The ever looming food allergy struggles

[sweetheart4171]

 My son is having a Harvest Festival tomorrow at school.   How come everything has to center around food???  The reason I ask is because my son is allergic to milk and peanuts, and I always feel he is left out of certain situations because of it.  I got a letter about 2 weeks ago in regards to the Harvest Festival because I opted to help out with the event and bring in juice.  What irritated me the most is the wording of the letter "If you are donating a snack please avoid products with peanuts due to allergies".  Now this upset me, only because there are more allergies out there than peanuts, and if you are looking after one group of children why don't you look after all groups!!  Plus, if we are so worried about food allergies why even center the event with a snack??  So I called today to find out what snacks are being brought in so I have a general idea and can go get things that are close to it so he doesn't feel left out.  Honestly, the tone I received was like an "I don't care" attitude.  I really wish schools would just abstain from having food at events and just do something in it's place. 

[aurorabunny]

Oct. 29, 2009 at 2:05 PM

I think it's because peanut allergies are the most likely to be actually life threatening.

I know how it goes, because we are vegan (don't eat any meat, dairy products or animal products) and my son has a milk allergy also.  Whenever he has a school thing I bake up a special treat that he can eat and the other kids end up liking too.  Why not do something like that?

[ClaireW]

Oct. 29, 2009 at 2:12 PM

I know how frustrating it is. My son is in preschool and severely allergic to eggs, milk, peanuts, and tree nuts. The field trip this month is to the local pizza parlor where the kids get to watch pizza get made and then taste it. Well, as you know, I just won't be able to take my son to preschool that day. I pay for it, and then can't take him.

Next month, the field trip is to the grocery store where they learn about different food products and get to taste test a lot of samples. I don't know what's in these samples (particularly hidden milk products), and I don't want my poor son getting left out, so we'll probably just be skipping that day too.

Everything does seem to revolve around foods and our kids just can't have so much!

[sweetheart4171]

Oct. 29, 2009 at 2:14 PM

that is what I'm doing.... but milk allergies can be just as life threatening as peanut.  My problem with the school is don't just look after one group of children, and honestly the only reason why peanuts were even mentioned is because a mother on the PTO boards child is allergic....but look after ALL children it's only fair!!!!!  Or better yet, don't involve food at all....

(Original Poster)

[sweetheart4171]

Oct. 29, 2009 at 2:27 PM

 ClaireW.... I hear ya!!!  I was thinking of keeping him home, but unfortunately that can't happen.  I'm defiantely going to be there tomorrow to see what is going on though.  I guess no one will really realize until they have an allergic child....

(Original Poster)

[aurorabunny]

Oct. 29, 2009 at 4:52 PM

I do agree that food shouldn't be involved at all.  If you really sit down and think about it, it's no wonder what most of America is so obese.  How do we celebrate EVERYTHING in this country?  With giant meals or sweets or candy.  Every single holiday, birthday, party, pretty much anything gets celebrated with food.  If we could find other ways to celebrate things it would be healthier for everyone, even people that don't have food allergies.

[SinsSweetAngel3]

Oct. 29, 2009 at 7:12 PM

I completely agree with you. The school should take all the kids into consideration..i just seen a story not too long ago about how schools in Lexington KY where the deep fryers were banned in order to make school meals more healthy for kids. Maybe other towns, states could learn from thier example...

[goofyrbsn]

Oct. 31, 2009 at 10:50 PM

wow, I hope he had a good time at the party? And you got the snack thing solved? Sorry you have to go through this!