Aaron Interviews Food Allergy Author Linda Coss - Episode #16
In this episode I cover…
- Going to the Gluten Free Food and Allergy Show
- Listener question regarding school yard food allergy bullying
- My interview with Linda Coss from foodallergybooks.com which covered a heap of great topics listed below
Topics covered in this audio interview.
- What aspects to cover when sending kids off to school with food allergies (at 10mins)
- How to engage with the other parents at the school about food allergies (at 19mins)
- Dealing with family members about their food allergy awareness (at 21mins)
- Educating your child about their food allergy condition without getting them stressed out and turning them into a basketcase (at 23mins)
- Banning nuts in schools, yes or no (at 31 mins)
- Cooking with food allergies and reduce food choices (at 43mins)
Aaron Interviews Food Allergy Author Linda Coss - Episode #16 [48:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadTalk soon
Aaron
Fantastic Video Aaron look forward to listening Interview with Linda Coss
For Jessica,
How distressing for you and your son. As parents of children with anaphylaxis we attempt to control and vary so much in our life in order to keep our precious ones safe and then someone purposely tries to inflict harm-it’s hard to comprehend isn’t it? I am so thankful that the cornchip was found and your son came to no harm. This child(bully) obviously has issues which need to be addressed urgently before something awful happens. Best of luck.
child bullying.
The age of these children is concerning, 11 -12 yrs .
I am incredibly concerned that the school is not taking stock of such a serious incident.
Certainly the child and the child’s parents need to be brought in to school and suitable punishment established. ( total exclusion for 2 weeks is brief small step, but a start IMO)
However the more important area is stopping this from happening again.
depending on the country and the school system, i would only get legal advice after I had done the following.
Letter to head of school , copied to the parent goveners , and local education authority.
Keep paper work, and copy all documents.
Have face to face meetings with head and class teachers.
Get further medical back up, re- doctors letter, to re-inforce the severity of this incident and possible concequences.
Ask pointedly what is going to happen now? ( follow up that in letter form)
If you feel that forth coming changes within school are not enough , then get legal support.
Does the school have a anti bullying policy?
if so,
get a copy, read it and use it to push for change in school.
Ask them to have a visit from a rep from an allergy charity to talk about life threatening food allergy, and how friends can be support others with allergies. get school staff involved.
If you get as far as paying for legal support, consider this carefully, as what ever you do may still change your childs life in that school.
The impact may be that you have to send your child to another school, and the ongoing allergy awareness that parents have to give, will have to start again. you may find yourself in the same posistion re- food/bullying again.
If you think current school will eventually support your child, then perhaps consider carefully your steps forward.
As a last resort, there is always the press.
But this is only after many , many other more practical steps have been taken to achieve what you require from the school.
Please remember that 11-12 is still a child, and a lot of children are very immature for their age, and still do not understand that food can kill.
It’s a concept that adults find hard to understand.
Education, and preventing bullying in schools is the only real way forward.
Certainly this incident of bullying may be food/allergy related, but it certainly shows that by not showing clear punishment rules, perhaps this school is not that well organsied re bullying avoidance.
I hope you get some concrete changes in school for your child and others who may be bullied. please keep us in touch.
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Bullying - We have noticed a lot of similar incidences where you get great understanding and support from most other parents and teachers, but the hierarchy of the institutions appear to be not so understanding and even somewhat intimidating. Wonder if your child had a peanut allergy and it was a peanut that was placed in his food if there would be a more positive and understanding approach? Unfortunately there seems to be a bigger expectation that something needs to be done if it involves peanuts and there seems to be more ignorance of the other allergens. One would expect the hierarchy would be aware they can be just as dangerous, they would just seem to be taking advantage of the fact that there is a little less public awareness in this area perhaps. Such bullying is dangerous to a student both physically and mentally. Education is the best prevention, but how any such occurrence will be managed needs to be clear and concise for everyone. Wishing you the best.