Peanut Allergy and School

At my daughter's elementary school, there's a no peanut table. I just found out about it the last time I was there having lunch with her. I thought it was such a cool idea! It's not just for peanut allergy kids, but rather a table that anyone can sit at as long as they have no peanut products. Of course the peanut allergy children get first dibs. It's always full, so the kids aren't being segregated or anything

I agree on educating her to be careful. As far as the school goes, I know when I was student teaching there were students with food allergies and they had a 504 plan. I know some people are worried about their child having one because it can appear to be a pre-cursor to special ed. But in your case its not. All it is, is a plan that says she needs accommodations in the classroom, which in her case would be a peanut free classroom, or something to that extent. Then it gets passed on from teacher to teacher as she goes through school.

I've seen teachers put cute signs on the outside of their doors that say "peanut free classroom" as a reminder to students and visitors. This might be a suggestion for the teacher. Hope some of this helps.

Unlike a previous poster, I do expect them to go peanut free, I want my child to live and not be at risk to die in any setting. My daughter has anaphalaxis to just being in a room with someone who is eating peanut and reacts badly just being near someone who has eaten peanuts in the last 8 hours if they have not washed thoroughly. So even a peanut free table would cause her a reaction if someone in the room pulled out a PB&J sandwich. Her allergy is so severe, she probably would not make it to the hospital, if she ever actually touched a child who had eaten anything containing peanut. So yes, I say fight for a peanut free school. I would not send my daughter because no matter how educated she is, she has no control if someone else eats an item containing peanut and then touches a desk and then she touches the desk and reacts. The other problem with this is that the teachers may not realize she is reacting to peanut since she didn't eat it or even touch it and it is not something that is visible, so she could die from not being treated. This is not something that any amount of education can stop. Because if the peanut is allowed in the school she could come in contact with it from particles on other kids hands. Peanut free is the only way to go if I want my child to be a safe environment. It is basically equivalent to saying yes you should send your child to school even though the building is on fire, because it isn't near them but fire spreads quickly like dust and particles on kids hands and it kills. You wouldn't put your kid in a burning building so why would you put them at the same risk of death for peanut allergy. Now I don't know if your child allergy is as severe as my daughter's but if it is even close, you need to fight for your child's safety.

Educate your child! We can't expect schools to go "peanut free".... lots of kids bring PB&J for lunch, and we can't dictate what other people eat. Make sure to sit for a meeting with the teacher and that she/he completely understands the situation and how to handle it. This may mean questioning the child each time anyone brings a treat to school (Can you eat this? Have you eaten it before? Checking the labels, etc.). There's a child with a severe peanut allergy in my daughter's class, and the teacher is totally on top of it. She keeps extra snacks for the child in case someone brings in something that she can't have. The child (8) is very well educated about her allergy and won't touch anything that she hasn't eaten before. I think that is the best way to go.

Here in NC there is a classroom in 4th now that is peaniut free. Also our lunches are not pb&j anymore. These are soem first steps. My daughter was in a classroom where they didn't have any thing except the nurse and the girl in her class had a sever reaction. It was very scary for the children to see their friend get so sick so fast.
Make sure she has an eppen that the teacher knows how to use it.
Get the room peanut free.
Peanut free lunch table is a great idea
There is no reason you or the nurse can't educate the children about certain illnesses and allerges.

In my children's school we have three children with severe allergies. One of them is a peanut allergy. It was very difficult at first as our public school lunch program served PBJ every day. My son also has a peanut allergy but it is not airborne at this time. Now they have a specific table for those kids that is "peanut free" . Educating all the staff is very essential as well There is a severe allergy plan in place for each kid and every staff member that works with the child has a copy and knows what to do from lunch supervisors to classroom to PE teachers. We also have a form that the allergy specialist has to fill out stating all the things that can trigger the symptoms with the child. If you are not getting results or understanding from the administrator or a satisfactory plan, then it's time to go to the superintendent and/or the school board. That is what they are there for.

I don't want to sound like an idiot here (LOL), but doesn't that fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act? That the school have to make the place safe for her? You might look into that. I did just google it and there was so much out there on what the school does & doesn't have to do. I don't have a child with an allergy, but I do understand how severe they can be and I certainly agree that it is the school's job to keep my child safe-whatever that entails.
Good luck.

I am a school nurse in a public school with a lot of food allergies, especially peanuts. Our lunchroom has a no peanut table. All tables are washed down between lunch periods. The classroom where a child with a peanut allergy is has a letter sent home in the beginning of the year that states there is a child with a peanut allergy in the classroom and therefore no peanut products are allowed. We have even changed from regular PB to soy PB in the lunchroom... YES! A school can dictate what food is brought into their classrooms, as far as snacks go, when a childs life hangs in the balance... In the lunchroom the peanut free tables help, but if it is a severe allergy, like airborne, then the school would need to be peanut free, and yes, they can do that and all parents must comply...it's the law... I don't think it is the end of the world if someone can't eat a PBJ sandwhich, find something else.. Lunch doesn't always have to be a sandwich, this is a good time to be creative... To expect a KG student to be "ON TOP" of her allergy is unrealistic, she's 5......
The school must comply. A 504 is not necessary unless there are other underlying conditions (diabetes, asthma....). Your doctor can write out an action plan as far as what steps are taken in case of an accidental ingestion. Also you can contact the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). Website: Foodallergy.org.
There s/b no problem and your daughter should have a wonderful experience in KG.

You need to be proactive.
Get the information to give to the schools and the teachers.
Go to other school districts to see how they handle it.
I had a friend whose son has a life threatening allergy to peanuts. She was extremely proactive - her son's life depended on it.
Tell the schools what you need. Most parents and teachers are willing to do whatever it takes to keep your child safe. They just need information.
YMMV
LBC

We live in Oregon and Portland Public Schools have a policy in place concerning food allergies. My granddaughter is allergic to peanuts. She has an epi-pen in the school office and in the after school care space. The school nurse trains all teachers in the use of the epi-pen.

Her mother did have to provide information signed by the doctor as well as a form signed by her. The form signed by my daughter was the same one signed by any parent giving the school permission to give medicine such as acetaminophen.

There is a policy of no peanuts in the classroom for the whole class to consume. Individual children can bring peanut products in their lunches and snacks unless there is a student who is so allergic that having them in the room would risk an attack. So far, my granddaughter is in the 4th grade, there has not been a severely allergic child.

One year the teacher asked that we bring boxed snacks to keep in the classroom for my granddaughter to eat when other mother's brought snacks for a party that would contain peanuts. In kindergarten the teacher asked that parent's not bring anything that contained peanuts. The teacher was very good at monitoring that.

In the school cafeteria they gave peanut butter sandwiches to students who had run out of lunch money. The cafeteria staff was very good at knowing that my granddaughter could not have peanut butter and provided something else for her. My granddaughter was also still allergic to milk protein in K and 1st grade. The cafeteria managed that quite well.

One advantage to having a food allergy is that staff know my granddaughter and because she is knowledgeable and co-operative she enjoys her special attention.

I'm surprised that your school is not familiar with peanut allergies and have a developed plan for managing them. There are 9-12 students with peanut allergies in a school of 400.

I don't know if Oregon has a law concerning allergies. My impression is that PPS has a policy based on need and not on the law. Your school's nurse or the Superintendents office should be able to answer your question concerning the law. There is a federal law known in the vernacular as No Child Left Behind that requires that school districts provide for the needs of children so that they can be successful in school. I suspect that managing food allergies would be included in it.

If the school is willing to work with you I wouldn't be concerned about the presence or lack thereof of a law.

As you've probably been told, most children outgrow food allergies that start when they're babies but not usually an allergy to peanuts. My granddaughter is participating in a nationwide study, thru her allergist, to determine if people can be desensitized to peanuts. She started with a infinitesimal amount of peanuts taken twice/day. The dose was gradually increased over weeks. She was up to having 8 peanuts twice/day when the pollen season struck causing asthma difficulties. They cut her back to 4 peanuts twice/day and she's doing fine.

Oddly enough, she hates peanuts and getting her to eat them is like giving her medicine. :):)

You can probably find information about this study by Googling peanut allergy desensitization. I first heard about it from my pharmacist.

I have not read your other posts but am sure you have already gotten great advice. This is your chance to educate the school. Every allergy is different, from just not able to eat to not able to be anywhere near the air with peanuts. My son does not have an allergy but does have a medical condition that is very rare, only about 15,000 boys in the US. Even the school nurse had to be educated on what has to be done and what to watch for. He will be going to middle school next year and I will be putting the same thing in place, educating the principal, teachers, nurse if there is one, etc. I have a form letter that I will be sending to school, updated for his age. I will also be coordinating with the doctor who will prepare a letter for his school. This is something you can also ask for from the doc and just update as the years go by. A friend's daughter cannot a certain food (cannot remember what) and she has a letter for her school as well. Most doctors are able to also provide some kind of booklet to go along with an allergy or other issue to help "outsiders" handle any problems that come along. I would make sure they realize preventing an attack is better than "using an epi". And push push push if you don't see that they are fully cooperating with whatever plan is put in place.

educate your child, child's teachers and school!!! a peanut free table is imperitive. my children only eat peanut butter and jelly at lunchtime. they do not eat any meat, so pb and j is the way to go for us to get our protein and basically so my children will eat. our schools have tons of allergies...peanut butter, strawberries, laytex, etc...everyone is the wiser because of it. i haven't heard of any problems and yes, many of these allergies are very serious!

Definatly work with the school. In michigan, there is no law, but up to the schools. where my stepson goes, they are not allowed peanut products in the classroom. And they send home a note with the kids at the beginning of the year, if there are kids in the class with peanut allergy, so when we bring in snacks we know to watch. One year the teacher sent a list of approved snacks that contained no peanuts. That was given to the teacher by the parent, and no one complained about it, becasue it was easier to shop for the kids snacks at parties.

I would get the info to the school, and ask them if they can place your daughter with a teacher now, and then you can arrange a time either in june, or in august, and meet with the teacher to discuss this with them directly.

Teachers are going to be your best effort in helping your daughter while in school. As the teacher can send home the notes to the parents, and inform all parents about it. If the school can place her now, you can always ask that they really clean the room throughly so that there is as much of the peanut our of the room as possible, before the year starts.