The Letter

[wimom]

So my peanut allergic son is 4 and in sunday school. In my day, sunday school was a bible lesson, a few songs and thats it, maybe an hour's worth of time. These days kids need variety (so I am told, I am also the 5th & 6th grade sunday school teacher). Not surprising Sunday school, includes the occasional snack, candy rewards and surprise! birthday treats.

How do you impress upon a teenage teacher the importance of a food allergy? so I wrote this letter.

(CHILD'S NAME): Peanut & Orange Allergy; Asthma

Extreme Peanut (possible life-threatening) allergy:
Products containing peanut/peanut butter/ peanut oil / peanut flour should not be in classroom or used for snack, game prizes, rewards, or in craft/art projects. Please check all food labels and ok with us when we drop him off, if possible. Please do not give him any product stating "may contain peanuts or traces of peanut".

No M&M's of any kind (not even plain).

(Child) may not have a non-peanut product if it was packaged with or stored in the same container with a peanut product or made following the peanut product on the same work surface or even sitting on the same tray as a peanut product or if the person handing out the snack touched a peanut product prior to handing (Child) a non-peanut product. He may not pick out peanuts out of foods and the peanuts should not be scraped off of a product and given to him. Examples of this are: Assorted donuts or cookies, caramel corn, Cracker Jacks, trail mix/GORP or other snack mixes that contain peanuts or peanut flour. Cross-contamination is a significant cause of accidental exposure!

I have found that even non-peanut varieties of items such as a few brands of ice cream (including vanilla), jelly beans & Jelly Bellies, Chex & Cheerio snack mixes, Granola Bars & Strawberry Chex cereal has or may have peanut flour in it. Other nut products such as cashews are sometimes roasted in peanut oil. Please check labels!

Also, please check items that other student's parents may bring in for snacks or birthday treats. All homemade treats from other parents should be shown to us for approval before he is allowed to eat anything. Christmas candy bags are handed out as the kids leave the gym from the Christmas Service, (Child) should not be allowed to eat anything from the bag until we arrive to pick him up. We will try to remind you at the Christmas Service.

A few suggested safe treats are most varieties of animal crackers, Teddy Grahams, Graham Crackers, goldfish crackers, Fruit Snacks (that do not contain orange juice concentrate), twizzlers, skittles (good substitution for M&M's), and smarties and many others. Ask me for suggestions if needed. However, since manufacturers change formulations occasionally, please check the label on every package.

NOTE: Products labeled “manufactured in a plant that processes peanuts" are OK if the ingredients do not list peanuts.

Please make sure all teachers, helpers & substitute teachers are aware of his allergy!!

If after eating, should he feel ill for any reason, break out in hives or eyes swell up, please assume it may be peanut-related (accidental or cross-contaminant) and contact us immediately! In case of accidental exposure (known or suspected), we must be notified immediately & he may not be left unattended for any reason (even if he is throwing-up in the bathroom) until we are able to get him. We do have an Epi-pen for him and other medication that needs to be given right away.

If he cannot breath, is passed out or is gasping for air call 911 immediately, notifying them that it is an allergic reaction and send classroom helpers to find my husband or I. The Epi-pen we carry could save his life before 911 emergency personnel arrive.

Orange Allergy: (Child) should not have oranges or anything containing orange juice including punch drinks ( such as McDonald's Orange Drink, Hawaiian Punch & its generic equivalents, Hi-C & most varieties of Capri-Sun), Please note some fruit snacks, popsicles & cereals -such as Fruity Cheerios contain natural orange flavor or orange juice concentrate. This does not appear to be a life-threatening allergy but it causes extreme irritability and uncontrollable itching for many, many days after ingestion, please have a substitution available for him if serving something containing orange.

Asthma: an inhaler for uncontrollable coughing or wheezing will be available from his Mom or Dad, contact us immediately if a problem develops. The inhaler does not need to take before activity. Attacks are usually spontaneous and many times caused by airborne allergens and not usually caused by moderate activity.
Please feel free to post this in the classroom.

Did I miss anything? Now they are thinking of making Sunday School longer and adding a snack EVERY week. YIKES!!!!

[wimom]

I just didn't want the teacher (high school girl) to feel like she had to make that decision. He has new teacher now and she is college age and familiar with how to use of an epi-pen.

I also have a peanut allergy. The allergist didn't really tell my mom it was that serious even though my reactions to a speck of peanut which I spit out included swelling of the eyes, tongue and vomiting. Growing up, I only ate products that did not list peanuts in the ingredients and never had a reaction from that. Many of the same products today contain the warning and I've eaten them my entire life. In general, the peanut statement seems to be overused and brands that do not put a statement on- does not mean there are not any peanuts in their plants or that they are more cautious so it is giving a false sense of security in the brands that do not contain a warning. Also in the food plant I worked in, it was required by our many auditors that there was an allergen cleanup between running a product containing one of the top 8 allergens and a product that did not contain such ingredients.

I don't think you are being overcautious because there is always a risk factor involved.

[Sylvia Hoke]

Just wondering a couple of things... Why not train the SS teacher in using the Epi-pen and leave it with the teacher/child?
I noticed that you say foods containing the label "manufactured in a plant that also processes peanuts" are OK for your child. We avoid these for my PA son. I'm just curious why these products don't concern you, and if I am being over-cautious.