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Such allergies are forcing schools to change how food is consumed and prepared in cafeterias across Lapeer County.

Schools like Bishop Kelley in Lapeer have instituted a peanut free table to address the allergy that some of their students have. "We have a peanut free table and a mom brings in tablecloths for it," said Bishop Kelley Principal Anne Estelle. "We wash down the chairs before each lunch. We have several peanut allergies. We don't alter the lunch menu. We have a child with a gluten free allergy and that child's mother gets a different host for Communion. One of our kids with a peanut allergy even ordered a skin for their computer keyboard."

At Borland Elementary School in Imlay City, the most serious food allergy some students have is to nuts, said principal Bill Kalmar.

"We have a nut-free menu and we don't even do peanut butter and jelly sandwiches anymore," he said. "Students who bring in cold lunches are in one area and those with hot lunches in another area. We had a kid with a strawberry allergy last year. Teachers will communicate with other parents. Teachers will sometimes have incentives and maybe have M&Ms, but will make sure they don't have peanuts."

In the Lapeer Community Schools, Lorraine Grinnell, director of operations and support services, said the district has some children who contend peanut allergies. The district does its best to help protest them.

"We eliminate serving (peanut butter). Buildings notify all the parents," Grinnell said. "I'm sure we have lactose intolerant kids, but it's a building issue. The health department is a good partner in health instruction."

Imlay City Christian School has one kindergartner with an extreme allergy to peanuts, said Principal Robert Reitsma. The kindergarteners meet for class in a portable room designated peanut free for the child's wellness. Before the other students enter the portable, they wash their hands to ensure the peanut-free atmosphere.

Roger Pauley was the principal at Orchard Primary last year when they had a peanut free area in the cafeteria. He now is director of special programs for the Almont School District.

"We had two kids with allergies. One would have to ingest and one would have to be airborne," Pauley said. "We had a small room and I'd bring in those two students (to eat). This year—with Mr. (Jim) Jenuwine principal of two buildings—he has a peanut free area at both buildings. We make parents aware ...but you never want to ostracize a kid."

Anne Wood, principal of Ruth Fox Elementary School, said they have students with food allergies and also take the necessary precautions to ensure student wellness.

"Usually the biggest allergy is to peanuts," she said. "Last year we had a student who was very allergic to peanuts, so we had a peanut free table. He monitored himself very well. If you had a peanut butter sandwich you sat at a different table and we knew what to do in an emergency. Some kids are allergic to milk and usually those allergies aren't that serious. If we had a kid with an allergic food reaction ... our first step is to make sure the child is OK."

So far, the North Branch Area Schools have not had any food allergies to contend with, said Stacy Moyer, director of food services for the district. In the past, they've had a student with a peanut allergy and another who was lactose intolerant.

"So far, we have no food allergies," she said. "We don't menu peanut butter. I've never had a child have an allergy to the food we serve."

Lapeer County Health Department Director Stephanie Simmons said it is wise to make a school aware of the child's food allergies and develop a plan.

"The only role we've played is with a wellness plan to encourage health and fitness," Simmons said. "Most of the schools know (about a child's allergies) and work with parents to put together a plan to make the staff aware."

According to the University of California San Francisco's Web site www.ucsfhealth.org, a child's risk of developing food allergies is influenced by family history. Allergic reactions to food can be triggered by coming into contact with the allergen.

The eight most common allergy-causing foods include peanuts, tree nuts (such as pecans and walnuts), milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy. Those eight foods cause 90% of all allergy reactions.

Food allergies occur when the body's immune system mistakenly believes a harmful substance (in this case food) is harmful.

Symptoms of allergies can include: Hives, itching, swelling in the tongue or throat, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, wheezing, runny nose, red watery eyes, difficulty in breathing, tingling in the mouth, vomiting, eczema, swelling or coughing.

Anaphylaxis includes several of the above symptoms as well as breathing problems, drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness. It results in 150-200 emergency room deaths and more than 30,000 emergency room visits a year.

There is no cure for food allergies, but the UCSF Web site said it's helpful to teach children how to read labels. Urge children with food allergies to ask questions about ingredients before eating. Explain the reasons why sharing food in lunches with classmates is risky as the lunch may contain the allergen. Have your child teach their friends and classmates about their food allergy. Teach your child to plan for accidents.

According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, there currently is no uniform food-allergy policy to guide the nation's schools, but that may soon change. There was legislation recently introduced in Congress. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act, if enacted, would establish voluntary national guidelines for managing students with food allergies.

Jennifer Decker can be reached at 664-0811, Ext. 8125 or jennifer.decker@lapeergroup.com.