Reply to Wait, so now sunbutter/ sunflower seeds and oils are an allergen?

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Reply to "Wait, so now sunbutter/ sunflower seeds and oils are an allergen?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I thought the new advice was that allergen free environments are increasing allergies? My kids are crazy for nuts and it's been a big change to have to send chips instead of healthier options like nuts.

Are allergens going down as parents introduce them much earlier? With my oldest we were told no allergens until 1. By the time my youngest was born we were rubbing peanut powder on his cheeks when he was a few weeks old. [/quote]

Well something is.  What in the fresh h*ll is going on.  Why all the allergies? I literally recall no one having allergies growing up.  Sure they existed- but were rates. School cafeterias definitely served peanut butter sandwiches and those delicious peanut butter chocolate bars on a regular basis.  Now schools have to have a special cabinet to house the plethora of EpiPens kids have to keep on hand [/quote]

I knew kids with allergies growing up but everyone knew what allergy they had (teachers, other kids, other parents, there were few enough kids with allergies that it was not hard to remember "never give Sarah K. shellfish"), and it was addressed by teaching the kid to be self aware and then making sure responsible adults (teachers, school nurse, parents at play dates) knew where the epi pen was. So it's not like allergies are brand new.

But yeah, the proliferation of allergies is out of control. Something has obviously gone wrong. Yell at me if you want, but it seems obvious that:

1) Our approach to allergies is causing more allergies, or at least more allergy diagnoses, and
2) At least some of the kids who have allergies to the "big 9" or whatever would actually be fine being in environment with these allergens and might even benefit from it

Yet if I bring my kid a a PB&J to a playground, I may get literally yelled at by a parent who feels I'm endangering their kids life. I just do not know. I'm not insensitive to that kid's life -- obviously I don't want to harm a child. But I also don't think that child will be harmed if my kid eats peanut butter 20 feet away. I really, really don't.[/quote]

Its not the eating. Its the lack of management of the PB- are you washing their hands and face afterwards? If not, the PB can get transferred onto play equipment. People didnt really eat that much outside of the house 40-50 years ago. Food is everrrrryyywhere now and the variety of food at each event is a lot.

And no the approach isnt the problem JFC. It's the environment. Black and non-white hispanic kids in urban areas are seeing the largest increases in allergy diagnoses. They also have the largest increases in eczema and asthma. Their diagnosis - as a cohort- tends to lag behind white suburban or white urban kids because of access to healthcare and/or education. So, it's not just uppity anxious white moms with special snowflakes anymore which is the vibe you get from most parents- as if it's done for attention.

Close to 5% of kids in the US have a food allergy. Adults can also have food allergies diagnosed in adulthood, without any issues previously. Our kids are constantly in environments with the top 9 but for kids under the age of 3-5 it is really hard to navigate being outside because of how much food is present in social events or even outdoor spaces.

I PROMISE you that you arent doing more than the parents of kids with allergies are and it does feel like a big inconvenience to be out of your normal, but again, almost all of the discussions on this board about allergy kids seems to make it their fault, the parents fault, or that they should just be excluded from any normal kid event. Your kids have more empathy for their peers than the adults do and it is frustrating because that lack of awareness and action trickles down over time.

I am the biggest proponent for getting rid of X free schools and environments but in return, there needs to be a general awareness that food doesnt belong in shared spaces for children without cleaning up after yourself, including your child and their physical body. 
[/quote]

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