Bans on nut-free spreads in schools frustrate parents

[DENZILDON]

Originally posted by Inzane
Another question for those of you actually with nut allegies (or family members).

I can understand a case of say peanuts, where you're cracking shells and it makes a bit of "dust" that could affect people around you.

But for a thick spread like peanut butter, how does that affect someone sitting at another table or down the row from you? Can smell alone be enough to trigger a reaction? (or do you have to eat it or make skin contact?)

There are some who does have allergic reactions from peanut/ peanut butter smell.

My kid also has peanut allergy. For older kids this may not be a problem since them know and they can determine that they need to use an epi pen.

But for young kids with this allergy it could be fatal since some allergic reactions can lead to closing of the esophagus which leads to suffocation.

[Seth1968]

Originally posted by Seth1968


Numerous studies have been conducted on the matter, and all came back inconclusive. However, the studies did find that better diagnostics and reporting could only account for about a 25% increase. That's peanuts compared to the 600% increase in autism over the last few decades. Similar numbers apply to asthma, food allergies, etc.

"Inconclusive" wasn't the proper word to use.

The studies "ruled out" the typical possibilities such as air pollution, food toxins, etc.

But anyway, C-sections and what the mother eats has nothing to do with it.

[JC Civic]

Originally posted by Inzane
Another question for those of you actually with nut allegies (or family members).

I can understand a case of say peanuts, where you're cracking shells and it makes a bit of "dust" that could affect people around you.

But for a thick spread like peanut butter, how does that affect someone sitting at another table or down the row from you? Can smell alone be enough to trigger a reaction? (or do you have to eat it or make skin contact?)

Yes you can definitely have a reaction to the smell. There have been many times the smell of peanut butter has bothered me. I've had to leave home ec in high school and I had to quit a job because the smell of people making peanut butter cookies. I've had to get off the bus because someone was eating a peanut butter sandwich. And I know for people with a more serious allergy than mine it's worse.

I've been saying for years that the ban on peanut butter is great for that reason. I knew not to share or eat other people's food quite young. Even at class or birthday parties I didn't baked things unless I knew for sure they weren't peanut free...even when I was quite young. BUT a kid bringing in a peanut butter sandwich for lunch was out of my control and the smell would bother me.

Originally posted by Inzane

I moved around and attended lots of different schools from K-thru-12 in my time (late 70s-early 90s), in Fort Mac, Edmonton and Ontario and never in any of them do I remember "nut allergy kids" at school. Or any other serious food allergies. I don't remember any kids breaking out in hives, I don't remember epi-shock episodes. Hell they even served peanuts and/or peanut butter in those little "health food" sessions they had in early grade school. (I don't remember much from those, except for random things like drinking my first little paper cup of skim milk and thinking ewwww...).

There are definitely without a doubt more allergies now but we were around back then. And let me tell you it sucked growing up with a peanut allergy back then. People didn't take it seriously.

[baygirl]

Originally posted by Inzane
Another question for those of you actually with nut allegies (or family members).

I can understand a case of say peanuts, where you're cracking shells and it makes a bit of "dust" that could affect people around you.

But for a thick spread like peanut butter, how does that affect someone sitting at another table or down the row from you? Can smell alone be enough to trigger a reaction? (or do you have to eat it or make skin contact?)

I put the peanut butter on a bagel, then placed it on the high chair in front of her. She didn't actually touch it, the closest it got was when I picked up the bagel and offered it. Her whole face exploded so badly that even her eyes swelled shut. (So yeah, I can be a little paranoid about it sometimes.) Some people who haven't dealt with an allergy may call it being over protective, but I compare it to making sure she is wearing a seat belt. I do what is necessary to keep her safe.

[blitz]

Originally posted by baygirl


I ate peanut butter toast every day while I was pregnant and neither me nor her father have any allergies. I waited til she was 12 months to try her on it, and it was suggested I should have waited until she was 2. There were days in her first year that she had a rash on her face and I realize now it was because I didn't wash my hands properly after handling peanut butter.

The guidelines now are to introduce all foodgroups (besides honey) before 6 months. Out littlest guy had peanut butter and shellfish for the first time on the same day

[suntan]

When you smell something, indeed the substance is going into your body.

Think about that the next time you smell a fart

[Khyron]

Originally posted by baygirl

However now that she is older I don't worry as much. As for school cafeteria, I don't consider that any different than a mall food court and realize she can never be 100% safe.

Here's the part that really sucks - when she's older and dating, she's going to have to quiz any guy she wants to make out with about what he ate that day. Yah, for real.

Also, Epi-pens are not a sure thing even if you administer them right away.

[MGCM]

water offends me, i want it banned from all schools and work places

[HiTempguy1]

Im allergic to peanuts/nuts.

It never occurred to me to ask other people to change their lives for me. I take the necessary risks/precautions. I appreciate it when people are cognizant of my allergies.

[killramos]

Originally posted by JC Civic


Yes you can definitely have a reaction to the smell. There have been many times the smell of peanut butter has bothered me. I've had to leave home ec in high school and I had to quit a job because the smell of people making peanut butter cookies. I've had to get off the bus because someone was eating a peanut butter sandwich. And I know for people with a more serious allergy than mine it's worse.

I've been saying for years that the ban on peanut butter is great for that reason. I knew not to share or eat other people's food quite young. Even at class or birthday parties I didn't baked things unless I knew for sure they weren't peanut free...even when I was quite young. BUT a kid bringing in a peanut butter sandwich for lunch was out of my control and the smell would bother me.


There are definitely without a doubt more allergies now but we were around back then. And let me tell you it sucked growing up with a peanut allergy back then. People didn't take it seriously.

Maybe we should also ban gluten, lobster, cigarettes, the sun (yea people are allergic to that), driving over 30km/hr, hockey, pools of water more than 2 inches deep.

Because those things have all been known to kill people on occasion.

You seem to have survived that mass use of peanuts just fine...

[Sugarphreak]

...

[killramos]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


I thought farts smell bad because it consists of methane gas, not because of poo particles?

Methane is actually an odorless gas. Gas plants add stink to natural gas in distribution lines to detect leaks. Same goes for propane though different smell.

[sheik_yerbouti]

Originally posted by Seth1968


compared to the 600% increase in autism over the last few decades.

Whoa. Yes, peanut allergies have increased, but the 600% increase number was based purely on kids being diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum in school files. If you're thinking about the study that was released this week, it only looked at numbers of diagnosed students in schools.

I'm pretty sure that the medical consensus on autism is that it has always been here in similar numbers, it's just now the severe kids go to normal schools, the mild kids are diagnosed, the stigma has lessened, and it has become quite popular in the media.

[DENZILDON]

Originally posted by killramos


Maybe we should also ban gluten, lobster, cigarettes, the sun (yea people are allergic to that), driving over 30km/hr, hockey, pools of water more than 2 inches deep.

Because those things have all been known to kill people on occasion.

You seem to have survived that mass use of peanuts just fine...

All these things you mentioned had nothing to do with a 4 or 5 year old that can't distinguish an allergic reaction and an itchy skin.

[JC Civic]

Originally posted by killramos


Maybe we should also ban gluten, lobster, cigarettes, the sun (yea people are allergic to that), driving over 30km/hr, hockey, pools of water more than 2 inches deep.

Because those things have all been known to kill people on occasion.

You seem to have survived that mass use of peanuts just fine...

When did I say there should be an outright ban on peanuts? Hell, I've never even in my life said that there SHOULD be a ban on peanuts in schools.

Someone asked a question about smell and I answered. I said the ban on peanut butter in schools is good because of the smell issue. People think that it's because kids don't know enough to not share lunches. They know better than that. Heck my 6 year old has known for a couple years that Mommy is allergic to peanuts which is why he doesn't get them. He knows that he's allergic to cats. If he had a food allergy he'd know not to eat other people's food.

Lastly I agreed that there are more allergies now. And because of that people are more aware.

[killramos]

Originally posted by DENZILDON


All these things you mentioned had nothing to do with a 4 or 5 year old that can't distinguish an allergic reaction and an itchy skin.

If itchy skin is the only symptom then what is the problem?



If i take a shower in to hard of water my skin itches. Should we ban hard water?

[spikerS]

Originally posted by killramos


If itchy skin is the only symptom then what is the problem?



If i take a shower in to hard of water my skin itches. Should we ban hard water?

no, don't be stupid, but lets follow your train of irrational thought.

If the city all of a sudden banned water softeners, and that meant you had to live with itchy skin for the rest of your life because you had to be exposed to hard water...

Luckily for you, it only makes you itch.

People with other severe allergies can die just because they are near it, let alone touch it or ingest it, and would trade it in for your "hard water itch" in an instant.

[killramos]

Originally posted by JC Civic


When did I say there should be an outright ban on peanuts? Hell, I've never even in my life said that there SHOULD be a ban on peanuts in schools.

Someone asked a question about smell and I answered. I said the ban on peanut butter in schools is good because of the smell issue. People think that it's because kids don't know enough to not share lunches. They know better than that. Heck my 6 year old has known for a couple years that Mommy is allergic to peanuts which is why he doesn't get them. He knows that he's allergic to cats. If he had a food allergy he'd know not to eat other people's food.

Lastly I agreed that there are more allergies now. And because of that people are more aware.

I've been saying for years that the ban on peanut butter is great for that reason.

You said it right there. You didn't qualify it.

You can't say you don't support something and then support it again in the same damn paragraph

These days the schools have kids so worked up about peanut allergies they have kids paranoid about eating peanuts on a summer vacation to turkmenistan because when they come back to school Tommy could get sick.

Everyone is so sensationalist that we cant do anything without fear that it will somehow upset someone. Kids have asthma should we ban running form all kids because it makes those kids with it feel bad or want to join in?

Oh wait i think some school have done that

[killramos]

Originally posted by spikerS


no, don't be stupid, but lets follow your train of irrational thought.

If the city all of a sudden banned water softeners, and that meant you had to live with itchy skin for the rest of your life because you had to be exposed to hard water...

Luckily for you, it only makes you itch.

People with other severe allergies can die just because they are near it, let alone touch it or ingest it, and would trade it in for your "hard water itch" in an instant.

My point is i don't bitch and complain. His example was a kid with itchy skin due to an allergy. Who gives a shit.

Real reaction? Then do something about it. You shouldn't administer an epi-pen for itchy skin.

Your analogy is also out to lunch and work be equivalent to FORCING everyone to eat peanuts rather than just allowing people to do what they want.

[spikerS]

Originally posted by killramos


My point is i don't bitch and complain. His example was a kid with itchy skin due to an allergy. Who gives a shit.

Real reaction? Then do something about it. You shouldn't administer an epi-pen for itchy skin.

Your analogy is also out to lunch and work be equivalent to FORCING everyone to eat peanuts rather than just allowing people to do what they want.

Fuck, hypocrite much?

Originally posted by killramos




Against the law is against the law... Stop being a baby and whining just because someone called you out about it.

If you disagree with the law then deal with it through the proper avenues.

Let's be honest though, second hand smoke and smoking is becoming less and less socially acceptable every day. If I had kids I wouldn't want you smoking around them either. Actually I wouldn't want you to be smoking around me