Peanut allergies

[Hannathy]

I suppose I should say through the air, not smell. I

Exactly and it has to be of a high enough concentration. 1 or even 10 people opening a bag of peanuts on a large plane isn't going to do anything. The whole plane opening them at once can, or the person next to you opening it directly next to you may.

There is a science to this and that is what decisions need to be based on not knee jerk reactions.

 

[Janepod]

Exactly and it has to be of a high enough concentration. 1 or even 10 people opening a bag of peanuts on a large plane isn't going to do anything. The whole plane opening them at once can, or the person next to you opening it directly next to you may.

There is a science to this and that is what decisions need to be based on not knee jerk reactions.

This. (And this is what my cousin's mother was trying to find out when she called airlines.)

 

[Hannathy]

There are a very few percent of people who actually do suffer from severe enough peanut allergies that reactions are caused by smell. /QUOTE]

What are you reacting to in the smell? there is no peanut protein in the smell so what are you reacting to because it isn't peanuts.

You would have a true anaphylactic reaction?

 

[sookie]

The shape of the peanut protein, when identified incorrectly by the body as an allergen worth attacking, causes such a cascade of events that it often leads to severe anaphylaxis - leading to death.

This is different than many other allergens. While other allergens can cause anaphylaxis, more people are likely to have a severe and swift reaction with peanuts because of the shape of the protein involved. Some are similar though - like shellfish.

Peanut butter, because it is moist, is less likely to become airborne and inhaled. However, peanuts in or out of shell (with dust) are more likely to have particles with protein that can become easily airborne and inhaled. That can be an easy trigger for a child or adult (who is sensitized) to inhale and then have an allergic reaction. However, I have treated children who have not ingested peanut butter directly but instead sat next to a family member who was ingesting, and still managed to anaphylax.

Children in the school setting often do not have good hygiene - and they touch everything and everyone. Peanut butter is easily spread to the hands as well, and because children are so mobile and can goober up everyone, it can easily come in contact with a child who is severely sensitive to peanuts, causing anaphylaxis.

My daughter has asthma and peanut allergy; because of what I have treated in the hospital setting, we take a no holds barred approach to exposure - we do everything possible to minimize, save putting her in a bubble. This is because the more a sensitized individual is exposed to an allergen, the more likely they are to have severe reactions each subsequent time. Based upon her previous reactions, we don't want to have any that are worse!

Honestly, I just wish people could be a touch more understanding about this; it is truely an invisible disability for these children and adults.

 

[Nancyg56]

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.

I know that "mature" was never a word in my post. I have already said that we have no problem with food restrictions. None.

Now as to peanut free classrooms. No peanut products in the classroom is how DGD's school handles it. All lunches are left outside the room and no snacks that contain peanut allowed in the room. There is a table "for a few years DGD referred to that table as the "peanuts" and many days had lunch there with her friends. SO far there have been no allefgic reactions with any kid in DGD classes.

Now we get to that "mature" thing. DH has a cousin and his wife who is, let us say, mean, uneducated, immature, selfish and self-absorbed. WE took them out to dinner and my DD and DGD accompanied us. DD seldom drinks, she is a bit of a control freak and likes to drive. She will not drive if she has had one drop of alcohol.

Anyway, we had been dealing with Kady's allergy for a few years and were beyond impressed with how the school, the teachers and the kids were treating it. DGD had gotten used to discussing how one friend or another needed special food for a party so it was clear all the kids were respectful and compassionate of each other. Cousin's DD tells us she has a kid in class who has a peanut allergy so if they want PB they need to eat it in the hall and expresses of unfair that is. "Let the kid eat in the hall!" DH goes still. So I tell her that the child has no choice about her food but her classmates do. They can choose to eat alone if they want PB but the little girl should not be forced to have her snack and lunch all alone. Mom gets all huffy and tells us she "refuses" to deal with any kids allergy. Bet she is a peach at PTO meetings DD, who has already had one mojito kicksm me under the table and hails the waitress so she can inhale another cocktail DH is shocked. How could one person jeopardize a kid for a PB&J sandwich?????

But it happens. And it will continue to happen. You cannot inform people who do not want to be informed. But the answer is not in the blanket bannings of peanut products that some school systems have resorted to. Thank goodness DGD school system has been able to gain cooperation from most of the parents in the school population. You restrict only what needs to be restricted when it is appropriate. Most folks are okay with that. Unless those folks are my DH cousin

 

[emksmama]

How do people like this function in society? If you are so deathly allergic that you cannot be in a room with peanuts or touch peanut residue, in all seriousness, how do you leave the house?

There is no way to police the general public. You can ban peanut products from a school, but who is to say that little Suzy didn't eat PB toast for breakfast and then not wash her hands? She touches things and spreads peanut residue.

Anywhere in public people are likely to have eaten peanut products then touched any number of things you may come in contact with. Door handles, ATMs, shopping carts, etc, etc.

A ban is just a peacekeeping measure. It truly unenforceable. I live in one of the districts that doesn't ban peanuts. As a matter of fact, one of the alternative lunches is PB&J sandwich.

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.

I agree!! I read last year about a school district that was sent out letters requesting parents not allow their children to eat peanut butter AT HOME BEFORE SCHOOL because of a child's peanut allergy. How can they police what I as a parent do in my own home? If a child is so super sensitive to peanut proteins that the remote chance of peanut oil on my DD's hand hours later could cause a reaction, then how do they take that child into grocery stores?

When I was student teaching last year, one of my 4th graders had a peanut allergy. Her mom felt it was severe enough that she made laminated signs for our classroom that said "Peanut Allergy, no nuts allowed". All well and good, I kept my canister of mixed nuts sealed in my desk when she was in the room, etc. Then one Monday, the student mentioned that her favorite restaurant was Texas Roadhouse and they'd eaten there over the weekend. For anyone who isn't familiar with it, TR is a steak restaurant that has peanut shells all over the floors, tables, etc. Huge barrels of peanuts are in the foyer and buckets on every table. I asked her how she could be in there with her peanut allergy, and she said "oh, mom just tells the server to remove the bucket from our table." Sorry, then that's not a severe peanut allergy.

Our school doesn't have a PB ban, but teachers of students with allergies get laminated lists warning what kids are affected how to handle an exposure. I don't know of any peanut free tables in the lunchroom, but I'm sure if there was a need it would be accommodated. As for homemade treats, my girls are in a gifted/talented classroom, and the teachers in that program (two per grade level) allow and encourage homemade treats as they do tons of extra projects, festivals, etc throughout the year. Flip side is my aunt's school in PA, where a strong vocal group of parents succeeded in banning ALL food for class parties & celebrations except for popcorn and bottled water.

I would be interested to know the history of the peanut allergy, because when I was a kid in the 70s & 80s, I didn't know a single person allergic to peanut butter. Then in the mid to late 90s, I started reading about how you shouldn't give children peanut butter until age 2 or later, and then peanut allergies started making the news. Could the delayed exposure be the reason? Just curious, NOT trying to start a debate!!!

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

What are you reacting to in the smell? there is no peanut protein in the smell so what are you reacting to because it isn't peanuts.

You would have a true anaphylactic reaction?

There is something in the Peanut Butter that causes me to react through smell and causes a true reaction. I've undergone tests because I was trying to convince the pros that it was in my head. Nope. I'm one of very, very few who does react.

You are quite right, it's ingestion (or touch in very few cases) that causes people to react generally.

 

[Coconut36]

I know that "mature" was never a word in my post. I have already said that we have no problem with food restrictions. None.

Now as to peanut free classrooms. No peanut products in the classroom is how DGD's school handles it. All lunches are left outside the room and no snacks that contain peanut allowed in the room. There is a table "for a few years DGD referred to that table as the "peanuts" and many days had lunch there with her friends. SO far there have been no allefgic reactions with any kid in DGD classes.

Now we get to that "mature" thing. DH has a cousin and his wife who is, let us say, mean, uneducated, immature, selfish and self-absorbed. WE took them out to dinner and my DD and DGD accompanied us. DD seldom drinks, she is a bit of a control freak and likes to drive. She will not drive if she has had one drop of alcohol.

Anyway, we had been dealing with Kady's allergy for a few years and were beyond impressed with how the school, the teachers and the kids were treating it. DGD had gotten used to discussing how one friend or another needed special food for a party so it was clear all the kids were respectful and compassionate of each other. Cousin's DD tells us she has a kid in class who has a peanut allergy so if they want PB they need to eat it in the hall and expresses of unfair that is. "Let the kid eat in the hall!" DH goes still. So I tell her that the child has no choice about her food but her classmates do. They can choose to eat alone if they want PB but the little girl should not be forced to have her snack and lunch all alone. Mom gets all huffy and tells us she "refuses" to deal with any kids allergy. Bet she is a peach at PTO meetings DD, who has already had one mojito kicksm me under the table and hails the waitress so she can inhale another cocktail DH is shocked. How could one person jeopardize a kid for a PB&J sandwich?????

But it happens. And it will continue to happen. You cannot inform people who do not want to be informed. But the answer is not in the blanket bannings of peanut products that some school systems have resorted to. Thank goodness DGD school system has been able to gain cooperation from most of the parents in the school population. You restrict only what needs to be restricted when it is appropriate. Most folks are okay with that. Unless those folks are my DH cousin

I didn't mean you personally..more a general question as to why someone would act in such a manner in regards to a food that causes a life threatening reaction.

 

[sunshinehighway]

I didn't mean you personally..more a general question as to why someone would act in such a manner in regards to a food that causes a life threatening reaction.

I think its because many people feel peanut allergies are overstated. There is a small percentage of people with a peanut allergy and an even smaller percentage where that allergy is life threatening.

 

[Nancyg56]

I didn't mean you personally..more a general question as to why someone would act in such a manner in regards to a food that causes a life threatening reaction.

I think that some folks refuse to concern themselves with anything that they do not really understand. I also think that some folks do not want to believe that such things as deadly reactions occur and so they will not make adjustments for those children who may be impacted.

I remember years ago when it was normal to smoke in the home. I attended a neighborhood gathering and was appalled that a woman would not smoke outdoors when it was apparent that her smoke was causing real physical distress to another. It was not my home, I would never have allowed smoking in teh first place but was shocked at teh whole thing. THe hostess did not want to offend the woman smoking.

 

[Coconut36]

I would be interested to know the history of the peanut allergy, because when I was a kid in the 70s & 80s, I didn't know a single person allergic to peanut butter. Then in the mid to late 90s, I started reading about how you shouldn't give children peanut butter until age 2 or later, and then peanut allergies started making the news. Could the delayed exposure be the reason? Just curious, NOT trying to start a debate!!!

One of the most reasonable explanations I have seen in regards to peanut allergies is cross contamination. As has been stated repeated exposure can result in increased or more severe reactions. In the past you might have known peanuts caused you an issue (my reaction for example is limited to my digestive system right now but continued exposure could result in a more severe reaction down the road) so you avoided peanuts as the sources were obvious.

Unfortunately now foods can end up being cross contaminated with peanuts and you are ingesting it repeatedly and the body eventually reacts severely to a minor exposure because you have unwittingly been exposing it to the allergen. It makes a certain amount of sense to me that as manufacturing/processed foods increased greatly there would be more foods processed on machines that processed peanuts and because of that people being regularly exposed to the allergen so when they are exposed to the full form they react severely when in the past they could have avoided it and not had such regular/repeated exposures.

From some reading I have done when you are exposed doesn't really matter..exposed early or late if you are allergic you are allergic. Waiting doesn't magically make you allergic. That said since we have a family history of food allergies (and I developed a peanut one as an adult) I did wait to introduce it simply because I wanted my children to have the verbal ability to explain an internal reaction to me once they ate it. A 9 month old can't articulate "this makes my tongue feel funny" or "my throat itches now" but an older toddler or preschooler might be able to. Since my Mom has anaphylaxis to a food and had her eyes swell shut on first exposure I am admittedly more worried about food reactions that someone without a history would.

I also think awareness is a big thing now. I see people often say "nobody had food allergies "back then" yet I know both my parents..born in the 50s had food allergies. I grew up in the 80s with a friend who has sibling with severe food allergies (dairy, wheat). It's just that people were often not made aware of it outside the family. The school didn't know, friends parents didn't know..but education of others has become a big thing in regards to food allergies so people see it more than they did in the past.

Some links that discuss increases:
http://www.calgaryallergy.ca/Articles/English/whypeanutswhynow.html

http://foodallergyassistant.blogspot.com/2010/03/history-of-peanut-allergies.html

 

[Coconut36]

I think its because many people feel peanut allergies are overstated. There is a small percentage of people with a peanut allergy and an even smaller percentage where that allergy is life threatening.

But it is not up to the general population to decide what is safe for another person. If it isn't them/their child/family then they need to be respectful.

Unless you are the treating Dr or the afflicted you don't get to decide if it is important or not. I find it disturbing that people decide on their own what is or is not safe for someone else. You don't know them, you don't know what happens, you don't know the risks involved and to take it upon yourself to do as you please because "it's only a small percentage" or you think "peanut allergies are overstated" is a pompous and selfish thing to do because you are putting another life at risk because you don't have a single clue if they are part of that percentage or what the nature of their reaction is.

 

[Mandychelle79]

But it is not up to the general population to decide what is safe for another person. If it isn't them/their child/family then they need to be respectful.

Unless you are the treating Dr or the afflicted you don't get to decide if it is important or not. I find it disturbing that people decide on their own what is or is not safe for someone else. You don't know them, you don't know what happens, you don't know the risks involved and to take it upon yourself to do as you please because "it's only a small percentage" or you think "peanut allergies are overstated" is a pompous and selfish thing to do because you are putting another life at risk because you don't have a single clue if they are part of that percentage or what the nature of their reaction is.

Where does personal responsibility come into play though. Yes there should be REASONABLE accommodations made, such as allergen free tables, food having labels for snack, making children wash their hands before and after meals.. But to tell people they cannot feed their child peanut butter toast at home for breakfast is unreasonable. To tell someone they cannot pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for their milk allergic child, they are already limited to what types of sandwiches they can take, unreasonable. To tell a parent of a diabetic who has been taught/ learned that peanut butter is what works best to keep their child's blood sugar stable they cant have it, unreasonable. To institute any blanket rule that favors one disability over another one, unreasonable.

 

[Coconut36]

Where does personal responsibility come into play though. Yes there should be REASONABLE accommodations made, such as allergen free tables, food having labels for snack, making children wash their hands before and after meals.. But to tell people they cannot feed their child peanut butter toast at home for breakfast is unreasonable. To tell someone they cannot pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for their milk allergic child, they are already limited to what types of sandwiches they can take, unreasonable. To tell a parent of a diabetic who has been taught/ learned that peanut butter is what works best to keep their child's blood sugar stable they cant have it, unreasonable. To institute any blanket rule that favors one disability over another one, unreasonable.

When we are talking about young children I think things are different. As a pp mentioned young children have poor hygiene and cross contamination or exposure is far more likely at 5 than it is at 15.

As a parent with a child with a food allergy you would think you would be a bit more sensitive and sympathetic but this posts illustrates your issue..your child's lunch is more important than another child's safety. Since your child already has a food she can't have she should be able to eat what she wants..other children be damned. I'm sure their parents appreciate your "thoughtfulness".

I can guarantee you that a diabetic child has more options than PB and could survive an alternative for ONE meal a day (as would the child with a different food allergy). The peanut allergic child however could end up hospitalized because of exposure..where should the greater emphasis be here? The kid who has to have an alternative or the kid who could become critically ill or die?

 

[sunshinehighway]

But it is not up to the general population to decide what is safe for another person. If it isn't them/their child/family then they need to be respectful.

Unless you are the treating Dr or the afflicted you don't get to decide if it is important or not. I find it disturbing that people decide on their own what is or is not safe for someone else. You don't know them, you don't know what happens, you don't know the risks involved and to take it upon yourself to do as you please because "it's only a small percentage" or you think "peanut allergies are overstated" is a pompous and selfish thing to do because you are putting another life at risk because you don't have a single clue if they are part of that percentage or what the nature of their reaction is.

I'm going to assume the you in your post was a general you and not directed specifically at me.

People probably just get sick of hearing about peanut allergies. When you have examples like in a previous post with the laminated signs and Texas Roadhouse, it makes people think the whole thing is overblown. The other side can look at examples like that and think its pompous and selfish to dictate what they are allowed to feed their children.

There's a thread on the Theme Park Board about the fake peanuts near the new Dumbo area. Some of the thinking behind responses in that thread are probably part of the reason people don't take peanut allergies seriously.

 

[Coconut36]

I'm going to assume the you in your post was a general you and not directed specifically at me.

People probably just get sick of hearing about peanut allergies. When you have examples like in a previous post with the laminated signs and Texas Roadhouse, it makes people think the whole thing is overblown. The other side can look at examples like that and think its pompous and selfish to dictate what they are allowed to feed their children.

There's a thread on the Theme Park Board about the fake peanuts near the new Dumbo area. Some of the thinking behind responses in that thread are probably part of the reason people don't take peanut allergies seriously.

Yes the you was general not specific to you. Sometimes I forget to indicate (general) when posting.

 

[luvmy3]

Where does personal responsibility come into play though. Yes there should be REASONABLE accommodations made, such as allergen free tables, food having labels for snack, making children wash their hands before and after meals.. But to tell people they cannot feed their child peanut butter toast at home for breakfast is unreasonable. To tell someone they cannot pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for their milk allergic child, they are already limited to what types of sandwiches they can take, unreasonable. To tell a parent of a diabetic who has been taught/ learned that peanut butter is what works best to keep their child's blood sugar stable they cant have it, unreasonable. To institute any blanket rule that favors one disability over another one, unreasonable.

I don't see it as unreasonable when there are other options for those kids you mentioned. The peanut allergic child doesn't have the option of not being exposed if another child doesn't take the proper precautions. And lets face it, kids don't always do what they are supposed to.
I don't agree with expecting kids to not eat PB at home before school, but I wouldn't have an issue with a complete ban in our school when its done for the safety and in some cases the life of another child. It hasn't happened in our school but its not something I'd ever oppose if it did.

 

[Hannathy]

I think when the peanut allergy folks get honest and actually admit what truthfully needs done to keep their child safe people will take them seriously and go along with it. But the general over reaction to the allergy has made people put their backs up and refuse to cooperate.

It seems with many that when in inconveniences others it is ok but when it does them then it doesn't matter. Like the girl in the Texas Road house. It was inconvenient for the rest of the class and that was OK but when it came to the Mom being inconvenience-not being able to go to a restaurant she wanted to - it suddenly was OK for her to be around peanuts.

Like not wanting someone to eat a peanut butter sandwich on a plane when they are 50 people away from them is unreasonable, asking for 100 people to not open peanut packets and release peanut protein into the air is reasonable and understandable.

 

[badblackpug]

But it is not up to the general population to decide what is safe for another person. If it isn't them/their child/family then they need to be respectful.

Unless you are the treating Dr or the afflicted you don't get to decide if it is important or not. I find it disturbing that people decide on their own what is or is not safe for someone else. You don't know them, you don't know what happens, you don't know the risks involved and to take it upon yourself to do as you please because "it's only a small percentage" or you think "peanut allergies are overstated" is a pompous and selfish thing to do because you are putting another life at risk because you don't have a single clue if they are part of that percentage or what the nature of their reaction is.

My point is this:

If someone is so allergic that even contact with peanut "residue" is going to cause a life threatening allergic reaction then that person is not safe outside their own home. It is impossible to enforce any type of ban that extends into people's home. This would be especially important in the case of children. As was said, children have notoriously bad hand hygiene. Since you can't enforce that others don't serve peanut butter in their home there is no way to avoid being exposed to peanut butter residue. People will eat it at home, they will feed it to their kids. Since you can't police hand hygiene in people's homes the chances are very likely that that "residue" will be carried into society.

Peanut free classrooms are a false reassurance that a child with allergives that severe will not be exposed.

 

[Mandychelle79]

When we are talking about young children I think things are different. As a pp mentioned young children have poor hygiene and cross contamination or exposure is far more likely at 5 than it is at 15.

As a parent with a child with a food allergy you would think you would be a bit more sensitive and sympathetic but this posts illustrates your issue..your child's lunch is more important than another child's safety. Since your child already has a food she can't have she should be able to eat what she wants..other children be damned. I'm sure their parents appreciate your "thoughtfulness".

I can guarantee you that a diabetic child has more options than PB and could survive an alternative for ONE meal a day (as would the child with a different food allergy). The peanut allergic child however could end up hospitalized because of exposure..where should the greater emphasis be here? The kid who has to have an alternative or the kid who could become critically ill or die?

And your response proves my point that parents of children with peanut allergies feel that their child's allergy is more important then other children's allergies.

Lets say that my child was still allergic to milk and I DEMANDED that the school go milk free to make sure my child did not get exposed to milk while at school. So now your peanut free child cannot have the cheese sandwich that he always has for lunch, no pizza, no mashed potatoes, no chicken nuggets. Oh and Paul, he is allergic to wheat so no bread, crackers, cookies. And Mary, she allergic to bees, she was stung outside at school, had to use her epi-pen and go to the hospital, so now her parents are demanding all recess and gym classes to be held indoors to limit the likelihood of it happening again. Oh and maybe getting rid of the flowering trees and bushes outside the school since they attract bees.