One 5-year-old's allergy leads to class peanut ban [lunch searches?????]

SF Chronicle ^

[Sub-Driver]

An East Bay elementary school's ban on peanut butter sandwiches and other nut products in its kindergarten classes has some parents questioning whether school district administrators overreacted to concerns for one allergic child.

At the center of the storm is a 5-year-old boy enrolled at Valle Verde Elementary School in Walnut Creek. He suffers from "peanut and tree nut" allergies that his mother says are life-threatening.

[CSM]

"The airlines don't offer peanuts anymore - for this very reason. Be prepare to choke down some stale pretzels."

True, but do they ban peanuts from the planes. I didn't realize that was part of the list of items to be confiscated by security, along with knitting needles and fingernail clippers.

[Savage Beast]

Maybe these people are worried about getting sued. Their paranoia is understandable. What's puzzling is why people are not frightened enough to put a stop to the insane paranoia-inducing litigation.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Just until the child is old enough to watch on his own- and even then it is occasionally dicy when nuts are so ground up as not to be obvious. I was deeply involved in a situation where a 13 year old died in school over anaphylaxis contracted over eating a piece of candy that was not labeled appropriately.

[Alter Kaker]

Better to inconvenience a thousand than to inconvenience one, I guess.

I would gladly forgo lunch of peanut butter to save life. I guess nothing more important than your convenience.

[BSunday]

The next logical step is to take the kid to a ball game, then sue whatever major league team it is, to stop selling peanuts in the stands between innings.

[zook]

I've had mixed feelings on this. Clearly, there's no evidence that an allergic reaction is triggered merely by being in the same room with peanut butter -- you have to eat it. So, there's no reason to ban peanut butter in kid's lunches -- as long as those kids with peanut allergies can be trusted not to accept food from anyone else.

But when it comes to 5 and 6 year olds, I'm not sure they can be trusted not to do so. Thus, they must either be tightly supervised during lunch (preferable, I think) or peanut butter must be banned. Of course, I'd be raising hell if they tried this in the later grades and I'd be raising it if they searched my kid's lunch without my prior consent.

[mtbrandon49]

"By kindergarten, and certainly by first grade, my son was able to say, 'What is in that?' " she said. "Searching a lunch box is insane. This goes to personal responsibility not changing the rest of the world to fit you."


This lady acutally "gets it". My son is six and if he don't know what's in it, he ain't eatin' it.

[GOPologist]

In school, there is a place for smut.

But do not allow any student to bring a nut.

[taxcontrol]

My allergy to dust mites triggered a case of pneumonia and put me in the hospital for 21 days. I would say dust mites CAN be life threatening.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Wow! I take it you get the shots, then, eh?

[Elvis van Foster]

People with peanut allergies don't have to ingest it to get ill. Merely touching the oil will make some very sick.

[DonQ]

Not a matter of inconvenience. A peanut allergy, although rare, can be fatal. Even a very slight exposure could be fatal, especially at a place like a school or playground where there might be no special medical equipment (or an adult) close at hand.

Yes, it seems a pain in the rump that none of the kids can bring a PB&J to school, but the inconvenience to the kids is probably less damaging than the trauma that might occur if they see one of the playmates collapse and die.

[EggsAckley]

I DO understand the seriousness of that allergy, and now amend my opinion. But perhaps this child is just a little too vulnerable for public school.

I am violently allergic to curry, or at least some of its ingredients. Whenever I see food, sauces, rice, etc. that looks yellow, I always have to ask if it contains curry. Twice in restaurants I've been told no, but within five minutes of my first bite, well............you don't need to know my reaction. heheheh.

Not pleasant. But not deadly, or at least it doesn't stay in me long enough to be deadly.

I feel badly for this little boy. He has a rollercoaster life ahead of him.

[Fighter@heart]

If this were my child, I'm thinking an alternate education options. Home-school etc. Some how it seems oddly disconcerting that one child (read minority) controls/dictates to the rest of the school(read majority)

[CSM]

Why can't the teacher hold a special session for the whole class to understand the danger involved in giving the allergic kid any food! In addition, the parents should inform the school that the only food that this youngin can eat is food provided by the children's parents.

The parents could be in close contact with the school regarding special events and they could provide some treat for their son and his buds.

If we continue to force the will of one on many, then soon that will be the way of life here in the US. Oh, wait, it already is and now we are teaching an entire new crop of people that it is acceptable.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Exactly. Sick kids and public school don't mix. Are all peanut oil products banned from the school?

[HungarianGypsy]

In our Sunday School class there is a little boy who is allergic to soy. Now you would not believe how many things contain soy. His mom has been nice enough to bring soy-free products for snack time.

[Texagirl4W]

What would be your number to inconvenience to save the life of one child. Until you have seen a child having reactions to peanut butter, and hoping the paramedics get there in time, don't assume anything. And yes, I have seen it.

[EggsAckley]

there's no evidence that an allergic reaction is triggered merely by being in the same room with peanut butter -- you have to eat it.

Not entirely true. As a child, I was allergic to strawberries. Not an anaphylaxic type allergy, just great big hives. If I walked into a store that had strawberries for sale, by the time I left I had hives, without even touching the fruit.

[Wolfie]

Its all fun and games until somebody hires a lawyer.