To the elementary school that my 10 year old son goes to. He has a severe egg allergy, and in the past, to date, the school has been anything but supportive. They're an "allergy aware" school, and as long as you have a peanut allergy they are on board with it all. But, if you're allergic to anything else, it seems they really don't care. They say they do, they even have asked for my input when it comes to bake sales etc, but the bottem line is, if it benefits the school financially, or makes the school look good, they don't care. His class is going to Camp Arnes next month, and I'd like to know how students with food allergies (or any health issue, for that matter) are accomodated when at camp. I've also been speaking with the camp myself, and will continue to do so until the date they go.
My son had an allergic reaction a few years back, after sitting on the gym floor for a movie day. This was in the spring. The fall prior to that spring, the older students had done an experiment where they had to insulate a raw egg in a box, with different materials. The goal was to launch their box from a certain height or distance to see if their egg would break or remain intact. I know this, because my daughter took part in it. Now of course, some eggs were fine, but obviously there was a mess on the floor from the eggs that broke. The gym floors were cleaned however many times for the remainder of that year, so when I got the phone call to "come pick Brandon up because he's covered in hives", I didn't expect it could be from that. The principal that was at the school when this happened, and I, later on sat down and tried to figure out how he was exposed to his allergen, and when. I had sent all his own food for his movie day, his teachers and classmates were of course, aware of his allergy. Any precautions that were needed, were met. The gym floor is the ONLY thing that any of us could pin this reaction to. We know it's a severe allergy, his RAST test, done by one of the top pediatric allergists' (google him, you'll see-Dr Allan Becker) shows his allergy getting worse, not better. He was diagnosed at 10 months old, and turned 10 years old this past September. So egg "stuff" is not something new to us.
Anyhow, back to the school. Over the past few years, the concern and the way allergies are handled has really, in my opinion, gone downhill. Everyone that lives with, works with, knows someone, or has any type of life threatening allergy, should watch this video documentary. Click on the orange section just below the text and a warning, have some kleenex in hand. All it takes is one exposure, or one exposure too many.
I have never asked that our school doesn't allow anything with egg in it to be brought in, but rather I've asked that no eggs be allowed in Brandon's class, or near him. No egg salad sandwiches, no boiled eggs. No egg decorating at Easter time in the class. I've heard people, not knowing who I am, talking about how it's not their problem that there's an "egg allergic kid" in the school. Guess what??? It's everyone's problem. People tend to know more, and of nut allergies (peanut specifically) than any other, and it seems if it's not something they need to know about, or care to know about, then it's just that. Not their problem. Why should their child go without?
We've done our best at educating our son when it comes to his allergies. We've taught him how to use his epi pen and twinject. We've discussed the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction. Without the support of others, what more can we do but hope for the best? I don't want his allergy to be his crutch, or something that labels him. He is no different than any other 10 year old kid. He just can't have eggs (or anything to do with an egg).
There's a saying that stands so true, but sadly, you don't see it practiced often.
It takes a village to raise a child.
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