Peanut Allergies???

[TinkHappy]

My dd is going into 2nd grade. I just received a letter from her school principal informing me and DH that there is a child in her class with server peanut and tree nut allergies.
The letter states that everthing I send in my childs lunch will be inspected. Also, while shopping I MUST read all labels and make sure there are NO peanuts or tree nuts, as this childs life depends on it. Now, I understand that we all must try to accomadate everyone, but now 22 childen in the class are forced to change their lunches for one child. I checked all my DD's lunch food and snacks and all seem to have some sort of nut in them. I am not sure how I feel about this. I am a little concerned that now I am responsible for one childs life. Please help.

 

[zurgswife]

We have a couple of kids in my DD's class with possibly fatal peanut allergies.....It has been difficult at times but I just imagine how horrible it must be to have a child affected with such a disease.....One of these children will die if there were traces on somebody's hands...could you imagine the fear of these parents..and this child is a 6th grader....while the can monitor more on there own...it still is very scarey....the mother must monitor everything...it is a full time job....

While lots of people on this boards have expressed a feeling that it shouldn't be the other families responsibility ....I sure would want the same if my child had a life threatening disability....

 

[chell]

This child must have a MAJOR allergy to peanuts/tree nuts. Sometimes just the dust from the peanuts can cause a severe allergic reaction. For me, I am allergic to melons. Yesterday someone at work was eating some canteloupe. As soon as I smelled it my lips and tounge went numb! It's not fun! Also I think it made my throat close up a little because I had some trouble swallowing. At the time I didn't think the swallowing problems were from the melons. But after thinking about it more I believe it was. Melons are NOT one of my major allergies. I know my experience doesn't exactly fit into your situation. But I thought it would help you to see how just smelling it can cause problems.

Hope this didn't confuse you! I'm good at confusing people.

 

[CamColt]

My DS is allergic to peanuts. Personally I dont think they need to ban all peanut products from the class. Its bad enough DS has to suffer, why make the other kids too? However, a little cooperation from other parents would go along way. DS's teacher had sent a note home asking parents to check everything that was brought in for parties and the like, and inform her of anything with peanuts. Wouldnt you know DS came home with peanut butter valentine candy.
Also at their holiday fair, DS was all excited to decorate cookies. Because no one thought to check the ingredients(knowing there are a variety of allergies in the school), all the kids with allergies couldnt do the cookies.
I know this doesnt help you much, but its JMO. Good luck!

 

[TinkHappy]

I am really not trying to be insensitive, I think I am more afraid then anything. I feel as though I am also responsible for this childs life and it scares the daylights out of me.
My oldest DD ONLY eats peanut butter and jelly (everyday!!) and I am scared to death that the cutting board I use to make her sandwhich will touch my youngest DD's sandwhich and then this child might have a reaction (or worse...die).
I just feel this is a lot for a school to expect. I am not sure they understand the responsibility they are placing on the other parents. (and again I am not trying to be insensitive). I would never want to make this child feel diffent. When I asked the principal if my DD wanted to have a snack (or lunch) with peanut butter, could she be excused to another class or the lunch room (they eat in their class room) she told me no, these types of accommodations would not be accepted. I don't understand why they would do for one, but not for another. I do understand and when I bring something for the class (such as a snack or cupcakes) I ask and make sure I am careful about allergies. but, this seems to be a bit much. This is a public school. Thank you for letting me vent...again.

 

[poohbears5]

If the child has that severe allergy that they could stop breathing ,possibly die , I wouldn't have a problem its not like the poor thing can help the awful allergy.

 

[pumba]

with severe peanut allergies as well as others.....she just went for her yearly check of it and she is worse this year on the test......it is very frightening to see her little face swell up and not recognise her....she is going to be two years old in a few weeks......she is the sweetest thing.....My neice is not going to panick herself to the point of not letting cheyenne live or be like other kids.....she just can not be around peanuts.....or smell them.....when she goes to school.....they will have her eat in another room for lunch time......for snack time they will request that people please do not bring peanut butter and peanut added items.....it is scarey ...
where ever cheyenne goes so goes a needle.....just in case....

 

[chell]

Oh, I don't think anyone thinks you are being insensitive. It is a difficult situation. Have you ever met this other child's parents? Maybe you could talk with them and they could help you with questions and concerns you have. Like about the cutting board issue. They should be able to answer any and all questions you have. Wishing you the best on working out something with the school about your daughter being about to go elsewhere to eat a pb snack. The school really should allow her and other children to be able to go somewhere else to eat things like that.

You might want to check with the teacher, if you don't get to speak with the parents, to see if this child carries an Epi-pen. This might take some of the pressure of the situation off of you. Not sure if you know about the Epi-pen or not. But it is an injection you carry with you incase of an allergy attack. This child SHOULD have one with them!

 

[gina2000]

I think everyone knows the risks involved and the school is trying very hard to help this child. No one can possibly hold you responsible for a mistake. I think they are just trying to make their job easier and your child's lunch complete by asking you to examine food products you may be packing.

Personally, I'd do anything to help the child at risk. And if you talk to the children in the class, you'll pretty much find they feel the same. Children seem to have that sense of caring for the better of another. Sometimes it's not easy, but I believe in pulling together to make the experience of one equal to the experience of the group. Hopefully your classroom parents will be able to do this for the sake of this one child. JMHO

 

[TIdoublegaER]

I think your school is just going overboard. My DD had a little girl in her kindergarden class that has the peanut/tree nut/shell fish allergy. Her allergy is quite severe in that she can have a reaction just smelling peanuts/peanut butter. The only request we received was not to send any peanuts/peanut butter snacks to school for the class room. The teacher took care of buying snacks for the class to ensure that they were peanut free. Our school also has an "allergy" table in the cafeteria. Since one of the cold lunch choices in our school is PB&J, there is no way the can ask the entire school not to eat peanut butter! I made sure that for field trips and sack lunches that had peanut butter that I marked it on the bag so it could be kept separate. The little girls mom contacted some of us other mom's to see if our DD's would be willing to eat a peanut free lunch one day a week to join her DD at the allergy table. And the only request from her was no peanuts or peanut butter. Katie loved being able to each lunch with her friend and loved reminding me on Wednesday mornings that she couldn't have peanut butter that day.

Perhaps the school hasn't had a child before with a severe food allergy and just aren't sure how it should be handled.

 

[BabyLove99]

That is so ridiculous! I'm 18 and deathly allergic to nuts. When I was in elementary school, I didn't receive any of that special treatment. I guess it's different for every child, how responsible they are. I wasn't stupid enough to eat other lunches or food I wasn't 100% sure about. Sorry, I know I probably sound unreasonable, but it really annoys me. People are out of control these days

 

[lisajl]

No, I don't believe people are out of control these days, I think the school is just taking precautions. My DS-6 is starting Kindergarten in a few weeks.
All I can think is here we go again. He has peanut butter/nut allergies. Yes, we have an epi pen, No I am not looking forward to the look on the parents faces when we tell them, please be careful with snacks you bring in.

It is just as difficult for the parents of a child with allergies to ask people to go out of their way to make sure our children stay safe.

I cannot make PB&J sandwiches until I make Sean a jelly sandwich. I have to make sure every utensil that might have touched the PB is scalded to "Kill" the PB.
It is horrible! Can't even take him to a Dairy Queen, have you see the stuff flying around that place?

I understand what you are saying regarding feeling responsible for someone elses child, but try to put yourself in our place.
My son had a horrible reaction when someone gave him a peanut at my niece's wedding. I just held him after we injected him with the epi pen and thanked God for that epi pen. It saved his life.

Please talk to the teacher, the parent, whoever you have to, to make yourself more aware of what they expect.

 

[Talking Hands]

The school may be being forced by the child's parents to go overboard. Squeaky wheels get the grease you know. You should not have this put on your shoulders. Sorry but the child needs to learn that he can only have what is sent by his parents and can be seated at a peanut free table in the cafeteria. Child should not be door monitor either in case someone has pesnut on his hands. Ounishing the entire class for one child's allergies is asinine. If it is that severe than alternatives to in school education should be provided such as homebound teachers. And yes I do have a child with peanut allergies and still feel this way. And her sister and I do eat peanut butter sandwiches when we want.

 

[PamOKW]

It has been pretty much standard practice around here for at least the last 5 years or so to ban all nut/peanut products in the schools, daycare, etc., etc. It does seem excessive but I understand that some of these cihldren are extremely sensitive. Also, with the little ones, they don't know any better about taking something from other children. When they're 10 or so, they know to "just say no" to someone offering them something. A little one just pops it in their mouth.

Peanut butter used to be such a standard for little kids. Now, it's a lethal weapon.

 

[mom2boys]

There are varying degrees of sensitivity among people with allergies. Both of my boys are allergic to tree nuts. My oldest left kindergarten in an ambulance when a friend shared a cookie with him. My youngest is allergic to peanuts too. So far he has never reacted unless he has actually eaten a peanut/tree nut. His 1st reaction came after he at one bite of a cookie from a batch that I had made. The recipe made 6 dozen cookies & contained 1/2 cup of peanut butter. His throat closed up immediately. He wasn't even two at the time. To this day he will not eat any baked good that I do not personally make. If I speak to DS2 within an hour of eating peanut products, he will cringe from the smell on my breathe. My oldest left kindergarten in an ambulance when a friend shared a cookie with him.
There is a child at my boys' school is allergic to milk. She has actually been hospitalized from having milk spilt on her.

 

[zurgswife]

I'm 18 and deathly allergic to nuts

what about the oils from PB...and the fact they didn't label things 10 years ago....how could you be sure....you weren't being exposed....

If the child in my DD's class ...gets exposed to the oils that could be passed from touching a PB sandwich that another child touch he could go into anaphlxtic (sp) and die...has already had one such experience and the allergist said the next time it probably would be fatal....

 

[nancy679]

I think its great you came here and asked these questions, I'm sure some parents would just throw the letter away and not even care.

My DD(9) has a peanut allergy and she is pretty good about what she can eat, she wont eat something if she isnt sure about it. OUr school has a standard policy regarding food allergies, especially peanuts, letters are sent out reminding parents about all sorts of food allergies. But basically it refers to sending in snacks for parties,not necessarily for lunches. ALso there is a peanut free lunch table.

I do think its going to be very difficult to get all the parents to comply for the entire year.

 

[disykat]

First of all let me thank everyone for the kindness I am seeing in this thread. It is a far cry from what I've seen here in the past.

My child is PA and we do not ask for these kind of accomodations at school. It is hard to tell whether in this case it is coming from the school or from the parent. However, don't be fooled into thinking that they expect total cooperation from the parents. What they are trying to do is make the job of the teacher easier.

Here is my take on the school's position on this. Between 1-3 out of every 100 children has nut allergies (depending on the statistics you read). The school has to provide a safe educational environment for these kids. It's going to be a heck of a lot more cost effective to ask all kids to forego PB etc. than to make a seperate peanut free envirionment available.

Like I said, we've never asked for special treatment. However, my children are in classes with children who need all sorts of accomodations. Kids with anger management issues, oppositional/defiant disorder, the list goes on and on. I guess I'd consider my kids fortunate if the worst thing they had to deal with in their classroom was a classmate with allergies.

 

[Mermaid02]

"The school may be being forced by the child's parents to go overboard"

And it also goes the other way. Last year in Kindergarten my son brought home the "No nuts of any kind and no peanut product" letter. I was annoyed. I spoke to the little girls Mother later and she told me that her daughter just can't EAT peanuts (other nuts were fine and she wasn't allergic to "the smell") but the TEACHER was scared out of his mind!

Fast forward to this July.... remember I was "annoyed" at the peanut letter? My son was diagnosed allergic to peanuts last month. Just remember, "There but for the grace of God go I."

My son is 1 of 2 children in his first grade class who is allergic to peanuts (the little girl from last year is in another class.) All I ask is that whomever is assigned to sit by Jack NOT bring any peanut or peanut butter product in their lunch. If they would like to do a peanut free table, I'm all for that.

 

[Buz]

I wasn't going to chime in, but.....

It bothers me that people value the 'right' to have a food product over the risk to someone's life.

We have friends whose son is allergic and carries an epi with him at all times. How would you like to have to check everything the child eats? You have to call each company and verify not only that there are no peanuts in the product, but that the manufacturing line has not used peanuts. No donuts if the shop uses them (Krispy Kreme doesn't have any), many snack foods, many restaraunts. The child can't eat at the same table with his class. There is no way to know if a kid has sat there earlier and had PB on his hands.

Even in Disney, there are many items that include peanuts or oils. Crystal Palace was kind enough to prepare him a special dish for him.

Our small sacrifices are well worth knowing this child and seeing him grow up along with mine.

Buz