| District outlines 'safe foods'
For parents of children with severe nut allergies, classroom parties and school lunches can be terrifying. This year, the Baldwinsville school district will attempt to ease those concerns. When schools reopen, the district plans to designate specific classrooms as "allergen-free" spaces to protect students with documented nut allergies. Parents with students in those rooms will receive "safe foods" lists on opening day along with a letter indicating precautions and procedures. That means parents sending in food for classroom parties must choose an item off the provided list or not send anything at all. "Teachers can't go through and check everyone's snacks everyday," Superintendent Jeanne Dangle said. "Depending on the severity of the allergy, some students can't touch nuts without having a serious reaction." It was a necessary step for the district, Dangle said, particularly for elementary schoolchildren.
By Gail Bradshaw Special to The News-Post
The ever popular peanut butter and jelly sandwich will still be served this year in Frederick County Public Schools despite the food allergies that some children have to peanuts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists the following eight foods as the most common allergenic foods: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. Allergic reactions can include hives; flushed skin or rash; tingling or itchy sensation in the mouth; face, tongue or lip swelling; vomiting and/or diarrhea; abdominal cramps; coughing or wheezing; dizziness and/or lightheadedness; swelling of the throat and vocal cords; difficulty breathing; and loss of consciousness. According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, more than 12 million Americans, one in 25, have food allergies.
New food allergy law in New York
The Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) has announced that Governor Eliot Spitzer has signed into law the Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2007 (AAMA; A.4051), landmark legislation that will help protect New York schoolchildren who suffer from life-threatening food allergies. The full text can be viewed at http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A04051. The new law requires the New York State Commissioner of Health to develop model state guidelines to manage the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis (a potentially fatal allergic reaction) in schools. All New York schools must receive the guidelines by June 30, 2008. Though the AAMA calls for schools to develop policies based on the guidelines, it provides flexibility for each school to create a policy consistent with its unique environment and culture.
Brandon Valley elementary schools ban treats
Mom's homemade treats have been expelled from Brandon Valley's elementary schools.
No longer can children treat classmates to suckers, cookies or even apples, as district officials strictly enforce a "no shared treats" policy this year.
The policy does not affect middle school or high school students. Karen Heyden, principal at Robert Bennis Elementary said the purpose is to keep kids with allergies - most notably peanut allergies - safe.
A protein inside the peanut can trigger a fatal reaction if the peanut is swallowed. Skin contact with peanuts can cause a lesser reaction, such as an outbreak of hives.
Although the district no longer allows shared treats, elementary students may bring their own snacks from home.
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