![]() Food Allergy Mama . I remember how scared and timid I was over simply asking for some preventative measures to keep my little preschooler safe in his classroom. I’m no longer afraid, scared, and timid to ask for things are common sense approaches to keeping these kids safe AND included in their classrooms. No, the only thing I am terrified of is John dying. So I’ll never stop talking. I’ll never stop fighting. And I’ll never ever apologize for doing what I must to keep John and kids like him safe AND included in their classrooms. THEY DESERVE IT. Just a few short weeks ago, the food allergy community celebrated a HUGE victory for food allergy policy and advocacy in the state of California. Thanks to CAFA (California Food Allergy Advocates Senator Huff (and his office!) for their tireless work in getting the stock epinephrine bill SB 1. Gov. Brown: “CAFA is happy to share that SB1. Epinephrine was signed by Governor Brown on September 1. This law will protect students and teachers who suddenly develop severe allergies for the first time while at school. WE CAN change policy. WE MUST keep pressing on, however. Because the past couple of weeks I’ve experienced first hand how much more work needs to be done on behalf of food allergy policy, especially in schools. I MUST keep pressing on, push harder and educate more widely. Because yesterday, I sat for a moment and thought “if so much has changed, then why am I still having the same conversations about food allergy safety at school as I did 1. Twice in the past week I’ve had conversations with my kids’ teachers about sensitivity toward food allergy policy in the classroom. During parent information night in one of my kid’s classrooms, a teacher was going over classroom policy and procedures; absences, make up work, tardy policy etc. Then it came down to the “Birthdays” line item. The teacher’s comment was “Birthdays. Well, you can see I didn’t write much about that. Because now we can’t have food for birthdays anymore because of all the food allergies so there won’t be much celebration I guess. So, birthdays are not really celebrated.” My mouth was actually on the floor at this moment, and I was so dumbfounded that by the time I tried to respond, the moment passed. Everyone moved on to the next line item. And I sat there, stunned. Was that just said OUT LOUD? Fast forward a few days later. John came home to tell me about a teacher of his handing out candy as a reward in class, and offering a free pizza with friends at lunch coupon. Let me be clear, John was more bummed and felt left out in his classroom than anything, but even so he did NOT want me to single him out, make a big deal or embarrass him about it. I asked him “so what would you like me to do?” He simply said, “just please don’t embarrass me. I had to meet with this teacher over a separate issue and sent an request for a meeting. The teacher responded and made a great suggestion – bring John with to the meeting so he can discuss his concerns too. Brilliant, I thought! He’s in 7th grade now, and should learn to self- advocate on his own behalf. In 2004 I had my first food allergy policy conversation in John’s preschool classroom in Barrington, IL. I remember how scared and timid I was over simply asking. The RPAH Elimination Diet Handbook with food and shopping guide from the Allergy Unit at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia. The health of the gut profoundly influences the health of the brain. Studies link gut problems with depression, mood disorders, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease. Learn about Gut and Psychology Syndrome, how it develops and how to treat it effectively. WORLD ALLERGY ORGANIZATION WAO White Book on Allergy WAO White Book on Allergy. Best Diet for Nasal Allergies. Certain foods and drinks can make allergy symptoms worse -- or better. So we both showed up before school one morning, and had a discussion about the one issue first, then the food allergy/treat concern next. So many of us have had this conversation before – I’ve been having mine regarding John since 2. Yet, 1. 0 years later, I’m sitting next to my son, having the SAME conversation. Different teacher, different circumstance, but it’s the SAME conversation. Me – “John has a medical 5. Plan that legally requires you, his school, to accommodate his life- threatening food allergies by using food free items as a reward in place of the food”. Teacher – “Oh I’m sorry, I thought it was OK when I said at his 5. I like to serve these little treats.”Me – “No, it specifically says No Food in classroom. May I see the treat please? Teacher hands the treat to me to review. It says Milk in ingredient list. Me – John’s as allergic to dairy as he is to nuts. And he has severe asthma. Peanut allergy is a type of food allergy to peanuts. It is different from nut allergies. Physical symptoms of allergic reaction can include itchiness, urticaria. This isn’t OK. And there is no food in the classroom. Can you explain the pizza party reward please?”Teacher – “It’s a coupon for homework night off or pizza for child and two friends at lunch.”Me- Is it possible to use a coupon for a non- food reward? Teacher – Well I don’t want to exclude John and make him feel left out by taking away these rewards. ![]() ![]() Me- But you are, just by merely offering them. John – How about (gives a non food recommendation)? Teacher – No that wouldn’t really work because of XYZ. John – Oh. Me – Per John’s 5. Plan, there is no food to be given or used as reward. That’s a contractual accommodation and technically I would need to file a complaint with the OCR to investigate the repeated 5. I want to work together on this, minimize attention to John’s allergy at school and make sure from this point forward we have an understanding. Teacher – Well I certainly respect your viewpoint and what you are saying. A beat. Meeting is concluded. John and I leave the classroom and I can see the frustration in John’s eyes. He saw the frustration in mine. Because, though the meeting was overall nice, positive and helpful, it doesn’t remove the underlying fact that, again, we are forced to have a conversation about policy regarding handing food allergies in the classroom. And despite the expectation that 5. T, or that teachers understand it is a medical disability that could cause a child’s death on their watch, we are STILL having conversations about broken agreements, misunderstandings and feelings of being singled out. John experienced as a food allergy kid, in that moment, what it feels like to be a food allergy parent and advocate. I asked him how it felt and his answer was “FRUSTRATED.” My answer back – “ME TOO.”Side bar – I’m blown away by an organization called Canary Kids Film Project. It is a not for profit group that is doing some truly ground- breaking work in getting answers about why our kids are chronically affected by allergies, asthma, autism and autoimmune diseases as well as a host of other ailments. Please take a moment to read what Canary Kids is all about, and find any way you can to support their efforts. I plan on helping in any way possible to see this documentary get made. And we start getting the answers we need to take care of our children’s health. If you are in So Cal please join me Saturday Oct 2. Newport Beach at True Food Kitchen for a special fundraising event honoring the incredible Robyn O’Brien, author, advocate and founder of Allergy. Kids, and Bob Sears, MD author and pediatrician. Hope to see you there, and if you can’t please consider making a donation on behalf of your own child to this organization. Because this project is for all of US.
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