how do you deal with nut allergies at school

[cherrypie]

here is the thing in my daughters kindergarten any kind of nuts and seeds are not allowed as there are children with more or less severe nut allergies.
This puts me into a dilemma if I want to keep some variation in her snack/ lunch box. I don't see the point why I can't give her for e.g a Larabar or a Alissa sunflower seed burger if another child has some cruelty-ingredient bar that might be nut free but has been produced in an environment that deals with nuts. As far as I know people with severe nut allergies need to avoid even these foods. Has anybody ever dealt with that before?

[Lady Green Jeans]

I know restaurants need to be extremely cautious even when cutting sandwiches that contain nuts or nut products as the oils may transfer on the knife to the next sandwich and possibly cause a reaction in a sensitive person. Same with pizza places that put nuts on pizzas.

I work with a young lady who is allergic to all tree nuts but has no issues with peanuts. Sorry I don't have more positive info.

Do you think the nuts change in allergy reactions if sprouted? Have not really heard anything in that arena--just curious.

Why do they restrict everyone if only one person has an allergy? Seems kind of lame. I was always lactose intolerant and the school never disallowed milk. You think the child could be cautioned (given they are at an age of discernment) on making solid and knowledgeable choices.

[Platypus Girl]

Nut allergies, as with all properly diagnosed allergies (not just food intolerances) need to be treated with extreme caution. Food allergies, involving the body's immune system, can cause anaphylaxis and even death, within a matter of minutes.
My son was born with severe multiple food allergies and i'm getting him more raw now he's turned 18 months. his eczema flared up when i introduced high salicylate foods. i'm testing him really slowly and carefully. two weeks ago he came very close to anaphylaxis, which involves immediate swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue. He luckily only started to get a severe allergic reaction to a banana, with tahini and maple syrup. we had to call the ambulance and have his epipen ready. he started swelling up in his lips and his eyelids got red and puffy, i gave him Zirtec and it controlled it luckily.
I lost a cousin who died at age 21 at a party after he got a severe reaction to a peanut, and asphyxiated from severe asthma attack suddenly.
Without looking into it further, it might sound 'lame' that whole child centres or schools ban all nuts and egg, for example, but these days many many children have allergies (worsening environment?), so unfortunately avoidance has proven to be best defence.
And yes, even if someone else touches cheese, and even if their hands look clean, but they touch my son's skin, he breaks out in hives all over his body within minutes. There are some cases where even if something is stored with, or cut or cooked near the offending food, the person can get a reaction. Unfortunately.
As i write this, at 3:30am in the middle of the night, i'm having a reaction to food offered to me by my Godmother 8 hours ago. Woke up with asthma and my nose hasn't stopped running in the past half hour. Obviously it's somethign i ate as they celebrated their Russian Christmas and I ate foods i usually don't eat myself at home.

[Hedi]

Platypus Girl, thanks for stating the dangers of allergies in such a concise manner! Please accept my condolences on the loss of your cousin, and know that I'm very sorry to hear that your son has multiple allergies. He is blessed with a mother who's looking out for him and trying different paths to health! I hope that by the time your son is in his twenties that there are tried-and-true methods for dealing with (or curing!) food allergies. I think a raw diet is the best bet, despite a vaccine for nut allergies having been in the works for some time.

When I was a toddler, if my parents cracked a nut in the house I would have a horrible reaction. The allergy comes and goes in degrees of severity depending upon my overall health: ten years ago I had to leave a cooking class because a bag of raw almonds was left open. If the "oil" is in the air -- let alone if I can smell it -- I have major difficulty. The asthma kicks in big-time. Needless to say, I have to plan my routes around grocery stores very carefully (making a wide sweep around areas with nuts on display). Sprouted or not, it makes no difference -- the nuts are deadly to me. One reason for my coming to raw is because more and more packaged foods (even from Whole Foods) comes with the warning that they were prepared on the same equipment as nuts, which means I stand a huge chance of having a reaction. I always carry two Epi-pens in my purse and have another two at home, because seconds count. We haven't flown in years because I'm also allergic to peanuts, and have to take a massive amount of Benadryl in order to make it through the flight. I'm hoping this intolerance improves with the healing of my various systems through raw food.

Nut allergies are finally being recognized as a huge deal because many, many people have them -- it's rarely the case of one child at a school. I've recently read quite a few medical journal articles about this, and reasons given for the increase in nut allergies range from a possible genetic predisposition to damage caused by pollutants affecting the body to the mother eating "too many" nuts during pregnancy. It's mind-boggling!

[ilovetorun]

I am allergic to all nuts and most seeds. How do you deal with this and eat raw? It seems like so many raw food recipes use nuts or seeds. I would like to be able to make some sort of raw bread or cracker as well as some of the amazing looking desserts.

[Hedi]

Hi, ilovetorun! Actually, I've had a very difficult time with any raw crackers or breads, but for some of the desserts I simply substitute coconut when nuts are called for. It gives a different texture and sometimes doesn't seem to work at all (I am so culinarily challenged, LOL!), but it's worth a try. I think you can run a search on here for "nut allergies" -- I know other people have the same issue and will offer a wide spectrum of advice. I'm just not as adventurous as some might be, seeing as I pretty much go for the fruits and veggies and that's it! :)

[spicyfull]

Have you heard the latest about Nut Allergies? Under a Doctors Supervision, you are introduced to small abouts of Peanut Butter, over a time period, which is increased. Your Body, over time, addapt and the dose is increased and you are Free to eat it. Again,.....this is done under Superived conditions.

[Hedi]

I heard about that -- and I think it has the potential to truly help many people allergic to nuts! My allergy is so extreme that we can't even try it -- too much risk for anaphylactic shock. BUT I think this is a step towards a vaccine/"cure" even more powerful that will be able to help persons such as myself. :)