Parents want kid with peanut allergy removed from school

[mookiemookie]

Some public school parents in Edgewater, Florida, want a first-grade girl with life-threatening peanut allergies removed from the classroom and home-schooled, rather than deal with special rules to protect her health, a school official said.

...

To protect the girl, students in her class at Edgewater Elementary School are required to wash their hands before entering the classroom in the morning and after lunch, and rinse out their mouths, Wait said, and a peanut-sniffing dog checked out the school during last week's spring break.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...72L7AQ20110322

Making kids to wash their hands more is unreasonable? I think it's great!

Also, is it just me or are food allergies more prevalent? I don't remember ever hearing about kids dying from peanut allergies when I was a kid - we had peanuts and peanut butter all the time at school and no one ever keeled over.

[Gerald]

Times change, many other foods also contain traces of nuts that can be or are harmful to health

[AVGWarhawk]

had peanuts and peanut butter all the time at school and no one ever keeled over.

Just wonder how the hell we survived. I would have to say the hand washing is ok. The sniffing dog and washing mouth is over the line. What next, fumigation before entry? If the girl is that allergic perhaps it is best to be home schooled.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Just wonder how the hell we survived. I would have to say the hand washing is ok. The sniffing dog and washing mouth is over the line. What next, fumigation before entry? If the girl is that allergic perhaps it is best to be home schooled.

I don't even know where one would get a peanut sniffing dog. Why would someone even train a peanut sniffing dog? I can't imagine there's a big demand for them.

[joegrundman]

it is do with the mainly, but not exclusively, american packaged food industry that uses nuts in small quantities as a flavor and texture 'enhancer'

these trace quantities introduced at an early age substantially increase the chance of acquiring severe allergy, and this is why dangerous nut allergies have become so much more common in recent decades, esp. in the US and other western countries.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

I don't even know where one would get a peanut sniffing dog. Why would someone even train a peanut sniffing dog? I can't imagine there's a big demand for them.

Dogs can be trained to sniff anything. Just positive reinforcement when the dog finds what you need him to sniff.

[sharkbit]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Dogs can be trained to sniff anything. Just positive reinforcement when the dog finds what you need him to sniff.

I've read an article about bedbug sniffing dogs.

Here is one of many from a quick search:
http://www.badbedbugs.com/bed-bug-sniffing-dog/

[AVGWarhawk]

Yes, I have seen the bedbug sniffing dog article. All in the training.

That's cool but wait happens if that peanut dog goes ape ballistic and attacks some kid, or better yet the kid was messing with the dog while no one was watching and the kid gets seriously injured, all because the parents of the girl don't want to home school her?

I've read and heard alot of things they are having to do just for this one child. Its insane.

[Weiss Pinguin]

What happens if the dog gets into some peanut butter? Boom, good luck trying to get him to focus long enough to save the girl

[gimpy117]

Normally I agree with you mookie, but I think this is pretty borderline. If her allergy is so severe she should also take steps to prevent it. Making everyone else pander her her needs is a a bit extreme. Theres a fine line you need to walk

[bookworm_020]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Dogs can be trained to sniff anything. Just positive reinforcement when the dog finds what you need him to sniff.

They miss trained a couple of dug sniffing dogs here in Australia awhile back. When they were taken for their final tests, none of the dogs found any of the drug samples hidden, instead they went afte a handbang of one of the handlers! The handbag was searched, but no drugs were found! Confused, they laid out all the items in the bag and had the dogs go over them. They all went nuts when they sniffed the talcum powder.
It turns out the training sample used to train the dogs was talc! Guess no mum crossing the border is safe now!

[Gargamel]

I bet that most of these kids died off in years past. Modern medicine basically works against Darwinism; ie, Weak die off, strong survive. In today's world, these kids get identified and treated much quicker.

OMG! Talcum powder! Ma'am I'm gonna have to ask you to step over here. Oh BTW your now on the no fly list.

[DarkFish]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Making kids to wash their hands more is unreasonable? I think it's great!

and if I'm not mistaken that is exactly the reason why allergies are much more widespread than they used to. We aren't used to dirt anymore so our immune system doesn't learn to deal with it. I'd say don't overdo on hygiene as a kid, get a few sneezes, get a few diseases and build up a healthy and strong immune system. Instead of washing your hands at every opportunity and being stuck with it for the rest of your life.