Peanut free classroom this year...

[1rockinmamato2]

There is just no easy solution to this issue. Bottom line is that peanut allergies are growing at an alarming rate and other food allergies are on the rise too. Soon everyone will know of someone with a peanut allergy.

In our schools, latex items (balloons, gloves, etc.) have already been banned. Perhaps peanuts are next? It is tough for a school to balance the needs of each and every student. Everyone won't be happy all the time (and I'm speaking of parents here), but some schools are being proactive about this issue. If a child were to die at a school that could have been peanut-free, I'm sure there would be regrets by the administration that there were no precautions taken.

In my opinion, the best thing they can do is train all teachers and staff how to recognize signs of anaphylactic shock and how to administer the EpiPen. And how to send someone to call 911.

I specifically asked my son's pediatric allergist about whether or not he needed to be in a peanut-free room at daycare. Her words were, "It's so difficult to enforce, so just be sure that he is not around anyone with peanut butter or peanuts." She gave me the instruction sheet to leave with the daycare, along with his Benadryl and EpiPen. Honestly, I was a bit surprised that she didn't recommend no peanuts in his room because his test results were through the roof.

So, my biggest issue is whether or not his daycare teacher is trained to administer the EpiPen quickly and effectively if my son ever accidentally comes in contact with a peanut product and when into anaphylactic shock.

I hope she is. She says she is. And I just have to trust it because there has been no "official" tranining on how to deal with food allergies at the daycare.

 

[abandcsmom]

I have a kid with some pretty diverse allergies. He reacts to all food dyes and colors. He just started school this year. I am that mom that requires the school to make accommodations for him. I require the school to not feed him anything I didn't personally pack for him or give them for his classroom snack in advance. I require that they give me advance notice if another parent is bringing in special treats for a party or such so that I may provide an approved alternative (for my son). I require that they monitor my child at meal and snack times that no other child offers him anything that isn't approved. He is really very good at knowing how badly it makes him feel and will ask or tell and adult that he cannot have any food that has dye. However he is still very little and learning and I don't know that he wouldn't take an M&M from another kid.

It does make him very sick, unpleasantness spews from both ends and he has some pretty horrid and noticeable behavioral changes. While his allergist and I don't believe it is likely he will have any anaphlatic reactions he did say it is possible. We are just so lucky and grateful is isn't something that is a deadly allergy to anything!! What do you do in those situations? You do you best.

OP I am sorry that your child is being held in "solitary confinement" even though I don't think I would choose to call it that, I think I would use learning experience or exercise in diversity. I don't know if I missed it, but has your child expressed his feelings on the matter? I know my oldest probably wouldn't care but my middle may be slightly annoyed if it were them. Perhaps the another classroom teacher would be willing to take a few of the students to lunch with her class daily so that they could all rotate through and have the experience of going to the lunch room? Maybe they could have some cool lunch time activities that the other classes don't get like getting to watch a movie during the meal time? That way it's special and not a like a punishment.

My oldest DD is also allergic to food dyes. I don't call what you are doing making the school accommodate you. You are doing what I do and it is taking precautions on your own to ensure your daughter doesn't have a reaction. Making the school accommodate you would be asking them to provide dye free food and snacks for your child. I send her lunch and snacks to school, I provide all the drinks for in school parties. I ask for a birthday list at the beginning of the school year and coordinate with the other parents so I can send Caroline a cupcake on the day they are bringing birthday treats, etc. Last year we were in a kindergarten class with a girl who had an egg allergy so her mom provided all the sweet treats for the clasroom parties and also made sure there was no food dye in the cake or frosting. They also have a "no sharing food" policy in her class, so everyone knows not to offer to share or ask if someone else will share their food.

 

[imthatgirl]

I disagree that this is a phantom issue. This year my kids' preschool has implemented a ban on peanuts (any products made in a factory with peanuts) and strawberries (which include anything with natural flavors, anything "berry flavored", even anything that has a picture of a strawberry on the package). They took away my child's juice box yesterday because it had "natural flavors" (it was a Cherry Koolaid). The list of acceptable snacks was about 10 items long and acceptable drinks maybe 5 items long.

I've gotten to the point that if they really want to be that restrictive, I believe that they should be providing the kids their snacks. I don't mind paying an extra amount each month if I don't have to worry about stressing out over what food is acceptable and what isn't. I'm not going to intentionally send something that isn't allowed, but I really think they are going overboard with the rules at this point.

right, youre school had taken action to help the children who have allergies.Crisi has in post after post implied that schools only care about peanut allergies. and im wondering where she is getting that?

in the case of the koolaid i dont get that. i think the parenst need to approach the school and ask for clear guide lines. koolaid doesnt have any real fruit juices in it. its sugar so yeah in that instance the school is wrong.

 

[cosmicdaisy]

My oldest DD is also allergic to food dyes. I don't call what you are doing making the school accommodate you. You are doing what I do and it is taking precautions on your own to ensure your daughter doesn't have a reaction. Making the school accommodate you would be asking them to provide dye free food and snacks for your child. I send her lunch and snacks to school, I provide all the drinks for in school parties. I ask for a birthday list at the beginning of the school year and coordinate with the other parents so I can send Caroline a cupcake on the day they are bringing birthday treats, etc. Last year we were in a kindergarten class with a girl who had an egg allergy so her mom provided all the sweet treats for the clasroom parties and also made sure there was no food dye in the cake or frosting. They also have a "no sharing food" policy in her class, so everyone knows not to offer to share or ask if someone else will share their food.

Not necessarily. I feel like DD's school accomodates her milk allergy and I have not asked that they stopped serving milk products. They have accomodated her allergy in other ways like specially cleaning her lunch area before she is seated, wiping down all tables in the classroom, changing some of the original classroom daily routine, providing a basket for her meds to accompany DD everywhere she goes, etc. Accomodations are not always about bans.

 

[cosmicdaisy]

right, youre school had taken action to help the children who have allergies.Crisi has in post after post implied that schools only care about peanut allergies. and im wondering where she is getting that?

in the case of the koolaid i dont get that. i think the parenst need to approach the school and ask for clear guide lines. koolaid doesnt have any real fruit juices in it. its sugar so yeah in that instance the school is wrong.

Unfortunately, "natural flavors" are an unknown...and unless you are going to call Kool-aid with a lot number every time a child brings in a Koolaid drink to double check the ingredients..... you get the idea.

I grew tired of calling customer supports line long ago. If it's a meat product marinated or basted with "natural flavors" it's suspect for milk allergies so I just avoid it altogether.

 

[abandcsmom]

Not necessarily. I feel like DD's school accomodates her milk allergy and I have not asked that they stopped serving milk products. They have accomodated her allergy in other ways like specially cleaning her lunch area before she is seated, wiping down all tables in the classroom, changing some of the original classroom daily routine, providing a basket for her meds to accompany DD everywhere she goes, etc. Accomodations are not always about bans.

Good point and I get what you are saying, I guess my take was with the OPs comment about making the school accommodate her child's needs. It's just never been a huge deal at our school. I talked to the teachers and school nurse about the things I was willing to do and the teachers volunteered the no food sharing policy. So they do gladly accommodate our needs, it's just not a big deal, not like I had to get in their face and DEMAND that they accommodate our needs.

 

[crisi]

right, youre school had taken action to help the children who have allergies.Crisi has in post after post implied that schools only care about peanut allergies. and im wondering where she is getting that?

in the case of the koolaid i dont get that. i think the parenst need to approach the school and ask for clear guide lines. koolaid doesnt have any real fruit juices in it. its sugar so yeah in that instance the school is wrong.

What I'm getting at is its a slippery slope. I was at Sunday School teacher training yesterday - we are giving up food for all primary grades - peanuts, wheat and milk are allergies among the 300 kids registered. I've never heard of a wheat free school - or a classroom quarantineed for milk - though I know people with both those allergies. How far down that slope are you willing to go?

I'm not saying allergies aren't serious. I'm saying where are you going to stop when you've created a peanut free school and a child starts who has a dairy, egg and wheat allergy? Are you ready to make the school dairy, wheat, and egg free as well? And if so, what are you planning on serving for lunch? I'm saying there are better ways to handle this than quanentining non-allergic kids or creating allergen free schools.

 

[imthatgirl]

What I'm getting at is its a slippery slope. I was at Sunday School teacher training yesterday - we are giving up food for all primary grades - peanuts, wheat and milk are allergies among the 300 kids registered. I've never heard of a wheat free school - or a classroom quarantineed for milk - though I know people with both those allergies. How far down that slope are you willing to go?

I'm not saying allergies aren't serious. I'm saying where are you going to stop when you've created a peanut free school and a child starts who has a dairy, egg and wheat allergy? Are you ready to make the school dairy, wheat, and egg free as well? And if so, what are you planning on serving for lunch? I'm saying there are better ways to handle this than quanentining non-allergic kids or creating allergen free schools.

if there is a child with severe enough allergies to wheat or dairy that just being in the same building as this allergyn could cause this child to die, i would have no problem if the school accomidated the child. what would i send? i would just have them buy the school lunch. seems obvious to me.
but like you said, never heard of a dairy or wheat free school. which leads one to believe that so far there hasnt been a need. so as of now im not going to worry abnout it or even talk about it as an issue. it isnt one.

 

[Lilogirl]

you have gone to your school and said that your child has a life threatening allergy and they have looked you in the face and said...we dont care? i have a hard time believing that.
if it were my child i would have gone further. gone to the local news, the news papers. i wouldnt have just accepted it. not if it were a life threatening allergy and my child was being exposed.

You can believe what you want. And rest assured, I did go further. As far as the school saying, "we don't care". I had an administrator (after being told 3 times and filing all the forms they required to document the allergies) ask me why I was so upset JUST because they gave my child a "treat". Nevermind the fact that the "treat" caused an allergic reaction.

 

[imthatgirl]

You can believe what you want. And rest assured, I did go further. As far as the school saying, "we don't care". I had an administrator (after being told 3 times and filing all the forms they required to document the allergies) ask me why I was so upset JUST because they gave my child a "treat". Nevermind the fact that the "treat" caused an allergic reaction.

and you then continued to bring your child there? i think i would have found another school, immediately.

 

[Lilogirl]

and you then continued to bring your child there? i think i would have found another school, immediately.

Who said my child still goes there? If you read my post-I said I did take it further.

 

[imthatgirl]

Who said my child still goes there? If you read my post-I said I did take it further.

so you found a school that accomidates your childs life threatening allergy...so whats the problem?

 

[I_Know_You2!]

Perhaps the problem is that people did not take an allergy seriously. Just like you are witching about.

 

[imthatgirl]

Perhaps the problem is that people did not take an allergy seriously. Just like you are witching about.

like i said i have a hard time believing that a school would have a child under there care who had a life threatening allergy and just didnt care. i would assume the child had drs notes and epi pens. so the school was quite aware. then they even gave the child a snack with the allergyn in them, and caused a life threatening reaction...and they still didnt care. seems quite strange. thats all.

 

[crisi]

if there is a child with severe enough allergies to wheat or dairy that just being in the same building as this allergyn could cause this child to die, i would have no problem if the school accomidated the child. what would i send? i would just have them buy the school lunch. seems obvious to me.
but like you said, never heard of a dairy or wheat free school. which leads one to believe that so far there hasnt been a need. so as of now im not going to worry abnout it or even talk about it as an issue. it isnt one.

My friend's school didn't so she homeschools. Its a peanut free school though. She decided not to sue - but I suspect that day is coming from someone else.

 

[imthatgirl]

My friend's school didn't so she homeschools. Its a peanut free school though. She decided not to sue - but I suspect that day is coming from someone else.

well i suppose if she didnt wish to persue it they would just drop it. but by law the schools have to accomidate any child that attends public school. if she knew her rights she would have been able to get them to do something.
if a child can not be in the same building as wheat the school would have to do something. i would assume they would have a special diet lunch brought in to accomidate the child. then they would give the parents a choice to buy or follow the guidelines.
but seriously if she had documented proof that being near wheat could kill him, they have to do something about it.
it makes no sense to me that your friend and the other poster here would just except no for an answer. if my child could die i would be up their butts like you wouldnt believe. i would have called every radio, tv and news paper i could find. i would have my *** in the superintendants office daily.
i just cant imagine saying, fine ill just homeschool. hell id be at the district attornies office. personally i know im not qualified to homeschool, like probably most parents, so thats not an option.

 

[Lilogirl]

My friend's school didn't so she homeschools. Its a peanut free school though. She decided not to sue - but I suspect that day is coming from someone else.

You know I think a lot of parents are choosing to Home school for this and other reasons. I am really glad they have that option. I am also glad some people realize they are not qualified to Home school. I know I was surprised to find out the number of children in my area that are Home Schooled. I was not surprised to hear some of the reasons the parents choose to Home School.

 

[Aristomommy]

What percentage of peanut allergy patients get to a "low peanut IgE" level?

That's the key question.

Your post is misleading because it sounds like 50% of peanut allergies are outgrown. That is simply not true.

If, for example, only 8% of peanut allergy people reach a low IgE level, and 50% of them outgrow it, then my Dr's 4% number is still correct.

My DD's IgE numbers have steadily grown between age 2 and 5.

Do you or your Dr know what percentage of people get to that "low number" and what is considered "low"?

There should be nothing misleading about that quote, since allergies are considered individual basis. If your child has a low IgE level, there is a 50% chance they may outgrow it. If the IgE levels are high, the chances are less obviously. You may read the entire article. I don't see it relevant to copy and paste the entire thing, as the link is there. A previous poster quoted a 8% outgrow rate which isn't the case according to our Allergist and this study.