Talking Allergies

My neighbour told me today that one of the local schools (we live right by a public and a catholic school) is no longer peanut free. "They "only" have one peanut allergic child...he is in sixth grade and should be able to know what not to eat by now". And my neighbour said the school students and parents are overjoyed to now be able to send peanut butter cookies and "proper" brownies to school for class "treats".

Well I hope that poor grade 6 boy knows Karate...'cause those PB armed bullies are coming. Honestly, I don't care if that child is old enough to not eat what he should not... its the 100's of kids armed with the ability to kill him that I am concerned about. Apparently the school values peanut butter cookies and "treats" over "just one student".

I asked my neighbour "Why does sending peanut butter cookies to school for the class matter anyways? How about lets NOT feed all the school kids CRAP all the time and NOT teach them it is oh so fun to eat junk. You need to send something for a school party...send a book or a game and the kids can have fun with that at the party." Apparently, junk crap food wins again.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

that's rediculous!!!! you and your like minded neighbours should start a letter writting campain!!

although if you think about it, sadly, once that kid hit junior high or high school he's pretty much thrown to the wolves, wth a caff, and a common lunch room, that's where my concern is with peanut-free elementry schools, but not so much high schools

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allergies - penicillin, benadryl, dust mites, enviornmental & chemical
conditions - dermatographism, eczema, well contorolled asthma
dietary - lactose intollerant, vegatarian

My neighbour and I were not like minded. Those like minded individuals that think this is insane...well they are all here in the allergic living community, not my real live community. My neighbour was excited about sending peanut butter cookies and brownies to school to share with the class. It was one of those situations where others just don't get it that I (and other parents here) do NOT appreciate the fact that schools allows 9 parties a year, candy for crafts, games, treats, first day of school, last day of school, someones grandma want to bring timbits to school, 25 birthday celebrations, and bakes sales in the course of the school year.

When I mentioned the book idea (Susans wonderful book idea ) she thought that was not cool and the kids would never go for it. Its hard to convince some people that being asked to send 40 treats for your child for a school year, so your child "gets" something and feels included at school is REDICULOUS. Some people (lots of people) feed their kids a steady diet of crap so having crap at school is just an extension of what it is like at home.

I do live in the fattest city in Canada, and have accepted that people are overly insane about food here. If the school is filled with parents/kids/teachers that hold their junk food so dear then I don't think I can change them into book lovers or people who prefer a game at a party instead of baked goods. The whole conversation really ticked me off...that everyone is celebrating that the one child (grade 6) can finally be expected to fend for himself and the other kids with allergies have left the school. I couldn't possibly imagine why , perhaps they felt a little unwanted.

And then, I got a "but we'd have to go peanut free again if you decide to send your kids to the school". Yeah.. I think I will continue homeschooling thanks.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

Donating a book is not concidered a great option by many mothers because who they are is often wrapped up in what the do for thieir family ei. baking, not book buying. Sad but true just as a man's sense of self is often tied to what his occupation is.
The parent gets more reward through sending fod even though this may pose a danger to a child.
I hope that as more families have two income earners parents will find that they don't have time to bake for celebrations and donating a book will be seen as a better option.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

So very, very true. Well Susan, I for one LOVED the book idea.

My idea, which no one at my local schools cared for, was to have kids take turns bringing a game to play at parties. We did this when I was a kid. This is what we did at school parties...NOT food. Say if there were 5 parties throughout the year (we never had 9!), and 20 kids...then for each party 4 kids were assigned to provide a game, and our teacher brought some too. I remember playing twister, monopoly, checkers, guess who, cards, game of life. It was soooo fun. Even if you don't have a game at home to bring cards are cheap...and so is a homemade bingo game or scavenger hunt. We just took turns playing the games that were there...and they were different with every party. Oh, the good old days.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

When I was in grade school, the teacher made you stand at the front of the class while the class sang Happy Birthday. Later at recess each classmate (approx 30 students) took their turn giving you the "Birthday Bumps".
I was soooo glad that my birthday usuay fell on Marhc Break.
I was thinking about suggesting a big garish sticker that says Birthday Boy or Brithday Girl! Most kids want to feel it is their special day. They don't necessarily care if their is food. (God! Why aren't the schools full of cockroaches the way food is so prevalent. ) Anyway, I definately don't want a special birthday hat or they'll al have lice.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

i didn't mean that neighbour, i ment other people in the community, i'm sure there are some who agree with you, the one child with PA who's basically being thrown to the wolves i'm sure people who know him would be willing to help

wow that many parties, and bake sales sounds exsessive to me, my parents were pretty ivolved with school things but i don't remeber that much, i remember like xmas parties and that was about it in school, and occationally candy from the teacher on halloween. i also remember going into the school for a daycare type thing during the teacher's strike, and the adult volunteer was told she could not bring anythign with peanut into the school, and i live in a small town which isn't allergy aware... wow that sound crazy...

wow that school doesn't seem to be teaching the right things at all, yikes, the arena i work in has a "health mandate" where we don't sell chocolate bars, a million kinds of chips (one of our three choices are crispers), to teach kids healthy choices, kind of a kick inthe pants when schools aren't teaching them that... and also not teaching kids to respect their peers with differences!

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allergies - penicillin, benadryl, dust mites, enviornmental & chemical
conditions - dermatographism, eczema, well contorolled asthma
dietary - lactose intollerant, vegatarian

Saskmommy,

I guess you need Sabrina's law out there! My daughter just started high school and they still have a no peanut rule. I feel so terrible for that one child whose family is going to have to battle these people's ignorance. I've already had my tirade on this forum about how society seems to need treats and junk food for EVERY occasion!! How sad that there are people starving in Darfur (and so many other places) and here people are dying of obesity related illnesses.

Soccermom

I don't know if there's anything more going on out in B.C. - I so owe Pam Lee a phone call! - but I found it interesting that the British Columbia Health Ministry has started a nutrition/health initiative for pupils. They're looking at fewer treats, healthy treats.

I'm hoping those lobbying for allergy awareness in B.C. can make inroads, perhaps piggybacking on this initiative. Why not healthy AND allergy-safe treats as the focus? That way, you encompass more issues, and given concerns about obesity in kids, it could have wider appeal.

I think the amount of treats that students bring to school this days is over-the-top. It's like we reward our children now the way we reward our pets!

Let's make the kids t-shirts that say "I don't work for peanuts!"
Just an idea.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

This is awful. Imagine how terrible it will be for the next allergic child who moves into the school. The whole school community will hate them because they will reinstate the "ban" on peanuts. Saskmommy you must feel very good about your decision to homeschool. It is too bad that ignorant people are allowed to have their say on such an important issue. In one of my classes this week, I had to assist a grade 3 student tie his shoe because he was so large he couldn't bend over to do it himself. Why don't parents understand the consequences of a poor diet and obesity?

We have had such a different experience in our community. I am so thankful for the support we have had and pray that there is not a change in administration soon or attitude at our school. The nursery school my daughter attended decidded to remain peanut free after my daughter left. They realized that it would be too difficult to change policy once another allergic child started to attend.

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11 year old daughter -- lives with life-threatening allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts; seasonal allergies (birch, maple, ragweed); pet allergies; asthma; and eczema
9 year old son - no allergies

I just had to tell you my semi-related story.

My mom lives near a public school. She had a garage sale the other day. A lady was walking past while on her way home from dropping off her neice at school. It was the second day of school. The girl is in kindergarten. The family is new to Canada. I am not sure where they are from, but the girl speaks only spanish and so does her mother. That is why the aunt took her to school. The mom can not communicate with the teachers. Anyways, the girl was HORRIBLY teased the first day. Even though she could not understand their words...she could still understand their body language. She wet her pants and the kids treated her worse after that. So...to make everything all better the teacher gave her candy. They were from a country where people are starving...their daughter (or neice) is being brutally harassed and the teacher tries to make it all better with junk food? She was appauled by the obese children in the school...and the way we have no respect for our health and nutrition when we are so blessed to have access to such a wide variety of nutritious foods. The lady was horrified that her neice was devestated to go for the second day...and she was disqusted with canadian public schools and the inhumane cruelty towards her neice that occured the day before...after they worked so hard to come to canada for a better life.

I think people need to take a good hard look at the way we (as a country) value junk food so greatly, and hold it so near and dear to our hearts...but care very little about the feelings of others.

I am feeling particularily disgusted at my local schools today. We went to pick up my daughters peanut allergic friend from our other local public school today. She told me her music teacher gave out candy canes today...and her classmates were all leaving the school with greasy paper bags of "movie theater style" popcorn.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

Wow, saskmommy, those are heartbreaking stories. That poor little girl. What a welcome.

My son's daycare also decided to keep with certain allergen "bans" (egg) that they had in place even though the child who was severely allergic to egg had left because they too thought it was easier to maintain the status quo.

I find this school's decision to alter their "allergy-awareness" approach very short-sighted - do they really think there won't be other peanut/nut allergic children coming along? It also seems cruel to the allergic child who is still at that school. What is the message to that child?? Not to mention the others. Instead of "all for one and one for all", it's "you're different and cramping our style - fend for yourself". It all makes me very sad.

It does seem like the schools in your area seem a bit obsessed with food....!!! I haven't always been a fan of my sons' school, but things are improving, and it is definitely looking good compared to some.

K.

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Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma

I can't believe it. This stuff makes me furious!!!!! To value peanut butter cookies over a child's safety! These people are brain dead. I'm sorry, I'm not very rational when I see this kind of ignorance. And the principal, who is supposed to be educated, should ban any sugary treats.

People do value food too much and schools put way too much emphasis on food too. The government is trying to put initiatives in place for kids to be more active here in Ontario at least, by now having a 20 minute daily activity break and then the schools turn around and have these birthday parties. Seems counter-productive.

I was at my daughter's curriculum night yesterday and a parent complained to the teacher that the kids did not have an afternoon snack, and her daughter was coming home starving. My husband and I looked at each other. The kid can't last a couple of hours without a snack?

Thankfully, this school is very adamant about being peanut and nut free, but that food thing is there again!

The baking thing is an old fashion thing anyway, from my mother-in-law's generation. That's all she knows how to do. She asks to have the kids over for a couple of days and tells them she will teach them how to bake, because that's the only way she can relate to them. She can't talk about anything else with them. She always tries to give me recipes and I tell her I don't like to bake and her face always goes like this Then she always makes extra dessert to take home and I tell her we don't need it and she says it's for my husband and the kids. I know she feels I neglect them all by not baking pies and cookies!!! And she's one of those people who has to put nuts in everything, so now it's really hard for her not to bake with nuts. (She made a peach pie the other day, which she always decorates with little dots of whipped cream topped by a sliver of almond. Well, she just couldn't skip the almond!!!!!) She has to mention it every time. "I was going to make this and this dessert, but it has nuts in it so I didn't!" (It never occurs to her that she can omit the nuts and the recipe will be just fine.)

Ok, sorry, this is my rant for the day!

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15 year old - asthmatic, allergic to cats, dogs, horses, waiting to be "officially" diagnosed for anaphylaxis
12 year old - asthmatic, allergic to tree pollen and mold, OAS
Husband - Allergic to amoxycillin
Self - Allergic to housework only

Sorry, one more thing. Saskmommy, this must reassure you even more that you made the right decision with homeschooling. Hang in there!

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15 year old - asthmatic, allergic to cats, dogs, horses, waiting to be "officially" diagnosed for anaphylaxis
12 year old - asthmatic, allergic to tree pollen and mold, OAS
Husband - Allergic to amoxycillin
Self - Allergic to housework only