More Schools Ban Peanut Butter

Schools across the country are being faced with a decision to ban what some call a deadly substance. But we arent talking about lead paint or asbestos; instead the substance of fear is peanut butter. Campaigns all across the country are calling for schools to ban peanut butter from schools or create safety zones and put safety measures in place.

Its a heated debate between parents and school. Parents are being backed by the Food Allergy Network, who both claim that the Americans With Disabilities Act supports their cause. They say that an allergic child should be considered to have a disability, and thus measures should be put in place to accomodate allergic children. Many pro-ban parents dont understand why schools will willingly install wheelchair ramps or provide testing and education for disabled children, but seem to balk or resist at the idea that allergic children are disabled as well.

How serious is Peanut Butter allergy?
Peanut allergy is actually both more common and more deadly than you might think. Anaphylaxis is the reaction to an allergic substance being introduced into the body. Dr. Peter Vadas explains in an article by the CDC, exactly what happens during a reaction: "The airways clamp down and they fill up with mucous. It becomes very difficult to breathe and they will also experience a fall in blood pressure to the point where perhaps there's not enough oxygen being delivered to the tissues. "They may have problems with heart rhythm and the blood vessels in the heart might constrict and lead to inadequate oxygen delivery to the heart and heart attack."

A reaction to peanuts can kill - very quickly.The Center for Disease Control reports 88 deaths from allergies in the last 20 years (although the majority were peanut related). However the Food Allergy Network contends that allergic reactions are underreported. They claim at least 1% of all Americans are allergic to peanuts, and they estimate almost 130 people die per year from these allergies.