Ban on school bake sales for fund raisers in new bill . . .

[Chris_]

I disliked the taste and smell of peanut butter (and peanuts) for years.  It was easier to tell other people I was 'allergic' to them instead of having them try to push me into eating something I didn't like.

I'm curious how many of these 'allergic' kids are just picky eaters -- another problem entirely.  I don't seem to have that problem now (thank you, Baby Ruth ).

[formerlurker]

formerlurker you got one of the 4 or 5 bs's I've given out in all the time I've been here.

Yes, the kid who is afraid of anaphylactic shock needs to toughen up a little.

When I was very young, maybe 8 or 9 it was discovered I was allergic to bees.  HIGHLY allergic.  I had about 15 minutes to get medical attention or that, as they say, was that.

I was in the cub scouts, boy scouts, went camping with my folks, mowed lawns and eventually joined the military (I lied about having no allergies).

I carried an injector with me for years.  I have no idea WHEN I outgrew the allergy but I evidently did. 

Yeah, there is no sense in some of the shit that goes on.  It is all hypersensitivity.  Shit happens.

KC

Hold on a second -- who the hell said these kids aren't living their lives?  playing sports?  etc.    Even children today with diabetes do a hell of a lot more than kids in my generation, or my parent's generation.   

Parents advise the school their child has a potentially deadly allergy because you cannot carry around an injector in public schools.  The nurse has to hold on to it.  The school covers their ass by having peanut free tables and rooms etc.  Mom and dad didn't ask for that.   To claim something that simply isn't true because of anecdotal observations or nonsense articles is ridiculous.   

[formerlurker]

Note -- I live the the suburbs.    Please don't group children who live in urban areas to those who live in suburbs/rural areas.   The children in my town and pretty much most of central MA suburbs are incredibly active with after school activities -- too much so some would argue.

[formerlurker]

I disliked the taste and smell of peanut butter (and peanuts) for years.  It was easier to tell other people I was 'allergic' to them instead of having them try to push me into eating something I didn't like.

I'm curious how many of these 'allergic' kids are just picky eaters -- another problem entirely.  I don't seem to have that problem now (thank you, Baby Ruth ).

Schools usually require documentation from pediatrician or allergist to support an allergy.   I highly doubt either would farm those out like candy because junior is a picky eater.     A friend of mine just dealt with this with her son (10 years old, outstanding athlete like his mom and dad).   Out to eat at a restaurant and he blew up like a balloon and stopped breathing.   Culprit was nut (not peanut) -- forget which one, which was in whatever he ate.   

The increase in peanut allergy is a bizarre one, but I wouldn't go as far to say kids are faking them.  There are very objective findings to support the allergy.

[Chris_]

The increase in peanut allergy is a bizarre one, but I wouldn't go as far to say kids are faking them.  There are very objective findings to support the allergy.

Food allergies, early puberty, extreme weight gain.  Something odd is going on.

It could be environment, it could be something else entirely. 

[Texacon]

Note -- I live the the suburbs.    Please don't group children who live in urban areas to those who live in suburbs/rural areas.   The children in my town and pretty much most of central MA suburbs are incredibly active with after school activities -- too much so some would argue.

We're rural.  I just think most of this stuff goes too far and to claim anaphylactic shock is nothing more than a scare tactic.  Hell a kid could swallow a teaspoon of water the wrong way and drown.

We don't need peanut free planes ... we need parents who are willing to drive their kid to where they're going if they are afraid to put them on a plane.  Why in the HELL should we inconvenience 200 people because one kid might ... MIGHT have an allergic reaction??

Sorry if I read your post wrong but that is the way it came across.  I see folks making their kids wear helmets to ride bikes and because they don't want THEIR kids to look like idiots they convince the city/county/state to enact laws requiring ALL kids to wear helmets.  It just pisses me off.  If my kids don't want to wear helmets and I don't require them then screw everyone else!  I'm raising my kids not the community.

Again, sorry, it is just a sore spot with me.  If I took you wrong then I'll give you a high five to counter my bs.  If I took you right then the bs stands.

KC

[Peet]

Food allergies, early puberty, extreme weight gain.  Something odd is going on.

It could be environment, it could be something else entirely. 

Oh.  So that's what all those flouridation opponents were warning about back in the 1960s.  (Kidding - really!)

[debk]

Way way wayyyyyyy back in the mid80's when my kids started elementary school here in super conservative East Tn, treats brought into the classroom for birthdays, Halloween, Christmas or Valentine's parties, had to be "store bought".

I thought this was absurd, and since I was a home room mother and could bake cupcakes that were not only better than store bought but cheaper, I wanted to know why! Teacher told me it was "county-wide School Board policy, no exceptions".

Huh? I wanted a better explanation. So I went to the school office, and the school secretary told me - when no one else was standing around - "because not everyone in this county is going to have a clean kitchen and rather than risk food poisoning or any other problem, the county decided that NO ONE could bring in homemade food for the students." When I got that explanation, it made sense for some of the schools in the county to adopt that policy, but I didn't see why it would for my kids' school. It was then pointed out to me that I was an "outsider" and I needed to think about the reasoning behind the county-wide philosophy.

Weird thing was....including a bake sale in the yearly school fundraiser was acceptable! Apparently, selling homemade foodstuffs is different than giving it out. 

As far as the peanut allergy/bee sting thing. I was a school "nurse" when the kids were in elementary school, and every year we had a list of the kids who had these allergies, that was posted on the bulletin board in the "clinic" and in the office. The epi-pens were kept under lock and key in the office. There were not that many kids with the allergies in a school of about 400-500 kids.

It does seem like these days, there are more kids with peanut allergies and very severe ones at that. I have to wonder what is causing the high increase and the severity of the allergies.

Who ever heard of "lactose intolerant" before the mid-late 80's? Gluten allergies? Smell a peanut and go into anaphylactic shock?

Have to wonder if all these allergies aren't somehow connected to the way food is grown and processed and the additives that are put in to stimulate growth or preserve the food.

I carried an epi-pen for years because of Praise Allah seasoning that practically every restaurant was using as a food enhancer. It was loaded with MSG. I learned to ask when going to a new restaurant if they used the stuff and order something that didn't have it in it, or not go back.

[formerlurker]

As far as the peanut allergy/bee sting thing. I was a school "nurse" when the kids were in elementary school, and every year we had a list of the kids who had these allergies, that was posted on the bulletin board in the "clinic" and in the office. The epi-pens were kept under lock and key in the office. There were not that many kids with the allergies in a school of about 400-500 kids.

It does seem like these days, there are more kids with peanut allergies and very severe ones at that. I have to wonder what is causing the high increase and the severity of the allergies.

Who ever heard of "lactose intolerant" before the mid-late 80's? Gluten allergies? Smell a peanut and go into anaphylactic shock?

Have to wonder if all these allergies aren't somehow connected to the way food is grown and processed and the additives that are put in to stimulate growth or preserve the food.

This concerns me also.   Something is up.   My children only get organic milk, because I don't want them to get milk from cows who get that growth hormone (which I would bet good money is the reason why girls are going through puberty so early now).  That said, the hormone is still in the meat of the cattle and my boys do eat beef.   Not everyday like milk, but they are getting it in their system in a smaller amount.

[formerlurker]

We're rural.  I just think most of this stuff goes too far and to claim anaphylactic shock is nothing more than a scare tactic.  Hell a kid could swallow a teaspoon of water the wrong way and drown.

We don't need peanut free planes ... we need parents who are willing to drive their kid to where they're going if they are afraid to put them on a plane.  Why in the HELL should we inconvenience 200 people because one kid might ... MIGHT have an allergic reaction??

Sorry if I read your post wrong but that is the way it came across.  I see folks making their kids wear helmets to ride bikes and because they don't want THEIR kids to look like idiots they convince the city/county/state to enact laws requiring ALL kids to wear helmets.  It just pisses me off.  If my kids don't want to wear helmets and I don't require them then screw everyone else!  I'm raising my kids not the community.

Again, sorry, it is just a sore spot with me.  If I took you wrong then I'll give you a high five to counter my bs.  If I took you right then the bs stands.

KC

Parents don't make up peanut allergies - their child was dx'd with that most likely due to a severe reaction, if not anaphylactic shock.    If the airline chooses to be peanut free, then that is their right.     

You actually think a helmet law was passed because overprotective parents didn't want their kids who wear helmets to stand out?   honestly?

[debk]

This concerns me also.   Something is up.   My children only get organic milk, because I don't want them to get milk from cows who get that growth hormone (which I would bet good money is the reason why girls are going through puberty so early now).  That said, the hormone is still in the meat of the cattle and my boys do eat beef.   Not everyday like milk, but they are getting it in their system in a smaller amount.

About 5 or 6 yrs ago, a friend's granddaughter had just turned 9 when she started her period. The mother took the child to the dr because she was concerned that something serious was wrong....thinking the girl was too young to be having periods!

Doctor told her it was pretty common, and that doctors are thinking it's because of all the growth hormones in food. Said he thought it was why girls were having earlier and larger breast development, high school boys with facial hair, and why all kids were so much taller and heavier.

Boy next door is a senior in HS and just turned 18. He's had a full beard since mid-fall!! I don't remember any of the guys I went to HS with having to shave on a daily basis...and none of them had beards!

[GOBUCKS]

You actually think a helmet law was passed because overprotective parents didn't want their kids who wear helmets to stand out?   honestly?

Absolutely.

[Texacon]

Parents don't make up peanut allergies - their child was dx'd with that most likely due to a severe reaction, if not anaphylactic shock.    If the airline chooses to be peanut free, then that is their right.     

You actually think a helmet law was passed because overprotective parents didn't want their kids who wear helmets to stand out?   honestly?

I'm not going to take the time to look it up but it is a scare tactic.  How many kids do you think have that reaction to a peanut being on a plane?  Really.  Like I said, I'm not going to look it up but I'll bet is it miniscule.  Therefore it is a scare tactic.

The reason the airlines 'choose' to be peanut free is because they don't want their pants sued off in the event of some minor episode that is blown out of proportion.

Yes, i think the helmet law was passed because overprotective parents don't want their kids to stand out.  I also think it was due to nanny statism.  I'll guarantee you it wasn't due to the parents who didn't make their kids wear helmets going to court to get the stupid law passed.

Pray tell .... how do YOU think that law came about?  What business is it of yours or anyone elses if I require my kids to wear helmets when they ride their bicycles?

KC

[Texacon]

Absolutely.

^5

KC

[formerlurker]

Absolutely.

It is estimated that 70% of children aged 5 to 14 years ride bicycles (Sacks, Kresnow, Houston, & Russell, 1996). Although riding bicycles has significant health benefits, bicycles are associated with more injuries than any other consumer product except motorized vehicles (Hoover-Wilson, Baker, Teret, Shock, & Garbarino, 1991). Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2005) indicate that 725 bicyclists were killed and 41,000 were injured in 2004, and 21% of those killed and 32% of those injured were under the age of 16. These data also show that the 10- to 15-year-old age group had the highest fatality and injury rates, with fatality rates 54% and injury rates 140% higher than the average rate for all bicyclists.


Head injuries account for 60% of bicycle-related deaths and more than two thirds of bicycle-related hospital admissions (Brewer et al., 1995). Bicycle helmets have been documented to reduce the risk of head injury by 85% and brain injury by 88% (Thompson, Rivara, & Thompson, 1989). Other studies have shown that the introduction of bicycle helmet legislation is associated with both increased helmet use and reductions in bicycle-related deaths and injuries (Graitcer, Kellerman, & Christoffel, 1995; Mackinan & Medenorp, 1994; MacPherson, To, & Macarthur, 2002). These data suggest that helmet use should be a major intervention target for middle-school children

.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1885409/

I am going to go with traumatic brain injury being the driving factor for bicycle helmet legislation.

[formerlurker]

I'm not going to take the time to look it up but it is a scare tactic.  How many kids do you think have that reaction to a peanut being on a plane?  Really.  Like I said, I'm not going to look it up but I'll bet is it miniscule.  Therefore it is a scare tactic.

The reason the airlines 'choose' to be peanut free is because they don't want their pants sued off in the event of some minor episode that is blown out of proportion.

Yes, i think the helmet law was passed because overprotective parents don't want their kids to stand out.  I also think it was due to nanny statism.  I'll guarantee you it wasn't due to the parents who didn't make their kids wear helmets going to court to get the stupid law passed.

Pray tell .... how do YOU think that law came about?  What business is it of yours or anyone elses if I require my kids to wear helmets when they ride their bicycles?

KC

Scare tactics?   Who is being scared here? 

Peanut allergies are real.  They are not imagined or faked.    I don't know why or how you would believe otherwise.

[formerlurker]

Interesting read on peanut allergies and the ADA:


http://www.law.uh.edu/healthlaw/perspectives/Disabilities/981015Peanut.html

[Ptarmigan]

Way way wayyyyyyy back in the mid80's when my kids started elementary school here in super conservative East Tn, treats brought into the classroom for birthdays, Halloween, Christmas or Valentine's parties, had to be "store bought".

I thought this was absurd, and since I was a home room mother and could bake cupcakes that were not only better than store bought but cheaper, I wanted to know why! Teacher told me it was "county-wide School Board policy, no exceptions".

Huh? I wanted a better explanation. So I went to the school office, and the school secretary told me - when no one else was standing around - "because not everyone in this county is going to have a clean kitchen and rather than risk food poisoning or any other problem, the county decided that NO ONE could bring in homemade food for the students." When I got that explanation, it made sense for some of the schools in the county to adopt that policy, but I didn't see why it would for my kids' school. It was then pointed out to me that I was an "outsider" and I needed to think about the reasoning behind the county-wide philosophy.

Weird thing was....including a bake sale in the yearly school fundraiser was acceptable! Apparently, selling homemade foodstuffs is different than giving it out. 

As far as the peanut allergy/bee sting thing. I was a school "nurse" when the kids were in elementary school, and every year we had a list of the kids who had these allergies, that was posted on the bulletin board in the "clinic" and in the office. The epi-pens were kept under lock and key in the office. There were not that many kids with the allergies in a school of about 400-500 kids.

It does seem like these days, there are more kids with peanut allergies and very severe ones at that. I have to wonder what is causing the high increase and the severity of the allergies.

Who ever heard of "lactose intolerant" before the mid-late 80's? Gluten allergies? Smell a peanut and go into anaphylactic shock?

Have to wonder if all these allergies aren't somehow connected to the way food is grown and processed and the additives that are put in to stimulate growth or preserve the food.

I carried an epi-pen for years because of Praise Allah seasoning that practically every restaurant was using as a food enhancer. It was loaded with MSG. I learned to ask when going to a new restaurant if they used the stuff and order something that didn't have it in it, or not go back.

Besides, processed foods, I think peanut and food allergy is because kids are being raised in a more clean environment. Their immune system has nothing better to do and starts attacking anything that looks bad. Food allergies have existed as they happen worldwide. I think some food allergies are not allergies at all. Also, girls are hitting puberty earlier and earlier and at the same time, obesity rates have risen among kids. I suspect something in the food that could be playing a role.

[formerlurker]

Children's Peanut Allergies Have Doubled
Roasted Peanuts, Nut-Based Oils Contributing to Problem
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Health News
Dec. 9, 2003 -- The number of children with peanut allergies has doubled over the past few years, a new study shows.

It's a wake-up call for parents who may want to quit giving nuts to very young children, because their immune systems are not fully developed, say researchers. Roasted peanuts and nut-based or soy-based products also may be contributing to the problem, they say.

Their report appears in this month's issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Of the 4855 households included in the nationwide survey, 3% reported that one or more people in the home had a peanut or tree nut allergy, or both. Those numbers were similar to a 1997 survey, reports researcher Scott H. Sicherer, MD, a pediatrician and allergist with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

While the number of adults did not change much, numbers of children with peanut allergies jumped significantly -- doubling from 0.4% in 1997 to 0.8% in 2002.

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/20061101/childrens-peanut-allergies-have-doubled


Article is from 2003, but the soy-based formula is interesting. 

[Texacon]

Scare tactics?   Who is being scared here? 

Peanut allergies are real.  They are not imagined or faked.    I don't know why or how you would believe otherwise.

You're not understanding what I'm saying.  Evidently I am not doing a very good job of communicating my point. 

Peanut allergies are real.  Very real.

The number of people who have peanut allergies are small. Those who have severe reactions to peanuts are smaller and those who have severe reactions to a single peanut on a plane are miniscule.  What I'm saying is why put 200+ people/plane out for this?  Why not tell those who have a severe allergy "hey, there's peanuts on this plane.  If you want to fly ... sign this waiver.  If you don't want to sign the waiver then walk/drive/take the train/ride a boat ..."

Hell, if you want to side with those who think it's a good idea ... how bout you do something proactive.  I hear the nation is getting a larger waist band.  We are getting more and more obese people.  Why don't we make the airlines make ALL the seats larger and more roomy and charge a premium to everyone!  That is an awesome idea and I would bet you will have more morbidly obese people flying than those who have severe peanut allergies.  We can put a whole nation out of flights because they can't afford them but fat people would be much more comfy and wouldn't feel so bad about having to purchase 2 tickets.  Same damn thing.

As to the head injuries being the reason for helmet laws.  I'm not an idiot.  I know if a kid takes a bad fall and hits their head a helmet would help them.  I never made my kids wear helmets and still don't.  They are 16 and 17 now ... amazing they lived that long. 

Now, knowing I'm not an idiot do you think *I* would go to the legislature and argue for a helmet law?  Hell no!  If I want my kids to wear helmets I'll make them wear them.  I damn sure am not going to do something to force others to raise their kids like I raise(d) mine and I damn sure don't want them imposing on how I raise my kids.

The helmet laws were passed by parents who felt the need to control other parents AND so their kids wouldn't be the only goofy looking ones on the block.

KC

[cmypay]

Yes, peanut allergies are real, no question...but, my children's school was declared a "peanut free zone" because of ONE child.  The claim was that the child had a reaction if he/she even SMELLED peanuts.  If that were the case, the child absolutely could not live here...the farmers raise and harvest peanuts.  Obviously, some peanuts break open in the process.  

After some parents went to the school to express their displeasure, especially considering that peanut butter is a fairly cheap staple, the school is now a "peanut aware zone" whatever the hell that means.

[Texacon]

Is cycling risky enough to require helmets?

There is no one agreed way of presenting risk. Proponents of mandatory helmet use may tend to quote figures for the (large) total number of head injuries or injuries of any kind; opponents may be more likely to produce estimates for the (low) risk of serious injury per cyclist. One pro-helmet website gives its "own pick of Basic Numbers from many sources": 773 bicyclists died on US roads in 2006, down just 11 from the year before. 92% (720) of them died in crashes with motor vehicles. About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized. Bicycle crashes and injuries are under-reported, since the majority are not serious enough for emergency room visits. 44,000 cyclists were reported injured in traffic crashes in 2006.[28] In a campaign to make helmets compulsory for child cyclists, it has been stated that "in a three-year period from 2003, 17,786 children aged 14 and under were admitted to NHS hospitals in England because of injuries incurred while cycling"[29]

Overall, cycling is beneficial to health – the benefits outweigh the risks by up to 20:1.[30] To cycling activists, the major problem with helmet promotion is that in order to present the idea of a "problem" to match the solution they present, promoters tend to overstate the dangers of cycling.[31][32] Cycling is no more dangerous than being a pedestrian.[33][34] A UK opponent of compulsion has pointed out that it "still takes at least 8000 years of average cycling to produce one clinically severe head injury and 22,000 years for one death."[35] Ordinary cycling is not demonstrably more dangerous than walking or driving, yet no country promotes helmets for either of these modes.[36] "The inherent risks of road cycling are trivial... Six times as many pedestrians as cyclists are killed by motor traffic, yet travel surveys show annual mileage walked is only five times that cycled; a mile of walking must be more "dangerous" than a mile of cycling..." The proportion of cyclist injuries which are head injuries is essentially the same as the proportion for pedestrians at 30.0 % vs. 30.1 %.[37]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_helmet

I guess between the wussy parents and the helmet manufacturers you end up with laws.   

(note to wussy parents; I don't care if you make your kid wear a helmet just don't overstate the case to me and my kids)

I'll be back with some peanut info in just a minute.

KC

[cmypay]

Besides, processed foods, I think peanut and food allergy is because kids are being raised in a more clean environment. Their immune system has nothing better to do and starts attacking anything that looks bad. Food allergies have existed as they happen worldwide. I think some food allergies are not allergies at all. Also, girls are hitting puberty earlier and earlier and at the same time, obesity rates have risen among kids. I suspect something in the food that could be playing a role.

In college, I had to study human growth and development.  There have always been pockets where kids matured much more quickly than most other areas.  There are so many things that play into when kids hit puberty that it's near impossible to point at any one thing as causing this.  I think it's everything you listed plus genetics.

It was mentioned earlier that organic milk doesn't contain the growth hormone found in most supermarket milk today.  In addition to that, we are very careful about the beef and chicken we buy.  Most chicken is heavily laden with hormones, especially chicken breast which is coming from chickens that are under 6 months old.  I raise chickens and even my year old chickens don't have breasts that big!  It's not normal. 

[Texacon]

PrevalenceThe Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that peanut allergy is the most common cause of food-related death.

[14] However, there is an increasing body of medical opinion that, while there definitely are food sensitivities, the dramatic uptick in frequency of nut allergies and more particularly the measures taken in response to the threat show elements of mass psychogenic illness, hysterical reactions grossly out of proportion to the level of danger:[1] "Dr. Christakis points out that about 3.3 million Americans are allergic to nuts, and even more — 6.9 million — are allergic to seafood. But of 30 million hospitalizations each year, just 2,000 are due to food allergies, and about 150 people die annually from serious allergic food reactions. That’s the same number of people killed by bee stings and lightning strikes combined. About 10,000 children are hospitalized annually with traumatic brain injuries from sports, 2,000 children drown each year, and about 1,300 die in gun accidents, he writes." Media sensationalism has also been blamed.[15]

Prevalence among adults and children is similar—around 1%—but at least one study shows it to be on the rise in children in the United States.[16] The number of young children affected doubled between 1997 and 2002.[17] 25% of children with a peanut allergy outgrow it.[18] In America, about 10 people per year die from peanut allergies.[19]

One study has shown that peanut allergies are also dependent on race; in particular, Native Americans are less prone to be allergic to peanuts.[20]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut_allergy


I did the headline .... so it will look familiar to those who are overhyping the peanut thing *formerlurker*COUGH*

Now, if you'll take the time to read the rest I think I've made my case.


OMG ... .10 people a YEAR die due to peanut allergies in the US!!!

 

Now tell me why I can't have a peanut on an airplane?

KC

[formerlurker]

You're not understanding what I'm saying.  Evidently I am not doing a very good job of communicating my point. 

Peanut allergies are real.  Very real.

The number of people who have peanut allergies are small. Those who have severe reactions to peanuts are smaller and those who have severe reactions to a single peanut on a plane are miniscule.  What I'm saying is why put 200+ people/plane out for this?  Why not tell those who have a severe allergy "hey, there's peanuts on this plane.  If you want to fly ... sign this waiver.  If you don't want to sign the waiver then walk/drive/take the train/ride a boat ..."

Hell, if you want to side with those who think it's a good idea ... how bout you do something proactive.  I hear the nation is getting a larger waist band.  We are getting more and more obese people.  Why don't we make the airlines make ALL the seats larger and more roomy and charge a premium to everyone!  That is an awesome idea and I would bet you will have more morbidly obese people flying than those who have severe peanut allergies.  We can put a whole nation out of flights because they can't afford them but fat people would be much more comfy and wouldn't feel so bad about having to purchase 2 tickets.  Same damn thing.

As to the head injuries being the reason for helmet laws.  I'm not an idiot.  I know if a kid takes a bad fall and hits their head a helmet would help them.  I never made my kids wear helmets and still don't.  They are 16 and 17 now ... amazing they lived that long. 

Now, knowing I'm not an idiot do you think *I* would go to the legislature and argue for a helmet law?  Hell no!  If I want my kids to wear helmets I'll make them wear them.  I damn sure am not going to do something to force others to raise their kids like I raise(d) mine and I damn sure don't want them imposing on how I raise my kids.

The helmet laws were passed by parents who felt the need to control other parents AND so their kids wouldn't be the only goofy looking ones on the block.

KC

Food allergy is an abnormal immune response to certain food(s) that the body reacts to as harmful. An estimated 3.9% of children under the age of 18 and 2% of adults have food allergies.1,2 Though reasons for this are poorly understood, the prevalence of food allergies and associated anaphylaxis appears to be on the rise. Risk factors associated with food allergy include: family history of asthma and allergies, genetic predisposition to allergic disease, elevated allergen-specific serum immunoglobulin levels (IgE concentrations), and being younger than 3 years of age. There are eight foods that account for 90% of all food-allergy reactions cow’s milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts (for example, walnuts, pecans, almonds, and cashews), fish, shellfish, soybeans, and wheat.2,3,4 While 3.3 million Americans are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, 6.9 million are allergic to seafood. Combined, food allergies cause 30,000 cases of anaphylaxis, 2,000 hospitalizations, and 150 deaths annually.2

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/foodallergies/

You will have to inquire with the airlines as to why they have gone completely peanut free as there has been no direction from the federal government for them to do so that I am aware of.     I posted an article on peanut allergies and the ADA.

I am quite familiar with the legislative process, and you will need far more than "junior looks silly wearing that helmet all by himself" lobbying for a law to be passed.   I would imagine the state's department of public health, and perhaps insurance would have had a great deal to do with it.