School may outlaw nuts to protect allergy boy

A Porirua primary school wants to ban nut products from children's lunch boxes because some pupils could die from severe allergic reactions.

In a letter to parents, Paremata School said one of its pupils could die if exposed to nuts, so the board had "decided to request that parents eliminate nut products from all snacks and lunches".

"Exposure to even a trace of a nut item can lead to significant health risks and for some can be life-threatening," the letter said.

"Reactions can range in severity from skin rashes to vomiting to a life-threatening reaction called anaphylactic shock."

Wadestown School introduced a similar ban in 2006. Other Wellington schools have also banned nuts.

An Allergy New Zealand spokeswoman said food allergies - mostly to milk, eggs and peanuts - affected between 6 and 8 per cent of young children.

Peanut and treenut allergies tended to cause more serious reactions and were more likely to last into adulthood.

A 14-year-old boy died in Australia two years ago from anaphylactic shock after being dared to eat a peanut.

Paremata School had tried restricting nut products only from the child's class, but he was still being exposed to traces of them, the letter said.

Managing allergies was an issue for a growing number of schools, it said. Though parents were doing their utmost to protect children, "the board of trustees feels that a small sacrifice by the community is also warranted so that we can continue to provide a safe and healthy environment for all children".

Board chairman Richard Drake said the school was consulting over whether to introduce the ban and he declined to comment further.

Kirsty Verhoeven, whose son Hayden, 5, attends the school, said she fully supported the ban and would want the same protection if her child suffered allergies.

"Whatever I can do to help to stop him having some sort of seizure and dying, I'm happy to do. I'd feel terrible if something happened because of my child having nuts."

But Sonja Schmidt said some parents were unhappy. A nut ban would stop her daughter Tracy, 11, enjoying her favourite peanut butter sandwiches.

"I suppose we've got to do what they say. My child's not [allergic] and peanut butter's out of the question.

"What we'll be doing is ham - more expensive stuff, I suppose. It's the basic staple things now that have to be checked."

Education Ministry regional manager Murray Williams said officials did not keep tabs on the number of schools with specific food bans.

Each school was legally responsible for providing a safe environment for all of its pupils.

• Banned food items at Paremata would include products containing peanuts and all tree nuts _ including almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pinenuts, pistachios and walnuts.
  
• Peanut butter would be prohibited, along with Nutella or any other nut-based spreads.
  
• Satay sauce is out, as are cakes, biscuits or baking containing nut products.

- © Fairfax NZ News