Playground Safety

Posted by Becky on July 20, 2010 1 Comment

Update: Thurs. July 22, 2010. We originally published a story on this site Tues., July 20, 2010. A new article posted on wtop.com reports that “investigators will try to determine if the sticky fingered culprits were aware of the potential risk the gooey mess posed to children with peanut allergies. Simply breathing or touching peanuts can cause a serious reaction.”

In all my years as a reporter, few stories bug me to the core; this is one such story.
Apparently, a resident in a Virginia subdivision reported to her Home Owners Association (HOA) message board today that she found peanut butter smeared all over the neighborhood playground.

“It was easy to see on the swing chains,” according to the resident. The poster added, “It was spread thinly on the monkey bars and the sliding pole. It was definitely intentional.”

The HOA thoroughly cleaned the area, according to the website. There was even a Food and Allergy Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) link provided by a resident on how to clean the area correctly.

It just serves as a reminder about how diligent we need to be – and as sad as it is, this is a 24/7 lifestyle for us. I also hope this case shows non-allergy friends and family just how challenging, difficult and scary it is to raise a brave, independent child with this condition.

I am constantly trying to find that balance between giving Matthew his independence and making sure his environment is safe.

I know my non-allergic friends get so tired of me ranting; while most people only have to worry about their children learning to cross the street safely, playing on a high play structure without falling or eating at a friend’s house for dinner without consuming peanuts, we constantly have to worry about their exposure to fatal allergens.

No matter how diligent we are, a child’s playground is off-limits for any sort of criminal behavior. Hurting defenseless, innocent children in this manner is cowardly and evil.

Filed Under: Features, School Tagged With: playground, school

Valentine’s Day

Posted by Becky on February 2, 2010 Leave a Comment

Classroom parties and school celebrations can be incredibly fun for children, especially for the younger set. But for parents like us who have peanut-allergic children who are sensitive to other nut-related foods as well, it can be stressful. Here are some tips to help make Valentine’s Day special for your child and worry-free for you:

• Find out if food is included in the card exchange process. If so, ask your teacher if she can provide class parents with a list of approved foods. Encourage the use of non-candy gifts to accompany Valentine’s Day cards. Your local dollar store is a good source for inexpensive, quick ideas (think bubbles, crayons/little coloring books, puzzles, etc.).

• Remind your teacher what foods your child is allergic to. Also let your teacher know what Valentine’s Day treats might be included on the no-eat list. Big no-nos are chocolate candies, candy bars and baked treats. Take M&M’s for example, nearly every flavor has almonds or peanuts included, making the plain package dangerous for people with allergies because it’s all manufactured in the same area.

• Communicate with other Parents. Offer to correspond with parents in your class. This gives you the opportunity to communicate how important a nut-free event is and answer any questions parents might have.

I think peanut-allergy families take for granted sometimes how scary this can be for people who don’t have to live with this (I admit, I do). What is obvious to us is overwhelming to them. Remember: no one wants your child to suffer and/or die – other parents want to be as successful and diligent as you want them to be. So help them!

I know Matthew’s first-grade teacher embraces this (as a classroom coordinator, I actually started out as the “peanut” mom). Your teacher would likely welcome the contribution you can give to this area because it takes the burden off of them and frees them up to do what they specialize in: teaching!

• Save the treats for after-school. For added security, ask your teacher to request that all candy remain packaged for after-school consumption. Your teacher should favor this too – managing two dozen children on a sugar high is no walk in the park!

• Double-check all goodie bags after a celebratory event. In our house, we treat Halloween, Easter, Valentine’s Day and Christmas the same and there is no democracy here: all foods are presumed guilty until proven otherwise. The Peanut Allergy Mom’s rigorous check could put Homeland Security to shame. Okay, not really – but close.

• Have fun and relax. It’s an hour-long event that with the right preparation and supplies, will be tons of fun for everyone involved.

Filed Under: Parties, School

Helpful Tips

Posted by Becky on December 4, 2009 Leave a Comment

Helpful peanut allergy tips for friends and teachers

An incident in Matthew’s nut-free classroom today got me thinking about the school policies designed to keep my son and other peanut allergy children safe. I’m the first to admit that our teachers and administration do a great job making sure Matthew is not exposed to peanut products, but the reality is they have many students to deal with in such a short time frame.

Many schools around the nation face continual budget cuts, overcrowding and fewer volunteers able to pitch in. The last thing our teachers probably need to deal with is a life-threatening health condition like peanut allergies; to add to the burden, they must also contend with parents of non-allergic children who forget – or dare I say don’t care? – about following the no-nut policy.

Here are some classroom guidelines and policy tips that I think peanut allergy families and schools should discuss:

• Are all teachers, assistants, volunteers, substitutes and students aware and educated about food allergies?

• Has the school or teacher notified the class families their child is in a no-nut classroom?

• Is there an established list of allowable foods for classroom parties and celebrations?

• Are lunch helpers and class volunteers aware of what a peanut allergy is?

• Do all the teachers, assistants, volunteers and substitutes know where the Epi-Pens are located and how to use?

• Can the teachers, assistants, volunteers and substitutes recognize terms that indicate the presence of peanuts?

Terms that indicate the presence of peanut protein:

• African, Chinese, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese dishes
• Baked goods
• Beer nuts
• Chocolate (candies, candy bars)
• Cold pressed, expelled or extruded peanut oil
• Egg rolls
• Ground nuts
• Hydrolyzed plant protein
• Mixed nuts
• Monkey nuts
• Nu-Nuts
• Nut pieces
• Peanuts
• Peanut butter
• Peanut Flour

Filed Under: School

New FAAN Network

Posted by Becky on November 25, 2009 Leave a Comment

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) has launched the FAAN College Network, a new web-based program that could change the way students with food allergies choose where to go to college by providing information that makes researching a potential school easier. Until now, prospective college students were left on their own to research questions about food allergy management at each college or university.

FAAN’s College Network serves as a clearinghouse of information enabling college-bound students to learn about different colleges’ approaches to food allergy management. They will also find contact information for people who can best answer questions about how food allergies are addressed at each college.

Food allergy is a growing public health concern in the U.S., and teens are the highest risk group for fatal, food-induced anaphylaxis.

“The FAAN College Network empowers prospective college students to manage their food allergies away from home,” said Julia Bradsher, CEO of FAAN.

The contacts in the FAAN College Network consist of Student Ambassadors, who are current college students with food allergies, and College Representatives, who work at a college or university and can help students manage their food allergies at their school.

“Having gone through this process several years ago, I can tell you that this will be a very valuable tool for parents and students,” said Lisa Punt, a parent of a current college student with food allergies.

“As we personally found out, every college is different and you need someone to help guide you through what to do and where to seek assistance.”

The FAAN College Network is one of many ways FAAN demonstrates its commitment to food allergy awareness and education. For more information on food allergies, visit www.foodallergy.org.

Filed Under: School, Technology