Last year, Joel Stein didn’t believe in the increase in food allergies. Now he does, but he doesn’t think it’s necessary to restrict nut products from his home, and says he won’t send his child to a nut free school.  Maybe I’m reading between the lines but is he saying that we’re going overboard if we do choose to protect our child in these ways?

This reminds me of when I was a perfect parent before I ever had a child.   I didn’t get it.  And I’ll confess that after my son was first diagnosed, I was still eating protein bars with nuts in our home until my son’s face blew up and was covered with hives after I kissed him. The only thing worse than worrying if a reaction will progress to anaphylaxis is knowing that you caused that reaction.

 
I agree that keeping nuts or peanuts in the home is probably pretty simple with a one year old.   These are the easy years.  They eat what you give them.  Period. When you have a two or three year old who can scale counter tops and open the refrigerator while you’re in the shower, you may think twice about its contents.

School is a whole other can of worms. Young children are tactile, they’re oral, and they’re socialized to share.   If the thought of 20 to 30 of them in a classroom with peanut butter on their hands doesn’t give one pause, then, as my teenager would say “You’re a newbie.”

 
There is a reason why so many parents want a nut free classroom and there is a reason why teachers and school administrators agree to this accommodation.  Kids sneak food, trade food, cross-contaminate the classroom, and after a child has had an allergic reaction or two, yes, they can be anxious around food.  And while most contact reactions are not life-threatening, once any reaction starts there is no way to predict its course. 

Still, we know that parents have different comfort levels and kids have different maturity levels and sensitivity to their allergens.  Surely, we’re all trying to make the best decisions for our kids.

 
As for Joel Stein, I’d be willing to bet my subscription to Time that when his son is ready for school, he will attend a nut-free one.  Hopefully by then, Joel will have become an informed advocate for his son and for our cause.  Joel, if you’re reading this, we’d love to have you join us at a FAAN walk or at one of the lovely Food Allergy Initiative fundraisers.  And I promise, we won’t make you eat crow!