Allergies, bans on peanuts, latex balloons, etc... what do you think about it?
By whiteheron
@whiteheron (4222)
United States
December 10, 2008 1:39am CST
It seems that allergies are becoming more popular...
and there are now some bans against things to prevent children from being exposed to the things that they are deathly allergic to...
I saw this opinion piece on the net regarding the banning of peanuts in the schools in Rhode Island:
"Regarding the new Rhode Island law that prohibits elementary and middle schools that have a pupil with an allergy to peanuts or tree nuts from selling peanut or other nut products in their cafeterias:
I have a child with special needs who also has severe allergies to latex, soy, dairy and thimerisol. She’s now 13 and in all her years of public school, we have never had to get her epi pen out. Why? Because we educated everyone around her.
Some of my friends’ children also have allergies, such as to gluten. Are we going to ban bread? Dairy? Have a food-free zone at school?
I understand severe allergies probably more than most people. Yet I’m not demanding that we create a law for every allergy that my daughter has. First, you can’t, and shouldn’t be able to, control what others bring in.
In my child’s case, pencil erasers, rubber balls, etc., cannot even be in the room or she starts to get rashes. Kids and people around her are educated to keep an eye out for her and we’ve not had an issue. We don’t ban anything from the school (except latex balloons, and that was the principal’s policy, which lets my daughter be safe at all events, in case someone is running around with one and she got near/touched by one accidently).
What about drugs and guns in school? Oh, I’m sorry, we already have laws against them, and just look at how successful those are!
SHARON TERZIAN
Warwick"
http://www.projo.com/opinion/letters/content/LT_terzianRDY_09-11-07_9L6UM9L.2267b7d.html
What are your opinions about this issue? Should there be bans against things that children are allergic to in the schools?
How about in the workplace?
There are people who are allergic to peanuts, soy, latex, pollin, etc.
Are you allergic to things?
What are you allergic to? How does it affect you?
Do you have children who are allergic? How does it affect them?
What would you like to do or to have done to prevent or to reduce your allergies?
What steps do you take to prevent them?
2 people like this
3 responses
@nicholejade (2430)
• Canada
10 Dec 08
With todays society immune systems are being shot down and someone is allergic to something and something is being banned from schools. However I sometimes wonder what is going to happen with these things. As you said that your child is allergic to latex, pencil erasers, peanuts, and nut allergies. There are so many other kids nowadays that have these and once you start taking all this out what is really left with schools? What really are they going to do? They can't go and take pencil erasers out of schools since you need them as well as many other things. Most likely schools would have to go food free and not have people have lunch there due to all these allergies.
I am allergic to bee/wasp/hornet stings, certain tomato (cant remember what its called), cocunut, hay, dust, alfalfa stuff like that. I am also allergic to cats and dogs. I have an epi pen for the bee stings but for hay, dust and that I have to take decongestants. With dogs and cats we have them and I just take a pill everyday. However I have noticed that I get a rash when the dog licks my arm. Not sure how bad that is going to be though.
I really don't take any precautions to preventing as I can't stop it from happening. I just go with the flow.
2 people like this
@whiteheron (4222)
• United States
10 Dec 08
Thanks for your response...
I am wondering what is triggering the intensity of the allergic responses in the children...
Just to correct your misperception... I do not have any children... That was the opinion piece from the online paper written by a mother who has a child with those allergies. Sorry if I was not clear enough.
It is indeed a difficulty that the schools have to solve... of what to do regarding the students with severe allergies.
That going with the flow seems to be a good strategy along with preparing to deal with problems before they occur... I have talked with a school nurse and she cannot understand why parents do not provide their allergic children with the epi pen... There is often a battle to get them to see their doctors to get this... and yet the schools would be held responsible should the epi pen not be administered when it is needed.
I am hoping that your allergy symptoms eventually leave you... I have heard from some people that they decrease a bit with age... That is perhaps one good thing about growing older... grins.
Thanks again for your response to the questions.
1 person likes this
@nicholejade (2430)
• Canada
10 Dec 08
Sorry about the misperception. I thought you had a daughter with lots of allergies. The only thing that I can think of why kids have such allergies is because of their immune systems. Once you really think about think of when your grandparents were in school or even your parents were in school and they never had all these precautions like they do now. However there are gonna be getting worse over the years and just thinking about it what else are they gonna stop letting into schools? With my allergies I have actually got them over the years. I used to love coconut but then all of sudden it would just make me sick. Same with dogs and cats. Never had a problem before and now I do. I really don't know why that I have started it but it is something that I am now living with.
2 people like this
@CanadaGal (4304)
• Canada
11 Dec 08
On the having the epipens on hand... in our school, the kids aren't allowed to even keep their asthma inhalers on hand, unless during gym, maybe. They have to keep all medications in the office, and get them administered there. That includes the epipens.
We do not have a school nurse, so that practice makes me wonder why?
My older son has asthma that comes on when he's got a cold. It always goes straight to his chest, poor kid. During those times, he needs his puffer. But he isn't allowed to keep it in his pocket. He's to go to the office before recess or gym, take his puffs there, and then continue with his day. Preventative measures I guess... but at the same time, he's only 9, and can't be expected to remember to do that all the time (especially b/c it's not an every day thing for him).
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
10 Dec 08
It must be just awful to have allergis like this. But as far as I know none of us have any.
and wow to have these things took out of schools and work place would be hard on the people that work there as for me I always took what I ate mostly never used the machines or I would eat off teh we called it the gut wagon.
ANd yes more poeple should be educated in it asn so they dont offer those things to someone who is allergic
2 people like this
@whiteheron (4222)
• United States
11 Dec 08
I think that your idea of people being more educated about allergies is a good one. Thanks for your post.
1 person likes this
@Bohemian77 (277)
• United States
5 Feb 09
This is a great thread, btw. I definitely have a problem with bans. I don't think it's fair or logical to deprive the majority of something they enjoy to safeguard a minority, even a child. That might sound callous, but I believe it is up to each individual, and the parents in a childs case, to protect themselves or their child. It quite simply should not be the responsibility of society to alter itself for the few. If bans keep multiplying at the current rate, no one will be able to even leave their house. Smoking bans, scent bans, dog bans,peanut bans, etc. It surprises me that so many people are willing to live under these obscene violations of their personal freedoms.
@whiteheron (4222)
• United States
28 Mar 09
So you would hold the banner for "NO Bans"
It is true that there are sure a lot of them...
It seems like society is more intent on protecting it members than it used to be or perhaps it is just because the cost of insurance claims and law suits make the bans more profitable than not having them.
