A 7-year-old boy in Iowa recently survived a severe peanut allergy after eating a peanut butter snack. Max Roseland has known allergies to peanuts and gluten, in addition to asthma. Just before the Christmas break, his class at school was having a special movie day. His mother went to the school to approve the snacks that would be served. But, within hours of her visit, Max took a bite of a peanut butter granola bar.
Amy Roseland, Max's mother, told KCCI 8 Des Moines “I'd gotten a phone call that he'd taken a bite of a peanut butter granola bar.” Though the bar was not on the approved snack list, it apparently made its way out of a lunchbox during the movie party, and in the darkness, Max took a small bite.
Soon afterward, his tongue started itching. His mother took him to Children's Hospital, where Max said he had a stomach ache, but he was talking and breathing normally. It wasn't until nearly an hour went by in the emergency room that his skin broke out in hives and his throat began to tighten, classic signs of an allergic reaction.
Dr. Rob Chaplin, a critical care specialist at Children's Hospital, says that most peanut allergy reactions happen immediately, and that delayed reactions such as the one Max experienced are extremely uncommon. Although Max had to be hooked up to a breathing machine for a while, within 12 hours the peanuts had cleared from his system, and the symptoms had improved.
When I taught in an
When I taught in an elementary school, I would often hear a student trying to quietly unwrap a piece of candy. Elementary kids often sneak food into the classroom and try to eat it when no one is looking. Even if you stop them from getting access to the leftovers in their lunchbox, they hide food in their pockets, purses, etc.
So what can you do?
Remind your child EVERY DAY the importance of not eating ANYTHING given to them. When young children are offered food from someone they know, they have a hard time realizing it could be unsafe. Adults, and especially children, often have difficulty understanding about peanut allergy safety. It’s vital to have frequent conversations with your child to make sure they understand the food safety rules and the reasons why they must be followed.
For more ways to help increase peanut allergy safety and awareness at school, please visit us at www.peanutfreezone.com