A Nut Free School?

[gazzalw]

Have always thought it slightly odd that we've put the occasional pot-full of peanuts/raisins and chocolate bits in DD's lunchbox and it has never caused a major alert at school But finally an edict was issued yesterday saying that the school is now officially a nut-free zone.

We are slightly about it really. It seems like yet another nail in the coffin of freedom of expression in schools (albeit in a different medium!). Whilst I fully appreciate that there is an issue about nut allergies and have every sympathy for families with children/parents with such dietary restrictions, I can't help feel that for some children nut-based products are a healthy option at lunchtime.

Surely the easiest solution would be to put children with sever allergies on one table at lunchtime? And who is to say that other lunchbox products might not have been in contact with nuts anyway?

Am I wrong to be rather annoyed? I seem to recall not so long ago there was talk of banning ham from lunchboxes and possibly cheese too (for health reasons) - what will we be allowed to put in the children's lunchboxes?

Surely if the powers that be want to be so dictatorial about what goes into children's lunchboxes, they should actually consider providing all children with Government-funded lunches as the Scots do?

Yes, we have to use materials from an approved supplier only and the caretaker removes all unacceptable soaps and cleansers found in classrooms.
He nabbed my lavender handwash last year.

We're a nut-free school and all staff have epipen training every year.
I don't know if the ban is a good idea or not, but I'd only be convinced one way or another by medical evidence or the views of the children and adults affected in a life-threatening way.
To complain that not being allowed peanut butter sarnies is an infringement of one's human rights is ridiculous IMO.

Not a life threatening allergy but my DD reacted in reception to a popular brand of kiddies sweets! Our doctor scared the living daylights out of me by saying the next reaction could be much worse. Cue much discussion with DD about not accepting packets of said sweets bropught in for birthdays. From that day onwards she knew what she wasn't allowed and checked if she wasn't sure.

What I'm getting at, as other posters have said, is that even young kids can learn to identify what they should or shouldn't be eating

The only problem with total bans is that short of inspecting everyone's cupboards and suppliers that it is never gonna be safe for any allergy sufferer at school. As stAted before u can become allergic to anything at anytime. Manufactures change recipes all the time so previously safe food becomes unsafe. The biggest threat to allergy sufferers is complacency and yes it's easy to not put nuts in a lunch box bit what about wheat gluten egg strawberry seeds etc? Where do u draw the line? And all those schools doing dinners- have ur kitchens or the suppliers kitchen been inspected?

 I am aware of nut allergic children at dd1s school and I do not allow her nuts in her lunchbox or peanut butter on toast on school days. The best thing schools can do is make sure sufficient staff are first aid trained and epi pen trained.

My ds is allergic to tomatoes. He was well aware from a very young age (3) that tomatoes "didn't like him" and so he couldn't eat them and that he must not accept food from anyone else.
His school hasn't banned them and I haven't asked them too. His biggest risk is from cross contaminated foods which no ban is going to solve. His only severe reaction was after eating some cheese that we had bought off a fresh cheese counter rather than pre-wrapped and thus must have somehow come into contact with tomato. He has to eat and unfortunately it is impossible to guarantee that any food has not been contaminated with other products - this is why many food manufacturers are so cautious on their labelling with the "may contain traces of ..."

Sometimes it's bloomin hopeless (talking as a mid day supervisor here) the company that does the hot food puts tuna fishcakes as the vegetarian option - so I would not trust them with a bargepole if my kids had allergies....

Since a child can have had peanut butter or muesli for breakfast and still run up and give their friend a hug it's a bit daft.

Anyway other parents aren't going to avoid the million things that say may contain nuts.

My son eats products which 'may contain nuts'. It's a measured risk we take in a controlled environment. Even though my sons school was 'nut free' there was no expectation of 'may contain nuts' products being banned. It's very easy to look at the ingredients and establish if something contains nuts or not. It seems lots of people here are trying to make a very simple thing seem very difficult and laborious. It's not. Avoid nuts and products containing nuts.

Yes a child may have eaten peanut butter for breakfast (is this common?) or muesli but the idea of not bringing nuts into schools is to minimise risks; it doesn't mean the children at those schools will never have a reaction but it's a step in the right direction.

Seeandseesmum, I'm afraid I have to disagree about labelling. I have noticed supermarket stuff to be clearly labelled, not the case for loose bakery items or things from small shops. I buy alot of unlabelled stuff. We also have lots of foreign products which I can translate most ingredients but not all.

If you have a child with allergies I expect you check packers alot, but if not you may not even look at ingredients which often seem to change slightly.

The ONLY schools I ever hear about 'nut bans' are State Primary Schools.
Could somebody name for me a state secondary, a state sixth form, a private prep and a private secondary (esp. boarding) that have such things.

Bans are counter productive because they teach children not to look out for themselves - which they WILL have to do later in life.

Its like crossing the road.
You teach them to do it safely before they are aware that you have taught them.
Then when they are lippy teens its automatic NOT to walk out without looking.

You teach them to do it safely before they are aware that you have taught them.
Then when they are lippy teens its automatic NOT to walk out without looking.

Yes, my ds worst reaction was to a biscuit because he didn't bother to ask what was in it and it included macadamia nuts, not sure if he even knew what a macademia was even if he had asked to be honest.

Even in the US the allergy campaigners don't advocate nut bans

from FAAN
You teach them to do it safely before they are aware that you have taught them.
Then when they are lippy teens its automatic NOT to walk out without looking.

SCHOOL GUIDELINES FOR
MANAGING STUDENTS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES
Food allergies can be life threatening. The risk of accidental exposure to foods can be reduced in the school setting if
schools work with students, parents, and physicians to minimize risks and provide a safe educational environment for
food-allergic students.
Family?s Responsibility
· Notify the school of the child?s allergies.
· Work with the school team to develop a plan that accommodates the child?s needs throughout the school
including in the classroom, in the cafeteria, in after-care programs, during school-sponsored activities, and on
the school bus, as well as a Food Allergy Action Plan.
· Provide written medical documentation, instructions, and medications as directed by a physician, using the
Food Allergy Action Plan as a guide. Include a photo of the child on written form.
· Provide properly labeled medications and replace medications after use or upon expiration.
· Educate the child in the self-management of their food allergy including:
q safe and unsafe foods
q strategies for avoiding exposure to unsafe foods
q symptoms of allergic reactions
q how and when to tell an adult they may be having an allergy-related problem
q how to read food labels (age appropriate)
· Review policies/procedures with the school staff, the child?s physician, and the child (if age appropriate) after
a reaction has occurred.
· Provide emergency contact information.
School?s Responsibility
· Be knowledgeable about and follow applicable federal laws including ADA, IDEA, Section 504, and FERPA
and any state laws or district policies that apply.
· Review the health records submitted by parents and physicians.
· Include food-allergic students in school activities. Students should not be excluded from school activities
solely based on their food allergy.
· Identify a core team of, but not limited to, school nurse, teacher, principal, school food service and nutrition
manager/director, and counselor (if available) to work with parents and the student (age appropriate) to
establish a prevention plan. Changes to the prevention plan to promote food allergy management should be
made with core team participation.
· Assure that all staff who interact with the student on a regular basis understands food allergy, can recognize
symptoms, knows what to do in an emergency, and works with other school staff to eliminate the use of food
allergens in the allergic student?s meals, educational tools, arts and crafts projects, or incentives.
· Practice the Food Allergy Action Plans before an allergic reaction occurs to assure the
efficiency/effectiveness of the plans.
· Coordinate with the school nurse to be sure medications are appropriately stored, and be sure that an
emergency kit is available that contains a physician?s standing order for epinephrine. In states were
regulations permit, medications are kept in a easily accessible secure location central to designated school
personnel, not in locked cupboards or drawers. Students should be allowed to carry their own epinephrine, if
age appropriate after approval from the students physician/clinic, parent and school nurse, and allowed by
state or local regulations.
· Designate school personnel who are properly trained to administer medications in accordance with the State
Nursing and Good Samaritan Laws governing the administration of emergency medications.
· Be prepared to handle a reaction and ensure that there is a staff member available who is properly trained to
administer medications during the school day regardless of time or location.
· Review policies/prevention plan with the core team members, parents/guardians, student (age appropriate),
and physician after a reaction has occurred.
· Work with the district transportation administrator to assure that school bus driver training includes symptom
awareness and what to do if a reaction occurs.
· Recommend that all buses have communication devices in case of an emergency.
· Enforce a ?no eating? policy on school buses with exceptions made only to accommodate special needs under
federal or similar laws, or school district policy. Discuss appropriate management of food allergy with family.
· Discuss field trips with the family of the food-allergic child to decide appropriate strategies for managing the
food allergy.
· Follow federal/state/district laws and regulations regarding sharing medical information about the student.
· Take threats or harassment against an allergic child seriously.
Student?s Responsibility
· Should not trade food with others.
· Should not eat anything with unknown ingredients or known to contain any allergen.
· Should be proactive in the care and management of their food allergies and reactions based on their
developmental level.
· Should notify an adult immediately if they eat something they believe may contain the food to which they are
allergic.
More detailed suggestions for implementing these objectives and creating a specific plan for each individual student
in order to address his or her particular needs are available in The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network?s (FAAN)
School Food Allergy Program. The School Food Allergy Program has been endorsed and/or supported by the
Anaphylaxis Committee of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, the National Association of
School Nurses, and the Executive Committee of the Section on Allergy and Immunology of the American Academy
of Pediatrics. FAAN can be reached at: 800/929-4040.
The following organizations participated in the development of this document:
American School Food Service Association
National Association of Elementary School Principals
National Association of School Nurses
National School Boards Association
The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network

i dont think putting all kids with nut allergies on the same table at lunch time is really a good idea do you op?

It is such a small thing,let them eat nuts on their porridge for breakfast,or as a snack on the way home for school,no one is saying your kids cant have nuts,they are just asking you to not have them in school,i think its quite a reasonable request tbh.

cuddler
so what happens in year 7 if they have been used to other people taking the decision for them?
1500 kids charging through a canteen in 40 minutes - nut free? - yeah right.

I repeat, please name for me a secondary school (private, state, any) that has a nut ban.

Again as pointed out many times on this thread
Do you also ban tomatoes, anything with seeds on or in it, anything with dairy in it, strawberry, kiwi, potatoes, egg sandwiches, bananas. Doesn't really leave much left to eat.
Even on a case by case basis in a 1 form entry primary you are going to come across a few of those allergies.

I seem to remember that the private pre-prep I taught in about fifteen years ago had a nut ban - though it wasn't quite phrsed like that, it was more of a request to parents to think about what they sent in. The child concerned was in the kindergarten class and was three when he started the school.

It was felt that while we were all vigilant and epi-pen trained, and he knew about his allergy, at three we felt that we also needed to minimize the risk wherever possible.

Preprep - fair enough - the oldest kids there are 8
BUT
I genuinely think that these nut bans are part of the "no conkers" risk aversion in some schools rather than a properly reasoned decision

Crossing the road kills lots and lots of kids a year
The sooner they are taught how to look out for themselves, the better their chances of survival.

I know of several independent (private) schools near me which are nut free. I am not aware whether my son's secondary (independent) school is nut free. I don't imagine any school (private or state, primary or secondary) would actively encourage the presence of nuts when they have pupils with severe allergies.

As for strawberries, kiwis etc I would imagine the same rules would apply for these individual cases should there be any children with severe allergies to these things in their care.

There is a difference between a life-threatening allergy (where a reaction can occur from the slightest vapour or contact with the product and milder allergies or intolerancies. Schools should make their decisions based on this information.

Regarding labelling or lack of, perhaps you could restrict your children's lunchboxes to those products which are clearly labelled. It is, to be fair, only one small meal in their day.

Yes, children should learn to be aware themselves of the dangers; my son has been aware since he was very young of every single item he puts in his mouth. Is it too much to ask that he is allowed to feel safe at school (as he does at home)?

Restaurants and foreign holidays are a minefield! Let school be about education and not about making children with allergies feel they are 'depriving' others of certain foods.

not about making children with allergies feel they are 'depriving' others of certain foods
But they are.
When should one stop lying to them?

I genuinely do not believe that Secondary schools have such bans.
And primary schools do it largely on knee jerk rather than evidence based.
Which is a shame because all education should be about evidence.

restrict your children's lunchboxes to those products which are clearly labelled
SORRY, but I won't put prepacked food into my kids lunch boxes.
And their 1500 pupil school says NOTHING about what goes in home provided meals, nor would I expect it to

"Is it too much to ask that he is allowed to feel safe at school (as he does at home)? "

No because he should feel safe anywhere and should be checking everything. Mistakes happen because of complacency when someone feels safe. Again that is why the allergy charities don't advocate nut bans.

And the reactions occuring to just smelling nuts is a bit of myth

Talkinpeace2 - gosh, what a lovely, caring attitude you have. My (confident) son already feels awkward about his allergy. Nice to know people like you don't give a toss about his wellbeing.

I find it hard to believe you don't know whether the food you buy contains nuts or not. I didn't ask you to give your child pre-packed food (heaven forbid!) but its pretty obvious that fresh fruit and vegetables or tuna, ham or chicken (or whatever they eat at lunch) doesn't contain nuts. Please be sensible about it and stop making out that providing a school lunch without nuts in it is a much bigger deal than it actually is.

I give up!

seeandsee
I'm slightly blunter than Bruffin but the links she has given are even blunter still.
Why does your son feel awkward about his allergy?
I don't feel awkward about mine even though most people accuse me of being a liar when I have to tell them.
Mine is not life threatening but is debilitating for up to three days if it kicks off.
So from the age of about 3 I've made sure it does not (except for once when i needed to miss a test at school and was magically sick as a dog that week).

As a rule of thumb I try not to buy processed foods as many of them are contaminated with all sorts, cockroach faeces being one of the most common.

DC's school is nut free, but then they all have school meals, so all food is provided by the school and therefore controlled by them. The only exceptions are cakes brought in for birthdays, etc, which are a lot easier to police than lunch boxes. I can see the intention in schools with packed lunches but surely children with allergies must still have to act as if there could be allergens in school since, in fact, there could. Also - why only nuts - other allergies can be equally life threatening .

The school do have DC with multiple, life-threatening allergies and seem to be able cater to their restricted diets.

TalkinPeace - My DD's Secondary school. For ALL 1,800 pupils. HTH.

The entire site is Nut free, and anyone found bringing nuts in faces immediate exclusion. Because there is a DC in the school (in DD's year, Y9 as it happens) whose allergy is SO severe that if someone opens up a packet of peanuts on the other side of the canteen, he will go into anaphylaxis. He never gets to go out, he is literally driven from his house door to the school and back again, it is the ONLY place he can feel like a 'normal' teenager.