Rant to woman ahead of me in the grocery store(nut free classrooms/anaphylaxis)

[MSNative]

This. My grocery store puts gluten free labels on food items.

 

 

Our grocery has a whole gluten free section.  It would be great if they had a peanut free section, too. 

[Mom-ninja.]

This is tough.  It isn't that I lack the ability to empathize on this issue, but I would probably be that person complaining.  Although I'd probably keep it to myself.  I've been in situations where I have had to deal with it and it had me so flustered.  It is not THAT easy.  It really is not.  They put peanuts in so many things or so many things are made on equipment that comes in contact with nuts. 

 

I got a taste of this when our homeschool group had a cookie baking contest.  The cookies had to be vegan and nut free.  And the nut allergy was so extreme that I had to make sure that any equipment I used in my house was thoroughly scrubbed.  I couldn't take that chance.  We eat peanuts around here like they are going out of style.  I didn't end up making any cookies and bought chips instead.  The whole thing was frustrating to me.

 

 

Now imagine that being your *life*. Imagine every single day having to read every label and worry about contamination of every piece of food that goes into your mouth or your child's mouth. Imagine not only being frustrated but add in a good dose of anxiety and fear that never ceases. When you have imagined your life under those conditions then feel grateful about your life and how easy your food choices are and that should stop any complaints you feel.

 

It's hard to grasp such a life. So it's easy to complain about having to adapt for others safety. I did at first. Then I became "that mom" and "that woman" who is paranoid about food.

 

It's an eye opening experiment to try. Go one week (or one month if you really want to get a good experience) going completely nut free or dairy free or soy free or gluten free...whatever. Completely free. You have to make sure that none of your food was processed in a facility with the forbidden item. You will come away with a huge appreciation for what allergy families go through.  :) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The other issue is the stressed K & 1s...they aren't going to eat anything but their comfort lunch the first six weeks..and if that's pbj, they are just going to sit there and stare at whatever is in the lunchbox before they throw it out at the end of lunch. Milk will be their only protein and that would have to get them thru the next four hours.

 

 

Let's see.....stressed and hungry kindergartner or dead kindergartner. Tough to choose. Tough to choose.

[kristen18]

I can't see how that could be true.  Supposedly there's peanut oil in vaccines, and this peanut oil causes peanut allergies, yet somehow kids with life-threatening peanut allergies don't have any kind of allergic reaction to vaccines?  How does that work?  Seems like a stretch.

 

It's like Russian roulette - there is not supposed to be any protein left in the oil, but contamination happens.  This Nobel Award winning scientist figured it out in 1913: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1913/richet-lecture.html

He figured out how to create anaphylactic allergies in dogs so he could study them. 

[Upward Journey]

If there were self-contained nut free classrooms that you could to "opt into" then people wouldn't get so bent out of shape about it being forced on them.

[mirth]

I really think so called peanut free classrooms should have an anonymous bulletin board so that parents of peanut free kids can see how much animosity or harmony there really is. A place to sound off, as it were. I don't like sharing room space with people walking the knife edge of compliance anymore than they like the constraint of doing so. It would be a true service to me to be able to measure how much discord there is before letting my child hang out there for snacks! It goes way beyond the ideas of school policy -- into the realm of actual risk assessment. Sooner or later, someone who's always wanted to sneak in that Nutter Butter to their kid just might do so.

[Peace out muffins]

Sunbutter is a fab pb sub.

 

i feel for people who have to deal with us food-allergic. Even my mom was a little skeptical until this summer when all those kids got sick/died in quick succession. Now she's almost more vigilant than I am.

 

That said, your inconvenience, un-food-allergic-lady? Does not come close to not being able to breathe and hoping your epi works.

 

(this, and the smokers whining about not being allowed to smoke on campus pisses me off. sorry that you can't pollute, stink, litter, give yourself or others cancer, and make it impossible for me to breathe, in public. only not.)

[Hunter's Moon]

I think about this quite often, as I am also peanut and tree nut allergic. Obviously, I have a right to safety, but when do my rights infringe upon others? Is that alright? 

 

I take public transportation. There is absolutely no way for me to know if the person before me was munching on peanut butter crackers and smeared a tiny speck somewhere. I go to college where there are abundant vending machines with trail mix (tree nuts) and reece's cups. There is no way to know if that door handle, that desk, that pencil is safe. 

 

I carry my epi-pen's and benadryl, and I stay vigilant for signs of an allergic reaction. It is just second nature now. It is something that I must live with. 

 

Luckily, my allergies have not proven to be airborne. Perhaps at some point they will be, and I will have to adjust even more. As it is now, I have to kindly back away when someone eats an allergen in my site. I cannot force someone to throw it out and scrub their hands in a public setting. 

 

I had never come across a peanut-free classroom until 8th grade and in fact, public schools serve peanut butter sandwiches to students who do not buy their lunches. There is never a way of knowing whether something came into contact with peanut butter.

[Myeightkiddies]

I'm sorry that you had to deal with that at the store especially after just returning from the hospital.

 

Ignore what people say.  This woman was complaining, but she was following the rules of the classroom and packing nut-free lunches.  It doesn't matter that she was venting.  It doesn't matter that she doesn't get it.  It doesn't matter that she thinks 5 minutes is an inconvenience.  Let her vent and stew and fuss - as long as she continues following the rules and packing the nut-free lunches.  Just roll your eyes next time.   This woman's ignorant tirade isn't worth the stress it caused you.

 

If she was complaining and stating that she refused to follow the rules of the classroom then I would chime in and inform the ignorant person to the facts - in a not-so-nice manner.

[milovany]

Ignore what people say. This woman was complaining, but she was following the rules of the classroom and packing nut-free lunches. It doesn't matter that she was venting. It doesn't matter that she doesn't get it. It doesn't matter that she thinks 5 minutes is an inconvenience. Let her vent and stew and fuss - as long as she continues following the rules and packing the nut-free lunches.

This is exactly what I've been thinking since yesterday when I first read this. She has a right to feel however she wants, and even say so. The important thing is, is she following the rules? And she is.

[freesia]

Now imagine that being your *life*. Imagine every single day having to read every label and worry about contamination of every piece of food that goes into your mouth or your child's mouth. Imagine not only being frustrated but add in a good dose of anxiety and fear that never ceases. When you have imagined your life under those conditions then feel grateful about your life and how easy your food choices are and that should stop any complaints you feel.

 

It's hard to grasp such a life. So it's easy to complain about having to adapt for others safety. I did at first. Then I became "that mom" and "that woman" who is paranoid about food.

 

It's an eye opening experiment to try. Go one week (or one month if you really want to get a good experience) going completely nut free or dairy free or soy free or gluten free...whatever. Completely free. You have to make sure that none of your food was processed in a facility with the forbidden item. You will come away with a huge appreciation for what allergy families go through.  :)

Having to pay attention to a new allergen is exhausting for everyone. My dh has a very, very serious allergy to sulfites (so severe, he is sensitive below the threshold that they have to label so we have to know all the foods that "might" be processed with sulfites). It is exhausting finding foods we can eat He can't really eat outside of our home at this point. I have blood sugar issues to add to the mess. We eat a lot of nuts, alot. It is one of the cheap snacks that we all can eat. When I also have to watch nuts, it is exhausting for me, even though I know the importance, even though I've been through an anaphylactic reaction. At one point, while balancing homeschool, a new baby with liver problems no one could figure out, my dh's allergy, and my blood sugar, I almost quit a group bc I seriously could not cope with not being able to pack nuts. Had I expressed my feelings, it may have come off as insensitive, but it was really just overload. Any new vigilance can be exhausting. Being asked to do something different than what is automatic is hard for folks. Of course it's a life threatening situation; of course we wish we had support all the time, but coping with an allergy is hard for everyone. Yes, it's harder for the parents/families, but it is still hard for others, too. I think we need to cut them some slack.

[mommymilkies]

I can't see how that could be true.  Supposedly there's peanut oil in vaccines, and this peanut oil causes peanut allergies, yet somehow kids with life-threatening peanut allergies don't have any kind of allergic reaction to vaccines?  How does that work?  Seems like a stretch.

My 5 yo has never had a vaccine and is allergic to peanuts.  I didn't read the link.  Just throwing it out there.  I thought they linked it all pretty firmly to cleanliness?  The more disinfected our environment, the more allergies? 

 

I've never heard of a completely nut free school.  Around me nut allergies are so common that usually two classrooms out of about 8 per grade (2-4 nut allergic kids in each) are nut free.  The classrooms that are nut free are for their daily snack only not their entire lunch.  When kids eat their lunch usually there is a peanut free table in the cafeteria.  I have seen some confused parents that think the entire lunch needs to be peanut free but then realize that is not the case.  Teachers are very good at monitoring the nut free snacks in the classroom.

 

The down side is that the kids with the allergies always have to eat at the nut free tables in the cafeteria and can't sit with their friends (although it's a small price to pay for their safety).  Also children with other food allergies are often put in those same peanut free classrooms.

 

When I was a kid in the 70's I had two classmates with peanut allergies but the school never really did anything to accommodate them.  They really had to monitor themselves.  I've known so many people with all sorts of food allergies in my life.  Everything from blueberries to chicken.  Perhaps people have more allergies in the Northeast!

The private school here is nut free.  They were really wonderful and accommodating because a few kids couldn't go to the ps because of allergy issues.  The ps completely refused any sort of accommodations-won't let there be an epi-pen there, won't make a nut free table, nothing.  These were severely anaphylactic kids.  

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Let me tell you...cream cheese and jelly/jam sandwiches are DIVINE. Totally amazing substitute for PB, and with almost the same protein content at the PB.

We also found sunflower butter to be fantastic as well and it practically tastes like peanut butter.

[Mergath]

My 5 yo has never had a vaccine and is allergic to peanuts.  I didn't read the link.  Just throwing it out there.  I thought they linked it all pretty firmly to cleanliness?  The more disinfected our environment, the more allergies? 

 

Yup, that's my thinking.  My other post might have been not clear without the article, so just to clarify, I think the idea of vaccines causing allergies is a bunch of hooey. 

[jennynd]

This is exactly what I've been thinking since yesterday when I first read this. She has a right to feel however she wants, and even say so. The important thing is, is she following the rules? And she is.

Agree with this. DS PS classroom is peanut free for this year and last. It is very inconvenient as I do have to check labels every time I put something in his lunch box, and we had a close call that my hubby put something he should not... IT IS inconvenient. But I do understand the need and the danger. I do believe the MOm has the right to complaint as long as she does follow the rule. That will be 1000000x better than just ignore it.

[Upward Journey]

I get that, but nobody gives a crap about my issues either and attempts to accommodate me. If this were an easy accommodation I'd say fine. But it really is not.

 

That all sounds a lot harsher than I actually feel about it, but to me the heart of the issue is what is the limit to accommodating every need? I don't know. This is not an easy accommodation. So many products contain nuts or nut particles. It's almost like trying to avoid oxygen.

 

Frankly I would not trust other people on this matter. I'd be spending a lot of time training my kid to deal with it. How can anyone assume other people will know how to get it right. "I" don't know how to get it right. What if I bake homemade cookies on my tainted equipment? KWIM? I wouldn't even realize it.

 

Again, I apologize if this is coming across like I'm a heartless bitch. I'm just being dead honest.

You guys all said this so much better than I could.

 

I have severe allergies. I have to watch what I eat and read everything. If someone starts to eat any kind of citrus I have to leave. If someone gets out a balloon, I have to leave. I too have dropped out of activities because they became nut free venues. At the time, I just could not handle one.more.thing. And having to suddenly come up with a new breakfast menu, new snacks & new lunch menu? It was too much on top of my own issues and little ones.

[Ali in OR]

Having to pay attention to a new allergen is exhausting for everyone. My dh has a very, very serious allergy to sulfites (so severe, he is sensitive below the threshold that they have to label so we have to know all the foods that "might" be processed with sulfites). It is exhausting finding foods we can eat He can't really eat outside of our home at this point. I have blood sugar issues to add to the mess. We eat a lot of nuts, alot. It is one of the cheap snacks that we all can eat. When I also have to watch nuts, it is exhausting for me, even though I know the importance, even though I've been through an anaphylactic reaction. At one point, while balancing homeschool, a new baby with liver problems no one could figure out, my dh's allergy, and my blood sugar, I almost quit a group bc I seriously could not cope with not being able to pack nuts. Had I expressed my feelings, it may have come off as insensitive, but it was really just overload. Any new vigilance can be exhausting. Being asked to do something different than what is automatic is hard for folks. Of course it's a life threatening situation; of course we wish we had support all the time, but coping with an allergy is hard for everyone. Yes, it's harder for the parents/families, but it is still hard for others, too. I think we need to cut them some slack.

 

Agree.

 

There seem to be assumptions here that folks just don't like to be inconvenienced by not being able to make PBJ's for their kids. You don't really know what stresses and burdens others are dealing with. I go out of my way to avoid having food with nuts in group situations, but I don't want to be told what I can feed my own child (or can't feed her). She was in a classroom with a severely nut allergic child and I thought the school handled it well--all group snacks had to be fruits or veggies. No nuts in the classroom. Separate nut-free table in the lunchroom. But they never tried to make the school nut free and I am thankful for that.

 

Our burden? Severely disabled child with seizures. She was on the ketogenic diet for 3 years so I have experience with limited food options and severe health consequences if instructions aren't followed. She has also had periods where she just wouldn't eat--one of her meds takes away her appetite. We considered putting in a feeding tube at one point. Since she wouldn't eat much, everything we gave her had to be high calorie, high nutrients. Peanut butter was one of her few foods, especially one of the few that didn't require refrigeration. So it would have been an extreme burden to be told we couldn't do that at school. I think there are other ways to keep everyone safe and I think her school did a great job handling her needs as well as her nut-allergic friend's needs.

[Lara in Colo]

I get that, but nobody gives a crap about my issues either and attempts to accommodate me.  If this were an easy accommodation I'd say fine.  But it really is not. 

 

That all sounds a lot harsher than I actually feel about it, but to me the heart of the issue is what is the limit to accommodating every need?  I don't know.  This is not an easy accommodation.  So many products contain nuts or nut particles.  It's almost like trying to avoid oxygen.

 

Frankly I would not trust other people on this matter.  I'd be spending a lot of time training my kid to deal with it.  How can anyone assume other people will know how to get it right.  "I" don't know how to get it right.  What if I bake homemade cookies on my tainted equipment?  KWIM?  I wouldn't even realize it. 

 

Again, I apologize if this is coming across like I'm a heartless bitch. I'm just being dead honest.

 

This.... also, this really hits home with my pocketbook.  My children only go to public school one day a week and I already feel the hit.  Sunbutter isn't as cheap as kroger brand (that I usually have) and Lord knows whaat else I may be doing wrong with hidden ingredients.  So now I not only have to feed my family, but I have to feed my family expensive stuff that I may not be able to afford.  This is an exaggeration of course--- but take it further and it goes where?????  I cannot have what???  Strawberries and almonds and peanuts and granola bars and things fried in peanut oil and certain fragrances in anything from deoderant to perfumes.  Because I have to spend my budget in another place, do I now not get chocolate chips or live on hot dogs two days a week? Because it isn't about ONE child-- I have 4 to purchase for.   Pretty soon my life is turned upside down and I cannot afford to send my child to public school.   Where does one child's right ot a public education exceed anothers?     And btw--- what happens in middle school and high school--- they obviously find a way to cope but I really feel sorry for them because it must be a real change

 

 

[Laurie4b]

Would it be helpful to submit your list of approved foods/snacks/brands to the school????

 

I would be more compliant if I could just go in pick up X brand of granola bars and not have to figure out that "long chemical name" is BAD THING in disguise.

 

I think that is a great idea! The moms with kids with allergies already know what is safe and what is not. Whether they make the list or someone else does, that is one person doing that work, not 25 people doing the same work. Then it's easy for everyone. Some grocery stores might also accept a list of safe snacks for various allergies for customers to consult.

[Mom-ninja.]

Having to pay attention to a new allergen is exhausting for everyone. My dh has a very, very serious allergy to sulfites (so severe, he is sensitive below the threshold that they have to label so we have to know all the foods that "might" be processed with sulfites). It is exhausting finding foods we can eat He can't really eat outside of our home at this point. I have blood sugar issues to add to the mess. We eat a lot of nuts, alot. It is one of the cheap snacks that we all can eat.

So what foods contain sulfites. I have no idea what that is.

 

And where do you find inexpensive nuts? Cause all the nuts that I buy are expensive! I don't consider nuts a cheap food. One little bag of walnuts cost over $8.

 

I get that, but nobody gives a crap about my issues either and attempts to accommodate me.  If this were an easy accommodation I'd say fine.  But it really is not. 

 

That all sounds a lot harsher than I actually feel about it, but to me the heart of the issue is what is the limit to accommodating every need?  I don't know.  This is not an easy accommodation.  So many products contain nuts or nut particles.  It's almost like trying to avoid oxygen.

 

Frankly I would not trust other people on this matter.  I'd be spending a lot of time training my kid to deal with it.  How can anyone assume other people will know how to get it right.  "I" don't know how to get it right.  What if I bake homemade cookies on my tainted equipment?  KWIM?  I wouldn't even realize it. 

 

Again, I apologize if this is coming across like I'm a heartless bitch. I'm just being dead honest.

I certainly do not trust people to get it right. This is why I eat nothing that I have not personally made. There are very few people I trust to handle my food. Even my dh has messed it up before. Geesh, *I* have messed up before and gotten myself sick. I almost did it today because I almost didn't read a label.

 

My dh has to avoid certain foods, my ds has to avoid certain foods, and I have to avoid certain foods. None of us overlap. It's nerve wracking.

 

We go to a co-op that is nut/peanut free. So between the no nuts/peanuts (including food processed in the same facility as nuts/peanuts) and the food I can't eat plus the food my ds can't eat....we are limited in our options. But whatever. I've gotten used to it. We eat a lot of cheese.  :lol: 

 

 

 

My 5 yo has never had a vaccine and is allergic to peanuts.  I didn't read the link.  Just throwing it out there.  I thought they linked it all pretty firmly to cleanliness?  The more disinfected our environment, the more allergies? 

 

The private school here is nut free.  They were really wonderful and accommodating because a few kids couldn't go to the ps because of allergy issues.  The ps completely refused any sort of accommodations-won't let there be an epi-pen there, won't make a nut free table, nothing.  These were severely anaphylactic kids.  

I don't blame it on cleaniness. I personally think it's the overload from toxins in our environment on our bodies that leads to allergies. There is no way to avoid the multitudes of toxins that are now very very abundant in our air, water, soil, everywhere on this planet that were simply not there 100 years ago. Or even 50 years ago.

 

How is a school even allowed to deny an epi pen?

[mommymilkies]

So what foods contain sulfites. I have no idea what that is.

 

And where do you find inexpensive nuts? Cause all the nuts that I buy are expensive! I don't consider nuts a cheap food. One little bag of walnuts cost over $8.

 

I certainly do not trust people to get it right. This is why I eat nothing that I have not personally made. There are very few people I trust to handle my food. Even my dh has messed it up before. Geesh, *I* have messed up before and gotten myself sick. I almost did it today because I almost didn't read a label.

 

My dh has to avoid certain foods, my ds has to avoid certain foods, and I have to avoid certain foods. None of us overlap. It's nerve wracking.

 

We go to a co-op that is nut/peanut free. So between the no nuts/peanuts (including food processed in the same facility as nuts/peanuts) and the food I can't eat plus the food my ds can't eat....we are limited in our options. But whatever. I've gotten used to it. We eat a lot of cheese.  :lol:

 

 

 

I don't blame it on cleaniness. I personally think it's the overload from toxins in our environment on our bodies that leads to allergies. There is no way to avoid the multitudes of toxins that are now very very abundant in our air, water, soil, everywhere on this planet that were simply not there 100 years ago. Or even 50 years ago.

 

How is a school even allowed to deny an epi pen?

Only 20 states require them to allow it. http://www.edmondsun.com/local/x789521091/Oklahoma-joins-19-other-states-in-passing-policy-allowing-EpiPens-in-schools  This might have just changed locally.  My SIL is a teacher aide (certified teacher, but layoffs, alas).  She just had to go through online "training" on how to use epi-pens.  She said everyone just clicked that they watched the video and went home.  Great. 

[Joker]

Only 20 states require them to allow it. http://www.edmondsun.com/local/x789521091/Oklahoma-joins-19-other-states-in-passing-policy-allowing-EpiPens-in-schools  This might have just changed locally.  My SIL is a teacher aide (certified teacher, but layoffs, alas).  She just had to go through online "training" on how to use epi-pens.  She said everyone just clicked that they watched the video and went home.  Great. 

 

That looks like it's only about non-prescribed epi-pens. It says FL was added just this year, but I know students who have had them well before that (when prescribed). I don't know that they've ever not been allowed when prescribed.

[Mom-ninja.]

How does one even get an epi pen if it's not prescribed?

[Catwoman]

It's like Russian roulette - there is not supposed to be any protein left in the oil, but contamination happens.  This Nobel Award winning scientist figured it out in 1913: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1913/richet-lecture.html

He figured out how to create anaphylactic allergies in dogs so he could study them.

 

How fortunate for the dogs. :glare:

[Arcadia]

So what foods contain sulfites. I have no idea what that is.

A family friend is allergic to sulfites. Canned food, panettone, preserved fruits, ham typically contain sulfites. Longer list in link

http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/additive/sulf_tbl.htm

Explanation and list

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/pubs/securit/2012-allergen_sulphites-sulfites/index-eng.php

[Marylou]

The Sunshine Girl died recently after ONE bite of a Rice Krispies Treat made with PB

 

http://on.aol.com/video/mom-of-peanut-allergy-victim--her-last-words-were-im-sorry-517915295

[FaithManor]

Well, I wasn't going to post, but here goes.

 

It's a fine line...where do the rights of one student end and another begins? It's VERY difficult to define where that line is. When the accomodation becomes such that others really have serious issues working it out, and I do think nut-free buildings is one example, then the undo burden is a problem. And yet, the child who needs the accomodation also has a right, if one believes that an education on the public tax dollar is a right - that's debatable in many circles in terms of constitutionally guaranteed rights - then every chance to provide it should probably be made. That's a horrible path for a school to walk. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

For those families with significant dietary/medical issues, the years of dealing with it means they have adjusted. Those who do not deal with it at home, well, I think it's probably unwise to expect much. What took you months and years to figure out due to medical necessity/life threatening emergencies is difficult for others to learn on the fly when the letter or leaflet comes home from the school. Additionally, what may have taken you a long time to train your children to look out for will also take them a long time to train their kids to watch. It's not really realistic to expect people to take that on without some angst and some just simply can't do it.

 

Additionally, there are issues such as my middle boy with the metabolic disorder. He is required to take in 3500 calories per day, part of that has to be from nuts and seafood as per his endocrinologist because he has to take in large amounts of omega oils due to low absorption issues. If he attended PS and they restricted or eliminated his nuts and seafood, I'd be UP A CREEK! I simply would not be able to get it all in him if he were gone so many hours per day and couldn't have those foods. So, what about his rights? My nephew at the age of five was on mandatory peanut butter, amongst other things, because of some feeding problems. There just aren't any easy answers. I am so blessed to be able to homeschool him and NOT deal with another system that might be unwilling to let him eat what he needs to eat. (I think back to that story about the school district out east that was seriously restricting calorie consumption in school lunches and not even allowing students to bring additional foods from home. Kids that were training significantly in a sport were losing weight that they did not need to lose! This would be a life threatening issue for my boy. He's 5'11" and 98 lbs...he cannot lose a pound, and I shudder to think about it.)

 

As for epi-pens, the PS restricting access to these just makes my blood boil. Dh and two of our four kids are allergic, anaphylactic allergic, to bee stings. It's a death sentence to not have them at hand. 90 seconds, that's about all they've got before they better have that epi injected and benadryl too; it's still a trip to the ER for IV meds on top of that...the epi and benadryl just keep them alive until we get there or the medics arrive and administer meds/keep their airways open. It boggles my mind that the constitution of the United States of America can say it guarantees the rights of LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and then restricts access to life saving medications to school children. LIFE...did they not read the part that says LIFE!!!!

 

I suspect that one reason many of us may not have encountered children with anaphylaxis allergies during our own school years is because quite a number may have been kept home. While homeschooling might be a more recent phenonmenon in terms of choosing it for academic or religious reasons, there were definitely children with medical problems that were kept at home. Often times schools provided homebound tutors for these students - I knew of kids way back in the dark ages (70's and 80's ha-ha) that were on homebound instruction. With budgets in crisis, I can tell you that our local PS is not willing to suffer homebound students. Last year they made a girl with leukemia attend while on chemo...she was so weak she could hardly hold her head up, her friends took turns pushing her wheelchair, and she spent a lot of time throwing up in class in front of everyone. The student body complained, parents complained, teachers complained...not because they were upset with the young lady, but angry, just livid angry at the school for not providing her with homebound instruction. Everyone I asked about it felt it was downright abusive. Forget doctors' notes, forget lawyer letters, forget it all...the school has it's own cadre of lawyers to defend it's actions and they were NOT going to pay for a teacher to go to her home. Both parents had to work in order to maintain medical insurance so homeschooling was not an option for them. INSANE! ABSOLUTELY INSANE AND CRUEL! However, in the past when a sahm was maybe more typical, I would guess that students with anaphylaxic allergies or severe medical concerns were homebound students albeit actually homeschooled by the parents, or through the school with tutors. Now we have so many families that need both incomes just to make basic ends meet, that schools are prevailed upon to provide for a greater variety of medical needs.

 

Grace. I guess we all need to just try to imagine ourselves walking in another person's shoes and then just do the best we can because that is all we can do. Due to my son's dietary needs, I just simply could not accomodate a nut free situation be it school, work, or extra-curriculars. But, I sure can extend my sympathies to those that walk that tight-rope everyday. I know the gut feeling...I have it every.single.time. a stinging insect is seen on our property, every time we go to church and there is a yellow jacket in the parking lot, every time we go camping...it stinks, it makes life difficult and at times, weary from the vigilence. It is one reason I am so glad to live in Michigan because we get such a long break from having the crazy things around during the winter. When we lived in Florida, I thought I would lose my mind. Epi's in the car, in my purse, in dh's pocket, at grandma and grandpa's, in the church office (they stored one for us in case we every lost our minds and left home without one), at dh's office, at the community choir practice room, keeping track of expiration dates, making sure we never got dd's pediatric epi's mixed up with dh's full doses, and frankly, as anaphylactic allergies go, I think we got the easier end of that stick in terms of management.

 

Really, I guess if I had a solution to the educational woes of this nation, and I don't, it would possibly be to have a lot more schools than we have now and let some of them specialize in certain things...medical issues, allergies and environmental concerns, grouping kids by skill instead of age, specific LD's, etc. The one size fits all that we've got going now with these large, hyper-consolidated schools makes management of any major concern a real nightmare. I think we could manage manyh things better with smaller environments.

 

So, I get it. I really, really do get it. I'm just not certain it's reasonable to expect all of the families in these large schools to be able to make sweeping accomodations such as becoming adept at dealing with food allergies.

 

Oh, and lets not forget that we bemoan the state of literacy amongst high school graduates all the live long day here, their inability to think critically, to apply what they have read to daily life. These same people are having kids and putting them in school. So, if literature is circulated detailing the need for a nut-free cafeteria and here are all of the things that can't be sent to school and what you can or cannot eat or touch before coming to school, all of the ingredients on a food label that can be hidden under certain chemical names, etc. can we expect people who can't remember their multiplication facts or read past 5th grade comprehension to figure all of this out, implement it, and do it well.? Probably not.

 

[Arcadia]

How does one even get an epi pen if it's not prescribed?

The school district nurses can request for an epi-pen to be a standby at the nurses office. Most often, the parent of a child who needs an epi-pen would leave one with the child, one with the homeroom teacher and one at the school's nurse's office. My older's kindergarten teacher was trained in the usage of epi-pen.

 

ETA:

California's "rule" for training, storage and use of epi-pens in schools.

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/epiadmin.asp

[momofkhm]

I understand the peanut thing, I don't live it but have had to teach co-op classes in peanut free classrooms.  Well, the children's halls are peanut free.  The classroom I was in was actually dairy free.  No biggie - cherrios for snack instead of goldfish.  Provided for me to use so I assumed they were ok.

 

But I have a friend whose child is allergic to, among other things, peanuts.  What I don't get is that they kept a jar of peanut butter for dad.  It was right there in the pantry.  They then had to tell every sitter not to get the peanut butter out for son, etc.  I'm sure they knew how allergic he is and what would set it off and all, but, from the outside looking in, it just seems irresponsible.

[LucyStoner]

You won't find me complaining about accommodating food allergies. Triple so in young grades where kids with allergies are too small to know how to use their epipen or be trusted not to share food etc. I have always been very careful. Sunbutter all the way, lol.

 

That said, I was NOT amused when, after nearly a year of packing my son wheat, nut and dairy free lunches and snacks, I learned that the child this was being done for was in fact allergic to nothing at all. Imagine my shock to attend a birthday at this family's house. Pizza (cheesy on regular crust). Cake with ice cream. I casually mentioned it to the parent hosting, wondering about growing out of the allergy or something and he spilled that his soon to be ex wife was totally an attention seeker and had self diagnosed these allergies and was convinced they were real. Packing wheat, dairy and nut free lunches for a 3-4 year old is neither easy or cheap. I felt like billing them for my time and increased food costs. I must admit that this highly annoyed me. I felt the school should have medical confirmation or something before banning 3 main food types for dozens of kids and staff.

 

That seems seriously harmful because people pretending makes others take actual allergies less serious.

[mumto2]

And where do you find inexpensive nuts? Cause all the nuts that I buy are expensive! I don't consider nuts a cheap food. One little bag of walnuts cost over $8.

I haven't bought them in awhile but so could be gone but Aldi sells a variety of trail mix/high nut content snacks for under a pound. I think I have bought them in US too from Aldi. A bag of roasted peanuts is always a cheap snack.

[RoughCollie]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/goldendoodle-nut-allergy-meghan-weingarth_n_3727032.html

 

Article about a peanut and almond-sniffing service dog.

[FaithManor]

I haven't bought them in awhile but so could be gone but Aldi sells a variety of trail mix/high nut content snacks for under a pound. I think I have bought them in US too from Aldi. A bag of roasted peanuts is always a cheap snack.

Yes, and because of their healthy fat density and protein, they are filling so a person generally eats them in much smaller amounts than say a simple carb snack like goldfish crackers.

 

If you want to talk about expensive nuts, in order to get that 3500 calories per day into ds, one of his daily treats is macademea nuts...loaded with the omega oils he needs, loaded in fat and calories...60 calories each, and he eats 10-12 every day. Go price the crazy things! This is a budget killer. Thankfully, he also fills in with peanuts and cashews which I can get quite cheap at the Mennonite bulk food store.

[freesia]

So what foods contain sulfites. I have no idea what that is.

 

And where do you find inexpensive nuts? Cause all the nuts that I buy are expensive! I don't consider nuts a cheap food. One little bag of walnuts cost over $8.

The link someone provided is good. While it is illegal to spray salad bars and fresh fish with sulfites, it does happen. Sulfites preserve color--usually white, orange or yellow. It is also used in wet process corn products. It is naturally occurring in grape skins.

 

Nuts (particularly peanunts) are cheaper than cheese (which I have to limit bc of carbs and the fact I have a lactose intolerant son) and sliced deli meat both of which need refrigeration, as well.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Just to chime in -- a very dear friend of mine is a kindergarten teacher at our local elementary school.  She asked to borrow some of my cookbooks the other day so she could look up a few possible snack/dessert recipes.  She is at a loss for what to do because in one class she has students who cannot eat nuts, citrus, dairy or gluten.  The first day of school notes consisted of a five page packet of allergen information for the parents which, in summation, stated the only foods that would be allowed in the classroom were vegetables.  The students cannot even bring their lunch boxes into the classroom but are required to take them directly to the lunch room.  Each student must wash before entering the classroom at the beginning of the day and right after lunch.

 

The students with the allergies have documentation, including 504s and IEPs, etc and the school must adhere to the standards set forth by the state.  The school put these students in the same room because the powers-that-be thought it would best to have only one allergen free class.  It's crazy.  This class does not get to have any of the standard classroom party foods.  The room mothers are already trying to decide what to do for Halloween and Christmas.

 

I would also like to address the labeling idea.  Please do not rely on labels added by grocery stores.  Our local Hy-vee began to put GF labels on foods to make shopping easier for its customers.  However, DH and I noticed that some of the foods they self-labeled as GF are NOT.  Items with malt vinegar and barley were labeled as GF; items marked wheat free were labeled as GF.  The generic equivalent of Fruity Pebbles was labeled as GF when it is not; it contains malt.  They even labeled some frozen vegetables as GF when the packaging clearly indicated wheat flour was used in the sauce. Unless you know for certain that there is a licensed dietician in the store who is trained in reading labels and spotting allergens, I would never rely on a store's determination of what is allergen free.  Always, always read the label/ingredient list for yourself.  That goes for any and all allergens, not just gluten.

[Plink]

Ugh.  I don't know any better than that grocery store.  How in the world are non-allergic people supposed to put together the idea that malt vinegar = gluten.  I had to look up what exactly malt is, despite having heard the word throughout my life.

 

It is so hard to figure all of this out, even when we try our best. 

 

Allergy mommas have my complete sympathy.

 

[Acorn]

I was going to stay out of this but I've been stewing all week on this topic.  Maybe if I vent here, it will keep me from saying something directly to the person involved.  My son has a classmate with peanut allergies.  I adore the family and know how hard their road has been. Our family has had many food issues also.   We have always had nut free gatherings with this family that involved healthy good food.  Now, since the kids are in public school, any food in the classroom has to be manufactured from her list of brands.  We don't typically eat packaged food.  My son is much more likely to have heart disease from the transfat in snack crackers than her son would have a peanut reaction from foods like apples, carrots, bananas.  You know like normal food?  The teacher gives a snack to whole class everyday and wants it to be inclusive.  I really appreciate that but WHY does she have to use microwave popcorn, chips, crackers and oreo cookies?  I think I am going to have to tell my kid he can't eat with his class.

[FaithManor]

I was going to stay out of this but I've been stewing all week on this topic.  Maybe if I vent here, it will keep me from saying something directly to the person involved.  My son has a classmate with peanut allergies.  I adore the family and know how hard their road has been. Our family has had many food issues also.   We have always had nut free gatherings with this family that involved healthy good food.  Now, since the kids are in public school, any food in the classroom has to be manufactured from her list of brands.  We don't typically eat packaged food.  My son is much more likely to have heart disease from the transfat in snack crackers than her son would have a peanut reaction from foods like apples, carrots, bananas.  You know like normal food?  The teacher gives a snack to whole class everyday and wants it to be inclusive.  I really appreciate that but WHY does she have to use microwave popcorn, chips, crackers and oreo cookies?  I think I am going to have to tell my kid he can't eat with his class.

Wow, that's really not healthy.

 

Yeah, frankly given that John Hopkins has stated more than once that there is no safe level of consumption of transfats and HCFS, then I'd have to throw a cow about basically forcing a whole class to partake of such things. I understand that she is trying to avoid raw foods that may have come in contact with someone's peanut butter residue infested countertop, but the reality is that her child's right to a nut free environment does not extend past the rights of the other students to eat healthy foods and definitely, carrots and apple slices are a FAR better choice for all of the children when taking into account the range of health pediatric health issues, than oreos and chips! 180 days a year and a potential of two snack periods per day is a lot of consumption of these items if your family is against such eating habits.

 

The best thing would be for the school to designate a nut free countertop - could even be the principal's desk or whatever - and have parents give their snack money to the kitchen staff, let them buy the carrots, bananas, apples, etc., and slice them on that surface. This way students can have their healthy snacks and she has some reasonable assurance that it is being prepped on a surface that is nut free. At the Lutheran school where I taught music and science, this is exactly what we did. The 1st grade teacher and I went to the copy room and used the counter we collated copies on. We had a big sign "Nut Free surface. Please do not bring unauthorized food into this room!" on the door, and there really wasn't any reason for the rest of the staff to have food in there. It worked like a charm. We sliced veggies and fruits for everyone in class, and for treat days, sometimes made up nut-free carmel dip for the fruit, or made chocolate covered strawberries with chocolate that the mom provided from a source she trusted. Apples and carmel dip, chocolate covered strawberries...big hit on the holidays and a nice blend of healthy with sweet treat.

 

As for lunch for this particular 1st grader, we had her eat in the common room (a staff oasis where everyone was very aware of what could and could not be brought into that room, not a big deal because most teachers ate lunch with their class anyway), and she could bring two friends as guests every day, and their parents were good friends with the mom and knew what they could send with their children who would eat at the same table. Airborne issues would not have been able to be accomodated, sad to say. Just no way to make that work. But, this was a great compromise because our cafeteria was small so the children ate in their rooms. Getting to leave your desk and go eat in the common room - we kept our coffee pot, mugs, refrigerator, a couple of couches for staff meetings, etc. in there, lots of sunlight, etc. we even had some toys for younger children who were with a parent having a meeting with the principal. It was a fun room. It didn't feel like punishment. But, we planned it that way too, and it was presented in a positive light to the student body.

[skeeterbug]

FWIW, threads like these have given me much education on the severity of food allergies. One of the many things I've learned on the Hive!

[Spryte]

Our local schools do not allow epipens in classrooms. Epipens are locked in the nurse's office, and it's a traveling nurse so she may it may not be there. If not, there is a wait while the secretary opens the nurse's office and finds the key to the epipen cabinet.

When a child is not breathing, all those wait times add up. We homeschool in part because of this. I am we'll aware that we are fortunate that we can do so, not every parent can afford to do so.

DS is anaphylactic to peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame. It's not a food intolerance. He doesn't get a tummy ache, or eczema. This isnt like his allergies to dairy and wheat - that increase his asthma. or his OAS to most raw foods. This is an almost instant medical emergency. We have almost lost him. Any parent who has watched their child struggle to survive anaphylaxis understands. This isn't an inconvenience, or arriving home from school hungry. This is a life a death allergy. Dead. Not alive. There won't be worries about whether he's underweight or stressed about bring in K or 1st grade. He could just be gone, and our family would never be same. He has had 3 airborne reactions. We no longer fly. It is not easy, not fun, and we are always, always on high alert. Sometimes DH and I just want to be normal. Of course we do!

We host almost everything at our house. We don't attend co-ops or any group gatherings that involve food (aside from family) because I've heard so many people complain about watching out for nut products. I don't want to put anyone out. And this thread ... This thread reinforces that.

I am always stunned and grateful when someone understands. DH works with someone I would have pegged as a "my kid has a right to eat peanut butter" person, and this man and his family have stepped up in a way only our family has. They are amazing. His kids are in a nut free classroom this year and all I can think is that the food allergic child in that class could not ask for better advocates. I hope that if my child ever must go to PS, he'll have someone like that in his class.

I'm sorry that this is an inconvenience for many. But I am so grateful for the people who graciously step up and help to keep my child breathing, by kerping his environment safe. You are heroes. Thank you.

 

 

ETA:  Wow!  I just re-read this and, whoa, that's a lot of typos.  Typed it from a phone, but still... Maybe it's a testament to the emotional response here?  ...Just laughing at myself a bit.  :)

[FaithManor]

Spryte, I'm really sorry you have to go through this. 

 

I feel for you. I do. We have three in our family that can die in a matter of minutes from bee/wasp stings. The PS will not accomodate so another excellent reason to homeschool. They too have a traveling nurse and the epi's are locked in her office. The last time an epi was needed on campus it took five minutes to retrieve it. My dd would be dead in five. Oh, maybe the medics might be able to trach her, rescucitate her...GACK, I don't even want to think about it.

 

Thankfully, as a medic, she always has the drugs she needs at her fingertips at work, and an epi on her person at all times as an adult. But, since schools routinely deprive kids of keeping life-saving meds on their person in the name of zero tolerance drug policies, PS would have been a very real danger for her.

 

I don't know why the ignoramuses that develop school policy cannot get this through their thick skulls!

[Mom-ninja.]

That seems seriously harmful because people pretending makes others take actual allergies less serious.

OMG this! I get so ticked off at people who invent "allergies" or other food issues. I seriously ticks me off to no end. Big time. It really does undermine the people who really do have serious issues. People just don't think. When you fake an allergy or other food problem you are making life difficult for people who really do have to be ueber careful.

 

Last month I went to a new hair stylist. I told her not to use any products with gluten in them (she did and I ended up sick), but while we were talking she told me that she hates cilantro. So whenever she eats out she tells the server that she is anaphylactic to cilantro so she knows they are careful not to give it to her. I will never go back to her again. She lost a client because she told me that. Don't LIE about serious issues.

 

 

I haven't bought them in awhile but so could be gone but Aldi sells a variety of trail mix/high nut content snacks for under a pound. I think I have bought them in US too from Aldi. A bag of roasted peanuts is always a cheap snack.

Perhaps it's because I have to make sure my nuts are not cross contaminated with gluten. I can't buy from bulk containers for example. If there are two packages of pecans and one says it was processed in a facility with wheat then I can't buy that bag. It's usually the cheaper bag too. :sneaky2:  I still have not found cashews that are safe for me to eat. It's not easy to find nuts from a gluten free facility. I need to look online I guess. 

 

 

Ugh.  I don't know any better than that grocery store.  How in the world are non-allergic people supposed to put together the idea that malt vinegar = gluten.  I had to look up what exactly malt is, despite having heard the word throughout my life.

 

It is so hard to figure all of this out, even when we try our best. 

 

Allergy mommas have my complete sympathy.

Well, the good thing about gluten is that it is not an allergy. Mostly. I know there are wheat allergies and I'm sure there are some gluten allergies. However, celiac disease is an autoimmune disease. So it's not like if someone eats gluten in the same room as me I'll get sick. I have to actually ingest the gluten. I do get sick from airborne gluten if say there is flour dust in the air, but most people don't sit around eating flour. :tongue_smilie: Or if someone sprays a hair product with gluten in it I'll get a bit sick, but again most people don't walk around spraying hair products. So if you packed your child something with malt in it, it will not cause a problem for someone with celiac or gluten sensitivity unless they actually ate some somehow. Now, if there is a crumb (or half a crumb) of bread on a table and it gets on my food (or my hand) and I end up eating it I will become seriously ill. So when I eat somewhere I make sure I don't touch the table or chair or anything except my food once I've washed my hands to eat. I don't put my fork down anywhere except on my plate. I'm just really careful of everything I touch when I'm not at home.

 

And yes, gluten is sneaky. Which is why I eat nothing I haven't prepared or read myself. My mil makes gluten free brownies when we visit her. I appreciate the gesture, but I don't eat them. I can't. Her kitchen is a mine field of flour, breadcrumbs, etc. There is no way she can make anything gluten free in her kitchen. So, when people say they made something gluten free I politely decline.

 

But if you eat a cookie and then sneeze next to me, I'm not going to potentially die. That's where an allergy is different. A diabetic is not allergic to sugar. A diabetic cannot digest/process sugar. Same with a celiac. My dh is allergic to apples (among other foods) and if he touches a raw apple his throat starts to swell. That's an anaphylactic allergy.

[mommymilkies]

That looks like it's only about non-prescribed epi-pens. It says FL was added just this year, but I know students who have had them well before that (when prescribed). I don't know that they've ever not been allowed when prescribed.

 

IDK.  I do know that it is a problem, though.  There have been numerous news articles about it and other families on here talking about it. My friend with the allergic kid said they wouldn't let her son carry the epi-pen, have it in the class, or have it in the nurses' station.  That might be because we're rural and there isn't often a nurse around, but this kid has had several episodes of anaphalaxis.  They were completely unwilling to accommodate him at all. 

How does one even get an epi pen if it's not prescribed?

I have no idea. I assume they mean using another students' epi pen if they either don't have one (anaphalaxis can occur out of nowhere and not all docs will prescribe them). 

 

Our local schools do not allow epipens in classrooms. Epipens are locked in the nurse's office, and it's a traveling nurse so she may it may not be there. If not, there is a wait while the secretary opens the nurse's office and finds the key to the epipen cabinet.

 

When a child is not breathing, all those wait times add up. We homeschool in part because of this. I am we'll aware that we are fortunate that we can do so, not every parent can afford to do so.

 

That's how it was for most schools around here.  Now that they're doing training, that might be changing finally. 

 

http://www.kitchology.com/blog/teachers-get-your-epipens-ready/

 

I have two kids with epi-pens.  Both have bad reactions, but not anaphylactic yet (and hopefully, never).  So I have to deal with those issues *and* the other nut issues when considering places other kids will be.  I even packed my daughter's school lunch every day for 5 months before we pulled her.  Was it a pain?  Barely.  I would do it again, no problem.  We're not rich, but jeez oh peas.  It's not much in consideration of keeping another child alive by bypassing the flipping peanut butter. 

[Spryte]

It's not much in consideration of keeping another child alive by bypassing the flipping peanut butter. 

 

:grouphug: Seriously, I want to hug you.  That is how I'd like to think I'd feel, if the situation were reversed.  

[FaithManor]

.  I even packed my daughter's school lunch every day for 5 months before we pulled her.  Was it a pain?  Barely.  I would do it again, no problem.  We're not rich, but jeez oh peas.  It's not much in consideration of keeping another child alive by bypassing the flipping peanut butter. 

I wish it were as simple as avoiding peanut butter. It's not simple. The bread you buy for that lunch can't be processed in a facility that also processes nuts, or with flour purchased from another company that also processes anything with nuts. It can't have sat on the counter next to your tub of peanut butter that you aren't using on the sandwich. It can't be served on a plate that has sat on your counter where your kids recently made their peanut butter sandwiches.

 

You can't send you kids granola because the oats might have been processed in a facility that also processes nuts. You can't send a baked item of any kind. You can't really send homemade foods of any kind if you allow nuts in your home. You can't send veggies for your kids chopped on your chopping block if you keep nuts in your home.

 

People aren't being flippant. A nut-free environment is very complex to maintain. Just packing your child a sandwich that does not contain peanut butter is no where near the reality of what it means to be asked by a school to send nut-free foods to class. Not even close.

 

I think everyone here wants to keep other children alive, the fact of the matter remains that with hundreds of kids and families represented in the average school building, this level of vigilance is not feasible. The lunches you packed for your child could have very well been dangerous to a child with a nut allergy.

 

Oft times the breads that can be safely used, the nut-free products, etc. are all more expensive and that is an issue for many families when we talk about 180 lunches and snacks each year.

 

I wish it were simple.

[Word Nerd]

The woman in front of the OP was complaining—not refusing to comply with the restrictions. She's doing her part to keep another child alive too, but that doesn't mean she has to like it. Venting to a friend, even about complaints that are relatively trivial, doesn't make someone a horrible person; if it does, we're all in trouble. (That was the gist of the post I deleted earlier, BTW. The comment posted after mine made it sound worse than it was.)

[Spryte]

I wish it were as simple as avoiding peanut butter. It's not simple. 

 

No, it's not simple.  And you have a great understanding of how to feed a nut allergic kid.  But you don't have nut allergic kids, right?  That is awesome!  (And if you do, sorry, I'm just getting things mixed up today!)

 

DS is extremely allergic, airborne reactions and all.  And we are hyper vigilant, because we have to be.  It's not a lifestyle choice.  If he is going to eat something, everything you said applies.  So if we are talking about food that my DS will eat - yep, everything you wrote is in play.  That would be for snacks that *must* be shared.  (Not that I would ever, ever put another family in the position of needing to supply safe snacks for my kid.  Nope.  I would always send his own safe snacks.)

 

For a nut-free classroom (totally hypothetical for me), I would expect that there are no overt nuts.  No nut containing items. Any items to be shared by all children would not be "may contains."  

 

But school lunches that will be consumed by another child, in a cafeteria, can be may contains.  I'd be okay with that.  So the bread, baked items, everything else... wouldn't have to be safe enough for my kid to consume, just to be in the same room with him.

 

That probably sounds odd, considering that my kiddo has had airborne reactions.  But airborne reactions are usually from someone eating something like nuts in front of my guy, because the dust can be aerosolized, or cooking one of his allergens.  Something like a may contain... Different story on the airborne issue.

 

I wonder about the school policies here.  Are they saying "no may contains" about shared snacks? Snacks that a teacher is going to pass out to the entire class?  Or lunches that are not to be shared?  

 

My thought is that asking a non-allergic family to police their entire lunch, not just for nuts, but for may contains as well... That's a bit much.  But for shared classroom snacks - I don't think that's unreasonable.  (Though you don't want me to start on shared classroom snacks, really.  I think there are way too many snack times in our culture, but apparently I'm in the minority there!)

[FaithManor]

No, it's not simple.  And you have a great understanding of how to feed a nut allergic kid.  But you don't have nut allergic kids, right?  That is awesome!  (And if you do, sorry, I'm just getting things mixed up today!)

 

DS is extremely allergic, airborne reactions and all.  And we are hyper vigilant, because we have to be.  It's not a lifestyle choice.  If he is going to eat something, everything you said applies.  So if we are talking about food that my DS will eat - yep, everything you wrote is in play.  That would be for snacks that *must* be shared.  (Not that I would ever, ever put another family in the position of needing to supply safe snacks for my kid.  Nope.  I would always send his own safe snacks.)

 

For a nut-free classroom (totally hypothetical for me), I would expect that there are no overt nuts.  No nut containing items. Any items to be shared by all children would not be "may contains."  

 

But school lunches that will be consumed by another child, in a cafeteria, can be may contains.  I'd be okay with that.  So the bread, baked items, everything else... wouldn't have to be safe enough for my kid to consume, just to be in the same room with him.

 

That probably sounds odd, considering that my kiddo has had airborne reactions.  But airborne reactions are usually from someone eating something like nuts in front of my guy, because the dust can be aerosolized, or cooking one of his allergens.  Something like a may contain... Different story on the airborne issue.

 

I wonder about the school policies here.  Are they saying "no may contains" about shared snacks? Snacks that a teacher is going to pass out to the entire class?  Or lunches that are not to be shared?  

 

My thought is that asking a non-allergic family to police their entire lunch, not just for nuts, but for may contains as well... That's a bit much.  But for shared classroom snacks - I don't think that's unreasonable.  (Though you don't want me to start on shared classroom snacks, really.  I think there are way too many snack times in our culture, but apparently I'm in the minority there!)

For the nut-free room, one classroom in the local elementary room designated for students with nut allergies to eat with other members of their class, it is a no "may contains". So, that is an issue and frankly, I really would doubt that families actually police themselves that well. If you don't have experience, our issue is not nuts, but bee stings and by extension of that as well as having a paramedic daughter who has dealt with MANY cases of anaphylaxis, know better, then I think the best assumption is A, foods exposed to nuts are going to happen, and B, the school can require it all they want, but if parents really do embrace that level of vigilance in their homes and with what they send to school for their children to eat, people are going to complain and especially for those who would have a financial difficulty in becoming a nut-free kitchen while their child attends a nut-free classroom or building.

 

That said, one can always count on my local PS to be the one with draconian, nigh unto impossible to implement policies, they major in it...they have PH.D's in it, they wrote the classic text on the subject. I would hope that other schools would realize the avarice in attempting such a thing and would just institute some reasonable guidelines, allow may contain products, and then do their level best by the student and that should include keeping an epi handy be it on the child's person, or with another adult who is always around the child when food is being consumed. But, I also know that isn't happening in a lot of school districts.

[mirth]

 

The Sunshine Girl died recently after ONE bite of a Rice Krispies Treat made with PB

 

http://on.aol.com/video/mom-of-peanut-allergy-victim--her-last-words-were-im-sorry-517915295

 

People should watch the above interview.  Natalie Giorgi girl died.  Her last words were that she was sorry.  She died blaming herself as she lay on floor with probably 100 witnesses, and I think many people (and unfortunately kids) carry a deep unspoken burden deep in their hearts that they are defective and inconvenient in their fragility.  Her parents are still reeling in palpable pain but went on camera to encourage a dignified and necessary dialogue now.

 

 

The woman in front of the OP was complaining—not refusing to comply with the restrictions. She's doing her part to keep another child alive too, but that doesn't mean she has to like it. Venting to a friend, even about complaints that are relatively trivial, doesn't make someone a horrible person; if it does, we're all in trouble. (That was the gist of the post I deleted earlier, BTW. The comment posted after mine made it sound worse than it was.)

I hoped to express earlier that griping out loud about these restrictions is not by definition a bad thing.  It can be ok.  It need be done so that parents of p-a really know the risk/threat level of what they are dealing with and make the decision if they really want to be in this school.  Many times, the more severe the p-a, the more the parent of the p-a kid wants to understand your complaints and see what they could do to ease your burden.  Again -- beyond the pedantics of school policy.  They may be willing to supplement the additional cost of Kroger PB vs Sunbutter.  Or they may see if everyone can push for snack-free environments.

 

Now that obesity is also disease, the first ADA lawsuits on obesity discrimination have already been filed.  I can see new 504 plans for obesity as well.  "No snacks that are over 50% [insert junky ingredient here] offered to students"  Yes, there may be even more constraints.   If the schools want federal aid, they have to comply with these federal guidelines.

 

I personally feel that whatever food is the leading cause of immediate death should be banned, or at least given a very long gaze askance.  Today and for the last 20 years, it's been peanuts.  If for example tomorrow, strawberries became the new death trigger, then even I would push strawberry protein in the front.  

 

[I.Dup.]

I don't know what causes this. I don't remember anything like this in my entire childhood, in all the schools I attended (many).

 

We have food allergies, but not anaphylaxis or anything of the sort (thank God). I don't think it's necessarily related to "toxins" as I think this is largely genetic. I have the same intolerances my Dad/mom have, and their parents had, etc. So it goes pretty far back. I think people in the past just were not conscious or aware of these issues, and they didn't eat nearly as much of a varied diet as we eat today, and they didn't go as many places as we go today.

 

If I had a severely allergic or anaphylactic child, I'm not sure I'd ever leave the house. And I don't mean that as a bad thing, I think it's healthy to stay home and not be running around, that's what we do now. I just can't imagine putting the burden of constantly feeding and watching out for my child on anyone else. I guess that's one reason we homeschool and I give up everything to be here with them all the time.

[Acorn]

 

 

 

I personally feel that whatever food is the leading cause of immediate death should be banned, or at least given a very long gaze askance.  Today and for the last 20 years, it's been peanuts.  If for example tomorrow, strawberries became the new death trigger, then even I would push strawberry protein in the front.  

 

 

Well we know that heart disease IS the leading cause of death in this country.  I was trying to talk with the parent of the peanut allergy classmate to see if there could be some compromises in the approved snack list, and she told me that dh's heart attack at age 37 was a "fluke". 

 

A fluke?  Yeah, that's what the doctors said also because he is athletic and we had no reason to see it coming.  Two blocked arteries, didn't happen overnight so the solution can't be as dramatic as a peanut ban.  However, even the tootsies rolls and skittles on the approved snack/party list have transfat.  Not to mention, oreos, cheez-its and doritos.