evryone who's wondering what they would do if they couldn't send PJs imagine if your child couldn't eat them. My oldest grew up on pjs.....my youngest she gets cheated and me too...lol... It's the easiest lunch out there.

Doug, I didn't know either that cashews were related to poison ivy. Have seen the trees...the nut is actually the connecting point between the tree limb and a colorful fruit...shaped like a pepper but smaller.

I have one son who wouldn't know what to do without his peanut butter sandwiches. He's picky and its the only sandwich he likes. He doesn't even like jelly on it!!!

I'm not really cool on the "one kid has a problem so the rest of the 500 students have to conform" thing they do these days... I guess I'm old fashioned, I just feel if my kid has a problem, its my job to accomodate it...not everybody else's.

I do feel for children who cannot eat certain things. My son had a very hard time on his diet...I did not realize how hard it was for him until I decided to stop the diet....only then did I realize the stress it was on him to not get to have much of the foods others were eating. (Not eating preservatives or acids is a VERY restrictive diet!!!!)

I guess he was on the diet about a year, year and a half...it made me really appreciate and understand parents who deal with restrictive diets with their children.

Give him peanut butter at home, maybe???

My daughter is severely allergic to peanuts. Not airborn. But if she EATS peanuts it might 'cause anaphylaxis. I absolutely cannot stand the mothers at her kindy that send their kids along with peanut butter sandwiches or nut bars etc. At 4yrs of age, the little ones can't be responsible for everything they put in their mouths. It's an incredibly easy thing to do, to not put peanut items in your childs lunch box. And if your school IS nut free, for the poor other kids who just want a normal schooling like all the other kids without their being a chance of DEATH, I don't think it's too much to ask... And if you're child has to sit alone for lunch because YOU gave him a pb sandwich, then that's your fault. Give them their peanuts for an afterschool treat.

That nurse sounds great. I hope my little girl has one that naggy at her school when she starts....

Hope that doesn't sound catty... I just live and breathe this daily and it's a sensitive and quite scary topic for me..

.....

Bel-Anne...As someone who has dealt with this allergy for 10 years......It will get better for you. By the time my child was in Kindergarten I had taught her not to eat anything that her friends had in there lunch boxes "just in case" and it gets even easier when they can read the ingredients. I do believe one of my daughters first sentences were...This may contain peanuts Anyway I would never expect for 500 kids to conform their behavior for my daughter, but I do direct my daughters behavior to watch out for the dangers. Again...it WILL get better.

I'm glad the school takes it seriously though. My youngest daughter was allergic to milk for the longest time, and her school wouldnt allow her to have an apple juice or orange juice from breakfast. No one told me this for a few days, and then I started sending juice to school with her everyday so she'd have something to drink. My oldest daughter had a stomach bug and her dr said no milk for 2 weeks, sent a dr note to school, same thing. Had to send something in everyday.

With one of my three kids having the peanut allergy, and the other two completely food allergy-free, I understand both sides of this sensitive topic.

Jonahsmom, at our elementary they take all the food allergy kids and make them sit at one round table in the cafeteria. Recently they gave them a second table so they weren't so squashed together.

On the first day of first grade, I told my daughter to be sure she didn't touch anyone else's lunch and just eat her own. That day at lunchtime, she was gently told by her teacher to get up from the regular table in the caf where her class was eating, and go sit at the nut-free table. She was shy to begin with, but got up to sit with 8 others she didn't even know except one. Schools see food-allergies as a liability, and their policy supersedes my parental guidance. They don't want to get sued if something happens, so there is a caution that is followed. However, these kids will never get to sit with their friends on ANY day. At least at your son's school, a non-allergy kid can bring a PBJ one day and sit at the separate table, the next day he can bring a tuna sandwich and sit with his friends again.

There are plenty of other foods that both allergy and non-allergy kids can eat for lunch. Yogurt, fruit, pepperoni slices and cracker sandwiches, Sunbutter (like PB but made form sunflower seeds and quite tasty!), applesauce in little squeezable bags with twist-off tops...

I LOVE PB and ate it every day when pregnant with #1, but I don't see that it's the end of the world if some kid can't bring a PB sandwich.

Since we're rambling anyway...whats WITH all these alleriges lately? When I was a kid nobody was allergic to anything. Well okay I had asthma but still.....Nowadays...I mean really...my oldest son has terrible seasonal allergies, my third child has autoimmune hives.... and peanut allergies and milk allergies are totally everywhere, along with celiac disease and other diet restricting problems. All my kids had reflux as babies and two of them had prolonged stomach acid problems.

Crazy huh. I think this calls for a piece of cake. haha.

My son is on a GFCF diet so he can't eat ANYTHING that comes from the school or that the other kids bring. Even with his special diet, I have the right to request that the school make him a hot meal for lunch every day, but I don't do that. I send his lunch every day and I am absolutely happy to do it. Trying to come up with something that is simple, quick, GFCF and that doesn't cost an arm and a leg is tough. PBJ sandwiches (with special EVERYTHING) is about the only way to accomplish it. Since he is autistic, changes bug him out. I'm gonna pick my battles. If sending his PBJ every day, sliced diagonally (NO other way or I get a call from a crying child) keeps him able to focus on actual school work, I'm gonna do it.

Even when he was 4 yrs old and playing on the playground with other kiddos he knew his diet was special and he couldn't have whatever candy they were offering him. Doesn't even accept a candy cane from Santa Claus!

I'm glad that little girl's parents taught her as well as we've taught my son. And the nurse definitely was NOT naggy...I'm glad she called (although it would've been nice to know ahead of time)! I was just worried that the nurse was going to give her something that *could* have trace amounts and I was afraid the girl was going to get hurt!

My son was really good about not eating anything he wasn't supposed to eat too...even at age 3.... he knew he didn't want to be itchy so he was careful. Its amazing how smart little ones can be.

Of course my daughter knows she can't eat anyone elses food... and knows what she's allergic to (eggs and raw potatoes, too). But she is an incredibly airy fairy flighty little thing.. and can forget in a matter of moments. Especially if what she's being offered is covered in chocolate! She's smart - but she's 4. And four year olds.. are just not that responisble, nor should they be treated as such.

I understand it will get easier.. and I can't wait for it to. Perhaps in older levels I could totally understand if they let the kids bring peanut butter.. but for ALL the younger grades, I think they should be banned. It just takes one second, one wrong decision, one bite... and that could be it.

I feel for you son who is gluten intolerant/allergic, but you can't die from it. And in a court of law, if you sent your son to school with a peanut sandwich and one of his classmates had a bite (or whatever), they were allergic and happened to die from it. You'd be in a hell of a lot of trouble... It's all about weighing up the risks and realising what could potentially be the MOST harmful for all the children in any given situation. If there were children who were allergic to bread (or anything) and could potentially die, I'd have no qualms in figuring something else out...

Kitagrl
....I agree about so many allergies. My daughter is allergic to peanuts, milk, apple juice.....and a long list of odd things like most of the sunscreens on the market(and she's a red head) If she uses the wrong sunscreen she will be super ed with welps in a matter of a few minutes and then it looks like I let her out in the sun with no protection. My daughter hads known since she was little that she had to ask what was in things. I had a parent of one of her friend call me when she spent the night because she thought my daughter was lying b/c she had fixed P&J's my daughter told her she was allergic, then gave her milk...again allergic, then gave her apple juice...again allergic. Then she asks my daughter what she could drink that was in the fridge and my daughter said Pepsi. The parent thought she had said all of that just to get Pepsi. But My daughter told her to call me if she didn't believe her

uggh. double post

I meant in a 'nut free' school. Then you definitely would. Parents could sue... I mean absolute no disrespect to anyone by my opinions. But I just urge you guys to have compassion and put in a little more effort for those kids who aren't so fortunate...

First off.. you guys are talking about PBJ.. I know.. but.. then you take someone like me who is allergic to GARLIC. YUP !!! can you say that SUCKS !!!! tiny amount= queasy... small amounts= projectile vomiting, hives, fever.. large amounts.. well I keep from eating those quantities...since i have this annoying habit of liking to breath. (try eating as a kid/adult with that allergy..no pizza, pasta, pizza rolls/bagel, garlic bread, ALMOST anything italian, NO seasoning additives at all the list is endless.

Despite my allergy I worked in an italian restaurant!! I just didnt eat anything!!

As far as allergies, the most common cause of allergies is keeping our kids TOO clean. When children are outside playing in the dirt they are getting immunizations. Walking barefoot, rubbing those grubby little hands or fingers across their noses etc.. is the best way to immunize them. there are SO many immunities contained in soil. Most people allergic to bees is caused by this too. Bee droppings, residue, pollens are in large quanties in the soil, air, on their outside toys etc.


I worked in a microbiology lab, and on a dairy farm to pay for college, and have seen, done, and participated in studies on this topic because i have allergies to a number of things and wanted some answers.

An egg sandwich may be cheap, but I'd never send one with my grandson.

At the latest it would be made at 6:30, then left unrefrigerated until at least 11:30. That's a minimum of 5 hours .

Food poisoning is no more fun than an allergic reaction.

Remember the good old days when everyone brought peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. Sometimes they even served at school.Just one more reason why the good old days were really good (and simple)

It's not the matter of just an 'allergic reaction'.. It's a matter of an 'anaphylactic reaction'. It's like comparing a cold to cancer... Anyway, I won't write anymore... But education on this topic really is needed in all communities. You can always put a 'frozen brick' in your kids lunch box (which could also be a 'cold bag') then it's kept at the right temp for any sandwich filling..

Mrs-A you should try peanut butter with jam, it's so good your missing out. Being Aussie I too love vegimite.

Oh wow. I'm sooooo disappointed with the view of so many on this topic. Doug was completely right in his assessment of the nurse. We have the same at our schools. I know one of my friend's daughters is allergic to nuts - but only if there are actual nut products in the food. If there were trace amounts from other foods, she wouldn't react.

At my neice's Kindy last year there was a boy with a severe, life threatening allergy. If a child had peanut butter for breakfast and touched him it could cause a reaction. The strategy was that everyone was involved in prevention. The kids were taught to wash their hands and face when they arrived and after eating and he was taught to not take food from anyone else. They also had a blanket no nut rule which included no cakes for birthdays.

I was horrified when I heard how verbally aggressive some parents had been to the teacher because they weren't allowed to bring cakes and they even suggested that he just not be allowed to partake in the celebration. The child was 4. I can't believe that any parent would actually want a child excluded from their peers so that their child could have cake. Teaching the children to all manage it together is teaching the children to have common courtesy and not to be selfish in life.

I look at it too from my perspective as a parent. I would be devastated if my son was continually excluded because of an allergy he had no control over. He suddenly has a neon sign over his head and it seems to me like there are too many parents happy to say it's okay to exclude him just so you can have this one food.

I also look at it from the perspective of what if me absolutely having to make my point and send that peanut butter sandwich was the thing that killed another child. Would I force MY child to have to live with the guilt of the food he took as being the thing that killed another when I could have so easily given him something else.

It's a food. For goodness sake, you can still serve it as much as you want at home just be respectful of those that have a life threatening allery to it and don't send it to a school environment if you know someone is allergic.

Oh, and as to home schooling. Are you seriously saying that a child should be removed from building social relationships and social bonds just so that another kid can take a peanut butter sandwich to school? It is terrifying I am sure for those parents to have to send their kids to school but they have to teach them how to exist in the world around them. I think it is probably more terrifying to see the number of people out there who are so unwilling to modify their behaviour when it is life threatening to another. Then we all throw our hands up and ask how the world is becoming so selfish!

You know, I can understand, sympathize, agree and disagree with every post on here. My question is this...
Since when did all of our kids become alergic to ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING?!?!? I'm sorry, but THIS is the thing I just will never understand. I am NOT that old (I hope). When I was in school, there were only two types of "alergies"...hayfever, and can't have sugar because of diabetes. Now, it seems, we have alergies to everything in existence. I was a professional gymnastics coach for many years and I actually had a parent come to me and tell me that her child couldn't be worked too hard because she was actually alergic to her own perspiration!!! If that was the case, then why is the kid there in the first place? I know I am ranting here, but what the heck has happened in the last 15 to 20 years? There, rant over. Thank you for putting up with me.

If my son's school was a "nut free" school I would absolutely comply. I'm not a monster!!!!!

It is our responsibility as parents to do the very best for our kids. For MY child (that I bake GFCF for constantly) it is to keep it simple for HIM. I have tried to change it up for him because I felt that he needed more variety in his lunches. Then he refuses to eat or I get a call from the school because of a seriously upset child. He is high-functioning autistic. Smart as a whip, but changes in routine are BAD. We're working on progress in that area.

If someday his school goes nut free and I have to change his daily lunch I will. Again, not a monster! But apparently, the allergy is not so severe that it calls for that. Her classroom rules may be different, I don't know.

I think this is a subject that is difficult to *truly* see the other side of the coin for many, especially if actually dealing with an allergy that could be proved fatal for their child. It's one of those subjects that people will never come to an agreement on because one side will always feel jaded. KWIM? While my sons issues with food aren't fatal, to me keeping him away from offending foods is equally as important. He turns into a screaming, running, stimming banshee with contact with offending foods. He becomes angry, aggressive,etc. Maintaining that is equally important.

I don't think either side is being insensitive to the other. Just doing the best for their situation. Except for the angry parents not being able to bring cake or suggesting that the allergy kid has to sit out if its an allergy so bad that they literally can't be around that food. That takes it too far! Now, if they're able to be around it, just not eat it, and that food is still not even allowed that bothers me. That parent should send a special treat like I do.

There are many kids who are homeschooled with great results, who are in social groups, even attend school part time. Unfortunately only the crazy homeschoolers make the news.

I guess I just don't understand why 500 kids in a school have to alter their lifestyle for the sake of one allergic child, when the parent could simply deal with the child himself. But its nice that schools and families are willing to do it.

Like I said, my son was on a VERY strict diet for about a year and a half... nothing with preservatives means like NOTHING premade! We'd go to church fellowships and I'd have to make sure I brought food that he could eat because he could not have ANYTHING that other people made because it was all premade...or contained tomatoes...or something he could not have. The stuff broke him out. Somehow he did outgrow the food sensitivities, for that I am thankful.

I'm just saying I never expected others to accomodate him, and was just thankful if they happened to do so.

But if my son's life depended on it...you can bet I would NOT trust a school! If my son could die whiffing a peanut...not only would I not expect the whole school to change for his sake...I would not TRUST them! Parents are really going to send their child to school when they could stand in line next to a kid who just ate a peanut butter bagel for breakfast? Or forget that a Reese's cup has peanut butter and a friend gives her one before or after school?

I"m saying homeschooling as a dual effect here, not as a cruel one...one effect is to just allow the schools to have as few complications as possible...but the most important one is that MY child's life is the most important...and if my child accidentally died from peanuts at school, it would be MY fault, not the school's. The school has 500 kids to educate...its very likely a peanut or a Reese's cup is going to fall through the cracks.

I'm really not trying to be mean, I'm saying it from the perspective of someone who did actually have to restrict a young child from MANY foods and it was very difficult.

I would just make sure my child went to church groups and homeschool groups and maybe arranged a half day of school with the school, before or after lunch.

My kid...my responsibility. Life is not fair... its futile to try to make it fair.

I know you guys think I"m an old meanie. Really...I have dealt with it...I guess I'm just one of those annoying conservative anti-socialism people haha...no offense intended....and I'm sorry if my views are offensive. I really do understand and feel for those children with food limitations. Its not easy.

Kitagirl - I understand your view and had a similar one myself until my 19 month old nephew had a life threatening reaction to his first and last taste of peanut butter a few weeks ago. Turns out he is allergic to peanut, sesame, coconut, basically any tree nuts.

It is a life changing thing for any family, as you have experienced. However, while homeschooling may not be bad for some, but it isn't fair (I know life isn't fair) to isolate children with issues like this. Honestly, is it going to hurt a child if they don't eat peanut butter during school? No, just give it to them when they get home. I see nothing wrong with a school going nut free to accommodate a child or two. Same goes with making cupcakes, etc. Our school district does not allow home baked products. It doesn't bother me one bit. I just save it for my son's birthday party.