PharmaMom: This is nuts.

A month or so ago we received an email from our kid's preschool advising us that due to the amount of children with food allergies, nut products would be restricted.   This meant PB&J, PB & banana, and PB & raisin sandwiches (lunch staples for our kids!) would need to be replaced with an alternative.  This rule applies the youngest children, 18- 36 months; the ones who can't list off their food restriction or ask you if the brownies are gluten-free.

This week Pediatrics released a study stating that '4% of U.S. children have food allergies.'  We are well aware that more kids are showing food allergies--but why?  The study offered a few theories for the increase, one being that our kids are not exposed enough to germs, which doesn't allow their immune systems to build up protection.   Theories are helpful; but the study noted that more research would need to be done to determine the root cause.  

There is an 'allergy table' at our preschool and now a nut-free environment for the littlest ones.   We are pretty fortunate, our kids haven't shown any food allergies (yet?) and we want to protect our kids but we need answers, Let's hope we get them before all those seats fill up.