Bullied because the kid can't eat a peanut?

CNN reports on a study, published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, that found about 35 percent of children over age 5 with food allergies have experienced bullying, teasing or harassment. The study mostly relied upon information provided by the allergic children’s parents. The warning signs are the same as they are in other cases of bullying with bullied children becoming sad, upset, withdrawn, anxious or saying that they don’t want to go to school. Experts quoted in the story also urge parents to look for changes in their kids’ eating habits, such as a nearly untouched lunch coming back home at the end of the school day.

According to the latest data from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention, 3.9 percent of children younger than 18 in the United States have food allergies, representing an 18 percent increase from 1997 to 2007. The spike means that food allergies will play an even greater role at school – both in the classroom during parties and in the lunchroom.

If your child has an allergy, has he or she been teased? How did you handle it? Share your comments and tips with other parents by posting a comment.

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