Over the weekend I read this article in the Washington Post, Sterilizing the classrooms won’t help allergic children, by Linda Hooper-Bui, who is also the mother of a food allergic child. Now, before the hair on your neck stands up, please remember know that this piece is in OPINION piece. Which means, the article is simply a viewpoint from the author. Not a piece written as an authority on the topic of food allergies. When I read the title, I thought, “oh good an article about how hand sanitizers and why they don’t remove allergens”. Whoops. I was wrong! The article was about the author’s belief that peanut bans are not useful. She believes that her food allergic child need to function in a world filled with allergens-a concept that many of us are working to help our child achieve. She relies on her child to self manage her life threatening food allergies and anaphylaxis and that she places, “all decisions in her hands and allow her to take charge of her health and well-being. She has been taught to read labels and recognize food ingredients that are triggers”. Her child is six years old. I believe the author’s ultimate goal for her food allergic child that she self advocates and doesn’t rely on a ban since the real world does not contain peanut bans. The article brought up some very important discussion points that I wanted to bring up with you.
Dr. Michael Pistiner, co-founder of Allergy Home, shared this important article, “The Role of the Pediatricians in School Food Allergy Managment”. on the Allergy Home Facebook page (a personal favorite). The science based, best practice article that was published in the Pediatric Annals this August was very interesting and on it’s own should be read and shared with pediatricians nationwide! On facebook, Dr. Pistiner also wrote an open letter in response to the Sterilizing the classrooms won’t help allergic children. His concern, which is echoed by many, is regarding taking into account a child’s age and developmental abilities to manage a life threatening food allergy, such as label reading, surface cleaning, etc. Some circumstances require adult intervention and management and Dr. Pistiner seemed to be trying to bring our attention to this fact. I am a firm believer that one size fits all rarely applies to the life threatening allergy and anaphylaxis world.
Salted Peanuts image courtesy of Thanunkorn via Freedigitalphotos.net
To ban or not to peanut from classrooms with food allergic students?
First, considering a peanut or other allergen ban, there is no one size fits all solution. So to ban or not ban is really not the question. Schools need to meet the needs of students who have 504 Plans-period-it’s the law. My opinion does not matter-only the physician’s direction and what we agree is the best solution to meeting the health needs of my child. Each allergy is different along with the various ages and stages of students. I know students who are airborne peanut allergic and one who was hospitalized from a fellow student simply opened up a bag of peanut M&Ms candy. Some students, require allergen free classrooms only, but allergens are fine in the cafeteria. I’ve seen some students just fine with allergens in the classroom but not the cafeteria and some so allergic neither will work! It’s not up to me to decide what is best for a student, only a physician’s direction can advise schools on protocol.
No Image courtesy of Stuart Miles via Freedigitalphotos.net
NO Guarantees…only awareness
I used to believe that everyone knew that NO ONE can GUARANTEE an allergen free environment. Nope. I was wrong. So many people do believe when you use the word ban that the environment is magically clean from an allergen. I witnessed this when a friend said her son fully believed that his class room was nut free due to the sign on the door. Therefore, I do agree a false sense of security can develop. My school district uses signs to ask students to not bring in allergens if that is what is required in a student’s 504 plan. They also use the term “Nut Aware Classroom” instead of nut free so that nut allergic students don’t feel a false sense of security. The bottom line is that allergic students need to self manage as much as possible based on their age and developmental stage and our district wants the nut allergic students to remain vigilant–their lives depend on it.
Image courtesy of Imagery Majestic via Freedigitalphotos.net
Risk Reduction
The purpose of bans and other policy is to reduce risk. I strongly believe that we need to take off our passionate mom hats and pop on the business woman chapeau. From a business standpoint, to avoid a costly health event it is in the best interest of all parties involved. Therefore, by reducing the odds of exposure is prudent. We are talking reducing risk based on a medical and scientific fact. I’m actually shocked at how many schools haven’t blindly leaped on the ban wagon (couldn’t resist that pun-sorry). Cross contact is the risk we all want to reduce. My son hates this story, but it needs to be told: he have himself an allergic reaction from touching an allergen and then picking his nose! He knew not to ingest the allergen, he was seven years old at the time, but he touched the allergen and was washing it out of his hair (it was hair gel containing sunflower seed oil) and the urge came in his nose and boom, it was done. Thankfully, I was watching and administered medication instantly and he only felt a throat itch. Let’s be honest, kids stick their fingers up their noses and in the mouths for years to come. Loose teeth need to be wiggled, food stuck between teeth must be freed and yes the nose, well you know what happens there. So, children touching a table top or chair with unseen allergens on it and then sticking their fingers in their mouth is not unreasonable.
This story in our local newspaper started many discussions!
Discussions, Cooperation and Compassion
I fully agree with the author that we need more discussions! The more we talk the more we educate. The more we educate the more we keep folks with life threatening allergies and anaphylaxis alive. I work with my kids to have discussions and to talk about their allergies. This is easier for little children but high school kids want to blend in, not stand out and starting the conversation with a cute girl is not as easy as it seems. The sad reality is that my son is 15 years old and folks who have know him all his life still don’t understand and therefore need rules to help them. This is very frustrating to me but it is our reality. My son’s school does not allow food in the classrooms so students keep the rooms clean and that students with allergies can stay focused on education and not allergens in the classroom. Eating takes place in the cafeteria where food allergic students can focus on managing food and allergens. These policies came about from discussions. I truly believe in the power of calm, medically and scientifically based conversation. It never ceases to amaze me that people still believe life threatening food allergies do not exist or are a choice. Actually, my son just dealt with this a few days ago.
note: Denied image used at top is courtesy of Stuart Miles via Freedigitalphotos.net
I believe we need more discussions and that we can’t make one size fits all statements about life threatening allergies and anaphylaxis. I have two questions for you:
1. Do you believe blanketed peanut or food allergen bans work?
2. How do you teach your child to get the discussion going about their food allergies and what they need?
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
I think this is so well stated! Allergies vary from one individual to another, both in the type and severity, so *each* student needs accommodations custom designed to their reactivity and age.
My favorite point: “My son’s school does not allow food in the classrooms so students keep the rooms clean and that students with allergies can stay focused on education and not allergens in the classroom.” I agree that we need to minimize, if not remove, food from the classroom so that students can be less vigilant about their surroundings and more focused on the task at hand- learning. Each child needs to feel safe in their classroom in order to learn, and the precautions we take should be in order to achieve that end.
Thanks for such a well thought out post, with emphasis on approaching a solution with more logic than emotion. Nicely done!
Thank you Tanya for your kind words. I’ve watched my son over the years focus on teachers eating granola bars or touching cookies and then touching homework. He would stay focused on the allergen and basically miss the lessons.
A friend’s son kept having allergic reactions in his classroom and they finally pinpointed it to a teacher eating peanuts while grading. Therefore, cross contact to paper exists. I truly hope that we all keep the conversation going!
Still boils down to awareness! Hope your day is grand!
You’ve talked a lot about kids advocating for themselves, which is great. If they are old enough to do that. What about the preschooler? My son is too young to advocate for himself, nor does he understand the seriousness of his allergy. I think peanut bans are ok, and probably a good thing for younger kids. I’m under no illusion, however, that this will protect my child, or that his teachers will be responsible with his food allergy needs.
I would feel better if schools would address food in general. We don’t need to have birthday parties at school, or celebrate every unimportant event with food. And perhaps we need to add “eating better generally” to our conversations about food allergies.
Thanks for joining the conversation! So true about preschool. There is no way a preschooler can consistently advocate for themselves. They can’t even remember to brush their teeth daily.
I agree whole heartedly about food in general. With diabetes, obesity and other diseases effected by food, why are schools even allowing food when there are so many other fabulous ways to celebrate. Now, I’m sounding like my grandmother, but cupcakes were for really special times and school celebrations never included food–we had parties, games, races, it was all great and included everyone.
Agreed, we need to add eating better generally to our conversations!
Have a great day
I also fully agree with age-appropriate precautions. People always say, “what will they do when they grow up and get a job?” I always want to say, “Let’s focus on making sure they DO grow up, thank you very much!”
Exactly!
Echoing your response to that comment. That happens to us almost on a weekly basis. I’ll remember that.
I completely agree that there will not be a solution that fits every situation. I do think food-free classrooms is close, though, unless the school has no cafeteria. If a cafeteria is available, I see no reason for food proteins, of any kind, to be in the classroom environment. I also, I might add, don’t like the idea of “classroom pets”, since my daughter is allergic to animal danders and has asthma. However, you can’t simply make a blanket statement for that, either.
I think the best solutions will come from considering a wide variety of allergens, and setting up contingency plans, for the various levels of allergy severity. (Perhaps they could draft protocols like “Stage 1 Allergy Precaution Level”, Stage 2, etc.) That way, they are prepared, in a general sense, for things, and can, of course, certainly make changes based on individual need.
Another option would be Air vs. Surface measures, since Air precaution may include things like no strong perfumes for a class with an asthmatic child, etc. Some might need both! I guess I’m thinking of modular approach.
Selena,
GREAT ideas! I like how you dive straight into solutions that can address the difference scenarios. Truly removing food from classrooms if possible, for many reasons-not just food allergies, is one viable concept in my mind.
I think you need to be penning a book on schools and allergies, eh?
As soon as my 6-pack of extra hours arrive from Amazon, I’ll get right on that…Strange, they’ve been on backorder for a very long time! 😉
I do thank you for the vote of confidence, though. 🙂
Can I order some of those too???
Order, yes, receive…TBD. 😉
Caroline,
Thanks so much for talking on this topic. I totally agree with you, there isn’t a one size fits all solution to this problem. For us {and i know it doesn’t work for everyone}, our boys are around their allergens often. Never in a threatening sort of way but to make something 100% allergen free is difficult and something that can rarely be accomplished to the fullest. There is always a chance that a label could be misread or another student could bring something in that the parent was unaware of. I want my boys prepared for the real world {or my parent’s house-HA!} We teach our boys that they can’t eat ANYTHING without permission. I don’t want them to get so comfortable that they begin to think that everything is safe and therefore eat first and ask later. Even at our house, granted most things ARE safe…but they don’t know that. But to the point that it really needs to be catered to the age of the child – I couldn’t agree more. My oldest has just started preschool and the teacher can’t keep her eye on him 100% of the time. I so wish we could just move all food out of the classroom. If the class wants to have a party or do an activity that involves food then they should move out of the class and into the cafeteria or another room. This is good for 2 reasons: 1. This way children can learn without fearing that their allergen is lurking in a dark corner. 2. Just the act of leaving the classroom and moving to another to participate in a “food” activity will hopefully remind the teacher of her food allergic children. Anyways, enough from me! Bottom line is 504s must be strictly followed and we need to read and re-read everything, we need to check and re-check everything and we need to educate and re-educate everyone to keep our kids and all the other food allergic children safe!
Lauren,
Thanks for sharing with us. I really enjoyed your solution. I like to see food moved to other areas as well not only for reasons of cleaning the room and managing allergens but so that those celebrations can be special! I miss the special feel of birthday and real class accomplishments. I also like that the physical movement reminds us of safety too. Educate and re-educate and then educate some more right?
Peanut-free areas are not recommended & those of use who can consume products which others are allergic to have a right to eat them (respectfully, of course). Food-free classrooms & culture changes regarding food as reward is imperative. Hand sanitizer is not as good as hand-washing. Teaching children to advocate for themselves is important -even a 4 year old can say ‘no, thank you’ when offered food -no reason for refusal of the food is necessary.
Groups like AAPE & your blog can give parents (and their food-allergic children) the tools needed to self-advocate or educate and empowerment to change the behaviors of schools & child care facilities.
Judie,
I really hope for a cultural change away from food as reward. Hand sanitizers are proven to not remove food proteins and I’m hearing backlash from physicians about over use of hand sanitizers too. Advocating is key and is sometimes a challenge for parents. I can you tell so many stores from parents of children, who don’t remember their first anaphyhylactic reaction since they were little ones and then sneaking candy only to end up in a ambulance racing to the hospital. There is just no easy answer! But you are right, groups, blogs and community talk all move us in the right direction.
As a parent of a child with a Peanut/Tree Nut LIFE THREATENING allergy. I have to respectfully disagree. Unfortunately people voice opinions who don’t always know all the facts. Even those writing articles inject “their opinion”–and everyone thinks that is the “only opinion”–and the power of the media certainly affects the response/action from the community and our culture. Just like with any medical, professional, or personal opinions–there are a lot out there.
It isn’t the “no thank you” its the “not knowing if it is safe or not”. Is it fair for a child to be left out/segregated while others eat and they can’t? We live in a social-eating culture, this is why this has caused so much debate. EVERYTHING we do has to revolve around food (that has to change, for many reasons–I agree). People don’t want to give up their “right” to consume food at every second of every day…and they don’t want to feel there are foods they don’t get to eat. Ugh–I’ll leave those comments for another time…..
Would you want to risk someone who really didn’t know (or care) to look for a life-threatening ingredient feed something to your child? Recently 2 children died because they ate something in a group setting that they DID NOT KNOW had peanuts in it. On one occasion, the person was told it “was” safe–they asked. Minutes later, he died. No one checked, the attitude was “it looks fine to me”….problem is, the kid didn’t know that they didn’t check–trusted a response like that, probably wanted to be “included” in the social eating. And, his life was taken because of it. He was 19!!!! So you think a 4 year old can navigate through that–I don’t think they can.
Although I certainly appreciate everyone’s “rights”…..is the right to consume food in a setting that could kill someone really necessary. When, the environment we are talking about is not directed at “food” (learning environments are for learning, not eating).
In addition, as a teacher of Psychology and Child Development–a 4 year old does not have the capacity to “advocate” and “discern” what is safe or not. Physically or developmentally, they do not have the skills to make those kinds of decisions. They also emotionally would feel “left out” “segregated” and “not part of the whole”–to have to watch others eat, navigate through dangerous territory (if a classroom is filled with allergens that could kill them), etc. This would be no different than putting them on the side of the road and asking them to get across the street by darting through cars. And–I don’t think any parent would do that.
Although there are certainly support groups out there who advocate and assist families who live with this life altering allergy, that does not replace nor negate the need for the environment to be safe for any/all children.
These life-threatening food allergies are covered under Disability, the schools are obligated to accommodate for them. Others (just like when the smoking debate was going on) should follow suit–whether the “have to” or not. We as a culture should be asking “what can we do to help” to make places safe for all people.
And, this is no different that being discriminated against for any other situation. There should be a safe learning and eating environment for all children/people. And, as adults we should ALL be helping the cause.
If you’d like to learn more about these, please refer to the weblinks below.
thank you
http://www.kcra.com/news/local-news/news-sacramento/parents-of-girl-who-died-of-peanut-allergy-reaction-speak-out/-/12969376/21686610/-/5dla0yz/-/index.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/teen-dies-from-cookie-with-peanut-oil-18717704
http://www.suntimes.com/2966858-417/reaction-according-allergic-allergy-examiner.html
Kenya, thank you very much for the sharing the links about Natalie and Cameron with everyone as a reminder of the serious nature of life threatening food allergies. I also appreciated your comments as a professional in the world of Psychology and Child Development. We started teaching my son at age three about advocating for himself but he was never expected to be “successful”. This was a huge problem at my daughter’s preschool years ago, when the school felt it was reasonable for a 4 year old to eat, play and learn in the same room with nut eating children. My child could not even identify what a cashew looked like since she was diagnosed at age 3.5.
I do have a question about rights. How does one determine the whose rights out weigh other’s rights? I’m just curious to be honest. When I look at the smoking issue: one side says, I have a right to smoke and the other side says I have a right to clean air. Therefore, if law tells us we can not harm others then am I safely making the assumption that smoking or eating a food that could cross contaminate an environment that would harm a person is violating my rights to a safe environment. Clearly, when determining a safe environment, age types of foods being eaten, etc need to be taken into consideration. For example, my son can’t walk into Texas Roadhouse due to the peanut shells on the ground, but can be in his school lunchroom where kids are eating PB&J. He is 15 and the nut eating kids know to eat at other tables and to clean up after themselves.
Agreed, we are in need of a cultural shift regarding food and a great understanding that life threatening food allergies are a disability and must be addressed appropriately.
Thanks for joining the conversation!
Beautifully written! I couldn’t agree more! Thank you Kenya
Joy, I loved Kenya’s comment so much that I asked her write a post for us in the future. I can’t wait for her article!