topic Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts in Community Spirit

School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

patchoo78 — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:39:45 GMT

PARENTS are in revolt over school lunchbox restrictions with four out of five complaining schools are overly concerned about food bought to school and one in three objecting to the banning of nuts.

Even the Allergy and Anaphylaxis Association says school-wide bans on nuts in lunchboxes aren't effective and the president of the Primary Principals Association Norm Hart says they are ''wrong'' and can't be enforced.

However Marita Ishac, the mother of seven-year-old Stephanie who suffers from a severe allergy to pistachio nuts, says nuts should be banned.

''The reaction comes on so quickly it's scary,'' she said.

''They should be more sensitive. If they want their kids to have nuts serve them at home,'' she said.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/health-fitness/school-lunchbox-bans-driving-parents-nuts/story-fni0diab-1226640620065

Does anyone here have any kids/grandies with allergies?

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

azureline** — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:54:21 GMT

None of ours are allergic to nuts but one goes to a school that has banned them. It does make things difficult as that child has a limited diet and peanut butter is the only thing he actually likes.

I think that as much as I believe all children should be able to attend school safely, more attention could be paid to restricting access to food, to the affected child. Separate eating at morning tea and lunch?

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

karliandjacko — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:55:33 GMT

No and I don't agree with food bans.

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

catsnknots — Mon, 13 May 2013 02:56:02 GMT

My son went to a school that had a child that had nut allergies...

all the teachers were educated on how to use the epipen and the child was well educated on her responsibilities. No need for a nut ban...

Children should be encouraged to wash their hands before and after eating... that would do wonders...

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

jonnjenn — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:08:59 GMT

I recently discovered how yummy pistachios are.

I googled out of curiosity and saw they are culinary rather than botanical nuts-

mango is in the same family.

The question is are pistachios as dangerous as true nuts as far as Anaphylaxis goes.?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistachio

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

punch*drunk — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:09:06 GMT

There is a child in my daughters class with a nut allergy. They are taught to eat anything with nuts away from said child and wash their hands and table after eating.

I dont like the idea of banning foods, it doesnt teach the child with allergies to be careful, nor does it teach the non allergic kids to be considerate.

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

daydream**believer — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:11:05 GMT

My son has a severe allergy to cashews and egg whites.

I dont agree with banning them.

My son has been taught to manage his allergy. He knows not to share food and so he doesnt.

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

katydidthat — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:13:33 GMT

Patchoo, I gave my son his first peanut butter sandwich when he was one year old. After one bit, he vomited and then immediately came up with large white blotches all over his body.

I took him to be tested for a PB allergy and he tested negative to antibodies, but scored 7 or 8 out of 10 on a patch test. The advice I got from the medical profession was "keep him away from nuts". I had to do the research myself.

For a decade I religiously read each and every label. Most of the time, my son couldn't eat store bought ice cream, chocolate (bless you Mr Kinnerton and Lindt), cakes, many lollies, processed foods, curries, biscuits, and so many other things.

When someone is allergic to peanuts, they usually can't eat other nut because nuts are generally stored in a large warehouse with peanuts, so all nuts may contain traces of peanuts.

I provided a range of schools with epipens, antihistamines, links to videos about how to use epipens. I had to have three epipens current at a time. One for my handbag, one for school, one for childcare. At the time, they cost $100 each.

Now, he seems to have grown out of his allergy, but it was awful to have to worry so much about him ... just a smear of PB on another kid's hands touching my son's hands and him touching his mouth ...

Someone who has anaphylaxis and ingests an allergen will have their tongue swell up and their airways stopped. If not treated, the chances of death are high.

The consequences can be so awful ... not only for the child and family, but for all the school kids, staff ... and their families. Especially the person who had the PB.

So, to my mind it's easier to ban nut products and reduce the risks. And the worry.

We restrict people going to school with knives, or other dangerous things, we restrict kids wearing most jewellery items ... PB can be just as dangerous.

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

daydream**believer — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:13:38 GMT

I recently discovered how yummy pistachios are.

I googled out of curiosity and saw they are culinary rather than botanical nuts-

mango is in the same family.

The question is are pistachios as dangerous as true nuts as far as Anaphylaxis goes.?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistachio

i dont know about pistachios, but my son is allergic to cashews yet is able to eat peanuts.

Nut info is here

http://allergies.about.com/od/nutallergy/a/Tree-Nut-Allergy.htm

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

chuk_77 — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:15:54 GMT

our school is egg and nut aware.

Cant even have egg cartons in our service

we do alright using egg replacer in our cooking activities but the kids miss out on some great crafts coz we cant use the egg cartons

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

patchoo78 — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:20:53 GMT

There is a child in my daughters class with a nut allergy. They are taught to eat anything with nuts away from said child and wash their hands and table after eating.

I dont like the idea of banning foods, it doesnt teach the child with allergies to be careful, nor does it teach the non allergic kids to be considerate.

That's what I think.. It can't be that difficult to teach kids not to each food that isn't theirs, wash hands after eating (common sense really)

It's getting so extreme I think that we will soon be seeing schools that are only for kids with allergies..

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

patchoo78 — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:25:20 GMT

our school is egg and nut aware.

Cant even have egg cartons in our service

we do alright using egg replacer in our cooking activities but the kids miss out on some great crafts coz we cant use the egg cartons

My cousin has an allergy to the proteins in eggs. She can't even have certain wines as some are filtered through egg shells..

I also think that some people are confusing intolerance to allergy...

Also, food allergies/intolerances can come on suddenly.. A friend of mine was bitten by a tick then all of a sudden had an allergic reaction to something he ate.. Now he can't have anything that comes from a mammal or he has a reaction.. At least he can still have chicken and fish

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

daydream**believer — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:29:52 GMT

For the record, i was helpless when my son had his first anaphylactic reaction after having one cashew while we were away on holidays.

It was terrifying.

It happened so quickly.

His tongue and lips started to swell almost immediately. His breathing became raspy and horrible itchy welts broke out all over his body. He was ripping at his skin to ease the itching.

He had to have 3 adrenaline shots to calm it down.

It was horrible.

But, he has to learn how to look after his allergy. The world cannot ban nuts and eggs to cater to him.

His school does cooking and he pays attention to what is in the ingredients and if it has eggs, he doesnt eat it.

At parties, if he is not sure of the food, he doesnt eat it.

He had his first reaction at age 3 and he is now 9 and has never had one since.

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

shhh_its_me — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:38:00 GMT

My daughter is allergic to grass. Her allergy has developed rapidly and she is affected by not only touching it but by breathing near cut grass etcSui think schools should ban grass. Uh huh.

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

id-to-post-anything — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:00:19 GMT

I definitely understand why people want certain foods bannned, but I have a serious question and that is, where do you draw the line?

so, one kid is allergic to nuts

another to eggs

a third, as in my childs school, oranges

a fourth, all dairy products

so, do we ban every single one of these?

Its not an easy question.

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

kitty-kat1234 — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:26:46 GMT

Hi,my eldest has food allergies that started at approx 12mths.

When in primary school (who were aware as was his class mates) a boy tried to put a peanut paste sandwich in his mouth,thought it was funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So i wrote an open letter to all parents,asking they they please be aware of what was put in lunch boxes.

1 mother came up to me & said "my child will only eat peanut paste sandwiches for lunch"

So i said then can your child please be aware that:

Your child cannot not share any pens etc with my child,washes hands straight after eating & before using the drink fountain.

Does not sit next to my child when eating lunch.

Does not share food with my child

etc,etc

When my son has a reaction he:looses control of his bowel,his throat etc swell,his lips crack & bleed,his eyes water,he turns a deep red & has welts over his body,he shakes & scratches till he bleeds etc......

Not nice to see at all for me let alone another child,it all happens very quickly.

You see it also has to do with cross contamination,putting pens in mouth after eating than giving to my son to use.

In the end what my son "could" eat from the supermarket was so little i baked n baked n baked.

Still do,all cakes,slices,sauage rolls etc.......

My son is now old enough to moniter what he eats,has been for quite awhile & if he cannot trust any food he simply does not eat it.

Its a very hard thing but in the end my sons safety comes first not someone missing out on a peanut sandwich.

Ban them from schools,prob not but educate people/children how dangerous it can be...yes!

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

kitty-kat1234 — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:28:43 GMT

ID TO POST ANYTHING

Not all children are contact allergic some are only it they eat the certain food.

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

id-to-post-anything — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:33:27 GMT

kitty-kat, the examples i gave are from people who are contact allergic.

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

katydidthat — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:52:56 GMT

DDB ... But, he has to learn how to look after his allergy. The world cannot ban nuts and eggs to cater to him.

There is only so much a young child can do ... sure, they can refuse to eat food, sure they can wash their own hands. But they cannot control their environment completely. Nor can they control what other people/kids do with their hands, pens, rulers, pencil cases, whatever.

I have been so pleased to see companies making products without nuts (or gluten, or eggs, or other things) recently ...

If your son has not had another reaction, it may be that he has grown out of the allergy as it appears my son did.

Kitty, I looked on the bright side of my son's allergy to peanuts, and mine to margarine ... both of them made us eat healthier 🙂

Re: School lunchbox bans driving parents nuts

daydream**believer — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:00:48 GMT

he hasnt grown out of the cashew allergy, but the egg white one has lessened a bit. He still has a bad reaction, swollen tongue and lips and gets a rash.