Peanut allergy in Florida

[slsh]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/1...-stands-tough-new-peanut-allergy-regulations/

Seriously - I think my husband is trying to make me stroke out. After *all* the garbage we've (scratch that, cuz he wasn't at the fun-filled mtgs) gone thru over the years with- our 2 sped kids, he hit me with this story last night, *agreeing* with- the complaining parents.

Too bad, they have to wash their hands. Probably not a bad thing for all first graders regardless. I try to have empathy for the clueless parent who said that if his kid had a problem, he wouldn't expect everyone to "change their lives" (washing hands is changing lives????). Except you can be darn sure if his kid breaks a leg, he will expect accommodations. He should try getting a kid in a wheelchair in a public school (or public building) - I guarantee you, he will expect folks to "change their lives", i.e. making aisles wide enough to get through, doorways wide enough to get thru, etc.

Needless to say, things got rather heated here in the slsh home last night as my *ridiculous* husband tried to convince me that these accommodations were excessive. I finally told him that I had obviously done him a huge disservice and contributed to his ongoing ignorance by not insisting he attend more IEP mtgs where we discussed the sorry state of FAPE in LRE. It's not FAPE in LRE when it's convenient and easy. GRRRRRR!!

 

[Josie]

I read this article and had the same reaction as you. How hard is it to get the kids to wash their hands? What about teaching a little bit of kindness and compassion for the child with the peanut allergy?

My kids were lucky enough to go to a small private school that taught tolerance, kindness, and respect for others. When B was in 1st Grade, there was a child with a peanut allergy. Hers was not as bad as the FL child, but she did have to sit at a different table from someone eating peanuts. The *children* in that class decided they would not bring peanuts to school to "support her" and so she could sit wherever she wanted.

I am glad you posted this. I read those comments and couldn't believe there wasn't a single person supporting the child.

I will say that if my child had a peanut allergy that might kill her if someone made a mistake, I would not trust the public school to handle it well and would make other arrangements. But that might not be realistic for this family and I support their desire to have thier child have as normal a life as possible.

 

[AnnieO]

I stand somewhere in the middle on this one... I can see asking the parents to make sure the kids don't bring peanut anything to school. And kids need to wash hands anyway, so this is good training.

It's the mouth rinsing that's got me on this. And the peanut-sniffing dog.

Honestly, I am all for making reasonable accomodations for those who need them. When I was in HS, there was a girl who required accomodations. She and her parents did everything they could to make everyone else's lives easier - and in return, we helped Angie out whenever she needed. I can't remember exactly what the handicap was (20+ years ago). FAPE was enacted the year I graduated HS, so it wasn't required the school help out at all.

But some of these go beyond reasonable. And I would suspect that, if the allergy is bad enough to be life-threatening, there might be other things that can be done.

Still... I do feel for the young lady and her parents. They're doing everything they can to make sure she's safe... For now.

And I'm glad my kids don't have any major allergies like this...

 

[Josie]

It has been changed to the children wiping their mouths with a cloth and the dog was there during Spring Break.

The kids can still bring peanut butter to school.

 

[AnnieO]

That's ***much*** more reasonable.

Still, what's with the dog? If there are only two classrooms affected, why would they need a dog to sniff elsewhere?

 

[slsh]

They had a pediatrician on the Today Show who brought up the excellent point that an opportunity to teach the kids empathy, compassion, tolerance, and a sense of community is being missed. This is why I'm so vehemently for inclusion. By segregating students with disabilities, we are perpetuating yet another generation of stares, rude comments, and intolerance. I'm really just appalled at the response of the other students' parents. They're bullying a 6-year-old because their kids have to wash their hands? It's simply outrageous.

 

[HaoZi]

That's ***much*** more reasonable.

Still, what's with the dog? If there are only two classrooms affected, why would they need a dog to sniff elsewhere?

Because if it's severe enough to be life-threatening any airborne peanut/tree nut particles could easily affect her, not just those in her classroom or the lunchroom.

We had a kid like this at Kiddo's school. Peanut butter was okay, but we were asked not to send peanuts as snacks, there were signs up on the doors that it was a peanut-free zone due to allergies, etc. I don't know if anyone complained about it (kid was two years ahead of mine, so she didn't lunch with him), but it all seemed reasonable to me.

 

[shellyd67]

I watched the Today Show interview also and the Pediatrician did hit the head on the nail. These kids need to show empathy and compassion ! How sad ....

 

[AnnieO]

Empathy & compassion are good. I get annoyed when people (like mother in law) make fun of or harass Jett because he's a bit behind.

No - I was wondering why the dog if peanut butter is allowed? And if the school is a peanut-free zone... Why allow peanut butter? because it sticks together? (In my experience, it gets all over everything.)

Since I've never really been around people with allergies like this, I don't understand - maybe this is why I see it the way I do. In a confused, twisted-up way.

 

[Josie]

I watched the Today Show interview also and the Pediatrician did hit the head on the nail. These kids need to show empathy and compassion ! How sad ....

I didn't see the show, but the worst part is that it is the parents that need to show compassion. The kids might still need to learn it, but how will they when their parents are outraged that their child has to be inconvenienced and wash their hands twice a day?

 

[AnnieO]

the parents that need to show compassion. The kids might still need to learn it, but how will they when their parents are outraged

I would agree with this 10,000,000%. Kids learn from their parents, period. And many of the parents weren't taught - because it might damage their egos.

Not all people in my generation (X) and the next couple are like this, but it seems to have gotten worse as time goes on.

 

[shellyd67]

Hope I agree 100%.. I failed to post that but sure do realize kids learn by example ...

 

[donna723]

It may have sounded excessive to me too in the past, but that was before my (then) 18 month old grandson ended up in the Emergency Room after nibbling a fast food french fry that had been cooked in peanut oil! There are so many kids now with peanut allergies that most day cares and elementary schools already take a lot of precautions. My daughter is a nurse and of course, at his age, they never gave Ethan any kind of nuts, especially peanuts, but it never occurred to them to ask if restaurant foods had been cooked in peanut oil. He chewed on about a third of a small french fry from their (former) favorite hamburger place and his whole face started to swell up! So now, they have to read every label in the grocery store, ask before ordering in every restaurant. Most restaurants do not use peanut oil at all anymore, but this one hamburger chain still does.

And Ethan's problem is not nearly as severe as some other kids' are. It can be deadly to a child with a severe allergy. I would have no problem with declaring all day cares and schools to be "peanut-free" zones. Ethan is still only two years old but it worries me about when he starts school, knowing how kids are, trading lunches, etc. A "peanut sniffing dog" does sound a little excessive though, especially if they do allow other children to bring food containing peanut butter to school!

 

[HaoZi]

It's kind of like that with fish/shellfish allergies, too. If fish have been cooked in the oil and someone allergic to it gets fries cooked in that oil after, they can have an allergic reaction.
At the school here, though the kids were allowed to bring peanut butter sandwiches, they couldn't sit at the same lunch table as the kid with the allergy, only kids without peanut butter in their lunches could sit with him. A lot of products are also made in the same factories that peanuts are processed in, and all it takes is some minimal contamination on another product line to kill someone, which is why you see the "This product is made in the same facility that processes peanuts" warnings on stuff.

 

[svengandhi]

I have no problem with the kids washing their hands after lunch, especially since they're allowed to bring pb in to the school, and it's a good idea to wash up anyway. Even the mouth wiping seems like a good idea for the littler kids.

When my youngest son was in K, there was a boy with a peanut allergy. We were all asked not to send PB or any nut products to school. The boy was the worst bully in the grade, a truly horrible child. In second grade, my son, who had been bullied so badly by this kid that he dropped out of every organized sport in town, was caught sneaking a pbj sandwich into school. daughter had made it for her own lunch and baby boy stole it. He quickly confessed that he wanted to throw in the allergic bully's face and make him die! Another boy was caught trying to drop peanuts in the boy's backpack and a girl bought in pb girl scout cookies and tried to put them in his coat pocket as it hung in the closet. THere were more incidents but the three I mentioned I know happened. ALL of these kids, my own ncluded, are PCs, nice kids who had no concept that they could KILL this kid - all they knew was that he was a bully and they hated him and they knew he has a PB allergy.

My daughter, on the other hand, is the PB princess. She's planning to be a sped teacher and fully understands that she may have to keep her PB fetish at home.

 

[tiredmommy]

Duckie doesn't have a peanut allergy, but she is at risk for anaphalaxsis. And I can tell you that it takes an act of faith to send a highly allergic child out the door each day. The parents that are outraged ought to be shown a slide show of children in varying stages of anaphalaxsis... they just may change their tune.