Talking Allergies

. . . is the same in my school district because that is what the Health Authority says to the school superintendents. and No wonder I can't get change in this policy. I am just so FRUSTRATED! Because there is no legal precedent that has proven life is more important than food, my kid is in danger every single day. They won't tell other people not to bring peanuts because they have THE RIGHT to eat what they want even though it is poison to my son. How can that be their argument?? How is it this is considered 'healthy' for my child? How is it they say that those schools that have 'bans' are going against policy and are in for trouble? How can I ever get CHANGE without threatening a lawsuit?? THEY WANT US TO PROVE IT IS DANGEROUS. THEY DO NOT BELIEVE US.
Caroline
(The Insanly Upset Momma Bear)
ps I did not say or hear the last htree sentences, but I might as well have. GRRRR.

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son anaphylactic to peanuts

Caroline - I'm exhausted for you.
I wonder what the media would think about this...hmmmm....

actually wouldn't sabrina's law be a legal precident you could throw at them?

i can see why you are frustrated, you would not send kids to school in a place full of asbtos because of the health problems it can cause int he future. so why are allergic kids forced to go into schools which are full of allergens which are life threatening right then and there!!

tho definaty look into sabrina's law in as much detail as youcan thru the freedom of information law (i think it's called that in canada as well from my friends who had to use it for something) that should be a legal presidant shouldn't it?

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allergies - penicillin, benadryl, dust mites, enviornmental & chemical
conditions - dermatographism, eczema, well contorolled asthma
dietary - lactose intollerant, vegatarian

How unbelievably frustrating and stressful. Do the other parents in the school know of your son's allergy? I would hope that people would choose not to send in peanuts even if there was no official rule.

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daughter: 6 years tree nuts, peanuts

Under the Canadaian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Act
http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/charter/index.html


There is nothing that says you have the right to eat peanut/nut products.
Is there anyway to get past this road block? I get the feeling that the school board is afraid to deny peanut butter as it is a good and inexpensive source of protien for financialy strapped families. Is this true?
Can you ask them why they feel they cannot ban nuts? If we can focus on the rationelle, we might be able to come up with an alternative for them.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

The fact that there is a debate at all is disturbing. Life vs PB...well isn't it obvious life is more important. And not just life, but a feeling of security while at school. Honestly, how do they expect a child to learn and reach their potential whithout feeling secure during the school day. What kind of people do not value life and security? And why are they in charge of educating children?

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

I'm very very surprised the health authority responded to the school board so quickly. Did they even have time to discuss it? Seems odd...

I agree with Susan, I think you need to know what is the reasoning behind this "right" to eat PB? If you know their argument, then you can deal with it rationally.
If their argument is the "Right to eat whatever one wants", I think you need to ask them where this is stipulated in the Charter. As Susan has noted, it is not there.

I guess you need to decide what's next. We are all behind you. Is there something else we could be doing??

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6-yr old son: anaphylactic to peanuts; asthma
1-yr old daughter: No known allergies

B.C.'s chief health officer draws connection between food, health costs
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/04102006/2/xhealth-b-c-s-chief-health-officer-draws-connection-food.html

and


I wonder if this has anything to do with refusing to tell parents what they can or can't feed their children.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

I was speaking with the health authority representative, not the school board, when I got that information about 'individual rights' .

She also told me quite a bit about the number of people who are complaining about the food restrictions in classrooms. The health authority also said there is no government action to bring in anything like Sabrina's Law to BC because they have heard more arguments against food restrictions than for it. I have never had anyone complain directly to me (although I can't say I haven't heard whispering behind my back). I really wish they would just talk to me, because I need to find out their logic. I promise I would listen, but I just bet I would be able to point out how support and tolerance and empathy for others is what makes us a stronger community. The attitude of rights for food equaling a life is divisive and intolerant of people who truly need their support to stay, well, ALIVE.

I guess we have been challenged to get more vocal?! We need to figure out a way to do that, and if we could do it with a national voice, that would be something. At least we I want to get people talking -- this is a big issue that is not going to go away, and we need to find a way to work together.

Caroline

I wonder if people just use the money issue as an excuse, because they have children who are picky eaters and don't want to give up their PB. How many times have I heard people say, in the short time I have been dealing with anaphylaxis, that their kids would die without their PB (which is the most ironic line I've ever heard and most people don't see the irony of their comment! ).

Kids spend so little time at school (less and less it seems), they can have their protein before or after school! There's nothing wrong with a honey or a jam sandwich, in the meanwhile.

The point is people could be more flexible with this issue. They just choose not to be.

I would use the discrimination card a lot more if I were you and maybe even consult a human rights lawyer, somebody who would be kind enough to do it pro bono.

A few years ago, they found mold at my daughters' school and this was promptly dealt with, because "it was posing a health risk for the children". (That's when my youngest developed asthma, incidentally.) When there's a handicapped child at a school, the community rallies behind them and builds ramps and elevators and nobody is opposed to that. We need to break the barrier that just because a food allergy is not a visible handicap, it's not as serious.

I'd say keep sending literature to the parents and keep informing them and educating them if you can't get the proper authorities to deal with this issue. Maybe the parents will find it in their hearts to understand and respect your child's condition.

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15 year old - asthmatic, allergic to cats, dogs, horses, waiting to be "officially" diagnosed for anaphylaxis
12 year old - asthmatic, allergic to tree pollen and mold, OAS
Husband - Allergic to amoxycillin
Self - Allergic to housework only

The BC health authority is wrong. Sabrina's Law is not about bans. It does not even mention bans. It is mainly about education and creating a safe environment for allergic children. The most important part of the legislation for us - dealing with multiple allergies - is the emphasis on risk reduction strategies. For us, a milk free environment in a school is not reasonable to ask for or even practical. But good risk reduction strategies and training in anaphylaxis for all staff makes for a safe environment for our daughter. Keep up the fight.
There are so many misconceptions for us to deal with.
Kate

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11 year old daughter -- lives with life-threatening allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts; seasonal allergies (birch, maple, ragweed); pet allergies; asthma; and eczema
9 year old son - no allergies

Bans on specific foods in schools will never work. And it is unreasonable. My son is deathly allergic to milk, your son is deathly allergic to peanuts, someone else might have a child that is deathly allergic to eggs, and yet another who is deathly allergic to soy. Banning food isn't the answer. Education is the right choice when it comes to food allergies. Educated the teachers, the adminstrators, the other students, athe cafeteria workers and janitoris, school nurses. Then have frequent reminders, posters and fliers. But it is not going to work to ban certain foods. Nuts are not the only allergen.

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2 year old son: allergic to milk--waiting to introduce other allergens

self: allergic to milk, eggs, soy and other legumes, corn, oats, wheat, turkey, tree nuts, yeast, fish

I know where you're coming from Shai. I have a peanut allergic daughter and one with others and the attitude of the school was "peanut free classroom" for one, but "cheese and crackers" can not be eliminated from the classroom for the other one. I guess I had this idea in my mind (prior to deciding to homeschool) that during class time you learned, and at lunch you ate in the lunchroom, or at least in a classroom without allergic kids. The whole reality of treats and food in the classroom even during classtime really gave me a wake up call. The whole situation is just rediculous. I think they need some universal precautions about food not being consumed during classtime...and food being consumed at lunch in rooms not used as classrooms for the kids with allergies.

I too think that education is the key here, but not everyone is able or willing to be educated. There is also the reality that lots of people just don't give a crap about their own kids...let alone someone elses. I see kids all the time in cars without seatbelts, and in the front seat of vehicles with airbags. Its hard to believe that those kids/parents are going to become educated enough about allergies to do their part...when surely they should realize that a small child ...their own child... in a car without a seatbelt would be dead in an accident.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

I believe that it's important to educate (age appropriately) the student body as well. If these children are eating together with limitted supervision, the chidren need to know how to eat with the least amount of cross-contamination possible. If our children are expected to be aware of which foods to avoid before they can even read labels , then average students should be taught to keep their straws in their milk cartons, not to share foods, hand washing after eating (maybe before to-yuck) and proper disposal of food waste. This should be done matter-of-factly and in many cases can be incorporated into the health lesson (spread of germs).
I find this is an area lacking on many school anaphyaxis policies. I believe that Bill 3 AKA Sabrina's Law covers this:

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

I have been lucky to have the support of a wonderful school nurse who went into my son's class and taught them all about allergies and how to save a life with an Epipen. I downloaded the "Protect a Life" award from the FAAN website for her to give to everyone and provided a box of peanut free mars bars.

My health board is the Vancouver Coastal Health Board and I have had a very positive response from them this week. I was lucky enought to be able to attend their Board of Directors meeting whcih has a question and answer period open to the public at the end. I asked if they could do more to create awareness and they have said they will. I will be sending the Vancouver Medical Officer info. Re: Halloween and the Child with Allergies, and he has promised to send it to all the school nurses who will pass it on to the schools in time for Halloween.

I have also had a good response from Perry Kendall, the Provincial Medical Officer. Last year I wrote and let him know about www.allergysafecommunities.ca and http://www.eworkshop.on.ca/cfmx/edu/anaphylaxis/ and he passed the info on to all school nurses with the direction to let all the schools know. If you have concerns about BC and allergies, I think he could be an ally. I am not sure how his role fits with schools, but he does have something to do with public health.

Another thing I learned at this Board meeting. In BC, the gov't is very interested in knowing what we think about health and they have set up a forum called "Conversations on Health". You can phone/write/e-mail and give your 2 cents. There are also regional commitees that are volunteer groups and getting one of those going RE: anaphylaxis - would be a way to create awareness and perhaps open up some opportunities.

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