Relief From Allergies

Peanut Allergies and Schools

June 5th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Having a child with peanut allergies and schools that use peanuts in their meals can be a nightmare for parents. Some children’s reaction to peanuts can be life threatening. If your child has a peanut allergy, then you should contact your school immediately to discuss how to keep your child safe.

Peanut allergies and schools may not be your only problem. I like to point out that peanuts themselves are actually are not the greatest thing for anybody to eat. If you have peanut allergies you aren’t missing a lot by not being able to eat them. The type of fat in peanuts is omega-6. Your body needs a proper balance of omega-6 and omega-3 to stay healthy. Eating peanuts can throw this balance off, especially if you are not supplementing with omega-3 fish oil. Peanuts also contain a mold called aflatoxin. This mold is carcinogenic. Finally, peanut crops are notorious for heavy pesticide use. It’s not guaranteed that whoever manufactures your peanut butter is taking steps to wash out those pesticides. So, peanut allergies and schools are not your only concern.

Discovering a child has a peanut allergy can be a life altering experience. Many children have such a severe reaction to peanuts, that even the smallest amount can send a child into anaphylaxis. Parents dealing with peanut allergies and schools need to be vigilant in order to protect their children.

How to Handle Peanut Allergies and Schools

Before a child with a peanut allergy is sent to any outside the home environment, parents need to discuss their child’s allergy. Today, many child care places have all ready begun to realize how prevalent this allergy is; and; are more open to a parents suggestions. It is a good idea to approach the school and immediately explain how your child reacts to peanuts; and, how severe the allergy is. Do peanuts need to be banned from the classroom? If another child eats a peanut butter sandwich and then touches your child, can this cause a reaction? Does your child need to carry an epinephrine pen, in case of a sudden attack? The basic information need to be discussed in regards to peanut allergies and schools.

Once the school understands how your child may physically be affected by this allergy, the next step is discussing ways to safeguard your child. When dealing with peanut allergies and schools, it may be helpful to come in with an open mind. Schools have been finding new ways of dealing with this allergy for some time. Ask how the school is working with this. Do they have a peanut free table at lunch? Are children required to wash their hands after they eat to lessen the chance of accidentally touching someone with a peanut allergy? Discuss peanut allergies and schools own policies to then determine what the next course of action should be.

Peanut allergies and schools may not be your only concerns. Schools may not be fully aware of all the foods use peanuts and/or peanut oil. They same is true for the parent’s of your child’s friends. They need to be told that peanuts can lurk in unsuspecting foods. Nowadays, food packaging will contain a warning explaining the food is made with peanuts. Also, some factories produce more than one kind of food product. In some cases, one food they produce uses peanuts and the other food doesn’t. So, even if you know that a certain item has no peanuts, check the label anyways. The package might warn that the food was made in an area where they may have been peanuts. This is important to know when dealing with peanut allergies and schools. Make sure your school is fully aware of this issue.