Allergy bullying -- what do you think about it?

[bubbaray]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080429.wlallergy29/BNStory/lifeFamily/home

[elliput]

How about you kick off the discussion?

[KBecks]

Bullying is bullying, it's just a new tactic that leaves a certain group more vulnerable. It certainly should concern parents and schools.

[melonkelli]

I'm afraid that kids don't see it as a threat to someone's life. It's like wearing glasses or weird clothes -- something to use to taunt an outsider.

I've met parents who don't get that kids with allergies can get really sick or die -- they think the kids just "don't like" whatever the food is. Maybe they're passing this message on to their kids?

[DrSally]

I'm afraid that kids don't see it as a threat to someone's life. It's like wearing glasses or weird clothes -- something to use to taunt an outsider.

I've met parents who don't get that kids with allergies can get really sick or die -- they think the kids just "don't like" whatever the food is. Maybe they're passing this message on to their kids?

I agree. Parent's attitudes can affect it a lot. I would think with more kids having allergies, kids are getting more education about it in classrooms, so they should understand that it's serious. Who knows what their parents are saying about it at home, though, when they have to pack alternate snacks for their own kids. They may be very annoyed and make negative comments.

[Piglet]

I think you are right about "not getting it", but a lot of that comes from kids being kids. They say things like "I am allergic to broccoli", when they really mean that they hate the taste of it. They are not saying it in jest, but they just make that up to not have to explain that they hate broccoli and then be forced to eat it. When I was a kid, I was insanely jealous of the kids that had asthma (dumb, eh?) because they got out of the hard things in gym. I was a horrible athlete and couldn't run to save my life, so I always wanted to have an easy excuse. I suspect that the safety we put around kids that have allergies has resulted in so few visible reactions that most kids don't get the severity. Not to suggest that we should bring peanuts back into the schools when a kid is deathly allergic, but the kids don't seem to get it if they do not have allergies and do not see anyone having a reaction. It all comes down to education, like most other things in school!

[bubbaray]

DH and I are really, truly, terrified of allergy bullying. DD#2 has fish anaphylaxis and we are really really really worried about it once she goes to school.

[Rainbows&Roses]

Unbelievable, seriously.

Since this kind of bullying could be life-threatening with a minimal amount of effort, I would prosecute those guilty to the full extent of the law/school policies. I would consider it the same as someone threatening to use a knife on my child if they had a severe allergy.

If they know enough to use this as a threat, they know exactly that what they are doing could cause harm to their victim. Pathetic.

[LarsMal]

Unbelievable, seriously.

Since this kind of bullying could be life-threatening with a minimal amount of effort, I would prosecute those guilty to the full extent of the law/school policies. I would consider it the same as someone threatening to use a knife on my child if they had a severe allergy.

If they know enough to use this as a threat, they know exactly that what they are doing could cause harm to their victim. Pathetic.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

As the mom of a kiddo with severe food allergies (egg and dairy) I'm already nervous about sending him off to school, and that's just for the accidental stuff. The fact that there are kids who would do something to another child to cause an allergic reaction on purpose is terrifying. And at SEVEN years old?!?!? Ridiculous.

[hellbennt]

there's an episode about this on
Freaks & Geeks
it takes place in the 70's
(LOVE that series!)

the bully learns his lesson...
but the peanut allergic kid does wind up in the hospital-
he's ok in the end, but still...

yikes!!

[kransden]

I realize the kids don't fully understand the consequences of their actions, but if that happened, the kid should be sitting in the principal's office until a parent comes to pick him or her up. Then a long conference should be had by all. Hopefully the severity of their actions would then be realized. It would horrible for a child to be dead because of my dd deciding to act like an idiot, and it would also be bad that one thoughtless act would haunt my dd forever. Better to educate everyone so it won't happen.

One of the things I also think schools should do is have a little seminar on this topic at the first of every school year.

[hellokitty]

It's interesting that many of you mention parental attitude about this rubbing off on the kids who might be the bullies. There is a woman on another msg board I belong to who is ALWAYS complaining about how her son's school is a peanut free zone. She complains that this means she can't bring chick-fillet (sp?) for her son at school or for a treat for the other students :rolleyes:. Ironically enough, her 18 mo old has been having really BAD GI reactions and breaking out in rashes after having peanut butter, BUT says she thinks it has something to do with lactose intolerance. However, another mom with a child with a peanut allergy was like, "hello, this is a huge sign that your baby probably has a peanut allergy, stop giving he PB!" I am wondering what this woman thinks now. All of this time she has not been able to understand the POV of parents at her son's school who had the school make a policy about being peanut free and now she is being forced to see the other side of the story, since there is a very strong possibility that her baby has a peanut allergy.

I have a lot of allergies, not food, but latex, really severe seasonal allergies (couldn't go out for recess as a child, even while being on a ton of meds), and really bad allergies to pet dander. I think some ppl act like I am just being over-sensitive and neurotic about things (ie: bday parties covered in latex balloons, plus I am a registered nurse, so my exposure to latex is just higher than usual to begin with, I am really jumpy when co-workers try to hand me latex items, who always forget about my allergy), and don't understand. Interesting how sometimes ppl can't seem to find it in themselves to understand that some ppl have allergies that can make them really sick, will finally understand and have some compassion when they or someone in their immediate family has to face these type of issues.

[DrSally]

I didn't know chick-filet was made with peaunts/peanut oil? Just found out at the mall that Great Steak and Co. fries their fries in peanut oil.

[Puddy73]

I didn't know chick-filet was made with peaunts/peanut oil? Just found out at the mall that Great Steak and Co. fries their fries in peanut oil.

Yes, Chick-Fil-A uses peanut oil. They used to include information on their paper bags about the processing of the oil to remove proteins to make it less allergenic (I'm probably really botching the explanation, but it was something to that effect). On a selfish note, I was soooo happy when DS turned 2 and we could all eat at Chick-Fil-A again!

[mamicka]

Frightening. DS1 starts K in the Fall & I'm internally freaking-out.