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The school hot lunches are peanut and nut-free thanks to the work of people before me. They do serve Uncrustables but most kids don't get them. Maybe a couple get them or even noone gets them each lunch. About 1/2 the kids get hot lunch. 1/2 bring lunch from home and of these 75-95% have peanut butter sandwiches. Some day it is near 100%. This worries me. they do pass out wipes to kids after lunch and the lunch aids are *great* but I know they sometimes miss some kids. I posted at peanutallergy and another site asking if anyone knew of anyone reacting from this type of exposure and unfortunately there were a few cases of kids having ana. Our allergist told me that it is only a theoretical possibility and that they aren't hearing of people actually dying from this or having serious reactions. I'm going to print out the replies I got and send those to him! He is on the FAAN board so I really want him to know this is possible to react to that type of exposure.
Meanwhile I am just drilling into DS to not touch his face, esp at recess and to tell adults if he doesnt' feel well. I have him use his shirt to wipe his face if it is really itchy (he has EAs so can get quite itchy.) He holds the shirt near the color and pulls the inside up and uses the inside to rub his nose if he needs to. Gross, maybe, but much safer than using his hand. He is only 5 but he is remembering well because he remembers his last reaction and doesn't want another.
Anyway, most people seem to say their kids have never had trouble at playgrounds. Also, DS has been to many playgrounds and never had trouble and he took gymnastics last year at 12:50 and I know many kids in the class must have just eaten and not washed hands and he was always fine. He has had reactions from contact/ingestion from touching surfaces and then touching his face including once where he had hives over half his body and diarrhea. I should have given the epi according to our plan but was in denial. He has had a bunch of other contact/ingestion reactions from touching food residue on surfaces and touching his face as well but not any in the last over a year now. I think this is because he is not touching his face much.
So, I would love any reassurances you could give that DS should be OK. The school will *not* send out letters to parents asking them to consider not sending peanut butter. I asked. Otherwise they are super supportive and I really appreciate them and feel lucky.
I'm not super worried but just a bit worried. And there is nothing I can do really. This is how it is.
My daughter is in grade 8 now, so we have much less accomodations in place for her and she handles many things on her own. None of her friends ever bring in anything with peanuts, though. and she wipes down her table before she eats. Her cafeteria is also peanut and nut free.
Anyway, the real reason I am answering your post was not actually to share that. What upsets me about your son being in this situation is that I truly believe kids with allergies need to feel safe at school. How can they focus on learning when they are constantly analyzing the situatino - my tongue is a little itchy - could it be a reaction? My tummy is upset - could it be a reaction? Your son is a little young to be aware in this way, but it will start soon enough and can have a real effect on his learning. This is the main reason I pushed my schools so hard to not have peanut butter in my daughter's classroom and eggs in my son's.
You have said your school is supportive - would your son's classroom teacher consider letting you come in and talk to the class? My kids have always carried their epis in fanny packs and when they were in younger grades I would come in and explain that there is no money nor toys in the fanny pack but some medicine to help them. I would briefly explain what allergies are, that peanuts could make my daughter react and ask the kids how they could help keep her safe. They invariabley suggested telling their parents not to send in peanut butter themselves, as well as calling a teacher if she became ill along with lots of other suggestions.
Good luck and I hope your son has a reaction free year!
You say the school will not send out letters asking parents to consider sending something other than PB. I wonder if they would, just to promote general health, nothing to do with allergies (wink, wink ) send out a letter about healthy lunches, giving suggestions for a variety of foods.
my son had a reaction at a Little Gym that I posted about on the other board - I'll link it to your post on the other board. To the best of my knowledge this was from peanut contact. The children do not eat in the gym area - but they do in a bday area. The residue most likely came from someone eating before playing. My home has been pnut free for 8 months and aside from a jar of pb before that we were nut free for 3.5 years. I know what he ate that day - I made it. His only known allergy is pnut and his reaction lasted for days.
The school *is* very supportive, just not peanut-free. Ds's classroom is food-free or at least totally free of anything to which DS is allergic down to even things like lotion and lip balm, etc. The other students can't even bring their lunches into the classroom and must wash after eating and recess when they return to the classroom. They have 3 epi kids for DS--one in the classroom, one traveling, one with the nurse plus the school has a kit they take to recess. DS's travel kid goes with him all day. He eats at an MFA table that the janitor, who is very allergy-aware, cleans thoroughly before DS's lunch including the edges and under the edges of the table and DS's chair. They don't allow goodie bags with DS's allergens in them. I am encouraged to go on all field trips and there is no eating on the bus on these trips. The other kids will wipe hands after eating/handling potential allergens on field trips. They are goiing to check ahead of time if the trip is safe for DS or not. There is a lot more. I got a very extensive plan. DS is to be monitored at all times by people who know the signs of ana and what to do, etc. The other kids are all supposed to wipe hands after eating lunch and DS's classmates all wash after recess. The teacher is going to have the other parents pay into a fund and have me buy all food for all class parties. The specials teachers are not supposed to use any allergens and they have me read all things with ingredient labels before using them with DS's class. Ditto for classroom teacher. The principal sent a letter to other parents saying they are having trouble finding kids to sit at DS's table and sent my list of allergy-free lunch ideas. This is very nice. The only thing I wish that they refused was sending the letter about considering not sending peanuts because he thinks this would sound like he was saying *not* to send it (which really, I think it kind of is) but the school itself serves pb sandwiches so it looks contradictory. He also thinks it shows we don't trust the plan and he does. I'm going to talk with him about this but he said he doesn't intend to change his mind. I really like him and would like him to send the letter, of course, but I"m not willing to fight over this since they have bent over backwards on all my other requests. I got them to do way more than they have in the past for other FA students and I am very, very grateful to them. I really think we are lucky.
NOt sure if this would help, our school serves pb(once a week) and kids also bring it for lunch...ALL these kids sit together(at the cold lunch tables) and all wash their hands after lunch(with soap and water) prior to returning to class or going on the playground. So, IMHO I think our school is serving pb safely, with the handwashing being the kicker here(well, and the kids all sitting together, easier to keep an eye on, control and get to wash after). Anyways, just thought I'd share the idea...good luck
ps...my son has had welts around his eyes once at lunch(sitting at the PF table) but he has multiple allergies, so I am unsure if it was the pb, eggs or something else entirely that caused it. sorry
GailW had a lot of success with her school lunch situation... I don't remember the details but her daughter's reactions diminished considerably..
If GailW is here or someone remembers how she did it, maybe they can post.. I seem to remember some strict hand washing policy after eating etc but can't remember all the details
DS's school has a lot of peanut butter sandwiches - (Read 512 Times)
Posted: Sep 17th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Logged 
) send out a letter about healthy lunches, giving suggestions for a variety of foods.
