peanut allergies in schools

[WriterofWords]

No kidding! They removed the classroom size cap for regular ed classrooms, so now I can have 30 or 40 students in a portable made for 20, and they can complain that I don't give their darling 100% of my attention all day every day. But then the SPED classes have 1 teacher and 4 IA's for 5 kids that really need 1 teacher and 1 IA each with some of the severe challenges they have. Peanuts are the last thing on my mind when I have an overstuffed classroom.

 

[kla37]

I know allergies are bad. Do the kids gradually grow out of the severity of this kind of allergy? I just think of all the places I go that there are peanuts and peanut oil used. How is it possible to live your whole life as an adult like that? Gas stations full of peanut and peanut ingredient snacks, movie theaters, ball parks, bakery's, restaurants, not to mention all the non-food products made with peanut by-products. That would be a tough one!

 

[redhen]

I know that if my child had such a serious allergy.. i'd NOT trust the school to protect them. NO way...
There are usually hundreds of kids in a school... ANYONE can "sneak" in a snack/candybar with nuts in their book bag.....
Heck.. they "sneak" in guns nowadays.... do you really think they wont sneak in a nutty buddy bar?
Please...

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
Some do some don't. Mine have actually gotten worse as I have gotten older. I carry 3 Epi-pens on me at all times in addition to a bottle of benedryl. If I come in contact with something I am allergic too, I give myself a shot, drop a couple of benedryl and and hope that the paramedics get there before it gets too bad and I have to do it all over again. You learn to pay real close attention to your environment. People say I'm nosey, no, I just looking for things that most people don't have to worry about. Ever think you would have to worry about rubberbands? How about the elastic in your underwear??!

 

[Momagain1]

wow..all I can say is WOW..to some replies in the thread...

I thank God, that our school was very accomodating to my child who has allergies (severe..and she's out of school now)...
changes were made..but guess what?? parents around here didnt think the changes were a big deal because we are talking
about a persons LIFE...

I can only hope and pray that the ppl who are not so understanding NEVER EVER have to deal with any food allergies, environmental etc allergies...
and if you do..I hope and pray that there are ppl who support, understand and stand up for you...

and btw-- I'm a taxpayer too...so I pay for all this stuff too...albeit in diff. parts of the country



BTW-- Britt outgrew ALL her food allergies and but still has extreme reactions to animals (no she doesnt live here) and cigarette smoke...(as do I)...

 

[Momagain1]

Quote:
Some do some don't. Mine have actually gotten worse as I have gotten older. I carry 3 Epi-pens on me at all times in addition to a bottle of benedryl. If I come in contact with something I am allergic too, I give myself a shot, drop a couple of benedryl and and hope that the paramedics get there before it gets too bad and I have to do it all over again. You learn to pay real close attention to your environment. People say I'm nosey, no, I just looking for things that most people don't have to worry about. Ever think you would have to worry about rubberbands? How about the elastic in your underwear??!

God bless you for having to deal with that...

We also taught Britt to pay attention; however, mistakes happen and thank GOD for Epipens!!!

 

[KristyHall]

what about parents who can not afford to home school. I see a lot of people saying children with allergies should be home schooled. A lot of parents have to work to make ends meet. Many have more than one job and simply do not have time to home school.

Why should a child be denied an education because of a fatal allergy? Why should they live in fear of their life because other children can be bothered to be inconvenienced as to not have nuts at school.

The washing their mouths out three times a day are excessive, but that seems like something that is in the minority, as most extreme measures are.

So where will we stop, instead of spending the money to build amps, should we say children in wheel chairs be home schooled? What about autistic children that could be over whelmed easily? Should they be home schooled instead of being accommodated in schools and given their guaranteed education? Never mind many great people who have contributed to society are autistic.

Like many of these hot button issues it is a difficult issue that must be approached carefully. Like the apparent who has a child that can only handle eating a few foods and three of them involve nuts. if this child encounters another child at school with a nut allergy this could cause a problem. I understand where this may cause concerns.

But instead of people getting angry, I am sure the schools can come up with a reasonable solution and MOST schools and teachers can and do. Unfortunately these reasonable administrative workers don't usually make the news, it's the extremes that do, like the ones that make kids wash their mouths out three times a day.

 

[sune42]

Quote:
I don't think it was as much kids with allergies as it was a kid with a peanut allergy so bad if someone breaths on them with peanut breath they can die (which in my research seems to be false)

And although I am not one of those, "the school shouldn't have to do anything to accommodate kids with allergies" I do think that if your kid is that allergic, they should seek out alternative education options. That could be home schooled, or a special school.
Like I said, banning nuts, both in lunchroom and in snacks is not unreasonable. Eating peanuts is not a right, people can get over that nonsense right now. Although washing hands is good for general health, it's not the schools job to keep your kids sanitary (saying you in the generic sense, not directed to anyone) and it does seem to take a lot of time away from classrooms. Teachers have enough to worry about without making sure Johnny rinsed his mouth out.

 

[Heckel's Hens]

We have friends whose daughter is so severly allergic to eggs that we can't visit their house unless we bath our kids right beforehand and make sure they don't have eggs that morning for breakfast, and brush their teeth right before we go.

The mom does an excellent job of regulating the daughter's environment and making life as normal as possible, especially with 2 other children at home.

FOR THIS REASON...she homeschools and sacrifices a great bit of her time and energy to address her child's special need. IMO, that is what should be done for severe, severe peanut allergies.


All this reminds me of how *many* parents do not want to get off their butt and go the extra mile for their own kids, basically b/c they are either lazy, uniformed, etc. Schools are not here to raise our kids, protect them from everything under the sun and manage their lives. That is what PARENTS are for. But alas...that would require self-sufficiency, a trait often going overlooked these days....

(said from a 29 year old mom of 2!)

 

[australorpchick]

Quote:
I don't think it was as much kids with allergies as it was a kid with a peanut allergy so bad if someone breaths on them with peanut breath they can die (which in my research seems to be false)

And although I am not one of those, "the school shouldn't have to do anything to accommodate kids with allergies" I do think that if your kid is that allergic, they should seek out alternative education options. That could be home schooled, or a special school.
Like I said, banning nuts, both in lunchroom and in snacks is not unreasonable. Eating peanuts is not a right, people can get over that nonsense right now. Although washing hands is good for general health, it's not the schools job to keep your kids sanitary (saying you in the generic sense, not directed to anyone) and it does seem to take a lot of time away from classrooms. Teachers have enough to worry about without making sure Johnny rinsed his mouth out.

Actually, it is my right. Provided it is not illegal, I am free to feed my family whatever I so choose. To what extent should everyone else have to modify their lives for a few? Next it will be we can't have cow, pig or various other food items, because it offends someone of some religous belief. Tolerance should be a right for everyone, not just the few or those with the biggest mouths. I tolerate someone's inability to have peanuts, my ability to consume peanuts should be tolerated as well.