Old Man Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 Re: The cranky thread You sure about that? I did a little research' date=' and from what I found it seemed likely that there was a hell of a lot of potentially fatal peanut allergy hype and no damn peanut fatalities. I did the research as I was screaming at our son's elementary school for trying to ban peanut butter altogether, which let's face it would be a damn disaster for the rest of us.[/quote'] Most schools and day cares here have already banned peanuts. It's extremely prevalent, and I know a couple of adults who can't even be in the room with Thai food, let alone eat it. I don't doubt your son is allergic to peanuts, and you have my sincere sympathies, but the test seems able to detect a hystamine response but not severity. Am I wrong? I don't know about severity--we didn't take my kid to the ER after the first peanut butter sandwich, though we probably should have--but we live in a lawsuit-happy society, so I can't blame the schools. As it is, half a PBJ will at least turns my kid into one giant vomiting itchy hive for a day, and that's after we force-fed him some benadryl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinKitty Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Thank God I am not a kid in school today. When I was a kid my PB&Js were the high point in my day. I still eat them often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Thank God I am not a kid in school today. When I was a kid my PB&Js were the high point in my day. I still eat them often. I've found a soy butter that tastes exactly like peanut butter; the only downside is it gets soft and kinda liquidy easily, so you have to keep it in the fridge. It's still spreadable, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread That'd be awesome except I don't want the kid to start thinking he can eat real peanut butter. He's three. He's bright for his age but why take the chance? It sucks that he can't eat the stuff but OTOH he doesn't know what he's missing either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Maybe I'm misremembering, but when I was growing up, I knew maybe one or two kids who had peanut butter allergies. Nowadays, it seems like there's maybe one or two kids who don't have peanut allergies. Did it just become that much more prevailant in the last 20 years, or has it always been that way and I just lived in a bubble? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread . . . I, too, am under the impression that allergies are on the rise. We need statistics -- let's find Markdoc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Maybe I'm misremembering' date=' but when I was growing up, I knew maybe one or two kids who had peanut butter allergies. Nowadays, it seems like there's maybe one or two kids who [u']don't[/u] have peanut allergies. Did it just become that much more prevailant in the last 20 years, or has it always been that way and I just lived in a bubble? Well, I think a lot of it is that more allergy testing is being done. And as noted elsewhere in the thread, a positive test result means that your body reacts to peanuts negatively. You might get a scratchy throat, you might go into anaphylaxis. I'm guessing that there are a lot more on the "scratchy throat" end of the spectrum than on the "anaphylaxis" end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceTheOwl Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Well' date=' I think a lot of it is that more allergy testing is being done. And as noted elsewhere in the thread, a positive test result means that your body reacts to peanuts negatively. You might get a scratchy throat, you might go into anaphylaxis. I'm guessing that there are a lot more on the "scratchy throat" end of the spectrum than on the "anaphylaxis" end.[/quote'] I certainly wouldn't want to go testing that out. Even the slight chance of fatality is too much. I know some allergies have actually increased, though. Latex allergies now occur in a greater part of the population, because delivery rooms were using latex gloves as standard procedure. I don't know if they've reversed that, in light of the allergy issue. Also, asthma and hay fever seem to be occurring in greater parts of the population. That one's a bit more nebulous, but there's evidence which suggests that children who spend most of their lives in a sterile, dust-free environment (and don't play outside much) are more prone to allergies and asthma. Of course, if it can be extrapolated that people exposed to lots of dust and allergens and playing-outside are healthier, then I have an immune system of steel. So I like that idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread For me, when I've been working out in the yard and I'm hot and tired, there's nothing like sitting down for lunch to a nice PB&J sammich, a bag of cheetoes, and a glass of lemonaide. It's like a comfort food for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread I certainly wouldn't want to go testing that out. Even the slight chance of fatality is too much. I know some allergies have actually increased, though. Latex allergies now occur in a greater part of the population, because delivery rooms were using latex gloves as standard procedure. I don't know if they've reversed that, in light of the allergy issue. Also, asthma and hay fever seem to be occurring in greater parts of the population. That one's a bit more nebulous, but there's evidence which suggests that children who spend most of their lives in a sterile, dust-free environment (and don't play outside much) are more prone to allergies and asthma. Of course, if it can be extrapolated that people exposed to lots of dust and allergens and playing-outside are healthier, then I have an immune system of steel. So I like that idea. The problem is where do you draw the line on "slight chance"? There are already schools banning anyone from having peanuts in the school because a single child has a peanut allergy. As to latex, if the labor and delivery room that Keri and I toured last night is any indication of a national trend, they indeed stocked only non-latex gloves in the delivery rooms. And yes, an immune system that is never challenged is indeed weaker than one that gets used at least occasionally. To paraphrase Lazarus Long, don't ruin your children's lives by making it too easy for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread For me' date=' when I've been working out in the yard and I'm hot and tired, there's nothing like sitting down for lunch to a nice PB&J sammich, a bag of cheetoes, and a glass of lemonaide. It's like a comfort food for me.[/quote'] Mmm...them's good eatin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceTheOwl Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread The problem is where do you draw the line on "slight chance"? There are already schools banning anyone from having peanuts in the school because a single child has a peanut allergy. Well, where I draw that line is not feeding the kid peanut butter, anything with peanuts, or anything that's come in contact with peanuts, if I can help it. I find the idea of banning all peanuts and peanut products in a school because one kid tested positive for peanut allergies rather ridiculous. I was unaware peanut butter sandwiches could somehow disintegrate and go airborne to attack some unwitting kid's sinuses. Plus, peanut butter is such a staple of a good, healthy lunch. It's relatively inexpensive, and it provides a lot of protein without a lot of fat. Growing kids need that. So barring all of the parents in a whole school system from using that option, without knowing for certain that such drastic action is needed, seems silly and extreme. Besides, tuna fish gets old REALLY fast, especially when it's all you're eating, day after day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Well, where I draw that line is not feeding the kid peanut butter, anything with peanuts, or anything that's come in contact with peanuts, if I can help it. I find the idea of banning all peanuts and peanut products in a school because one kid tested positive for peanut allergies rather ridiculous. I was unaware peanut butter sandwiches could somehow disintegrate and go airborne to attack some unwitting kid's sinuses. Plus, peanut butter is such a staple of a good, healthy lunch. It's relatively inexpensive, and it provides a lot of protein without a lot of fat. Growing kids need that. So barring all of the parents in a whole school system from using that option, without knowing for certain that such drastic action is needed, seems silly and extreme. Besides, tuna fish gets old REALLY fast, especially when it's all you're eating, day after day. Much agreementness. The justification I've heard for it has frequently been worry that the allergic child might trade his sandwich with a classmate who brought a PB&J and thus get exposed. Since the school doesn't want to take responsibility, it is easier to just not let anyone have any peanut products at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aylwin13 Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Much agreementness. The justification I've heard for it has frequently been worry that the allergic child might trade his sandwich with a classmate who brought a PB&J and thus get exposed. Since the school doesn't want to take responsibility' date=' it is easier to just not let anyone have any peanut products at all.[/quote'] How about a big hand for another case of Zero Tolerance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread How about a big hand for another case of Zero Tolerance? It's the new black... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliceTheOwl Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Ah. So, rather than hiring someone to supervise the kids during lunch or forbidding trades if you have an allergy bracelet (or some other system they could implement), they just ban it outright. Sounds pretty similar to Zero Tolerance justifications, actually. I'm unsurprised. EDIT: Oooh, beaten to the punch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinKitty Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread I'd switch to cashew butter, but I'm allergic to cashews. One cashew butter sandwich once in a great while:no problem. One cashew butter sandwich every day or several days in a row: PROBLEM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aylwin13 Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread I don't know which I detest more: Political Correctness or Zero Tolerance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Ah. So, rather than hiring someone to supervise the kids during lunch or forbidding trades if you have an allergy bracelet (or some other system they could implement), they just ban it outright. Sounds pretty similar to Zero Tolerance justifications, actually. I'm unsurprised. EDIT: Oooh, beaten to the punch! Yup. If they institute policies to try and control the problem, if the kid gets exposed to peanuts anyway the parents sue claiming that not enough was done. Obviously the school knew that there was a problem, but they didn't do enough to stop it. Hiring someone to monitor the lunch room, issuing bracelets to kids with allergies, and any other plans they could use would likely cost at least some money. Telling everyone that they can't have peanuts or peanut products is free. And has less liability attached. Both things that the ZT "minded" strive for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Besides' date=' tuna fish gets old REALLY fast, especially when it's all you're eating, day after day.[/quote'] You don't want to do that anyway, for other reasons; mercury toxicity accumulates. Bagel & cream cheese, perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread I don't know which I detest more: Political Correctness or Zero Tolerance. Put them together, and you get the perfect name for both: Zero Correctness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Put them together' date=' and you get the perfect name for both: Zero Correctness.[/quote'] And PC taken to an extreme just boils down to Zero Tolerance anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aylwin13 Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Put them together' date=' and you get the perfect name for both: Zero Correctness.[/quote'] And PC taken to an extreme just boils down to Zero Tolerance anyway. That would explain why I couldn't choose one or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Yup. If they institute policies to try and control the problem' date=' if the kid gets exposed to peanuts anyway the parents sue claiming that not enough was done. Obviously the school knew that there was a problem, but they didn't do enough to stop it. Hiring someone to monitor the lunch room, issuing bracelets to kids with allergies, and any other plans they could use would likely cost at least some money. Telling everyone that they can't have peanuts or peanut products is free. And has less liability attached. Both things that the ZT "minded" strive for.[/quote'] Well, it's also at least possible that some people are trying to avoid having students, like, die in the lunch room. The big problem is that for whatever reason peanut allergies tend to be hypersensitive, the kind where the sufferer gets a reaction just from being in the same room with peanuts. I don't think my kid is that bad, after all he survived eating half a PBJ, but that was half his lifetime ago and I'm not inclined to feed him the stuff again while hovering over him with the epipen, just to find out how allergic he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archermoo Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Re: The cranky thread Well' date=' it's also at least possible that some people are trying to avoid having students, like, die in the lunch room. The big problem is that for whatever reason peanut allergies tend to be hypersensitive, the kind where the sufferer gets a reaction just from being in the same room with peanuts. I don't think my kid is that bad, after all he survived eating half a PBJ, but that was half his lifetime ago and I'm not inclined to feed him the stuff again while hovering over him with the epipen, just to find out how allergic he is.[/quote'] But banning a food that is cheap, easy, and generally well liked isn't the only option. It is just the easiest one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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