Peanut allergies

[Nancyg56]

My kid's elementary school does not allow peanuts in the classrooms. They do allow kids to bring in PB and they also sell it in the cafeteria. They have a peanut free table at lunch for the kids who are allergic.
When they get to the Jr. High there are no regulations.

Schools have found a way to control exposure to those kids who have allergies, without having to ban PB.

My DGD school system has managed this as well. Every child is treated as an individual with appropriate precautions taken with every child. I know that there are those who feel that one child's safety should not have an impact on the entire group but thank goodness that is generally not the way most folks feel.

I believe that because the administration does not over-react with any type of allergen parents are willing to make accommodations when they are needed.

My DGD was allergic to dairy and egg, thank goodness it was not triggered my contact. She did have children in her classroom on occasion who did have contact allergies and those classrooms had policies in place to ensure the children were safe. The rest of the school was not forced to follow procedures that were not needed.

It is my opinion that parents need to be respectful of conditions that kids have in order to help maintain their safety. It is also my opinion that parents with kids who suffer from food allergies do need to understand that school cannot be 100% safe and that every kid is not going to follow precautions that can be unreasonable. For instance, I have heard that some children have been asked not to eat any peanut products even at home. I feel that mutual consideration is in order.

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

And IME less willing to admit that other food allergies are just as dangerous as a peanut allergy.

I suffer from a severe peanut allergy, and fully acknowledge that there are other allergies most definitely just as severe and dangerous. My mother suffers from severe food allergies - just as severe as mine. Please do not place us all into this opinion, as it's false.

As someone who suffers from severe food allergies, hear me out. I do not think it is nonsense, banning or trying to prevent peanuts etc from being brought into schools. Unless you have personally experienced severe allergies, whether in yourself or via someone else, I don't think one could fully ever understand. As severe as my allergies are, I manage and am able to go out and do not expect people to cater to me at the age of 25. All I ask is that people understand.

However, I have no problem with having an "allergy table" in the classroom or in the cafeteria. Having somewhere is better than nowhere, even if it's not a totally nut free area. I understand fully we can't ban everything, nor do I expect people to - it's unreasonable. The nut free schools do make it a bit easier, though.

 

[Hannathy]

As a PP said, there are actually more documented allergies to milk and eggs in the US than there are to peanuts. Not intolerances, which are not allergies, but true allergies. The peanut group is just more vocal.

Yes, and most are not reasonable in their requests. Peanut butter being eaten in the cafeteria is not going to trigger a reaction unless it is ingested. 1 or even 10 kids eating peanuts in a big cafeteria is not going to trigger a reaction. This is why a peanut free table works just fine. Ask for what is truly needed and factual and people will cooperated but when you start being unreasonable for no scientific reason people will fight back and not cooperate.

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

Hannathy, I'd just like to point out that just by touching peanut butter, it can cause reactions in a few people, myself included. I do agree that 95%+ of reactions are caused just by ingesting the pb.

 

[Mandychelle79]

Then sit next to my older daughter and I'll give her a mango. You can stab her with an epipen, OK?

This makes no sense to me. I am fully aware that all food allergies can be fatal. I had my daughter in the ER for her milk allergy a time or two. Ive been in ICU because of my bee allergy. My 6 and 9 year old are trained in how to administer my epi pen to me. They shouldnt have to worry about me, should be the other way around, but they think it is cool that they know how to save mommy's life if need be.

In MY experience, when people say about banning peanut products, the reason is given for not banning the allergens is because "they arent as dangerous" as peanut allergies for whatever reason they choose to use.

 

[Magic Mom]

Our schools don't have a policy either.

Neither does ours, because there is no need at this time. I'm sure if a child with an allergy bad enough to be life threatening enrolled, they would take the appropriate measures. This is the way it should be.

They sell PBJ sandwiches and PB is allowed in lunch boxes.

 

[Mandychelle79]

I suffer from a severe peanut allergy, and fully acknowledge that there are other allergies most definitely just as severe and dangerous. My mother suffers from severe food allergies - just as severe as mine. Please do not place us all into this opinion, as it's false.

As someone who suffers from severe food allergies, hear me out. I do not think it is nonsense, banning or trying to prevent peanuts etc from being brought into schools. Unless you have personally experienced severe allergies.

I understand fully we can't ban everything, nor do I expect people to - it's unreasonable. The nut free schools do make it a bit easier, though.

I changed my post to state most, so those who do not feel this way are no longer included.

I have had my daughter in the ER for her milk allergy and I have been in the ICU after being stung by a bee. I know the feeling of doom that comes over a person when they are reacting to something. It is scary as all get out.

If my daughter was still allergic to milk when she started school, one of the SAFE sandwiches was a peanut butter and jelly. We couldnt get deli meat as the risk for cross contamination from the slicers. Most of the meals that are prepared for the general student body contain milk. So we would have been even more limited with what she could eat.

 

[DisGirlAllie]

My mother is a first grade teacher who has many students with peanut allergies ranging from severe to minor. I, myself as well, have a severe peanut allergy. The schools in our county have banned peanut products in elementary school but in high school and middle school they are allowed in the cafeteria. There is, in all, a separate table for those with allergies. My mother has seen children have reactions from ingestion, touch, smell, and even cross contamination. I have had a reaction from ingesting, touching, and smelling (yes, smelling) peanut products. So, yes, I am one of those people who has a hissy fit over no peanut zone rule breakers and am the reason you can't enjoy peanuts on your flight. Yes, it's a pain and a lot of you seem to believe that it is an over reaction and ridiculous but until you or your child has had an allergic reaction so severe to the point where you seriously believe that you are going to die while riding to the hospital, you just don't get it.

But, like a PP said, I do actually understand that there are other allergies. My best friend is deathly allergic to milk, eggs, and gluten. I have another friend who gets hives when she's within five feet of strawberries. And I know of at least thirteen other students just in my grade alone who have reactions as severe as my own.

So yes, for the most part, PB in a cafeteria is not going to trigger a reaction. And like a PP said 95+% of reactions are caused by ingestion. But it can, and will, for some and that is why it is banned in most places.

My mum's best friend, for years, complained about having to accommodate kids with allergies. Then, her next child was born with an allergy to gluten, dairy, egg, and all nuts. Karma? Maybe. But it brings me back to my original point: until you've experienced it, you just don't get it.

 

[Mandychelle79]

But, like a PP said, I do actually understand that there are other allergies. My best friend is deathly allergic to milk, eggs, and gluten. I have another friend who gets hives when she's within five feet of strawberries. And I know of at least thirteen other students just in my grade alone who have reactions as severe as my own.

So yes, for the most part, PB in a cafeteria is not going to trigger a reaction. And like a PP said 95+% of reactions are caused by ingestion. But it can, and will, for some and that is why it is banned in most places.

Which leads me back to what I have been saying. I have no problem with schools keeping the peanut allergy kids safe as long as they are making the same accommodations for kids with other allergies. If the school that the person with the Strawberry allergy attended banned peanuts I feel that they should also ban strawberries to keep her safe. Because as you just said here she could not be within 5 feet of them without getting hives.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If it is such a big issue then why r they still selling peanut butter jelly sandwiches at school and why are they still allowing kids to pack it

Less than 2% of the population suffers from peanut allergies. I know it seems like more, given the publicity peanut allergies get - but it's not even the most prevalent potentially fatal food allergy. I think that title goes to shellfish.

You aren't comparing apples to apples here. Would your child have needed an epi pen if milk spilled? I am going to guess no as milk allergies/intolerance come from ingestion not touch (based on my personal experience, that of my kids and my husband and father). That is where the difference lies. When it comes to peanut/nut allergies in that people with allergies react to the oils and residue from them as well as having airborne reactions.

Surprisingly, even people with peanut allergies don't have reactions to merely coming into physical contact with any component of the peanut product - including the oils, residues, and dust (the airborne reaction to which you must be referring, given that airborn reaction isn't a component of the peanut). This is the apples to apples response you're critiquing.

Milk allergies are actual allergies and can be just as hazardous to the sufferer as milk/lactose intolerance. An intolerance isn't life-threatening - so now you're making an apples to oranges comparison.

When we are talking about elementary aged children there is a greater risk involved..hands wiped on the table/bench after eating, hands wiped on clothes and then touching the allergic child for example.

Interesting. You seem to have virtually no confidence in the ability of the typical primary school-aged child with a food allergy to take responsibility for his/her own well-being.

When did the interests and rights of the few supersede the interests and rights of the many?

 

[badblackpug]

There was a child in my YDS preschool that was this allergic to peanuts. We were asked not to give peanut products prior to sending our child to school if possible as he would react to the oils on the skin of another. I do not believe that reactions to others foods are this severe or this easily transferred to others...hence the reason they ban peanuts vs milk or eggs or fish. Most schools I know have a table for allergic children to eat at that would be free of allergens..specifically their allergen. In cases of milk, eggs, fish..those children would reduce their risk. In the case of peanuts the kid at the non allergy table walked out with peanut butter on his hands and went back to class and touched the other kids desk..causing a reaction. That doesn't happen with other foods.

I don't know why people keep arguing it "isn't enforceable" when lots of schools, districts and classrooms do ban it and do enforce it.

I am only in favor of a ban for young children. When it comes to food allergies in say Kindergarten for example I don't think fellow students can understand the risk their food poses to another (and for the record I have heard of classrooms being free of a given allergen if it is a high risk for a child..not just peanuts). After elementary age I think it is different as the allergic child has to learn to adjust and the peers are old enough to understand if told of an allergy a peer has.

My point is, realistically, if someone is THAT allergic there is no way they function society.

How do you avoid peanut residue amongst the general population? How do you avoid peanut residue in the super market, at the playground, in Disney World? You have no idea what the 10 million people that were there before you touched, or ate, or carried with them.

...and the reason that it is unenforceable is this. You can search every kid's lunch and snack and remove peanut products. You can ASK that people not serve peanut products at home, but there is no way to enforce that they actually comply. If a child is THAT allergic that she will have a deadly reaction from just contacting peanut residue, then a "peanut free" school is offering a very false sense of security. A school cannot police what people do in their own home

...and, yes, their are other allergens that do have a severe contact reaction. It's just that the people who suffer from them are not as vocal about their lobbying. Peanut allergies have become the "in" thing lately.

My ex's daughter had a severe shellfish allergy. She got hives from touching any shell fish. We never considered even suggesting anyone had to "ban" anything. She understood her allergy from a very early age, and knew what she couldn't have contact with. We would inform people of her allergy, but we would never consider telling others what they could or couldn't eat, or have.

If you read over the thread there are quite a few people who have said that they, or someone they know, has a severe contact allergy. It's not that it doesn't exist, it's that those allergies aren't as popular or news-worthy right now.

In all honesty, if my kid were THAT allergic to something that merely touching something that someone else who has touched peanuts would cause that severe of a reaction I couldn't, in all good conscience, send them to school. I know it's not realistic to assume that everyone is going to live their home lives catering to my child's allergy.

It's really just offering a false sense of security.

 

[Hannathy]

I have had a reaction from ingesting, touching, and smelling (yes, smelling) peanut products. So, yes, I am one of those people who has a hissy fit over no peanut zone rule breakers and am the reason you can't enjoy peanuts on your flight.

No you don't have a true reaction from smelling peanut odor. Sorry, you can have a reaction from breathing in peanut dust but not the odor. There is nothing in odor to trigger anything, there is no protein. You can have a what they call a "hysterical" reaction to the odor but not a true reaction. If you have a reaction just to smelling peanut butter I would like to read where this has been proven because all I have read and all the studies prove otherwise. If you had a true reaction to just the smell you couldn't live outside. How do you walk past a bakery?


And it is not banned in most places.Quite the opposite. It isn't even restricted in most places.

 

[Nancyg56]

Which leads me back to what I have been saying. I have no problem with schools keeping the peanut allergy kids safe as long as they are making the same accommodations for kids with other allergies. If the school that the person with the Strawberry allergy attended banned peanuts I feel that they should also ban strawberries to keep her safe. Because as you just said here she could not be within 5 feet of them without getting hives.

I cannot speak for any other school district except the one my DGD is part of. In Kady's school each kid's circumstance was treated on an individual basis. There were no blanket "banning" of any food. If a child's reaction to a food was so severe that it needed to be kept out of the classroom it was kept from the classroom. As far as I know she was only asked to keep peanut products from her classroom but I am aware of several other allergies that parents were asked to be aware of when they sent food to school.

I also believe that it is up to the parent to determine how the school can best assist in keeping a child safe. If the parent has found a way to protect her child without having to ask the school to ban a product that is that parent's prerogative.

This is what I mean about over reactions to food allergies. Most parents know their kids will work quietly with the school to come up with a plan to safeguard the child. Once a school starts to ban foods altogether there are bound to be rebellions.

My DD always worked hard to teach her child to respect others with food allergies. No peanuts allowed? Fine. She ate something else. Sarah needs to keep away from apples? No problem, there are other fruits to send. She also taught Kady to be responsible for her own safety. She knew that unless her Mom or I told her something was safe to eat she was not to touch it. Period. Her teachers were amazed that a 6 YO was disciplined enough to refuse a treat that she could not eat.

There is no absolute safe environment for children. Her friend's Mom packed her plate, wrapped and labeled it. Somehow the room mother mixed it up, although I cannot figure out how. Thank God my DD was there because the child would have eaten food she thought came from home. After that the girl's Mom had to figure out a better way to keep her safe which meant that on any occasion where there would be a variety of food sent in either the mom or my DD would be there to oversee the food distribution for children with allergies. Other parents cannot be held responsible for keeping your kids safe. In the end it is up to the parents. Schools, teachers and helpers can be onboard but should not have all that responsibility.

 

[kaytieeldr]

In the case of peanuts the kid at the non allergy table walked out with peanut butter on his hands and went back to class and touched the other kids desk..causing a reaction.

No. You, the school, and the boy's parents can claim that and believe that through eternity. According to this article http://www.allergysafecommunities.ca/assets/common_beliefs_faan_2003.pdf by a pediatrician, the only way that boy could have had the type of reaction you imply (potentially fatal vs skin/rash) is if after the classmate left enough peanut or peanut butter residue on his desk, he then not only touched it but ingested it.

 

[Coconut36]

No. You, the school, and the boy's parents can claim that and believe that through eternity. According to this article http://www.allergysafecommunities.ca/assets/common_beliefs_faan_2003.pdf by a pediatrician, the only way that boy could have had the type of reaction you imply (potentially fatal vs skin/rash) is if after the classmate left enough peanut or peanut butter residue on his desk, he then not only touched it but ingested it.

Well you tell that to the Mom who discussed her child's health and reactions with us and shared the stories of the 911 call from daycare..I am sure she would love to know that you and an article know more than she does about her child.

It's not for me (or general you) to decide what is a risk to another..it's for that person (and you darn well know that child has an allergist they are in touch with regularly who has advised them on food safety) and their Dr to know and understand.

It's this mentality of "I know more about your allergy than you do" that is so irritating. You are not the parent of that child, you are not that child's Dr..you however have given your armchair diagnosis that they are full of crap and thus disregard the "rules" because you think you know more than they do. I seriously can't understand people that think like this.

I have had people tell me my allergy is "all in my head". Probably people like you who cite and article and decide that is it and you know how to handle things for them vs the advice they have received from their Dr regarding what is and is not safe for them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My mother is a first grade teacher who has many students with peanut allergies ranging from severe to minor.

That genuinely surprises me. I know above I said "less than two percent", but on reading this post I decided to stop using my memory and go with Google. Depending on the source, somewhere between .5% and 1.1% of Americans have peanut allergies. Based on those numbers, about 1% of your mother's students (really, about 1% of the people she or anyone knows or comes in contact with) statistically should be expected to have some degree of peanut allergy. Is there something unusual or unique about the area in which she lives that would result in what seems to be a much higher number ('many' seems to indicate a lot more than 1%)?

My mother has seen children have reactions from ingestion, touch, smell, and even cross contamination. I have had a reaction from ingesting, touching, and smelling (yes, smelling) peanut products

Respectfully, according to the article I linked in a response above - post 54 - peanut allergy reactions are triggered by proteins, and there aren't any proteins in the chemical reaction that creates the smell. Or something like that . Any reaction to smells would be physiologic. The pediatrician who wrote that article also wrote a book on peanut allergies, so I tend to trust he knows what he's talking about.

 

[Coconut36]

I cannot speak for any other school district except the one my DGD is part of. In Kady's school each kid's circumstance was treated on an individual basis. There were no blanket "banning" of any food. If a child's reaction to a food was so severe that it needed to be kept out of the classroom it was kept from the classroom. As far as I know she was only asked to keep peanut products from her classroom but I am aware of several other allergies that parents were asked to be aware of when they sent food to school.

I also believe that it is up to the parent to determine how the school can best assist in keeping a child safe. If the parent has found a way to protect her child without having to ask the school to ban a product that is that parent's prerogative.

This is what I mean about over reactions to food allergies. Most parents know their kids will work quietly with the school to come up with a plan to safeguard the child. Once a school starts to ban foods altogether there are bound to be rebellions.

My DD always worked hard to teach her child to respect others with food allergies. No peanuts allowed? Fine. She ate something else. Sarah needs to keep away from apples? No problem, there are other fruits to send. She also taught Kady to be responsible for her own safety. She knew that unless her Mom or I told her something was safe to eat she was not to touch it. Period. Her teachers were amazed that a 6 YO was disciplined enough to refuse a treat that she could not eat.

There is no absolute safe environment for children. Her friend's Mom packed her plate, wrapped and labeled it. Somehow the room mother mixed it up, although I cannot figure out how. Thank God my DD was there because the child would have eaten food she thought came from home. After that the girl's Mom had to figure out a better way to keep her safe which meant that on any occasion where there would be a variety of food sent in either the mom or my DD would be there to oversee the food distribution for children with allergies. Other parents cannot be held responsible for keeping your kids safe. In the end it is up to the parents. Schools, teachers and helpers can be onboard but should not have all that responsibility.

Rebellions? Seriously? What mature reasonable person would rebel knowing that a food causes a serious safety risk to another? Because their little Snowie will perish without her PB&J and the other kid be damned? I mean really? Who is that self absorbed and selfish they would fight and rebel when a food that is a safety risk is restricted at school?

Most schools I see make the classroom that child is in free of the food (often peanuts) and then also have an allergen free table at school. That however means if your child ends up in that classroom you are unable to send that given allergen to school with your child in their lunch. In the 3 districts I know that is generally how they handle things. So anyone outside of that classroom can have the allergen item..just not those in the classroom.

 

[DisGirlAllie]

That genuinely surprises me. I know above I said "less than two percent", but on reading this post I decided to stop using my memory and go with Google. Depending on the source, somewhere between .5% and 1.1% of Americans have peanut allergies. Based on those numbers, about 1% of your mother's students (really, about 1% of the people she or anyone knows or comes in contact with) statistically should be expected to have some degree of peanut allergy. Is there something unusual or unique about the area in which she lives that would result in what seems to be a much higher number ('many' seems to indicate a lot more than 1%)?


Respectfully, according to the article I linked in a response above - post 54 - peanut allergy reactions are triggered by proteins, and there aren't any proteins in the chemical reaction that creates the smell. Or something like that . Any reaction to smells would be physiologic. The pediatrician who wrote that article also wrote a book on peanut allergies, so I tend to trust he knows what he's talking about.

I suppose I should say through the air, not smell. I shouldn't write long responses when I haven't had much sleep.
Throughout the nine years she's been teaching, I believe she has had at least five in each year. And based on what I've read in this thread, maybe the DC area has a concentrated amount of peanut allergies? Hmm. Definitely something to look into considering how many people have peanut allergies around here.

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

Respectfully, according to the article I linked in a response above - post 54 - peanut allergy reactions are triggered by proteins, and there aren't any proteins in the chemical reaction that creates the smell. Or something like that . Any reaction to smells would be physiologic. The pediatrician who wrote that article also wrote a book on peanut allergies, so I tend to trust he knows what he's talking about.

There are a very few percent of people who actually do suffer from severe enough peanut allergies that reactions are caused by smell. I am one of them. However, you are right in that most of the time, the reaction is physiologic.

I questioned this about 2 weeks ago when I went to my allergist (who also happens to be one of the heads of one of the largest Asthma and Allergy Associations in the world). He said, many times, reactions are physiologic. The person who suffers from the allergy, sees the peanut butter and deep down, believes they can smell it. Thus, their body believes that it has eaten something it shouldn't have and sends the body into shock.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well you tell that to the Mom who discussed her child's health and reactions with us and shared the stories of the 911 call from daycare..I am sure she would love to know that you and an article know more than she does about her child.

Well, I'm not sure about stories, because I thought you were describing a single specific occurrence ; and no, probably the Pediatrician who wrote that article doesn't know the child either.

I'm just saying based on that article the boy didn't have a near-fatal reaction simply because there was peanut residue on his desk.

The peanut protein-containing residue (seemingly actual peanut butter, because why would a preschoolers have peanut oil residue on him) had to somehow get into his throat. He had to have done something to get te peanut butter/protein/residue from the desk inside his body.

It didn't jump there itself.