Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/812811
Increasing numbers of children are allergic to nuts, milk, wheat and other substances, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers can't say why food allergies are rising. Some believe environmental factors or processed food is to blame. It can be a balancing act for schools to protect students with food allergies from danger, while accommodating students who enjoy foods that trigger allergies. It's also important to create a school environ- ment where children with food allergies don't feel excluded or blamed for restricting food choices of others due to a condition that's beyond their control, and ensure they are not bullied. A 2010 study in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology reported that 35 percent of children over 5 with f o o d a l l e rg i e s h av e e n d u re d b u l ly i n g directly related to their condition, such as being threatened with foods that trig- ger reactions. Holidays and special events are also a challenge for schools, especially Valentine's D a y, H a l l o w e e n and birthday par- t i e s . C h o c o l a t e , can dy an d oth er foods may appear to be peanut-free, but labels show warn- ings such as "may contain peanuts" or "produced in a facility that uses peanuts." Being constantly vigilant about reading labels and checking ingredients with cooks is critical to averting tragedy, such as when 13-year-old Natalie Giorgi died in 2013 after taking a bite of a Rice Krispies treat made with peanuts. e event occurred at the city of Sacramento's Camp Sacramento, whose operators had been informed of Natalie's life-threatening condition beforehand. Some schools in the U.S. have cracked down on peanuts, sparking what the media have dubbed "peanut wars." For exam- ple, three years ago in Michigan, parents claimed their children's civil rights were being violated because the school pre- vented them from bringing peanut butter sandwiches to campus to accommodate a child with an allergy. The case went to federal court, which upheld the decision of the school to go peanut-free. W h en Camille enrolled as a kinder - gartner at Cobb Elementar y, there was discussion of going peanut-free. Some parents reacted with a bit of "pushback," recalls her mother. e school reacted swiftly by informing parents there was a student with an allergy whose safety came first. "It is not a choice," read the Allergy Alert sent by the school. "is is a life-threatening condition." It was eventually decided that all rooms would be peanut-free except for the cafe- teria, which has a peanut-free table. After lunch, students scrub their hands vigor- ously on outdoor washing stations, so they don't leave any trace of peanut butter resi- due or crumbs on desks or play equipment. Cafeteria tables and benches are scrubbed with bleach, dish soap and warm water. "My husband and I agree with the deci- sion not to make it a peanut-free campus, because it tends to build a sense of false se curity," say s P y ska . "My d au g ht er i s building her autonomy and learning how Above, Cobb Mountain Elementary aide Caroline Garcia wipes down a table after lunch. Jessica Pyska, left, works at Cobb, where she can help monitor daughter Camille's safety. 18 cta.org FEATURE