Speaking of schools, how do schools now deal with child with peanut allergy?

[cybrkitn]

DS7 goes to a small private school where two students (sisters) have severe peanut allergies. While they do have a peanut free table for lunch time, the school is also a "peanut-free zone." We all work together to make sure that neither of these kids wind up in the hospital by not packing snacks for our kids that have traces of nuts.

 

[Christine]

I had heard (don't shoot me--simply inquiring )....

That a theory on the peanut issue--mold in the peanuts?

Anyone know about that. I heard it a while ago and not sure the context or the background information...so was just curious if anyone knew anything.

I have heard that too but I think it has been ruled out. Although some people probably do have problems with the mold. I had also heard that peanuts in the US do not have the mold issues but it is a VERY big problem in the Phillippines. Either way, when they test for peanut allergy it is on a specific protein(s) and not the mold. I'm sure, if they wanted, they could test separately for the mold. In an untested person, it could be the mold, it could be the peanut.

Also--what is the relationship between a "peanut" allergy--which is a legume and a tree nut allergy. Since a peanut is not a nut that is.

No relationship. They are two different allergies. However, since many tree nuts are processed at their factories with peanuts, the cross contamination issues are very risky.

 

[Christine]

Maybe, maybe not. The examples you gave (seemingly direct quotes but no links to wherever "they" came from) are interesting but selective and don't specifically have a peanut example (ergo, don't explain the documented China phenomenon I provided).

I was using rice as an example because it is one several allergists have used to discuss this issue with me and their belief that *one* of the factors causing the rise in peanut allergy is increased consumption.

Here is one of many links that I referenced: http://www.food-allergens.de/symposium-vol1(4)/data/rice/rice-abstract.htm

There are probably 20-30 links that discuss it if you do various queries on the internet. Fish was also used in an example I cited because of the high consumption in Scandanavian countries. I believe that the U.S. and Canada have one of the highest consumption rates of peanuts. I haven't done my own research to see how that compares to China but I'm thinking that while China may use peanuts in their main dishes, I think they are late to the game when it comes to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Cap'N Crunch, and the like.

 

[golfgal]

Actually, the "spike" started in the early 80s. And the spike is backed up only by documented cases and not "oh I think I'm allergic cases." I agree that some allergies are "made up"; however, when the infamous "they" reports the numbers and the spike rates, it is based on tested cases.

Now, we can argue all day about statistics. I don't believe that the spike is as much as they say. I believe there actually were more peanut allergies back in the day, but I think our peanut product consumption was much lower than it it today, so the rates of exposure were much less.

For instance, I am 46 years old, went to elementary school in 60s. While we had peanut butter and jelly back then, it was not eaten everyday. We mainly had tuna, bologna, ham, etc. PB&J was almost a considered a treat at that time because it was sweet. My friends and I rarely had PB&J, althought that did pick up in the 70s. By the 70s, there was somewhat of a mini-explosion of peanut products entering the processed food market. It went big-time in candy and cereals. This entrance into the processed food market continued to expand well into the 80s and 90s. This is the time we saw the spike. So, were the allergic people always there and now their exposure levels were more dramatic or did the massive amounts of processed peanut snacks contribute? Who knows.

What I do know is that a peanut allergy and cross contamination issues are much harder to manage in this decade than they were in the 60s due to so many peanut-containing foods and, IMO, the high use of PB in lunches. It is a daily thing now versus a once-in-awhile treat. I'm not saying PB&J is bad and shouldn't be put in lunches--just that it is much more widely used than it was in the 60s when allergy rates were way down.

I would have to say that your experience growing up isn't necessarily typical. Around here all the schools had peanut butter sandwiches daily. They were in a tray for kids that needed more to eat then what they got for school lunch or if kids didn't want what was offered for school lunch. Everyone brought peanut butter sandwiches if they had a bag lunch. As kids we lived off peanut butter and crackers for snacks, etc. I am the same age as you too.

 

[Christine]

I would have to say that your experience growing up isn't necessarily typical. Around here all the schools had peanut butter sandwiches daily. They were in a tray for kids that needed more to eat then what they got for school lunch or if kids didn't want what was offered for school lunch. Everyone brought peanut butter sandwiches if they had a bag lunch. As kids we lived off peanut butter and crackers for snacks, etc. I am the same age as you too.

I'm sure it's not and much of what I (and others post) is very situational. It's funny because we were just having this discussion and work (not about peanut allergy per se but the typical foods we used to eat). The ages in my office range from 44-52 and we all talked about how rarely we ate peanut butter in elementary school. Most of us are from around the DC area so maybe that was a regional thing. I can tell you with certainty that my elementary school never served a PB&J sandwich.

 

[CandyMandy]

Also, once a child has been tested and proven to have a true allergy, those tests should be repeated periodically as children often outgrow these allergies..

Excellent, excellent point - allergies are dynamic and what many people don't understand is that not only can they sometimes "fade and disappear" as you described, but adults can also develop allergies in mid or later life that they never previously had. Or put another way, there's a lot more to this than being born with a problem and assuming you are condemned to it for life (or assuming that because you've never had allergies you are safe for life).

If anyone wants to dispute this, please first talk to any dermatologist, because they see this phenomenon daily.

 

[Momvic5]

I was using rice as an example because it is one several allergists have used to discuss this issue with me and their belief that *one* of the factors causing the rise in peanut allergy is increased consumption.

Here is one of many links that I referenced: http://www.food-allergens.de/symposium-vol1(4)/data/rice/rice-abstract.htm

There are probably 20-30 links that discuss it if you do various queries on the internet. Fish was also used in an example I cited because of the high consumption in Scandanavian countries. I believe that the U.S. and Canada have one of the highest consumption rates of peanuts. I haven't done my own research to see how that compares to China but I'm thinking that while China may use peanuts in their main dishes, I think they are late to the game when it comes to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Cap'N Crunch, and the like.

Almost 10yrs ago to the day, our allergist told us the same thing. Right before my ds's 5th birthday, he had a horrible reaction to a peanut butter sandwich that I had fed him for lunch....at the time, I was clueless. He had eaten peanut products many times before, but after testing(both skin and blood), we learned that he had acquired a severe allergy to peanuts. It was at this time that our allergist said that just in his office alone he had noted a steady increase in the number of new patients with peanut allergies...his reasoning as to the cause was our increased consumption of peanut products. He went on to say that peanuts are a cheap filler in many of our packaged foods ...like crackers, cookies, granolas, and such. I learned this the hard way..shortly after my son's first reaction, our neighbor gave him a vanilla cookie and within the hour, his lips and eyes were swollen shut. Sure enough after inspecting the ingredients, peanuts were listed as the last ingredient...just a filler.

I think that many parents are freaked out by peanut allergies because our allergists freak us out...."it can be deadly"..."with every exposure, the reaction could get more severe"...."always have an epi pen on hand"...."today the reaction was hives, the next time his throat could close off". I mean you leave your allergist feeling so overwhelmed and helpless. Thankfully, my ds (who is now 14) grew out of his allergy to peanuts. In the time he was allergic, he had two accidental exposures at school and had to be taken to the ER so it was very serious at the time. Our elementary school witnessed first hand the reaction my son had to peanuts...it freaked them out enough to have an allergist come in and talk to the teachers about life threatening allergies and how to administer an epi pen. Last year, he was retested and thankfully, he has outgrown his allergy.

 

[pperfectmom]

My DD's school has never mentioned anything about it. She takes her lunch most days and pb & j is one of several options that I give her. I also bake things for their class parties and no one has ever had a problem with that. I'm pretty sure that I have seen peanut butter sandwiches on the school lunch menu as well.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

It makes sense that exposure has something to do with it though. After DD's reaction to peanut butter my ped gave us the epipen and showed us how to administer it. A few weeks later we met with a ped. allergist who did the skin test. Sure enough she was allergic to peanuts and has "a sensitivity" to almonds (she had a series of skin prick tests on her back, all nuts and egg, egg was ok). So, I just keep her away from all nuts. He said they did not know for sure what causes this, he also gave me a list of theories as to what MAY cause it and one of them was mom eating a lot of PB (peanuts) while pregnant. Which, oddly enough, I hate peanut butter but I craved it while pregnant and was eating PBnJ and reeses peanut butter cups all the time. So, perhaps the exposure in utero, as DD was never really exposed before. The only thing that changed after she was diagnosed was no more twinkies and devil dogs (both have may contain peanuts) and count chocula cereal. Other than her first real taste of PB (which she reacted to) she wasn't exposed.

 

[15isto2]

What really intrigues me is that peanut or any nut allergy is an almost unknown phenomena in Europe.
My kid went to school in Holland,Germany,France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxemburg's and Austria. Never heard anything about any restriction. The European air carriers have no rules at all. Peanuts are given out on every flight.
I guess we have stronger genes.

I think you will find that not all European air carriers serve peanuts.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passengerinformation/specialassistance/allergies/index.jsp

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/meals/public/en_gb

 

[Disneyadore]

I think you will find that not all European air carriers serve peanuts.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/passengerinformation/specialassistance/allergies/index.jsp

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/meals/public/en_gb

That are not European Airlines.
Britannia Rules The Waves in not forgotten by long.
The UK doesn't want the Euro so there certainly not European.

 

[sunshine1178]

Our elementary is totally nut free. My DS7 does get a little bummed that he can't have a pb&j for lunch, but I don't want to have to deal with the thought of some small child going into an attack b/c he was exposed to pb. It's just safer to be totally nut free.

I am more concerned with how I went through 13 years of school without knowing anyone with a nut/pb allergy but now there are several in each grade. Something isn't right, I wish they would figure out what it is!

This.

I have one child with multiple food allergies and another who seems to be destined... What did I do wrong? What will life be like for THEIR children?

 

[crashbb]

That are not European Airlines.
Britannia Rules The Waves in not forgotten by long.
The UK doesn't want the Euro so there certainly not European.

I *think* that you are trying to say that you don't consider the airlines psted in the previous post to be "European". Many would disagree, but that is another thread.

I'm going to assume that you would consider KLM to be a European airline?

They do not serve any peanuts on their flights (and all their meals are also peanut free).

Can I travel safely with KLM with a peanut allergy?

No peanuts are served on board KLM aircraft
KLM does not serve any peanuts on board its aircraft.

 

[Alesia]

That are not European Airlines.
Britannia Rules The Waves in not forgotten by long.
The UK doesn't want the Euro so there certainly not European.

Are you serious??? the UK is most definitely a part of Europe.

 

[DeniseinNS]

ALL school in our district are peanut free

 

[mum4jenn]

It changes at our school depending on the students enrolled. We have a few peanut allergy kids but so far none serious enough to declare the school to be peanut free. One child in 3rd grade will eat in the office on the days we have a pbj sandwich.

 

[lukenick1]

I think what happens in a decent amount of cases:

a toddler has peanut butter and breaks out in a rash. Parent takes child to pediatrician, pediatrician says child probably has a peanut allergy and to avoid peanuts. 10 years later parent is still claiming child has peanut allergy when in reality the child grew out of it years ago and is fine but parent is too worried to ever try it again.

Not saying that there aren't kids with allergies. One of my ds's close friends has a deadly peanut allergy (only if he ingests it, no problem with touching it), they take him and have him tested every year. But a few people I know when I asked how often the child is tested, they say never and when I ask how they know he has an allergy they always say something like he broke out in a rash when he was 2.

As a parent of a peanut/tree nut allergic child I know first hand that the likelyhood of outgrowing a peanut allergy is VERY slim. Just because that child broke out only in a rash doesn't mean that the next reaction couldn't be anaphylaxis. Every exposure to peanuts in an allergic child can have a different reaction. You should always be prepared for the worst, whether it was years ago or minutes ago. I dont think it is unreasonable to not test the child yearly for a peanut allergy. What about people who have a drug or latex allergy??? Are they tested for it regularly?? Why not just avoid it to be on the safe side. Those tests for food allergies are not 100% and it is definitely not recommended to "try" and see. However my allergist has told me about an upcoming trial of helping kids lessen their peanut allergy by helping them build a tolerance to it as not to cause a life threatening reaction. It will be some kind of exposure therapy in a hospital setting. Hopefully my son will be a candidate for that. Lucky for me the one and only time my son ingested peanut butter his body reacted quickly and he vomited within 5 minutes of one bite. He also developed hives on his mouth and an itchy throat. He was lucky but we are not sure he would be so lucky the next time. We are always prepared.

 

[iwrbnd]

Each grade has a class that has all the kids with allergies in it.

 

[lukenick1]

Our school is not peanut free but just recently offered a peanut free table in the lunch room. I had a horrible experience with my ds's kindergarten teacher last year. She was a piece of work let me tell you. Knowing my child had a peanut allergy she asked me to send in an alternative to peanut butter so that my son could participate in a food craft. She was planning on using peanut butter for the other kids in the class. " Are you kidding me??? Ok let me get this straight.....you are doing a craft using peanut butter with 19-5 year olds with my peanut allergic child in the same room???"" She could not be for real, but she was. Thats when all hell broke loose. I made a call to my Pedi who then wrote a nasty threatening letter to the school principle who then forced the teacher to have a peanut free classroom. She even had a jar of peanut m&m;s on her desk.

BTW...they do serve pb&j's at lunch which makes me nuts (pun intended)!!!

 

[mum4jenn]

As a parent of a peanut/tree nut allergic child I know first hand that the likelyhood of outgrowing a peanut allergy is VERY slim. Just because that child broke out only in a rash doesn't mean that the next reaction couldn't be anaphylaxis. Every exposure to peanuts in an allergic child can have a different reaction. You should always be prepared for the worst, whether it was years ago or minutes ago. I dont think it is unreasonable to not test the child yearly for a peanut allergy. What about people who have a drug or latex allergy??? Are they tested for it regularly?? Why not just avoid it to be on the safe side. Those tests for food allergies are not 100% and it is definitely not recommended to "try" and see. However my allergist has told me about an upcoming trial of helping kids lessen their peanut allergy by helping them build a tolerance to it as not to cause a life threatening reaction. It will be some kind of exposure therapy in a hospital setting. Hopefully my son will be a candidate for that. Lucky for me the one and only time my son ingested peanut butter his body reacted quickly and he vomited within 5 minutes of one bite. He also developed hives on his mouth and an itchy throat. He was lucky but we are not sure he would be so lucky the next time. We are always prepared.

We have actually had quite a few kids that are allergic when they are in 3rd grade but by 5th they have grown out of it. I was surprised by the number of kids that do grow out of it but I also fully realize that MANY do not or never will grow out of it.