About Allergies: Could Your Child Get Bullied Because of Food Allergies?

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Allergies Allergies Symptoms / Diagnosis Treatment Coping From Daniel More, MD, your Guide to Allergies Back to school season is upon us, so our children will once again be in the classroom and on the playground with other kids. While school presents a social atmosphere for most children, there are a number of children that get bullied at school. Kids get bullied for a number of different reasons, but mostly because they are different. Whether the difference is physical appearance, a handicap, lack of coordination, or a food allergy, kids get bullied at school. Bullying can cause significant emotional damage to children, and when it comes to food allergies, bullying can lead to assault and battery (or worse) if it includes taunting a food allergic child with the food to which they're allergic. So, if you have a child with food allergies starting school soon, make sure you sit down and talk with them about how to deal with other kids who might bully them. If this becomes a problem, don't hesitate to speak with your child's teacher, or the school principal, about the issue. If the bullying involves threats with the trigger food, and the school officials aren't being helpful, go to the police. Bullying and Food Allergies The food-allergic child is particularly at increased risk at school, since there is little control over what foods other children bring to school, and due to the tendency for children to share food. As a result of this danger at school, children with food allergies may be separated from their peers in the lunchroom. Unfortunately, this action has the unintended consequence of stigmatizing the food-allergic child and inviting bullying and harassment from other children. Should Peanuts Be Banned From Schools? Peanut allergy has become more common over the past many decades, and is the most common food allergy in school-aged children. Allergic reactions to peanuts can be severe, even potentially life threatening. Unfortunately, accidental exposure to peanuts is relatively common, particularly at school. For these reasons, parents of peanut-allergic children have advocated the idea of banning peanuts and peanut-containing foods in schools. See More About:  peanut allergy  food allergy  school allergies Preparing Your Food Allergic Child for School Food allergies have been becoming more common over the past few decades, now affecting approximately 4% of all children. Food allergy is a common cause of anaphylaxis at school, with close to 20% of students with food allergies experiencing a reaction. In fact, 25% of children allergic to nuts experience allergic reactions at school even before a diagnosis of food allergy is made. Therefore, it is very important for schools to be prepared to treat allergic reactions in children caused by foods. Is your child's school prepared? Read on to discover what you need to be concerned about, and then ask about special precautions and preparations. See More About:  food allergies  childhood allergies  allergies at school Allergies Ads Allergies Allergies to Wheat Allergy Symptoms Bullying Bullying in School Featured Articles Allergy Basics Frequently Asked Questions Nose and Eye Allergies Skin Allergies Asthma and Lung Allergies Common Allergy Issues in Children   More from About.com Should You Go Back to School? Have you been thinking about resuming your education? These eight questions may help you figure it out. More> 5 Tips for Adult Students Whether it's finding the money or worrying about tests, going back to school can be stressful for adult students. More> This newsletter is written by: Daniel More, MD Allergies Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Allergies newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Must Reads What are Allergies? Symptoms of Allergies Diagnosis of Allergies Treatment of Allergies Preventing Allergies Advertisement