella is gluten free, too :)

It's better out of the jar if you keep it in the fridge, btw. It's almost like hazelnut fudge :hi:

Sid

[DemBones DemBones]

207. Ooh, that's good to know. Either

I have celiac disease or am allergic to wheat. I couldn't get my doctor to test me for antibodies so I quit eating gluten for the past six months and have had less than 10% of the stomach problems I had before. Now I've got something to base my argument for testing on, or I'll just get a referral to a gastroenterologist and not mention celiac to my regular doctor.

What a hassle, though, because I'll have to start eating wheat again before they can test for antibodies. I asked my doctor six years ago if I might have celiac disease and he said no. I asked if we could do the tests and he said no. I have other autoimmune diseases so it would have made sense to test me. Maybe it was my HMO's "no tests, please" month or something. :shrug:

Anyway, I love Nutella! And cold, yes, that sounds very good. It probably should be a controlled substance, along with Coco Lopez. Too tempting!

[piesRsquare]

203. Popular in Israel, too

problem regarding this discussion, though, is that Nutella is "hazelnut", and (as far as I can tell at this point of the discussion) we're talking about "nut-free" (*snicker*) schools.

Disclaimer: The *snicker* refers to the posts above (Beavis and Butthead response). No offense given.

[DemBones DemBones]

209. The OP was about peanut butter, not nuts,

so I thought I'd mention Nutella as a substitute for peanut butter. Since the OP, many other allergens have entered the fray, including nuts. Nutella would not be welcome in a "nut-free" school, only in a "peanut-free" school. Most Americans don't seem to know about Nutella, which is a shame. Maybe most of those who do want to keep it a secret so they can buy all they want -- a sinister conspiracy!

Your post reminded me of a kid I taught in high school whose last name was Hazelwood. All the way through the section in the biology text about fruits and nuts, he kept saying "hazelnuts, they come from hazelwoods." This was pre-Beavis and Butthead but he was snickering a lot and his cronies were, too. Ah, sophomores!

You can get rid of all the nuts in lunchboxes but you'll never get rid of all the nuts sitting in desks!

[Ilsa]

169. I'd give that family the benefit of the doubt and try to accomodate them,.

Life has to be hard enough having to check every food item for something that could kill your child. Their lives are hard enough.

We have difficulties to work through too with an autistic child, and I am grateful to others who have been considerate and taken our needs into consideration.

[taught_me_patience]

172. These parents should home school

their kid if one drop of peanut oil could kill them.

[w4rma]

174. Penut Butter isn't very healthy, anyway. And it's a bit of a cop-out for parents to use it, imho. nt

[renie408]

179. Huh? I thought peanut butter was a good source of protein and

'good' fats?

[Cha]

206. They could send their little darlings

off to school with almond butter and jam sammies and eat all the peanut butter they want at home. Solution?

[Justice]

195. Few Posts on DU have shocked me more than this one

I am surprised - stunned even by the lack of empathy by so many responders to this post.

As a parent of a child with a nut and peanut allergy, I can tell you = it is bad.

As a parent of a child who went into anaphylactic shock and was rushed to the hospital when they were very young after taking a bite of a brownie with crushed almonds put it there by a neighbor - it is bad!

I don't care about the food items my child has missed eating because we don't know what is in them - I care about whether my child can breathe and live! I don't think my child should be home schooled for this reason and am surprised at the suggestions to do so. Everyone always says that their kid loves peanut butter and should be able to eat it as they are a picky eater. My child couldn't eat peanut butter and so developed a taste for yogurt, salad and fruit instead. Imagine that.


I can't help but read the today's other posts and compare them to this one -- I feel as if some people suggest that while Ahmadinejad is okay, but kids with nut allergies can go #$%^ themselves?

[SidDithers]

196. Your kid should just go eat in the nurses office...

doncha know :sarcasm:

I agree with you. The lack of empathy is astounding. You'd think we were talking about forced sterilization or something. Eliminating peanut butter from Janie or Johnny's school lunch is not an onerous request.

Sid

[piesRsquare]

204. For some people, it IS an onerous request

YOU try getting a kid with AD/HD or Asperger's who's hooked on peanut butter sandwiches to eat something else.

YOU pay the food bill of those who are barely getting by, since you're demanding they give up peanut butter lunches.

To claim that other people have a lack of empathy, or slapping them with the label of "selfish" simply because they're concerned for their own needs is not only unfair, it's selfish--and somewhat narcissistic--on your part, as you're demanding that everyone concern themselves with YOU and YOU ALONE. It is this attitude, I personally believe, that gets others so indignant and upset in the first place.

Everyone at the school has needs, and everyone's needs are important--NOT just those of the allergic child.

[LeftishBrit]

213. Well, some needs are more life-threatening than others - but why not provide subsidized school meals

'as you're demanding that everyone concern themselves with YOU and YOU ALONE.'

If someone is in a life-threatening situation, then their needs do trump other people's. This is the point: it's not ordinary allergies that make you sneeze; it's someone's life that's at stake. I realize that there are alternatives to banning peanut butter altogether; but it occurs to me that the parents are insisting on a total ban *because* they don't trust people to treat the child's allergy as a life-and-death issue - 'surely it doesn't matter if I don't wash my hands this once'; 'surely he's just being a fussy eater, or at worst might feel a bit sick if he eats peanuts, and it might be good for him to try just one!' Under such circumstances, a ban may seem safer.

'YOU pay the food bill of those who are barely getting by, since you're demanding they give up peanut butter lunches.'

Actually, we as taxpayers SHOULD do just that! I think that a lot of the problem could be solved by the provision of (peanut-free) school lunches, which are free to those below a certain income and subsidized for the rest (children could still have the option of bringing packed lunches if they and their parents choose). This is what's done in schools in the UK - isn't it the case in the USA?

'YOU try getting a kid with AD/HD or Asperger's who's hooked on peanut butter sandwiches to eat something else.'

I realize that could be a genuine problem, and is harder to sort out. I realize that children with Aspergers and related conditions can be very inflexible about food, but I don't know how many are hooked on peanut butter specifically. Still, it's true that different people's health needs can come into conflict.

[DemBones DemBones]

215. Agree with all you said.

I had asthma as a child and it restricted my activities at times. No reason the other kids should have had their activities restricted, too. Before I had surgery on my eyes, I was supposed to avoid reading, but the other kids kept reading as usual.

Children with potentially fatal allergies shouldn't eat with other kids because it's very difficult to make sure that no child has brought something that contains those allergens.

As a post upthread said, a college kid died after eating chocolate chip cookies he bought from a machine. Peanuts and peanut oil were not listed as ingredients but the chocolate chip cookies had been mixed after a batch of peanut butter cookies without cleaning the machine.

How are other parents or teachers supposed to protect the allergic child from a situation like that? If another child brings something for lunch that says it has no peanuts or peanut oil but it does, the allergic child could die.

I said before, if I had a highly allergic child, I'd rather they not eat with other kids at school. After more thought, I'd homeschool him or her just to be safe. I would not rely on any school to protect a highly allergic child, too many things can go wrong.

[Dorian Gray]

197. Why does it seem like peanut allergies

are much more prevalent now than any other before> It's really a bizarre thing. Growing up, I didn't know anybody who was allergiv to peanuts. Now it seem really common!

[piesRsquare]

205. After reading this entire thread,

I'm seriously starting to wonder if there should be an establishment of separate, county-funded school facilities for students with severe allergies (such as severe peanut allergy, dust sensitivities, etc) under the guise of medical necessity.

Said facilities would have all teachers BLS-certified (Basic Life Support) and a state-madated minimum of one RN (two?) on site at all times. Tile floors (no carpets), white boards with mandatory low-odor pens, "nut-free" (and other "extreme allergen" free), specialized filtration in the HVAC systems, perfume/aftershave/cologne free, daily professional/intensive cleaning of classrooms, etc etc.

If these kids have such extreme needs that they require such a sanitized environment, perhaps the sanitized environment should be provided.

[LeftishBrit]

214. Well, the UK used to have special schools for 'delicate' children

Perhaps something like that would be suitable for those who have severe multiple allergies or immune disorders, and would at least give the children more social interaction than home-schooling. However, if it's just an allergy to peanuts this could be accommodated in the school system.

[Squatch]

211. 213 replies and only one recommendation?

:shrug: