Food Allergies at school--No chocolate

[wilkeliza]

I'm trying to figure out what's going to happen when these kids grow up and go to work. Are whole offices, plants, stores and their lunchrooms going to be declared chocolate-free? Peanut-free? Is the President of the company going to be required to wash his mouth out with a "special solution" if he eats a candy bar on the way to work? There are going to be some rude awakenings out there....

We have one guy in our office who is allergic to a page long list of things. He has learned that the office isn't going to flip over backwards for him. When I found out he is allergic to peanuts I went ahead and started taking my PBJ to the park to eat it but not everyone does that not does he expect it. We are a decently sized tech company. Could you believe what would happen if they banned everything based on who in the office has an allergy to it? We get free snacks and drink from the company, there would be an uproar if it happened.

We did loose our free candy privileges because it was being abused so now we only have healthy snacks but besides that they put whatever the company wants to in our little kitchen area and it is up to us to police ourselves on if we can have it or not.

 

[lauracitawita]

Are you sure the ban is because of an allergy? My kids' preK to 6th grade school also bans chocolate. But it's not because of allergies, it's because chocolate can melt and get messy and get on the books and materials, so they just say no chocolate. (They do eat snacks in their classroom, so that's where the risk to classroom materials comes in)

The note that came home said there was a student with an allergy, but who knows.

 

[DLgal]

I would seriously laugh at that kind of request and then promptly ignore it.

Our school "suggests" no peanut products sent in lunches. My autistic picky child gets a pb sandwich twice a week because he literally will only eat that or mac and cheese as a packed lunch.

The allergy kids have their own table and they all eat outside anyway. I am not about to send Mac and cheese every single day because of other kid's allergies. Not my problem. Just like how my kid's pickiness isn't everyone else's problem but something WE have to deal with.

 

[Pkltm]

By middle school the child with the allergy can figure out a way around this. Washing their hands after touching surfaces, not touching their face, not touching surfaces if they have cuts, using a tissue or some other barrier, asking someone to open the door or walking around to an open door. They should be more worried that other students aren't washing their hands after using the restroom than spreading food particles through touch.[/QUOTE

Agreed but the school is covering themselves, my nephew's school is peanut free because a teacher has an allergy but not a single student does. We do not know the severity of anyone's allergy.

 

[Poohforyou]

The school is trying to control what they can, and in all honesty is doesn't matter if it is an ingredient in the food or the actual cacao, it could even be a preservative, but how do you narrow it down.

The point is if it's something in the chocolate that something is likely in many other things that aren't banned. How is that helping anyone?

 

[Pkltm]

The point is if it's something in the chocolate that something is likely in many other things that aren't banned. How is that helping anyone?

Allergy testing is hard to sit through and in many cases they can't test for each ingredient in a food, as the child ages they may figure this out. It took me years to figure out I was allergic to a preservative and not pineapple. My mom or I never asked that it be banned btw.

Allergies really do suck, I love me a margarita in Mexico at Epcot but their avocado margarita makes that a challenge for me.

 

[NHdisneylover]

There probably isn't even a kid with a chocolate allergy. They're probably just trying to keep the kids from eating sweets.

I was thinking with the nutella craze this is how they are covering nut allergy bases with people not realizing that is hazelnut spread.

 

[NCDisneyMom]

My son has a life-threatening peanut/tree nut allergy. He has been not only allowed, but encouraged, to carry his epi-pen with him ever since he entered Kindergarten (for reference, he is a HS Sophomore now). In the elementary grades (K-3), there were more restrictions for him, but we never asked them to ban peanut products (just that none be eaten in the classroom)...he had a safe place in the cafeteria. By the time he entered middle school, he was completely responsible for his own allergy. No special table, no restrictions (granted, he is not airborne allergic). We trusted that, by the time he was 12/13, we had taught him what he needed to know to keep himself safe.

I actually worry about him more now, since his friends are driving and he goes out with them, sans parents. I worry more about the stupid mistake he might make while out with his friends, than I do him at school.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have never heard of a chocolate allergy. A quick Google search seems to state that a true allergy is rare. One site said this: Allergies to cacao (the bean that is the main ingredient in chocolate) are possible but so rare as to be virtually nonexistent in recent medical literature. Therefore, if you've experienced food allergy symptoms after eating chocolate, you can safely assume that another ingredient in the chocolate is causing your symptoms unless testing shows otherwise.

I have to wonder does this child really have a severe allergy or is it like somebody that gets a rash etc that's an "annoyance" and not life threatening? Wondering if this is a mom making a mountain out of a molehill.

I also agree that by middle school a child should be able to handle their allergies well.

It may be rare, but I have an Aunt who has it, and yes, she was tested.

 

[Minnesota!]

Prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child. Snowflake is going to have a rude awakening come adulthood!

FWIW - a very, very good friend of mine had a chocolate allergy...he died from it, actually So, it's not unheard of.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

Prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child. Snowflake is going to have a rude awakening come adulthood!

FWIW - a very, very good friend of mine had a chocolate allergy...he died from it, actually So, it's not unheard of.

I was gonna make a joke about Snickers addictions but then I thought, "this is her friend, so maybe you shouldn't". Sorry about the loss, but I seem to have a twisted sense of humor today. Maybe I need to take a break or something...

 

[Christine]

Prepare your child for the path, not the path for your child. Snowflake is going to have a rude awakening come adulthood!

FWIW - a very, very good friend of mine had a chocolate allergy...he died from it, actually So, it's not unheard of.

Just wanted to make a comment on this. My son has a nut allergy. I never, ever demanded a nut free school. But I did have to present the allergy documentation to each school my son went to so they would know. It was up to them, based on my doctor's reports and the severity (which was also documented) to decide how THEY wanted to handle it. I never preferred nut bans. But some schools felt that it was easier for THEM and that's what they did. I didn't like it but it was their policy. I'm sure someone, somewhere was commenting on my coddling my child and thinking it was my request. It never was.

While I understand the frustrations of the non-allergic (hey, I'm one too and so it my other child), it doesn't help when anger is directed toward the parent or the child. Granted, some parents are way over the top.

I just wanted to present the other side of the story--most parents I've met are more reasonable than what is presented or what you *think* is happening behind the scenes.

 

[kimj88]

I am not about to send Mac and cheese every single day because of other kid's allergies. Not my problem. Just like how my kid's pickiness isn't everyone else's problem but something WE have to deal with.[/QUOTE]

Your kid's pickiness will not KILL him/her, peanuts can kill someone who is allergic. I am not advocating banning foods (my child is allergic to nuts and I am fine with a school not being nut free), just pointing out that the two situations are in no way the same, and a little understanding when children's lives are at risk is warranted.

 

[Minnesota!]

I was gonna make a joke about Snickers addictions but then I thought, "this is her friend, so maybe you shouldn't". Sorry about the loss, but I seem to have a twisted sense of humor today. Maybe I need to take a break or something...

I promise, I would have giggled at the joke...and he would have done the same Thank you for the condolences, even still! This thread made me sit back and reminisce about him...good times, good man. So, it's all good in the hood!

 

[kimj88]

I would seriously laugh at that kind of request and then promptly ignore it.

Our school "suggests" no peanut products sent in lunches. My autistic picky child gets a pb sandwich twice a week because he literally will only eat that or mac and cheese as a packed lunch.

The allergy kids have their own table and they all eat outside anyway. I am not about to send Mac and cheese every single day because of other kid's allergies. Not my problem. Just like how my kid's pickiness isn't everyone else's problem but something WE have to deal with.

Your kid's pickiness will not KILL him/her. Peanuts can kill a child who is allergic. I am not advocating nut free schools ( my son is allergic to nuts and I am fine with nuts being allowed ), just making the point that the two things are in no way the same. A little understanding when children are involved is warranted.

 

[mefordis]

I think the only thing I would have a fit over if the school banned it is water. Other than that, I think my children can go 6 hours without a particular food. My 7 year old is super picky about what she eats at school - I guess everything grosses her out at school even stuff she likes at home. We just put whatever in her lunchbox knowing she probably won't eat much but can have her favorite foods at home.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I think the only thing I would have a fit over if the school banned it is water. Other than that, I think my children can go 6 hours without a particular food. My 7 year old is super picky about what she eats at school - I guess everything grosses her out at school even stuff she likes at home. We just put whatever in her lunchbox knowing she probably won't eat much but can have her favorite foods at home.

Thank you I can do my best to make acomadions regarding my diet for lunch to save a life I don't know how that got to be so hard

 

[aprilgail]

Although they can't ban it per se my cousin did get a letter that asked them not to give their kids peanut butter in the morning because someone on their bus route had a peanut allergy.

Our school sent a note home like that, but funny thing is that we are NOT a peanut free school but seems some kid on the bus had a peanut allergy so they asked you not to give your child peanut butter in the morning and make sure they wash their hands and brush their teeth after they have breakfast.
How are these kids supposed to live in the real world when they grow up thinking that everyone should change to fit their needs?

 

[hegsag]

I am so thankful that neither of my kids have food allergies. I have no problem following a no nut rule. During college I worked in the Emergency Department and I will never forget a college student transported by ambulance and died because she had pistachio ice cream for the first time and didn't know she had an allergy to pistachios

 

[Skywalker]

I'm trying to figure out what's going to happen when these kids grow up and go to work. Are whole offices, plants, stores and their lunchrooms going to be declared chocolate-free? Peanut-free? Is the President of the company going to be required to wash his mouth out with a "special solution" if he eats a candy bar on the way to work? There are going to be some rude awakenings out there....

LOL yes but I am sure their moms will still be at it - valiantly calling up that boss trying to get them to give their baby special privileges!