School rules and nuts

[Bagsalot]

My daughter is 11 yesterday was her birthday. She took an asda tray bake to school with her. She wasn't allowed to share it as apparently some where on the box it says may contain nuts. This has never been an issue before. Today an email came out stating no nuts or seeds allowed in school including lunchboxes. My daughter's in year 6 has been at the school since nursery age 2, this has never been mentioned. I've asked to see the risk assessment. I feel it's an unreasonable policy but possibly I'm being unreasonable

[Iaimtomisbehave1]

An airborne egg allergy is almost unheard of. It's so so rare.

That's not something that would require a national roll out but certainly should be accommodated at your child's school.

[BabbleBubble]

That’s incorrect my son had reacted numerous times to airborne egg
Nearby to meringue being made in cookery lesson
Pancakes being made
Meringue being crushed in the same room
Cookies being crumbled to make a base for something
And also by touch (brioche)
The school said it would be impossible to ban egg they can only ban nuts

[Thisreallyisafarce]

Seriously, what is the risk assessment going to tell you, and why do you think they need to show it to you?

Is it genuinely more important to you that your DD can take an Asda traybake into school, than that another child or adult can go to school or work without risking their life?

[Pringlecat]

If it had a blanket "may contain nuts/traces of nuts" disclaimer then you were not being unreasonable. I'm fatally allergic to nuts and eat things with those generic disclaimers all the time. I'd starve otherwise.

If it actually contained nuts, then you were being unreasonable. Children get their little paws everywhere - even if the child with the allergy avoided the cake, nutty pawprints would end up on all the communal stuff and that could trigger a reaction.

It's not the same as taking nuts into a workplace - most adults are more careful with not making a big mess.

[canteatcustard]

messy cake around a class? wonder if its not just because of the nut allergy, but the egg and milk as well.

[AutumnEvenings]

When my children were primary school age it wasn't the accepted thing for parents to send cakes into school to share.

I didn't expect the school to give them any sugary foods outside of the calories contained in the school lunches that we paid for. If there was a Type 1 diabetic in the class, the teacher would have to exclude that child from an unhealthy increase in sugar. This exactly what any parent would expect. To place responsibility on the teachers to police food allergies is expecting far too much from them, most schools are nut free for this reason.

If OP wants to give cake to the entire class, then invite them all round after school and allow parents to choose whether or not to accept.

[anatol]

I don't understand why you would need to see the risk assessment??

Clearly there is a high enough level of potential risk that they must ban everything containing nuts from the school premises. A family member of mine who is a teacher developed a nut allergy as an adult which she was not aware of until she almost died when someone brought nuts into school as her reaction was so severe. That is a very real risk for people with severe nut allergies so if you're not happy to make the tiny sacrifice of not sending in anything containing nuts to school for someone else's child, imagine the impact that it would have on your own child if they were to witness someone have that kind of reaction.

[BabbleBubble]

Daily antihistamine and at primary school he had to eat separately
High school is a lot better his friends are v kind and avoid egg themselves so can sit with him outside whilst weather ok and they seem to have a lot less egg options for some reason
He cannot participate in cookery lessons any more if egg is being used

[HeckyPeck]

I would expect that by that age a child would KNOW what he or she is allergic to and would be able to say to someone, "Listen, if you open that in here I will have to leave the room." And then leave the room if necessary.

It doesn’t work like that. What if someone on another desk opens their nuts? Airborne allergens travel very quickly.

I can’t understand why you think one child’s desire for nuts trumps another desire not to die?

Re the workplace I wouldn’t expect a nut van because someone might be allergic, but if someone was allergic then of course I wouldn’t think my desire to eat nuts was more important than someone else’s life.

[TatterdemalionAspie]

I totally see that it would be frustrating if something that was previously allowed was turned away with no warning on your DD's birthday - that must have been deflating and disappointing for her. But surely you aren't complaining about a nut ban, if the school thinks that one is necessary to keep a someone safe?

[user1473878824]

We never had a no nuts in school rule despite several girls being hugely allergic. These days I think it’s a great idea and I’m pretty sure you’re daughter won’t die from not eating nuts. So YABVU.

[Bagsalot]

It didn't actually contain nuts. It says may contain nuts it's a sponge cake with butter icing. I get it I've been unreasonable...I had a lapse of judgement... which is why I asked. But you all have been pretty horrible. I did say in my original op I thought I may be being unreasonable.

[Andro]

One problem the blanket nut ban causes is complacency, but not necessarily with the nut allergy sufferer. The message sent is that nut allergies are much more serious and much more life-threatening than other allergies - it's both a dangerous message and very wrong. Children with other allergies receive the message that their allergies aren't as serious (which can be debunked by parents), but so do their friends and that's where things get very dangerous.

The other side of this is the hit some children take to their self-esteem when they realise that school will ban nuts to keep some children safe, but won't protect them to the same level. They don't understand that banning everything that any student is allergic to would render food as school impossible, they get the message that they're not worth the protection.

I was isolated at lunchtimes for almost my whole school life except for having a friend there who picked lunch accordingly, the students with nut allergies ate with everyone else - and were very clear that school cared more about them than other people with allergies!

I understand the nut ban, but I certainly resented it as a child.

[FascinatingCarrot]

I've asked to see the risk assessment

Why? Do you think you can change this because its more convenient that you can get a sodding tray bake from Asda rather than realising whats been in the news for the last few months?
You are 'that' mum. Well done.

[StoneofDestiny]

At secondary school, really, I think a nut ban is really being precious

Child with peanut allergy was removed from class at High School very ill because someone across the Food Tech room was using peanut butter in their cooking. Child wasn't anywhere near the person and had no idea what they were using it in their mix.

[BabbleBubble]

I think these band create false sense of security that’s hundred of sets of parents to rely on to not make a mistake
I shudder at cake sale day as they proudly say it’s a nut free school and I think nonway can they guarantee that all those homemade cakes are free from nuts

[BlatheringWuther]

So do those in favour of a nut ban want the entire country to stop all handling of nuts?
What about the impact on vegetarians, for whom nuts are a major source of protein, as I said?

Would a compromise be a ban in KS1 schools, because older children should be aware? When does it stop?

[Iaimtomisbehave1]

@BabbleBubble

During cooking, yes ad the protein particles can be carried by water vapour in a team or when it deliberately crushed into dust like particles. That is avoided by skipping the HE lesson.

But airborne egg allergy bro g triggered by being in the same room as it being eaten is very rare. That's why it's probably not taken seriously. It absolutely should be, and I hope very much that the school listen to you.

[Iaimtomisbehave1]

@BlatheringWuther

My kids and I are vegetarian. Our choice to be vegetarian is not more important than the risk of death.

[Bagsalot]

I've asked to see the risk assessment because I can. I haven't made a massive fuss I've responded to the email by politely asking to see the risk assessment. I haven't approached the school or her teacher to complain that my precious daughter didn't get to share her cake. When she said she couldn't share it I said oh that's a shame and that was the end of the conversation.

[DontMakeMeShushYou]

Derrymc

The world isn't nut free, those with an allergy have to learn to cope and carry an epi pen.

Natasha Ednan-Laperouse's father used her epi-pen and her spare epi-pen when she had an allergic reaction to the sesame seeds in her Pret sandwich. It's not a guaranteed cure, you know.

[BlatheringWuther]

Iaim So more animals must be killed then just in case a human has a nut allergy? I should add I'm just exploring ramifications at this point, no annoyance involved, and that inconsistency from a vegetarian is kind of noticeable...

[arethereanyleftatall]

Risk assessment for you:

1. Identify the hazard. Death.
2. Decide who might be harmed. Peter.
3. Decide on precautions. No nuts.

[HeckyPeck]

I’m sorry to all the parents of kids with life threatening allergies reading this and seeing the people who think other children’s desire to eat nuts is more important than your child’s life.

Shame on you all.

[Thisreallyisafarce]

I've asked to see the risk assessment because I can.

You can ask, or you can see it?

That still doesn't answer the question of why you want to see it.
You sound really hard work.