Talking Allergies

Hello everyone, I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you an incident that occure recently with my son and a school camping trip. Our school sends grade seven classes on a camping trip up north to Algonquin Park for the week. After doing some research on the camp we felt comofrtabel enought to send our child as the camp had informed us of their no peanute, no nut policy. We decided as parents one of us should volunteer and attend the week long trip. Armed with 10 epi pens and the nervous fact that the closest hospital was 1 hour away, we felt our child should not miss out on the trip. While sitting in on a social gathering the second night into the trip, my son's teacher takes out a tin can of Cashews and offers them up to all the attending teachers and parent supervisors. Although my wife did not respond imeediately, eventually the news of her dissapointment got to the teachers and she was ostriised for the remaining of the trip. Since then, we have contact the Director of Education, the Superintendt and the Principal as Alcohol was also present and consumed by the teachers and some of the parent volunteers. We are now waiting for the administrtaion to investigate the claims. Has anyone ever gone through something likes this and thet can share? Is there a legal opportunity here and if so, are there attorneys that specialize in this type of law?

Please advise,

Bigpoppa - Son is Allergic to Peanutes, All Tree Nuts, Kiwi and Polin

Welcome to the forum. WOW!!!! I wish you all the best in pursuing this matter further, it is horrifying to say the least. How can children be expected to take something seriously when the teachers themselves do not? This also gives very mixed messages to the additional parent volunteers that no nuts, be it a field trip or at school does not really mean no nuts. I also wonder how other parents would feel if they were aware that the very people responsible for their childrens safety were consuming alcohol?
I am thankful your son didn't suffer a reaction. You and your wife set a wonderful example in how to ensure an allergic child still is able to participate and enjoy his peers activities.

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

I am also horrified to read this! My kids are nowhere near school camp age yet (they are 3 and 5), so I have no experience with this, but I do agree that 'peanut and nut free' refers to everyone - students, teachers and parents who happen to be at the event or venue. I wish you luck in raising awareness on this issue to the school and school board's administrators.

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DD 2004 Allergy to peanuts, egg, sesame, and new: lentils and chick peas
DS 2006 Allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, kiwi fruit, eczema

OMG! Is your school covered under Bill3?
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_ ... nID=38%3A1

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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

As a teacher and the parent of an allergic student, I am really horrified by this incident.

Bigpoppa, I'm curious, what has been the response from the school, school board, other parents this week?

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

I have seen schools that are nut-free for students but the staff do eat nuts. However, to bring them on a trip an hour from hospital is crazy!

And I cannot believe that the staff and parent volunteers were drinking.

People just don't get it. I'm sure there other issues where I don't get it either...

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

Sorry folks, I have been busy with work. So, we did have a meeting with the Principle and Vice Principle who esentially explained to us that the treacher brought nuts because they suffer from an illness that requires them to eat nuts. This was his response to playing Russian Roulette with my sons and other allergic childrens' lives. Funny thing really, even if this was true, he suffered from the illness, not all the teachers on the trip and parent supervisors. This is of course acceptable to the school and they are not pursuing any further action.

On the topic of the alcohol, the school will not tell us anything more than that the teachers are being investigated by the Superintendent and the school. I personally find this all very offensive, especially coming from a Catholic school. These teachers were and are, completely incompitent with their actions.

We have not let any other parents know what transpired, including the camp in Algonquin Park. I am beginning to think it's time to share the concern I have with all the other parents from the school so that they get a good understanding of who is watching our children during the day!

WOW! that is very interesting
brought nuts because they suffer from an illness that requires them to eat nuts.
First time I heard that one...sounds like a good cover up of a mistake there.

I would start making noise myself. If I was a parent of a child on the trip I would want to know what was going on. I am nervous to begin with allowing my child to go on a gr 8 trip (I do have 5 years to worry) but I would want to know.

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Tracy
A 4 -Gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free. Also asthma, pulmonary stenosis, developmental delays, Noonan Syndrome, and environmental allergies.
T 7 - asthma and environmental allergies. And a wonderful big sister to her little brother

Hmmm, never heard that one,! This 'condidtion' if it is a condition couldn't have been controlled for one night with sunflower seeds or a good glop of peabutter????
I'd say go to the parents, you waited to see how the school would handle the situation now it's time to keep moving up the chain. I my opinion their handling (from what you've said) of the situation is appalling!!

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

What a truly horrifying and awful situation. It makes me furious, but unfortunately I am not completely shocked by this, since I have seen time and time again how people (family, teachers etc..) JUST DON'T GET IT!

I am very interested in finding out about what 'condition' the teacher has. Probably vegan and needed protein, but there are other options, or at least it could have been handled in a discrete and SAFE manner (but still should have been done with your approval).

I'm so sorry this happened to you, please continue to investigate if you can adn DO let the other parents / park know. This is completely unacceptable & reckless.

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DSs 7,7,9 all PA

It could be that this teacher requires frequent high protein meals but I find it hard to believe that a nut is prescribed as a treatment for a disease! That is ridiculous!

As it was stated, the rest of the participants did not require nuts. Poor planning at best, total lack or regard for your childs safety at worst.

Thank goodness your child survived and now the principal has a chance to ponder just how the school will make changes to reduce the risk of exposure to allergens for next years trips. Perhaps the teacher can see a dietician to discover alternative foods which could have the same effect as the nuts.

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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 know there was more to this story and it's here somewhere. Does anyone remember where. I was wondering what has happened and was going to check out the school paperwork to see what changes were made....if any. Does anyone know anything?

Michele

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Myself - Seasonal, cats
dd-asthma (trigger - flu) anaphylactic to eggs, severe allergies to bugspray and penicilin,pulmicort
ds-Seasonal, cats and OAS
dh-allergy cats, bugspray and guava, outgrew egg allergy