Royal Carribean Executives - Please Read

[ramby]

I've heard repeatedly that you nice folks read thease boards and I forgot to put this on my review card from the GOS sailing on 9/16.

 

The memories of this trip are still coming back to me, and I forgot to comment about this in my comment card.

 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE use warnings on your menu to warn patrons of foods containing nuts - nut just peanuts but all nuts. A simple peanut icon beside a menu item would serve as ample warning.

 

 

I am not allergic to peanuts but rather to tree nuts. If I at least saw a "peanut" beside a menu item, I would be prompted to ask the waiter for more details. I typically read menu descriptions to look for nut descriptions, and if there are none, the item is deemed to be safe. I also look at items to check for obvious nut garnish or nut presence before eating.

 

On GOS, last day in the MDR, I ordered the Apple Parcels wtih Creme anglaise. After one bite, I dected an odd taste that I could not place. After a second bite, my mouth started to tingle. I called over the waiter and he told me the pastry was lined wiht almond paste. Why sneak in a nut meat and not warn people?

 

I immediately took a benedryl and I was fine; other passengers may not be so lucky.

 

All cruiselines could go a long way in at least attempting to identify the presence of common allergens.

 

thank you.

 

 

I am SHOCKED that they don't already do this. My guess is that it is a liability for them to label certain items as "containing nuts" b/c then the implication is that other items are nut-free. However, that opens the cruise line up to a huge liability if there is ever a cross contamination, or kitchen error.

[Spoiledliz]

I can sympathise and agree with the "peanut symbol" on the menu - it's a common allergy.

 

My son's daycare now only serves "sun-butter" sandwiches. He finds them extremely gross. I can see offering them as an alternative for those that are allergic, but can't the kids without allergies have a normal PBJ? His soccer coach this season issued the edict that "there shall be no peanut or peanut butter based food brought for after-game snacks". I brought a box of chocolate snack cakes and a box of peanut butter snack cakes, so the kids could have a choice.

 

I'm such a rebel. But these holier-than-thou "my kid has an allergy so yours can't have PB either" people need to get a grip. If your kid is allergic to peanut DUST, he can't even walk thru the produce department at my local grocery store, because they have a big open bin of peanuts there.... :rolleyes: Put him in a big plastic bubble, like that John Travolta movie from the 1970's or whatever.... :D

 

Deleted....not worth it.

[ltcoljdf]

I understand that some allergies can be horrible even deadly, but shouldn't they put all the ingredients on the menu or no symbols/warnings and make it the responsibility of person that is going to voluntarily put the food in their own mouth to ask.

[sandinmypants]

If my 9yo son was at someone else's house and got hurt, and the mom offered him something "to make him feel better", his first question would be "Is it Ibuprofen?" Because he knows that it makes him swell up. He's old enough to watch out for himself. He won't take a pill or liquid medicine without first asking "Is it Ibuprofen". I would hope that a 9yo with a peanut butter allergy would ask, if offered a snack, "does this have peanut butter?"

 

And - to spoiledliz - I'm only advocating free choice. I was not exposing the soccer child to peanut butter - I gave him the choice of chocolate or peanut butter. He was in an open environment and did not have to go anywhere near peanut butter, it was his choice. Does he not go out in public at all without his parents preceding him with big signs and a bullhorn proclaiming "clear out the peanut butter, our child is coming thru"? Seriously - once again - you can't change the world to suit you.

 

This is one of those arguments that can go 'round & 'round.

[jamies78]

Some of you are mis-informed about the severity of peanut allergies. Yes, peanut dust can KILL someone with a severe allergy. Yes, touching a surface after someone who has had peanuts can KILL someone. There are people who have zero tolerance for peanut proteins, whether inhaled, injested, or on the skin.

 

My 2.5 year old son has a very severe allergy to peanuts. My allergist said it is the worst he has ever seen. We were walking through a grocery store a few months ago and walked past the aisle where the peanuts were. About 5 minutes later, my baby boy was covered in hives, his eyes were swollen shut, he was wheezing, and we had to be rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance. He was hospitalized for 2 days to get him stabilized. And this was just from a few particles of peanut dust in the air.

 

It is very possible that one of those kids that Sandipants gave the peanut butter cakes to happened to give a peanut-allergic kid a hug, and that poor child had an allergic reaction and ended up in the hospital. How would you feel then? Was that peanut butter snack cake really worth another child's life?? :confused: I know it is hard to give up something just because one person might be allergic, but put yourself in that child or parents shoes. Wouldn't you greatly appreciate others taking your illnesses into consideration?

 

We are taking our peanut-allergic son on the LOS in November, and we are scared to death! I will be packing lots of safe snacks and desserts, and we will be very careful what he eats on the ship. I have been having nightmares that he has a reaction while we are in the middle of the ocean, and honestly have been contemplating cancelling the cruise.

[Queen of Oakville]

I think the difference is that the "rules" aren't just targetted at those who can read or know better. At least in Canada, you will have schools with children age 4 to 12 or 13 in the same school. While the 12 and 13 year olds know better, perhaps, the 4 year olds do not. These children will likely inter-mingle in the school yard, busses or other public areas.

 

I think there is also a difference between allergy and sensitivity. There are even scales of severity. For my son, just putting peanut butter on his skin (probably won't kill him) but will result in him devleoping a hive. Eating the peanuts or peanut butter, well that's a different story.

 

In the case of a plane, I'm guessing it has something to do with the air systems and the air circulating in the plane. I believe (could be wrong) that some people that do have such severe allergies that just the mere exposure to peanut dust could kill them. I'm just grateful my son and I are not that severely allergic. At least for now, he's only 3 and his allergies will likely worsen as he grows. Even at 3, he is showing the good sense (sometimes) to ask before he eats something. It breaks my heart to watch him cry when he is told he can't eat a cookie that others are eating. I've learned to carry special treats for him, so he doesn't feel left out.

[Muushka]

Say, do any of you adults with food allergies have Eosinophilic Esophogitis?

 

My allergic reaction is cough, which can be quite annoying for everyone!

 

I have treated my E E, but if I go off of the diet, I need a 6 week treatment.

[Queen of Oakville]

Some of you are mis-informed about the severity of peanut allergies. Yes, peanut dust can KILL someone with a severe allergy. Yes, touching a surface after someone who has had peanuts can KILL someone. There are people who have zero tolerance for peanut proteins, whether inhaled, injested, or on the skin.

 

My 2.5 year old son has a very severe allergy to peanuts. My allergist said it is the worst he has ever seen. We were walking through a grocery store a few months ago and walked past the aisle where the peanuts were. About 5 minutes later, my baby boy was covered in hives, his eyes were swollen shut, he was wheezing, and we had to be rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance. He was hospitalized for 2 days to get him stabilized. And this was just from a few particles of peanut dust in the air.

 

It is very possible that one of those kids that Sandipants gave the peanut butter cakes to happened to give a peanut-allergic kid a hug, and that poor child had an allergic reaction and ended up in the hospital. How would you feel then? Was that peanut butter snack cake really worth another child's life?? :confused: I know it is hard to give up something just because one person might be allergic, but put yourself in that child or parents shoes. Wouldn't you greatly appreciate others taking your illnesses into consideration?

 

We are taking our peanut-allergic son on the LOS in November, and we are scared to death! I will be packing lots of safe snacks and desserts, and we will be very careful what he eats on the ship. I have been having nightmares that he has a reaction while we are in the middle of the ocean, and honestly have been contemplating cancelling the cruise.

 

 

{{{{Jamies}}}

 

Hope all goes well on LOS. Like one of the earlier posters said, language barriers play a huge role. I know on DREAM, I was going through the dessert bar and asked the "attendant" which items had nuts. She told me "no nuts". I then proceed to find brownies and banana muffins GARNISHED WITH NUTS. In Canada, smarties, kitkat, coffee crispt, and aero are all nut free - though I'm not sure tha tis the case in the US. I took a mini bag of those chocolate bars on our cruise, so that if in doubt - my son always had a yummy treat.

[Queen of Oakville]

Say, do any of you adults with food allergies have Eosinophilic Esophogitis?

 

My allergic reaction is cough, which can be quite annoying for everyone!

 

I have treated my E E, but if I go off of the diet, I need a 6 week treatment.

 

 

Never heard of that, I had to google it. Interesting - I do have GERD, so reflux is a total issue. My allergies are adult-onset (birch-pollen) so add most fresh fruits to the list of things I am allergic to. I've had a recurring cough for the last 6 months or so which was first treated as reflux cough then as asthma cough. I can't go off my puffer or I can't sleep at night.

[sandinmypants]

Some of you are mis-informed about the severity of peanut allergies. Yes, peanut dust can KILL someone with a severe allergy. Yes, touching a surface after someone who has had peanuts can KILL someone. There are people who have zero tolerance for peanut proteins, whether inhaled, injested, or on the skin.

 

My 2.5 year old son has a very severe allergy to peanuts. My allergist said it is the worst he has ever seen. We were walking through a grocery store a few months ago and walked past the aisle where the peanuts were. About 5 minutes later, my baby boy was covered in hives, his eyes were swollen shut, he was wheezing, and we had to be rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance. He was hospitalized for 2 days to get him stabilized. And this was just from a few particles of peanut dust in the air.

 

It is very possible that one of those kids that Sandipants gave the peanut butter cakes to happened to give a peanut-allergic kid a hug, and that poor child had an allergic reaction and ended up in the hospital. How would you feel then? Was that peanut butter snack cake really worth another child's life?? :confused: I know it is hard to give up something just because one person might be allergic, but put yourself in that child or parents shoes. Wouldn't you greatly appreciate others taking your illnesses into consideration?

 

We are taking our peanut-allergic son on the LOS in November, and we are scared to death! I will be packing lots of safe snacks and desserts, and we will be very careful what he eats on the ship. I have been having nightmares that he has a reaction while we are in the middle of the ocean, and honestly have been contemplating cancelling the cruise.

 

He's the one-in-a-million that doctors talk about - the ones that cause things like banning of peanuts in baseball stadiums. And I wouldn't be taking him on an airplane, a cruise, a grocery store (all those peanut products!), or anywhere else until he's old enough to understand not to touch things, watch where he puts his hands and what he puts in his mouth. Not to hug people or touch people, stay away from others - and if it's that severe, perhaps wearing a mask over his face when he's around other people? I see people here wearing those (immuno-suppresed, I assume). Will you let him go to Adventure Ocean? I'm sure that the majority of those kids are peanut-butter-lovers, I know my son is, it's one of his favorite things to eat (obviously!)

 

Do you carry several doses of epinephrine with you at all times - just wondering if you administered it to him when he had his severe reaction. I hope you don't ever have to go thru an incident like that again. (And by the way.....9yo boys hugging each other? Not going to happen!)

 

I understand your point of view, as a mother. But you also need to understand that that world is NOT going to make sure he isn't exposed to peanut products, just like the world hasn't erradicated all bees to make sure I don't get stung, and Ibuprofen is still allowed in our town even though one dose could kill my son.

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

Fascinating, with my cinnamon allergy, I can smell it a mile away, even just a pinch, my nose and eyes burn. Which is helpful, because every once in a while someone puts cinnamon in something where you wouldn't expect to find it (like in chocolate chip cookies, that's blasphemy), but my eyes and nose alert me right away.

 

Do peanut allergy people have peanut sensitive noses too?

[Queen of Oakville]

Some of you are mis-informed about the severity of peanut allergies. Yes, peanut dust can KILL someone with a severe allergy. Yes, touching a surface after someone who has had peanuts can KILL someone. There are people who have zero tolerance for peanut proteins, whether inhaled, injested, or on the skin.

 

My 2.5 year old son has a very severe allergy to peanuts. My allergist said it is the worst he has ever seen. We were walking through a grocery store a few months ago and walked past the aisle where the peanuts were. About 5 minutes later, my baby boy was covered in hives, his eyes were swollen shut, he was wheezing, and we had to be rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance. He was hospitalized for 2 days to get him stabilized. And this was just from a few particles of peanut dust in the air.

 

It is very possible that one of those kids that Sandipants gave the peanut butter cakes to happened to give a peanut-allergic kid a hug, and that poor child had an allergic reaction and ended up in the hospital. How would you feel then? Was that peanut butter snack cake really worth another child's life?? :confused: I know it is hard to give up something just because one person might be allergic, but put yourself in that child or parents shoes. Wouldn't you greatly appreciate others taking your illnesses into consideration?

 

We are taking our peanut-allergic son on the LOS in November, and we are scared to death! I will be packing lots of safe snacks and desserts, and we will be very careful what he eats on the ship. I have been having nightmares that he has a reaction while we are in the middle of the ocean, and honestly have been contemplating cancelling the cruise.

 

 

Just an FYI, when we were on dream - PB&J was on their children's menu - both in Camp Carnival and at MDR.

[Caliterp07]

If my 9yo son was at someone else's house and got hurt, and the mom offered him something "to make him feel better", his first question would be "Is it Ibuprofen?" Because he knows that it makes him swell up. He's old enough to watch out for himself. He won't take a pill or liquid medicine without first asking "Is it Ibuprofen". I would hope that a 9yo with a peanut butter allergy would ask, if offered a snack, "does this have peanut butter?"

 

That landed my 9 year old cousin in the hospital for 3 days over Christmas this past year. We were having appetizers, and she asked my uncle (brand new to the family, not aware of her history with peanuts) if the snack had peanut butter in it. He said "no, it's just dough and chocolate", without thinking. The dough was made of peanut butter and powdered sugar.

 

Despite her mother (a nurse) immediately giving her an epi pen, the poor girl broke out in hives, couldn't breathe, and ended up throwing up in the hospital all day on Christmas.

 

Although the peanut butter balls were a family tradition that we've made for years and years and are everyone's favorites, we will not be making them at Christmas this year. It is not worth the risk that they will somehow get in her system.

 

So sure, the kid might ask--but that doesn't mean they'll get a reliable answer. I would MUCH rather we all go without a treat if it insures the safety of my loved ones.

[Camlott]

I am SHOCKED that they don't already do this. My guess is that it is a liability for them to label certain items as "containing nuts" b/c then the implication is that other items are nut-free. However, that opens the cruise line up to a huge liability if there is ever a cross contamination, or kitchen error.

 

I don't have a problem with the cruise line posting an alert about potential allergies in a menu item. But I suspect you are correct in their reasoning for not doing so.

 

 

I agree with sandinmypants and others that posted here as well. It is called PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY... its a rare thing these days.

 

It is not up to someone else to make sure that I don't eat something that I or my child is allergic to, it is up to me.

[jamies78]

He's the one-in-a-million that doctors talk about - the ones that cause things like banning of peanuts in baseball stadiums. And I wouldn't be taking him on an airplane, a cruise, a grocery store (all those peanut products!), or anywhere else until he's old enough to understand not to touch things, watch where he puts his hands and what he puts in his mouth. Not to hug people or touch people, stay away from others - and if it's that severe, perhaps wearing a mask over his face when he's around other people? I see people here wearing those (immuno-suppresed, I assume). Will you let him go to Adventure Ocean? I'm sure that the majority of those kids are peanut-butter-lovers, I know my son is, it's one of his favorite things to eat (obviously!)

 

Do you carry several doses of epinephrine with you at all times - just wondering if you administered it to him when he had his severe reaction. I hope you don't ever have to go thru an incident like that again. (And by the way.....9yo boys hugging each other? Not going to happen!)

 

I understand your point of view, as a mother. But you also need to understand that that world is NOT going to make sure he isn't exposed to peanut products, just like the world hasn't erradicated all bees to make sure I don't get stung, and Ibuprofen is still allowed in our town even though one dose could kill my son.

 

So in your opinion we should cancel our cruise and keep my son locked in a bubble? He knows not to eat most stuff, and we will monitor what he touches and eats. No, we will not do Adventure Ocean, I would not expect them to ban peanuts for my son, so we won't go. But to not take him on a cruise because of his allergy?

 

I don't expect the world to stop because of my son's allergies. I never said anything like that. We don't go to the Cincinnati Reds baseball games because of his allergy, but I would NEVER call the stadium to complain and have them ban peanuts for my son. That is extreme!! But if a coach of a team asked parents not to bring peanut snacks, then I would certainly comply with that to keep all the kids safe. I believe that is the respectful thing to do, and it teaches your children to respect others and to follow the rules. Good job Mom! Way to be a rebel and break the rules!!

 

Yes, I carry Epi-pens everywhere and there is one in every room of my house!!! I also carry Benadryl and have it on hand at all times. I have been lucky enough to only use the Epi once, but he still was hospitalized.

[Bound4Bermuda]

I'm not sure if some of the posters here are misinformed--or just sadistic. :eek: I'll give you the benefit of the doubt of just being misinformed. ;) My son also has a peanut allergy that's off the charts. I have to say, now that he's 11, he's gotten better, and with an Epi-Pen and Benedryl and a quick trip to the ER on his last mislabeled cookie encounter, he was fine. In fact, now we even have peanut butter in the house and he's okay. However, when he was a toddler through the early years of elementary school he would break out in hives and couldn't breathe just when he got too close to peanut butter! He didn't even have to ingest it, just be too close to it! One time my daughter made one of those peanut butter/birdseed/pinecone birdfeeders and just by looking at it (not even touching it), he was hospitalized for two days. He was hospitalized for three days and had to stay in an oxygen tent the first time he actually ate a peanut butter cookie (when we found out he had the allergy). Peanuts, for some reason, seems to be the deadliest allergy there is. It's not like we want to ruin everyone else's peanut-popping good ol' time. You just don't understand that our children can DIE being NEXT to you while you eat peanuts, and that's why most schools and airlines are peanut-free. For those who don't "believe in" peanut dust, just imagine for a moment 200 people on an airplane opening those little bags of peanuts in the circulated air?! It's not dissimilar to second-hand smoke.

Edited to add: I'm perfectly fine with cruiselines HAVING peanuts on board. I certainly wouldn't expect them to change their menus to accommodate allergies. However, I can't imagine why people are OPPOSED TO there being allergen warnings on the menus! How in the world does that affect you in any way?!

[traveling1969]

Just too many allergens out there. One must be proactive. When in doubt, order something else. Imagine what the menu would look like if every known allergen was mentioned (nuts, gluten, lactose etc.). Those with special needs must take special care. Bon Voyage to all!

[Queen of Oakville]

[quote name='Camlott']

It is not up to someone else to make sure that I don't eat something that I or my child is allergic to, it is up to me.[/quote]


...and therein lies my concern with RCCI or any other cruiseline for that matter. Staff are not trained to understand food allergies. It's easy for them to make up an answer (as was my experience on DREAM). Take it outside the hands of the individual worker, and label food (signs in the buffet, or menus in the MDR) to identify if the food contains "common" allergens.

[twoputt.plusone]

[quote name='sandinmypants']And - to spoiledliz - I'm only advocating free choice. I was not exposing the soccer child to peanut butter - I gave him the choice of chocolate or peanut butter. [/quote]

OK, I was going to stay out of this until I read this. Being a mother and one who has a child with allergies no less, why in god's name would you even consider offering a treat with peanuts to a child you knew had a peanut allergy? What were you trying to prove? :eek::eek::eek:

[CanuckCruizer]

[quote name='jamies78'][SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Some of you are mis-informed about the severity of peanut allergies. Yes, peanut dust can KILL someone with a severe allergy. Yes, touching a surface after someone who has had peanuts can KILL someone. There are people who have zero tolerance for peanut proteins, whether inhaled, injested, or on the skin. [/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]My 2.5 year old son has a very severe allergy to peanuts. My allergist said it is the worst he has ever seen. We were walking through a grocery store a few months ago and walked past the aisle where the peanuts were. About 5 minutes later, my baby boy was covered in hives, his eyes were swollen shut, he was wheezing, and we had to be rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance. He was hospitalized for 2 days to get him stabilized. And this was just from a few particles of peanut dust in the air.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]It is very possible that one of those kids that Sandipants gave the peanut butter cakes to happened to give a peanut-allergic kid a hug, and that poor child had an allergic reaction and ended up in the hospital. How would you feel then? Was that peanut butter snack cake really worth another child's life?? :confused: I know it is hard to give up something just because one person might be allergic, but put yourself in that child or parents shoes. Wouldn't you greatly appreciate others taking your illnesses into consideration? [/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]We are taking our peanut-allergic son on the LOS in November, and we are scared to death! I will be packing lots of safe snacks and desserts, and we will be very careful what he eats on the ship. I have been having nightmares that he has a reaction while we are in the middle of the ocean, and honestly have been contemplating cancelling the cruise. [/FONT][/SIZE][/quote]

This is only MY opinion - but from MY firsthand experiences on more than 35 cruises - you are putting your child at risk taking him on the cruise, given his life-threatening allergy. You will NOT be able to eat ANYWHERE on the ship except the main dining room and even there - you will have to question everyone continually. I have spoken to the chef in charge of the Windjammer and "he" didn't even know if they used peanut oil etc. for the salad dressing. The Maitre'D/Head Waiter will "assure" you that he will be taken care of but, on every cruise, I have been given "something" I am allergic to - not kidding. Did you know that they even have nuts in their Duchess potatoes (on Celebrity and RCCL) but they don't tell you. Sometimes they are called Dauphinois potatoes instead of Duchess potatoes. There are a LOT of dishes that contain nuts/nut products that the staff isn't even aware of.

Never mind him eating something that he is allergic to - how could he be in the same dining area as someone eating a chocolate peanut sundae or an almond cake etc. - would he not react if it was nearby? Not trying to scare you but I want to make you very aware that you are basically "on your own" when it comes to cruiseships and food allergies. If you feel that you can keep your son in a "peanut free" environment, then I hope you enjoy your cruise and wish him a safe and happy vacation, but if he is "that" allergic to peanut smell, dust etc. - how will he be on the airplane as I have been on lots of planes recently and guess what - they still give out peanuts...

Canuck

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

[quote name='Bound4Bermuda']I'm not sure if some of the posters here are misinformed--or just sadistic. :eek: I'll give you the benefit of the doubt of just being misinformed. ;) My son also has a peanut allergy that's off the charts. I have to say, now that he's 11, he's gotten better, and with an Epi-Pen and Benedryl and a quick trip to the ER on his last mislabeled cookie encounter, he was fine. In fact, now we even have peanut butter in the house and he's okay. However, when he was a toddler through the early years of elementary school he would break out in hives and couldn't breathe just when he got too close to peanut butter! He didn't even have to ingest it, just be too close to it! One time my daughter made one of those peanut butter/birdseed/pinecone birdfeeders and just by looking at it (not even touching it), he was hospitalized for two days. He was hospitalized for three days and had to stay in an oxygen tent the first time he actually ate a peanut butter cookie (when we found out he had the allergy). Peanuts, for some reason, seems to be the deadliest allergy there is. It's not like we want to ruin everyone else's peanut-popping good ol' time. You just don't understand that our children can DIE being NEXT to you while you eat peanuts, and that's why most schools and airlines are peanut-free. For those who don't "believe in" peanut dust, just imagine for a moment 200 people on an airplane opening those little bags of peanuts in the circulated air?! It's not dissimilar to second-hand smoke.

Edited to add: I'm perfectly fine with cruiselines HAVING peanuts on board. I certainly wouldn't expect them to change their menus to accommodate allergies. However, I can't imagine why people are OPPOSED TO there being allergen warnings on the menus! How in the world does that affect you in any way?![/quote]

If any of your rant was aimed at me, you need to read more closely. The JetBlue flight did not give out "little bags of peanuts", they give out other snacks these days (cookies and chips).

They were asking that people who might have brought THEIR OWN FOOD (since the flights are now foodless), give up anything with nuts in it. As I said, we don't even eat nuts in our house, however, if my kids would have had PB & J as their in flight meal, and the plane asked me to give them up, I would have expected the plane to give my kids, for free, an alternate that they would be willing to eat.

Yu can't expect my kids, or other peoples' kids, to suffer foodless for 5+ hours for the sake of your 1 kid, or somebody elses' 1 kid, just isn't fair.

So my point is, if JetBlue, or anyone else, is going to be bold enough to demand that people surrender the only food they will have for several hours, they better be prepared to offer a free, reasonable alternative. Because honestly, if my kids were PB eaters, and that's all they had to eat for a 5 hour flight, particularly if nothing else was offered by the plane, I would not have given it up. My kids arn't going to suffer for someone else's health issue.

And as an aside, if my child was so allergic that one person eating a peanut on a plane could killl him, we certainly would not be flying a commercial flight, we'd charter. Why would I risk my child's life for a vacation?????

[njmomof2]

Our friends' daughter has a life threatening nut allergy. Inhalation, ingestion and touch. She cannot be around any sort of nuts, especially peanuts. Her allergies are as severe as those mentioned by a PP.

We have asked them to join us on a cruise. They have discussed it with their dr and he has firmly nixed the idea. He says that there is no way to completely cover all the bases with her severity level. There is no way to be sure that, when she's walking up or down the stairs, sitting on a lounge chair, pushing an elevator button, etc, that the person before her didn't have a peanut butter cookie in their hands. And the thought of being out in the middle of the ocean when she has such an attack (even with the epi-pen) is too much to consider, so they cannot cruise.

And for the PP who asked whether people keep their kids in a bubble, never go out, what about restaurants, etc., they go out. But only to places that they have cleared beforehand. She takes her own food, unless the mom is certain that the food is okay, mom wipes down all surfaces before touching, etc. Not a single one of us in the group would dream of going near her with any sort of nuts on our person (or eat them before seeing her). Why would we do this? Because most of the world thinks that peanut allergies are overblown? Because they are upset that their little darling can't have a PB&J sandwich because another child might die and it's inconveniencing them?

Please. It's a serious, life threatening situation. And until you see a child in distress, you take it lightly. Don't wait until you watch a kid go down because you had to be a "rebel." Just don't do it.

[PhoenixDawgCruising]

[quote name='njmomof2']Our friends' daughter has a life threatening nut allergy. Inhalation, ingestion and touch. She cannot be around any sort of nuts, especially peanuts. Her allergies are as severe as those mentioned by a PP.

We have asked them to join us on a cruise. They have discussed it with their dr and he has firmly nixed the idea. He says that there is no way to completely cover all the bases with her severity level. There is no way to be sure that, when she's walking up or down the stairs, sitting on a lounge chair, pushing an elevator button, etc, that the person before her didn't have a peanut butter cookie in their hands. And the thought of being out in the middle of the ocean when she has such an attack (even with the epi-pen) is too much to consider, so they cannot cruise.

And for the PP who asked whether people keep their kids in a bubble, never go out, what about restaurants, etc., they go out. But only to places that they have cleared beforehand. She takes her own food, unless the mom is certain that the food is okay, mom wipes down all surfaces before touching, etc. Not a single one of us in the group would dream of going near her with any sort of nuts on our person (or eat them before seeing her). Why would we do this? Because most of the world thinks that peanut allergies are overblown? Because they are upset that their little darling can't have a PB&J sandwich because another child might die and it's inconveniencing them?

Please. It's a serious, life threatening situation. And until you see a child in distress, you take it lightly. Don't wait until you watch a kid go down because you had to be a "rebel." Just don't do it.[/quote]

You've proven my point. This child's dr. said a cruise is a bad idea, and righfully so. If I had a child with such a severe situation, they would not be on a plane, a cruise ship, wouldn't be in a hotel, and would probably be home schooled, because in the end, the only enviornment you have total control over (and rightfully so) is your own home.

You can't depend on a teacher, a cafeteria worker, a chef, a waitress, a housekeeper, or any other stranger to protect your child's health...stay home, there you have complete control.

All of our childen have an equal level of the right to be happy, comfortable, and safe. Just as an allergic child has the right to a nut free enviornment, a non-allergic child has the right to a P B & J. So who will be made to suffer?? The non-allergic child isn't attempting to control the actions of the allergic child, so why should the allergic child ask to do so?

I just think it's unrealistic, and unsafe, for a whole plane full of people to be expected to prohibit something perfectly normal because of 1 person's special needs. Instead, that 1 person needs to find a way to protect themselves without risking their own health, and without depending on strangers to not eat a peanut butter cup from the bottom of their purse or pocket.

[CanuckCruizer]

[quote name='PhoenixDawgCruising']You've proven my point. This child's dr. said a cruise is a bad idea, and righfully so. If I had a child with such a severe situation, they would not be on a plane, a cruise ship, wouldn't be in a hotel, and would probably be home schooled, because in the end, the only enviornment you have total control over (and rightfully so) is your own home.

You can't depend on a teacher, a cafeteria worker, a chef, a waitress, a housekeeper, or any other stranger to protect your child's health...stay home, there you have complete control.

All of our childen have an equal level of the right to be happy, comfortable, and safe. Just as an allergic child has the right to a nut free enviornment, a non-allergic child has the right to a P B & J. So who will be made to suffer?? The non-allergic child isn't attempting to control the actions of the allergic child, so why should the allergic child ask to do so?

I just think it's unrealistic, and unsafe, for a whole plane full of people to be expected to prohibit something perfectly normal because of 1 person's special needs. Instead, that 1 person needs to find a way to protect themselves without risking their own health, and without depending on strangers to not eat a peanut butter cup from the bottom of their purse or pocket.[/quote]

PhoenixDawg - I totally agree with you.

As a matter of fact, I would advise the previous poster, Jamie (with the 2 1/2 year old) to ask her doctor if they think it is wise to take their son on the ship. Like I said, from personal experience, "I" am the only one that can keep "me" safe - no matter what the cruiseline says to you before the cruise (you will get an e-mail saying that everyone will be aware of the allergy....blah, blah, blah - everyone is NOT aware, nor do a lot of them actually "care" about the allergy).

Canuck

[lovesublime]

[quote name='sandinmypants']If my 9yo son was at someone else's house and got hurt, and the mom offered him something "to make him feel better", his first question would be "Is it Ibuprofen?" Because he knows that it makes him swell up. He's old enough to watch out for himself. He won't take a pill or liquid medicine without first asking "Is it Ibuprofen". I would hope that a 9yo with a peanut butter allergy would ask, if offered a snack, "does this have peanut butter?"


This is one of those arguments that can go 'round & 'round.[/quote]



It is my opinion that no one should be administering medication to your child without your pemission anyway. It just shouldn't be an issue. I cannot understand why you would deliberately take peanut butter cakes for the kids knowing that one of them has a peanut allergy. Why not chocolate cakes and maybe vanilla cakes to give them a choice? I guess you being hell bent on trying to make a point is more important than the possibility of a child suffering a fatal reaction.