The Great Peanut Debate

I agree with everything you say Gina, just want to add that the restriction of peanuts and nuts needs to be carried through to Jr. High and H.S. Our children are developing the skills needed up into their 20's, learning life skills, and learning independence.

Many of our children have other disabilities along with LTFA, and also need the opportunity to reduce as many issues as possible. Especially as teenagers (when the chemical changes in the brain affect decision making of the LTFA teen and non FA teens prone to bullying and peer pressure) we should not place a child in that environment.

Safety should be consistent. Our children have enough issues to practice self-advocacy without worrying about it at school. Our children need the opportunity to focus on learning. 

School leadership that supports this sends a strong message to the community that keeping our kids safe, empathizing as a community and supporting the cause should never end. It should be part of all our children's experience learning good citizenship and responsibility for others. Our kids will soon be adults, and we are in charge of pioneering the world's understanding and empathy.

I agree with this article in a lot of ways.  As our children get older, they will need to do some of the things to protect themselves from having a reaction.  Our teaching and help in this area is needed to develop the responsibility in them to know that not everyone is going to think about them and their allergy first before they do something.  To require peanut free zones in public school in middle school is a stretch.  Those children are capable of carrying their own wipes and thinking about what is needed to protect themselves from an allergic reaction.  We cannot as parents think that saddling every caregiver till they are an adult with our children's food allergy responsibility can be met with anything but frustration. When the children are young and more susceptible to do things irresponsibly, we must require more precautionary measures by schools, daycares, and other caregivers.  However, as the child matures, they must also be aware that the world is not going to cater to their food allergy and prevent them from having a reaction.  I am not saying that the attitudes of school administrators do not need to be changed, but the other children have rights as well.  The work place is not going to be a peanut free zone.  There must be a time when they take the responsibility themselves.

Recently my child's middle school decided to ban all peanut/nuts. The administration have touted the "success" of this program. What they don't see are the students who eat their pbj sandwiches out of their lockers or in the bathrooms. Other students hide them in their laps & eat them when no adult is looking. Others just eat items with nuts when/where ever they choose.

Bans don't work. Never have, probably never will. Prohibition is a great example of this as is our "war on drugs". Perhaps a better way to handle food allergies is education and personal responsibility.

When I hear parents complain that elementary school children with allergies need to "live in the real" world and "just deal with it" because teh parents want to bring in a classroom party snack that is unsafe, it makes me laugh a little. In the real world, does work come to a halt when Mommy shows up at the office with tray full of cupcakes to celebrate your birthday?

Great article. I agree with you!