Banning nuts in classroom debate

[SparklyUnicorn]

Most foods can cause allergic reactions in someone. Very, very few foods are universally non-allergenic. I have a friend who has a child with a wheat allergy. It's a true allergy, (not gluten intolerance), and the daughter can go into life-threatening reactions from exposure to wheat. She even needs to be careful of airborne exposure to wheat.

 

The family homeschools.

 

Yep.  When I was in culinary school someone had a life threatening reaction to saffron.  Of all things!  They didn't figure it out right away because really how often would that come up.  Many people probably go through life never encountering saffron.  So they had to get rid of the saffron at the school which wasn't a big deal because it's not a particularly common ingredient.

[QueenCat]

 

I can name one case in which a high school student in CA stayed out of a classroom because of an activity that involved peanuts, for the whole day.  The next day he returned to class only to have anaphylaxis from residue or airborne particles.  After it had been "cleaned" - peanut butter is notoriously difficult to remove from a classroom, and has been likened to loose glitter and how it seems to spread despite cleaning.  We've all experienced that, right?  The Glitter Explosion.   :)

 

So, yeh, I do think that if there is a kid with *any* anaphylactic allergy - that allergen needs to be kept out of the classroom and the area where the kid eats.  And when the kid is out and about in the regular school area, exposed to potential allergens - then there needs to be an action plan.

 

Sadly, one of my friend's lost her teenage son due to residual particles of peanut butter. It's a serious matter.

[Spryte]

Sadly, one of my friend's lost her teenage son due to residual particles of peanut butter. It's a serious matter.

Oh my goodness, I'm so deeply, deeply sorry. That just makes my heart ache.

[Bluegoat]

But you're not requesting accommodations in a school as a result of those possible allergies. Once you're going beyond just having your child avoid the possible allergen himself/herself to requesting the school ban other children from bringing foods containing the allergen, you need to get actual medical documentation.

 

My child has issues with gluten and dairy but as we don't need a ban, they aren't part of her IEP document. If she had life-threatening reactions such that we needed a ban, we'd have to submit the documentation.

 

Oh yes, if someone wants or needs accomodation I think it makes sense to get some kind of testing.

[Spryte]

But you're not requesting accommodations in a school as a result of those possible allergies. Once you're going beyond just having your child avoid the possible allergen himself/herself to requesting the school ban other children from bringing foods containing the allergen, you need to get actual medical documentation.

 

My child has issues with gluten and dairy but as we don't need a ban, they aren't part of her IEP document. If she had life-threatening reactions such that we needed a ban, we'd have to submit the documentation.

Yes, once you've entered life threatening allergy territory - you don't just suspect it. Usually, you've seen the results firsthand, often almost losing your child. You'll have plenty of medical documentation. And you'll need it. It's nothing like an allergy that maybe causes a stomachache, or eczema. You *know*. And so do your kid's docs, who are on board with advocating for your child because they've seen what can happen. You just follow their lead. Banning an allergen doesn't happen arbitrarily, usually. It requires a 504 with the school or an IEP. The school doesn't have to, nor should it, disclose the details of any child's private IEP or 504. So perhaps it might look like there was an arbitrary ban on a certain food, but usually there's a doctor behind it.