Peanut Allergy News: Parents in Florida Protest Demand Homeschooling of Allergic Child

Many of you, both on this blog and on my Facebook page, have been contacting me about the Florida peanut allergy school protests. Obviously, this is a very upsetting story to all parents of children with any food allergies. Peanut allergies trigger such a strong response among all parents because peanut butter and peanut candies still have such a prominent place in our school culture and because peanut allergies are the number one cause of food allergy-related deaths.

Any parent sending a child off to school with life-threatening peanut allergies has fears for a reason. Still, to me school is a right of all children, not just those fortunate enough not to have food allergies. And every child, allergies or not, has a right to an equal education. I don't want class time to suffer, either, for any student. As a parent, I want school to be about school. So why is it so often about food????? Cut down on the frequency of non-lunchtime eating and a lot of this problem is solved.

Education is the key word for me. I have a difficult time supporting what parents in this case feel are other "rights" being violated, such as the "right" to eat birthday treats in the classroom or the right to certain foods at class parties. These are non-curriculum activities, so while these practices trigger extremely strong emotions in people on both sides of the issue, I don't know that eating a cupcake at school during class time is an actual "right."

The latest news is that parents at the Florida school are now asking that the girl with the allergy be kept at home and home schooled. I was glad to see the school comment that this is against the law to force this on someone but the entire story has me (and many of you) very troubled. Peanut allergies are serious, yes, but some basic procedures will greatly cut down on the risk of reactions. Also, under the law, the child cannot be forced into homeschooling. I know that emotions run high when it comes to our children, but I would ask those protesting if they would also protest accommodations made for children with cancer, diabetes or asthma?

The thing about food allergies is that it does require cooperation from others. And many times, people don't want to give it. Food allergies sometimes reveal what we are willing to do for other people. Some generous individuals want to help all they can; some want to hang on tight to their food "rights" and not give an inch. It's tough.

I'm not sure why the firestorm erupted at this particular school. It's unclear what, if any, peanut allergy protection measures were in place before. It seems that the idea of frequent hand-washing and twice a day mouth-rinsing gave rise to parents protesting that this will take too much time out of the school day.

I feel that I live on both sides of this issue because I have two children, one with severe, life-threatening nut allergies and one without food allergies at all. I do understand why some parents who don't understand this issue may question accommodations for peanut allergies even if it hurts me to see children with this serious medical condition stigmatized and often vilified.

When food allergy accommodation at school is successful, this is usually the result of teamwork from the allergic families, the school and the education of the entire parent population. If the picketing parents would have been given a chance to attend a meeting or if they were sent home notes and given a chance to speak to the administrators of the school (again, I don't know that they weren't given this; it's unclear from news reports) then would they have reacted so negatively and so strongly?

I'm hoping that the new FAAMA guidelines (to be implemented by the end of this year) will help give schools some direction in terms of how to have food allergy protocols in place.

On a positive note, I'm aware, both in my own life and through others' stories, of amazing help from wonderful teachers and effective food allergy procedures put into place through the work of dedicated parents and informed schools. It does take work and it does take cooperation, but we can keep our kids safe at school while they learn, grow and thrive.

Here is a Food Allergy Back-to-School Checklist that I published some years ago. The rules still hold true and I still abide by this list each year.

Please also see this link to a Chicago Tribune article about food allergies at school.

Peanut Allergy and the School Year: Review at the Halfway Mark

With the school year half over, now is the time to update or address any ongoing issues at school. You may also need to restock essential supplies, be it updated medications or safe treats for class celebrations.

At this point of the school year, you probably have a pretty good idea of how your school is handling food allergies. If there can be improvements made, now is the time to say so. After all, teachers have now had an opportunity to see how often food is brought into the classroom, often with no forewarning.

I hope you'll check out my Chicago Parent article about food allergies in the classroom. These tips can be used all year long.

Here are some things that may need an update as the school year begins its second half:

Check with the Health Office regarding meds. Are all of your child's medications up to date and unexpired? This can include epinephrine autoinjectors, of course, but also anihistamines and asthma medications. You will also want to make sure any new staff are up-to-date on medication usage.

Are food allergy policies being followed consistently? Something tells me I'm going to get a lot of mail on this point. :) By now you've had experiences in the classroom, both good and bad, that will alert you to what procedures are taking place. You may need to issue some reminders and just be aware of what goes on at parties and such. For example, I volunteer each year to send food to the classroom for my daughter's parties but others always send food at the last minute and guess what--it's usually unsafe. Other times, lunch room policies go by the wayside or class size prevents safe lunch-eating areas for allergic kids. If you notice any problems, now is the time to discuss your concerns with your child's teacher and/or school admin.

Send in a new stock of safe treats. Even though our school doesn't allow b-day treats, sometimes treats are offered for unexpected rewards or celebrations. Ask your child's teacher to store some safe treats for your child to turn to if a surprise treat is offered at school. If your child is older, have them keep some packaged treats in their locker or backpack.

Evaluate what is working and what isn't. You and your child's teacher and other admin if necessary may need to make some adjustments based on experiences you've had in the first half of the year. In fact, expect this because you can't know what every situation will entail. If you feel some things should be changed, don't delay in scheduling time to talk to your child's teacher or other school staff.

A final word: a lot of people ask me what to do if schools don't "get" food allergies. Unfortunately, every school is different but one thing remains the same. You are your child's best advocate and if you really feel that something is endangering your child, please speak up. Some problems can't be solved overnight but opening a dialogue is a good first step.