As you would admit (assuming you know all the facts) food allergies vary from person to person. Although I was allergic to everything under the sun, my reactions were far less (and minor) in comparison to your son’s. I would only get rashes.

I knew that more sever reactions existed, but I did not know that the reactions could be from airborne contact. I never had any reactions at all to airborne contact.

#37 I’m sorry to hear that your children have such dangerous nesyonos. May Hashem Yisborach protect them. However, with that said, it is precisely your case that my original statement was geared towards.

You certainly have a big problem on your shoulders, but in my opinion you do not have the right to expect the schools to disallow dairy, chicken, eggs, fish, and nut byproducts just to allow your child into school. If so, Ein L’davar Sof! Where do you suggest we draw the line? Who’s medical issue do we say yes to and who’s not?

You may want to ask, “But what about my child’s Jewish Education”?

To that I must remind you that 1) a Jewish education is mitzva d’oraisa of the father’s to teach his sons. 2) The educational system was set up b’deeved because Chazal saw that it was becoming more and more difficult for parents to fulfill their chiyuv. 3) The Jewish educational system in America does not go back that far. There are still many yiden alive today that had to have a public school education (being that there were no yeshivas at that time) and non-the-less became yirei shamiyim and talmideh chochumim.

Unfortunately, you are placed in a difficult nisayon that requires life altering changes; Not only for you, but possibly your children’s entire future. Processed foods can be very dangerous for them. Not only are you needing to learn to adjust your diets, their wives will also need to do the same. Also, employment and social lives may need to be thoroughly thought out.

So too, their ruchnius also needs adjustments. You may be stuck in a situation where you’ll need to hire private tutors to educated them and form special play groups for them as well. This may be difficult, but you wont be the first to do so and not the last.

It not fun to be placed in such situations, but you do not have the rights to demand that the tzibur remove every possibly obstacle so that your sons can go where they want. It sounds like there are a number of parents in similar circumstances to yours. Why not band together and start a school specifically designed for your kids’ needs?

It’s difficult? Sure it is, but that is your issue to deal with, not everybody else’s!

In communities throughout the world parents have needed to struggle to create schools design for their children’s special needs (Hareidim, Chassidim, mentally challenged, etc). Your challenge is no different.

B’Hatzlacha

As to those who keep giving misinformation. ANY food can be airborne ana. My daughter is airborne ana to dairy, chicken, eggs, and a few others. YES, she reacts when any of these are in the room with her! My son is airborne ana. to fish and eggs. Last Pesach my daughter’s whole entire face swelled and she almost stopped breathing till she was given an epi just because I was serving egg salad. Dr. Fleischer (one of the top ped food allergists in the world) of National Jewish research Institute which is the leading bronchial center in the world and is one of the leading allergy centers in the world had told me personally that you can react airborne ana to any food as when it is cooked the protein particles get into the air and one can react if they are sensitive enough.

I pray that these people who just don’t get it never have children with such an issue because even my worst enemy I would NEVER wish on them to watch their child suffer for an ana. reaction, have to give them an epi (praying that it will it would. For my son it did not with his last reaction), rushed to the ER by an ambulance, all the time davening that your child makes it. All because they played with a toy that someone played with before smooshing their allergens on it or because a food product was mislabeled or a someone fed your child without permission.

KOL YISROEL ARAIVIM ZEH LAZEH…we are connected to each other and must care about each other!

Editors Note: FYI: Our system shows them as being the same person.

If this is any comfort to you, my son is now in high school and B”H even with the battles in the beginning (when my son started school “no one ever heard of such a thing”), people actually did get it. He was able to go to friends bar-mitzvahs and yes, he ate there. He learnt how to question the kitchen staff and can even tell when someone is giving him a wishy-washy answer.

You were mentioning quotes. What about “v’nishmartem meod l’nafshoseichem”.
And yes, to #29, it is everyones’ nisayon to a different extent. Learning how to get along with everyone and giving a little or alot to someone with a disability is part of our tafkid. Chesed towards your fellow Jew comes in all forms and this is one of them.

As an aside, there is something called the Americans with Disabilities Act which guaratees you certain rights (sect 504). Check into the details as laws keep changing. And as far as allergies are concerned there are new laws being passed regularly to protect those with allergies.

IT would be correct for you to do more research. Here is a quote from the UCL Institute of Child health.

“We know that about 25% of children who are allergic to peanuts grow out of their allergy, while a proportion of children have milder reactions as they get older.” http://www.ich.ucl.ac.uk/factsheets/families/F000279/

Not to mention that several of the people that commented above claim that their child grew out of it.

If it is of any comfort to you, I too as a child was allergic to peanuts along with wheat, barley, rye, milk, eggs, and a variety of other things as well. My mother had to acquire potato bread for me to eat. My diet was very restrictive. It was very difficult for her I’m sure. Non-the-less, the only thing I’ve been tested as an adult as having an allergic reaction to is dust mite. Yes, your son CAN outgrow this. Not that he WILL outgrow it, but he CAN. It is that CAN that you have to take into consideration and place your trust in Hashem and daven that he be one of the 25% that overcomes their allergies.

1) to get them to get their act together. either you are or you arent peanut free. dont advertise your school as peanut free and then allow it into your school. which went so far as a secretary actually had a jar of peanut butter on her desk, and saw nothing wrong w/it. and a teacher who had an allergic child in their class, and brought in something “laced” w/ nuts and the kid had a reaction.( this was a 4th or 5th grader who probably assumed, his teacher would never harm him)

it is also a wake up call to the other parents in the school w/ allergic children ,that they need to know their children are not being protected as the school claims. and they should be on top of their childs situation on a daily basis.

British shouldnt be yelled at, they had it right!

i love little ‘Moishy and chavi” who come to my house everyweek for playdates w/ my kids and i would do anything in my power not to harm them if i knew there was apotential danger.
the worst thing possible would be to have to tell a child moishy isnt coming back to school because someones mommy or daddy was irresponsible and sent smething harmful to school.

The only responsibility that my school has, is to portray themselves correctly. if they say they are peanut free and chas v’shalom a teacher gives something to my child or another kid brought something in they shouldnt have and it affects my childs health, then they are responsible. my son would be in this school, w/ or w/ out it being peanut free. i would be just as worried as i am now , my child is in playgroup that is not peanut free and already had a reaction to something at school. i know how to deal w/ the situation .I am just asking for a little help in keeping the school nut free. It shouldnt be an inconvience.

V”ahavta L”rayacha K’mocha love your neighbors as yourself…

one life saved, saves a whole world.

everyone above likes to quote and quote, These are the 2 most important quotes i can think of, and I am sure there are more. My child is Hashem’s child just like your is, yes this my test in life, but is there anything wrong w/ getting a little help from others, so i can pass my test?

and a quick mention to Softwords who always has “the right opinion on the matter” check your info, kids do not grow out of peanut allergies. this is w/ him for life.

My problem, however, is with the Heimeshe food manufacturers who do not have the guts to accurately label their food products. Apparently, they are concerned about potential liability. So instead of focusing on accuracy, they simply cover the gamut and say that their food products may contain every allergen required to be disclosed under Federal Law. This, effectively, prevents anyone with an allergy from purchasing their products, which under a strict economic theory, would be sufficient to get them to comply with the law and only list REAL allergens, except for the fact that the number of people who are allergic and do not purchase their products are insufficient to put a dent in the profits generated by their already inflated prices. However, it also calls into question their kashrus standards. How can a package say pareve when the allergen disclosure states it may contain milk? Is their kashrus supervision so lax that they don’t know what is in their products? Do they not clean the manufacturing lines with hot steam sufficiently between milk and pareve productions? If they don’t, the food is not pareve, and if they do, then there are no allergens left to be disclosed. This practice is a HUGE Chillul Hashem (reinforces the notion that a Jew doesn’t care about anyone other him or herself—try to drive or park in Boro-Park and you know what I mean), and is a violation of Federal Law. V’Lamalshinim Al T’hee Sikvah, V’Hamayvin Yavin… To the Heimishe food manufacturers, and you know who you are, grow a backbone and accurately disclose your REAL food allergens. To everyone else, next time you are in the grocery store, look at the allergen information, see if it passes the “sniff test”, wonder about the kashrus of food that can be so blatantly mislabeled, and purchase your food from another manufacturer.