Search Results for: blog severe peanut allergy sparks controversy at school

It’s Food Allergy Awareness Week

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This week, from May 13 -19, 2012, is Food Allergy Awareness Week. The purpose of this week is to spread awareness of how serious certain types of food allergies can be. Let’s make the world a little bit safer for people who have food allergies that can result in anaphylaxis and death! Food Allergy Awareness Week was first created in 1998 by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). Now is the time to educate people about food allergies. There are many children and adults who cannot simply walk into a restaurant, order something off the menu, and reasonably expect … Continue reading →

Should Schools Ban Peanuts?

As the new school year begins, so does the debate about banning peanuts from schools. For whatever reason, the mere suggestion that a child will not be allowed to bring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to school as part of his or her lunch sparks controversy. This is an issue that evokes strong emotions, which are often followed by nasty comments. In the early months of 2011, Edgewater Elementary school, a public school that is located in Florida, created some school policies that set off a powder keg of controversy. Things started with one little girl, who was in … Continue reading →

PAK Has Resources For Parents of Kids With Food Allergies

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PAK is an excellent online resource for parents of children who have allergies. You can learn more about all types of food allergies, keep up with news related to children and allergies, and get help with making your child’s school understand and accommodate for his or her allergies. As an allergic adult, I really wish there was something like PAK in existence when I was a kid. PAK stands for Protect Allergic Kids. Their mission is “to raise food allergy awareness by promoting education, while providing support to Members and their families”. You don’t necessarily have to be a member … Continue reading →

Service Dogs Can Help Children Avoid Allergens

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It can be really frightening for parents of children who have severe, life threatening, allergies to send their child to school, the park, or even the grocery store. Its impossible to know, without a doubt, that the environment will be free from the allergens that your child reacts to. Fortunately, specially trained guide dogs can help sniff out allergens, before your child has a bad allergic reaction. In general, people tend to understand why a person who is blind, or visually impaired, would benefit from having a guide dog. Most people realize that, in many ways, the dog is acting … Continue reading →

Could Blood Transfusions Trigger Allergic Reactions?

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A six year old boy who is severely allergic to peanuts had a blood transfusion. This triggered an allergic reaction. It turned out that some of the blood donors ate peanuts the night before they donated blood. This brings up a lot of questions about the safety of blood transfusions for kids who have severe food allergies. The situation happened in the Netherlands, last year, with a six year old boy who had leukemia. He received a transfusion of pooled platelets as part of treatment. Soon after receiving the blood transfusion, he developed a rash, his skin started swelling, his … Continue reading →

Firstborns More Likely To Suffer From Allergies

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Do you suffer from allergies? Do any of your children have the same allergies that you do? Most people realize that allergies tend to run in families. There are many theories as to what causes an person to become allergic to something, and studies are still being done in order to find that out. A recent study concludes that first born children are more likely to suffer from allergies than their younger siblings are. The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases says that about 26 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies. WebMd says that one in five people suffer … Continue reading →

Severe Peanut Allergy Sparks Controversy at School

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Some of the parents of children who attend a public elementary school in Florida are asking that a child in that school be removed from the school entirely, and home schooled instead. The first grader in question has a peanut allergy that is severe enough to be classified as a disability. The parents of some of this child’s peers are resistant to having their own children make changes that would serve to protect her health. It seems that the situation has gotten completely out of hand. The Edgewater Elementary School, a public school located in Florida, has a controversy going … Continue reading →