To think this 'nut free policy' is OTT for a school

[MerryMarigold]

So, letter home about next term's 'nut free' policy and I think it's a bit extreme but tell me what you think. In packed lunches (I will have 3 having packed lunch next year), we are not allowed to include:

• Fruit and cereal bars which contain nuts
• Sesame seed rolls
• Nutella
• Peanut butter
• Cakes made with nuts
• Muesli bars
• Baklava/ Nougat/ Turkish Delight
• Any packets of nuts

I would assume we are not allowed to give them pistachios in a Tupperware box either.

Anyway, my point is that how can they police it this closely? I know some kids cannot come into ANY contact with nuts, but for example, my kids would have nuts in granola at breakfast and probably not always wash their hands before school (if they remembered to clean their teeth when they first get up). I also refuse to check the ingredient list of everything I put into a packed lunch for 3 children so there are bound to be nuts in something they end up having.

Nuts are very healthy and nutritious, so we basically need to swap nut based products for something less healthy. I am most upset about the Muesli bars and no cakes made with nuts. Ds1 is a major food-refuser. He has never managed school dinners and food at home is an issue too. He nearly always has a muesli bar in his lunch, which I suppose I will need to substitute with biscuits. And sometimes I would include cakes made with nuts just to up his nutrition at lunchtime a bit. He doesn't like any form of meat, fish or cheese in his sandwiches.

I do sympathise that there are (a very few) people who have a 'life threatening reaction to nut products' (quoted on the 'nut free policy' letter). However, I would assume they do carry an epi-pen as it is impossible to create a completely nut free environment in a large school of children who are eating nuts at least at home. So, in reality it is not life threatening unless there is a child who has an unknown severe nut allergy. I would even be compassionate if it was stated that a child (without mentioning names) had had a reaction several times in school, but I very much doubt a child has reacted at school, and there may not even be a child with a severe nut allergy, so this is just scare mongering really.

SO, I do need to feel more positive about this and the extra work it will cause me, the extra moaning from my child and the reduction in nutrition. Please tell me off gently! I've had a bad night with not much sleep though, so please bear with me.

And schools will draw up a health plan with the parents based on evidence from the child's medical practitioners and implement what's necessary to ensure the safety of the child. If the parents aren't happy with the provision then it needs more thrashing out and taken to higher authority.

I don't have a problem with nut bans at primary, who knows what the sweet little things share and dribble over.

I have been on a couple of flights where nuts were not served and we were asked not to consume own food containing nuts as someone with a nut allergy was on board.

There is a boy that has a nut allergy in my childs class but my son loves peanut butter sandwiches. I use wowbutter, there are little stickers under the label to confirm it is nut free.

It's not unreasonable to question a "no nuts" policy. Personally, I don't think one is a good idea. You have to learn how to cope with the rest of the world continuing to eat nuts at some point.

It's damned unreasonable to suggest, oh, the child has an epi-pen, that's fine. If you have a severe enough allergic reaction and have to use an epi-pen, it's not a case of hitting reset, it's bloody awful, and it really takes it out of you. The needles are really thick and painful because they're designed to be idiot-proof, and the sort of thin needles you see nurses and doctors use could break off if used by idiots.

An epi-pen isn't always sufficient to stop anaphylaxis by itself, often it just buys you time to get to a hospital. If you don't get medical help in time, your throat closes up and you can't breathe. And you die. It's that simple. If you stop the reaction and survive, the best way I can describe the aftermath is like when you've had the flu, and you feel weak and crappy for a good while.

It's also embarrassing. When you go into anaphylaxis, it draws attention to you and reveals your vulnerability. It would be very easy to kill me without really trying hard, and I hate that. I've had someone maliciously make me ill before because they didn't believe I had allergies, and it was a terrifying experience. Not so much the anaphylaxis, but the fact someone could and would inflict that on me.

If the school says you can't send nuts in, and you have to spend a bit more time deciding what to pack and/or reading labels, just think, poor sods like me have to do that for our entire lives. Have a bit of compassion.

Life threatening allergies trump fussy eaters every time.

It's not the question that's upset me (it's a reasonable thing to ask), but the attitude accompanying it.

roasted, the difficulty is that it is hard to assess an 'attitude' from an internet post. Actually I was questioning the 'life threatening' (as a bit of a scare mongering phrase) if an epi pen is present. Not that hey, it's fine if you have to use an epi pen. I have been more educated on that since (see my later posts).

I also wasn't saying my child's needs trump another child's needs, not at all, just questioning whether the nut ban was really WORTH it ie. whether it really works. If it doesn't work, then yes, it is an awful lot of bother for me and my child for something which doesn't work.

I'm sorry if it didn't come across that way.

MerryMarigold, I appreciate your reply. Epi-pens are utterly horrible, and it's important that people understand they aren't magic. It's frustrating when people suggest I try something with nuts in it and just stab myself with my epi-pen afterwards. If only it was that simple...

Re your question, well, a nut ban works in that if there are no nuts, the kid with a nut allergy doesn't come into contact with them, and doesn't get ill. Is it worth it? Personally, I think it would be better to ditch the policy altogether and just educate the other children and parents about allergies.

Children and parents could choose not to bring in things that they knew the other kids were allergic to, out of kindness. If they understood what could happen and decided for themselves the risk wasn't worth it, that would be so much more powerful than if they were merely complying with a new rule.

Children could bring in packets of nuts, eat with one hand, use the other hand to turn on a tap and wash both hands thoroughly. (Obviously this is aimed at older primary school kids, not the littlies.) They could also learn the importance of not trading food with friends who had allergies.

Parents could learn how hard it is for other parents to cope with allergies, invite the child with allergies round on a playdate and successfully cater for them (generally isn't hard). You know, make that child not feel like "that child". Make them feel just as normal as any of their other classmates.

Things like the above I think lead to a more inclusive and safer environment than a blanket ban. I mean, once school is over, kids with allergies grow up into adults with allergies who have to hold down a job and live in an environment full of allergens. Not a bubble.

Yes, roasted, those are great ideas. I think it would be much better this way. Even the letter from school was just a list of 'rules' using slightly scare mongering (I felt) language. This thread itself has been eye opening, and whilst it would be hard to convey all that in a letter from school, I think even some links to allergy websites, or just making it feel a bit more personal, definitely learning about allergies in school and what it really means. I think kids use 'allergic' these days a lot. My dd who is 7 claims from time to time that she is 'allergic' to gluten or dairy (she may be intolerant) and I suggested to her we could try cutting them out one at a time to see if it helped persistent tummy aches, but they seemed to get better on their own anyway. She is not 'allergic'. It would be good for them to know what it really means, especially if it comes from someone in their school (they tend to know everyone, even those in different year groups), what it means for that child, and how they could personally help. I wonder if schools could get certain children/ their parents to do assemblies on things like allergies/ religion/ skin colour/ dyslexia/ physical disability etc. or if it would be too contentious.

VestaVirgin
I think a more sensible solution would be for the allergic child to be homeschooled

Really ffs?!

MerryMarigold, If you make an appointment with your GP, explain your DD has felt ill after consuming milk on several occasions, you could push for a free blood test to confirm/rule it out. That way you'll both know either way. They're really simple and fuss free - dairy is something you would get tested via blood test rather than a patch test. Patch tests are the horrible ones.

There are different scales of allergy - some things will kill me, quite quickly, others will just make me very ill. She may or may not be putting it on. I know after my DN learned I had quite severe allergies, she tried telling her parents she was allergic to vegetables. Nice try..

TBH, some kids will quite happily embrace the opportunity to discuss what makes them different at an assembly - others will hate it. But if a child was happy to give a talk (probably with a parent present for support, to get comfortable it was being handled correctly, and to fill in the detail), it would be a wonderful thing.

*MerryMarigold"
Scare mongering language?
I bet you never witnessed anyone going into anaphylactic shock
www.takethekitcampaign.co.uk

some kids will quite happily embrace the opportunity to discuss what makes them different at an assembly - others will hate it

True - but I think the more often it is done, the more 'difference' becomes normal and accepted, and most importantly, understood. I'll email the Head next term!

LegoNinjago, no I haven't, although I have had severe allergic reactions, including swollen tongue and eyes swollen so that I could not see and feet swollen so that I could not walk, but not anaphylactic ie. something that happens very quickly to affect breathing, and did not realise it could happen so quickly. This thread has been enlightening.

I have however experienced plenty of scare-mongering language from political campaigns, and even schools ie. exaggeration to get compliance, so it is something I tend to question. In this case, I can see that I was wrong.

i have a peanut allergy which has gotten worse over the years, even the smell of peanuts sets me off. So I understand why schools put these policies into place. I also understand how others see it as OTT. If you had or saw another person go into anaphylactic shock it is terrifying. Epi pens don't always work and can wear off very quickly the first time round and then have a second bout of anaphylactic shock. I didn't let my daughter have peanuts for 13 years until eventually I had her allergy tested and she's fine. Subsequently she loves them. please try and be understanding to parents of children who do have severe allergies, they can control what the child eats at home and when they are with them but they must feel very nervous and out of control
When the child is at school and another child has something that could potentially kill them in their lunch box (sounds OTT, but true).

YABU! My son has a nut allergy and I think his life should warrant a small bit of inconvenience to parents! We have a nut free policy in the school and no one has ever complained about it being difficult to come up with lunch ideas because of it.

roasted

" Children could bring in packets of nuts, eat with one hand, use the other hand to turn on a tap and wash both hands thoroughly. (Obviously this is aimed at older primary school kids, not the littlies.) They could also learn the importance of not trading food with friends who had allergies. "

Yes children with or without allergies need educating but, especially in primary school, children forget. While they are learning, it is safer for the allergy sufferer to have a complete ban on nuts. We do talk to reception about not sharing packed lunches etc and why. We explain why Cyril can't eat fish or why Abdul can't have dairy. We even teach them the signs of anaphylaxis and how important it is to get an adult quickly. It works and works well, eventually. A few years.ago I had a child in reception with epilepsy. We talked to his class about epilepsy and what to do if Fred had a seizure. They are now going into year 6 and cope better than the adults. 😊

roasted it may not be a blood test for dairy now as far as I'm aware they avoid them where possible. My son only ever had skin prick tests to confirm his ige (anaphylactic) allergies to dairy and egg. If they suspect non ige they tend to recommend an elimination diet to diagnose at least they do in my area.

It scares me that someone thought to test your allergy and hearing about the little boy who died as he classmates wanted to see what would happen if they gave him nuts. My son is only 19 months old and I have sleepless nights about sending him to school and putting his life in someone else's hands.

My son had a reaction from a shopping trolley in Tesco yesterday someone's child probably ate chocolate buttons or drank a bottle of milk whilst in it. I would love the school he eventually goes to to ban dairy and egg but I do understand that would be nigh on impossible. It does however make me understand why parents of nut allergy children go for even though it's against allergy UK recommendations as I think it must give them piece of mind when they drop their child at school everyday.

*go for a nut ban

Nut bans shoulnt give peace of mind. That is why they are not recommended as it breads complacency. You should never teach your allergic child that any where is safe

bruffin, I think it doesn't give anybody peace of mind. It just gives people less things to worry about.
Those kids who start school most likely to know what happens if you have reactions.
Once my ds went to friend's house, and Mum offered him some cake saying it's ok, she bought it from free from section, but my ds asked to see the package, found it had powdered egg in it. He knows what happens if he eats them, so even adult says it's ok, he is still vigilant for his own safety.

My mum is a teacher and many years ago, a girl at her school died when she ate a bite of her friend's flapjack which contains nuts. It's real. It's life and death.

My son has a peanut allergy and the scary thing is that there is no way of predicting what the next reaction will be. This is different to eggs, dairy allergies. You can have 5 rashes followed by anaphylactic shock.

I can't covey how much it dominates your life. I know it is an inconvenience to ask other parents to modify their behaviour and be careful about the food they take to school, but I am asking because he could die if you don't.

I don't think nut bans give peace of mind at all. But I do think they can help keep a young child safer whilst them and their peers are still learning about allergies and how to manage them. It has been mentioned repeatedly that young children aren't perfect, they forget things, they can be silly, they don't always fully understand the risks, they may think it's 'funny' to try and get a reaction out of the allergic child. No matter how much you 'educate' them, it takes time and a certain level of maturity for children to learn these things. I agree that wrapping them in cotton wool doesn't help them but at the same time throwing a reception aged child into an environment riddled with nuts is just an accident waiting to happen.

Believe me bruffin no allergy parent is ever going to be complacent. And regardless of bans I don't think anyone would tell their child the school is safe I certainly wouldn't. The same rules will apply as if there were no nut ban, as no one knows more than us that mistakes can be devastating. Maybe peace of mind was the wrong phrase as an allergy parent never has that but it is probably comforting to know that most children won't have nuts in their lunch. Of course some of the other parents will make mistakes it's inevitable (we even make mistakes sometimes ourselves although we usually realise
before our child eats it) a parent may not read a label correctly or may even deliberately send their child in with nuts, but if your allergic 5 year old does share food the odds are in your favour that the food will not contain nuts. I think the complacency you speak of must be the school thinking their building is now nut free, in that case it is up to the parents to educate the school and emphasise it will never be 100% nut free and they can never let their guard down.

My son has a peanut allergy and the scary thing is that there is no way of predicting what the next reaction will be. This is different to eggs, dairy allergies. You can have 5 rashes followed by anaphylactic shock.*

It no different to any other allergy that causes anaphylaxis. ie sesame or dairy etc.

My son has a peanut allergy and the scary thing is that there is no way of predicting what the next reaction will be. This is different to eggs, dairy allergies. You can have 5 rashes followed by anaphylactic shock
Peanut allergy is no different to any other allergy that causes anaphylaxis ie dairy,egg, seeds, tree nuts etc

Yes other allergies can cause anaphylaxis, but the reactions are generally consistent. So if you don't have a severe reaction to dairy the first time, you are unlikely to have a different type of reaction in the future. My daughter is allergic to diary and egg and she vomits, but is very unlikely to have different, say anaphylactic reaction next time. She doesn't have an epiphany. There are of course people who have anaphylactic reactions.

Peanuts allergies are different and u predictable. So there is really no such thing as a mild peanut allergy as a series of mild reactions is no guarantee of a severe anaphylactic reaction. Although the real risk factor is asthma. So my son has never had a severe reaction to peanuts but we know he could do and he has an epipen.

This is according to my DS and DD's paediatric allergy.

Clearly an anaphylactic allergy to dairy or another allergen is every bit as serious and scary as a peanut allergy, perhaps more so as dairy is so much more prevalent and difficult to avoid.