Posted on 11/02/2003 10:04:07 AM PST by Deadeye Division
Peanuts no small danger
On the rise and potentially deadly, allergic reactions
are forcing schools to keep high-risk kids segregated
Sunday, November 02, 2003
Tiffany Y . Latta
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Though students at Wright Elementary School jockey for a place to sit at lunchtime, Evan Smith takes his time. The Dublin first-grader always has a seat. Evan, 7, sits at a peanut-free table, far away from even the scent of Jif, Peter Pan or Skippy. His friends can sit with him only if their parents have signed notes swearing their children’s lunches don’t contain peanuts.
Since he took two bites of a peanut-butter sandwich when he was 3, Evan has had to steer clear of peanuts and tree nuts.
"He is violently allergic," his mother, Sarah Smith said, recalling that first trip to Children’s Hospital. "Being around it, whether it’s airborne, contact or ingested, he could go into anaphylactic shock."
Wright administrators created the peanut-free table to protect Evan. They represent a growing number of school officials trying to cope with peanut allergies.
The number of children with peanut allergies is growing, but the medical community doesn’t know why, says the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, based in Fairfax, Va. About 100 people — usually children — die of food allergies each year.
Peanuts can cause an allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which closes off airways and makes breathing difficult.
In some cases, children have minor reactions — such as hives — simply when they’re near tree nuts, peanuts or peanut butter.
Approximately 3 million Americans are allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, the most severe food-induced allergy, the allergy network says.
Dr. Roger Friedman, an allergist and director of the asthma clinic at Children’s Hospital, said food allergies have become a major concern in schools.
Districts including Dublin, Gahanna-Jefferson and South-Western City Schools, and private schools such as Columbus Academy and St. Agatha have peanut-free tables for children with severe allergies.
Officials with Columbus Public Schools say schools work out individualized food plans for allergic students.
Other districts label lunch items in their cafeterias or post names of students with food allergies in the main office and outside classrooms.
Massachusetts is the only state with school guidelines concerning food allergies. Schools in Houston, San Francisco and Portland, Ore., have banned peanuts altogether.
Friedman said that, at the least, schools should have foodallergy guidelines.
"Are we going to have them go through metal detectors and peanut detectors?" Friedman said. Children with allergies "don’t need to live in a bubble. They can live a normal life with extra precaution."
In many schools, staff members are trained to use EpiPens, emergency injections of epinephrine for severe allergic reactions.
Julia Redman, a nurse at St. Agatha, said the school has an emergency plan in case a student with severe food allergies is exposed.
In 1999, the parochial school in Upper Arlington had just a couple of students with severe food allergies, Redman said. Now there are 10.
Helen Baumberger’s 6-yearold daughter is one of them.
"It’s very stressful at times," Baumberger said. "I make a lot of things from scratch and I don’t buy a lot of pre-package because of the possibility of cross-contamination."
That means, for example, avoiding all chocolate — even without nuts.
The plain M&M’s, she explained, could be contaminated if made at the candy factory in a vat that previously contained M &M’s with peanuts.
"She can’t go eat a cookie or eat a doughnut at most places," Baumberger, 44, said.
She said her first-grade daughter is now adjusting to sitting away from some of her pals at lunchtime.
At first, however, she "felt isolated and lonely," Baumberger said. "Being the only girl in her class with the allergy, she couldn’t sit with the rest of her friends."
Baumberger said that many Upper Arlington parents who have children with food allergies recently formed a support group called the Upper Arlington Food Allergy Partnership. The group is working to establish uniform guidelines for schools.
About 40 students in Dublin schools have peanut allergies, said Barb Sabatino, a district nurse.
While some parents have asked for peanut-free schools, she said, the district works to ensure that students do not share food in the cafeteria or during classroom events such as birthday parties, where peanutfree snacks are available for students with allergies.
Margie Gooch of Dublin has two sons, Robby, 7, and Peter, 10. Both have severe peanut allergies.
Robby sits far from others in the Eli Pinney Elementary School lunchroom.
"If I have a little, I could end up in the hospital. And if I have a lot, I probably will die," said Robby, who also is allergic to tree nuts.
Sarah Smith, Evan’s mother, said lunchtime can be scary for children with allergies and their parents.
"It’s out of my hands. . . . I’ve done everything I can, and the school has done everything they can," Smith said. "Once you get to a certain point, you just have to cross your fingers and hope."
tlatta@dispatch.com
My point exactly. It is indeed possible for those with the peanut allergy to co-exist with everybody else.
So very true. One of the girls is a psychotic masochist; one of the boys a walking germ farm; and they have a beagle that flies a doghouse (inherently UN-aerodynamic). Steer clear of these "Lil' Folk."
What airline serves peanuts? USAir, United, and Delta serve pretzels; I can't recall if Southwest serves anything, but they do not serve peanuts. I am referring the period 2000 to the present; I can recall many years ago getting peanuts and Blue Diamond Almonds.
The thing I'd like to know is: When the bucket spills over, does that mean it is now empty? Does it ever evaporate, so to speak, without spilling over!?? In other words, can I ever have a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup again!??
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I flew SW from Houston to LA, FWIW.
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