http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/05/05/...ls-peanuts.html

"Peanuts fed to squirrels put allergic daughter at risk: Calgary mom
Last Updated: Monday, May 5, 2008 | 10:19 AM ET Comments70Recommend18CBC News
A Calgary mother is begging locals to stop feeding peanuts to squirrels, fearing her highly allergic daughter may come in contact with the discarded shells.

Marilyn Carey says she's seen peanut shells scattered on lawns and playgrounds throughout the city, dispersed by snacking squirrels.

"If you go walking, you'll always see peanuts in any neighbourhood," she told CBC News. Carey said she's terrified her five-year-old daughter Azura could accidentally touch a shell, triggering a potentially deadly reaction.

"It's not parents just being overprotective," Carey said. "It's scary when she has an anaphylactic reaction where she can't breathe."

Azura agrees: "If I eat peanuts and the ambulance doesn't come fast enough, I could die, and I don't want to die."

Parents, children, neighbours and teachers in the area are all on the lookout for the offending nuts. Carey said everyone has been supportive and stopped feeding the squirrels.

"I have to trust all the other parents and the school and the community to know and to be educated too, I guess," she said.

Lilly Byrtus, with the Allergy/Asthma Information Association in Edmonton, said the shells carried by squirrels could cause a reaction, but the chances are slim.

"Is it a possibility for a reaction? Yes, it is a possibility for a reaction. Is it as dangerous of a place to be exposed to peanuts? Probably not."

good gravy! Then watch your child and make sure that she doesn't come in contact with any of the shells. The whole city is supposed to stop feeding the squirrels peanuts? My daughter has allergies and she was taught to stay away from her allergens, it is my responsibility to make sure she knows how to prevent an allergic reaction, not the whole town's responsibility.

exactly why i thought this article's so odd!!

Some people go so far overboard, it is ridiculous. If the girl can say "If I eat peanuts and the ambulance doesn't come fast enough, I could die, and I don't want to die." Then she is old enough to know to stay away from them.

absolutely!

This is just wild! I have to teach my kids what a condom looks like or what a needle looks like so that they are safe when going to a public park. (that kind of stuff would be rare where I live, but you never know!) I see peanut shells as no more a risk than that, as a child should not be picking things up from the ground in a park anyway. My son is three and he knows to ask if a candy or cookie has peanuts in it. Luckily he's not anaphalactic reacting - just runny nose but he knows! And he's only three!

If mom is that worried, you would think that the little girl would have an Epi Pen.

Well here's a child that obviously knows what not to touch and go near, and yet a whole town has to stop feeling squirrels because of her....I would be more nervous if my child was allergic to bees...They just zoom in, sting, and the reaction can be horrible...

my thoughts too

This is rather ridiculous.

My nephew is horribly allergic to milk protein (which is in pretty much anything) and corn (which is in pretty much anything). From the time he was 3 years old, he knew NEVER to eat or even touch any food not given to him by his mom or dad. If someone offered him a cookie, he'd put his hands behind his back and say "No. Ask my Mommy if its safe."

Teach the 5 year old not to play with peanut shells.

I feel ashamed to live in this city now.. Calgary is a million and growing (not a town)

As pretty much everyone has already said, time to do more parenting and less complaining.

Meh... I might come into contact with some rat poison or something, and i'm not complaining... isn't majority rule the answer... if i was allergic to peanuts I wouldn't want them removed on my behalf...

I'm allergic to facepaint... but meh, i dont have a problem with other people using it

EDIT: I also seem to have a problem with spelling

Well, I'm gonna have to agree with everyone else here. . .apparently she knows not to get near them, so, what's the issue? How would she get a peanut shell on her skin anyways? If she's wearing clothes and shoes and knows not to pick them up ..my son is allergic to alot of things and he knows to stay away from them. .and he's three.

And what about all the people that have severe reactions to bee stings and such? They don't expect everyone to go around killing bees for them. They learn to take appropriate measures not only to avoid them but to have an emergency aid on hand in case they should get stung. . . and, more than likely, they had to learn it at a young age as well.

I think the Mom is going way overboard, a child at five should know better than to touch peanuts if she is allergic. I am allergic to poison ivy, but I don't go around demanding it be eradicated from every place I go. But there is another reason to not feed wildlife like squirrels you run risk of being bit and getting rabies or having to go through the shots.

Does it worry anyone else that the spokesperson for the Allergy/Asthama Information Association appears utterly unable to speak English? No wonder people's perceptions of the risks are skewed!

Oh ya let the poor little squirrels die ~ how mean of that mother! Agreeing with the others who have posted.

Haha overprotective parents are such nutters.


Pun intended.

Well, the girl knows not too touch the peanuts, and I think she'll wind up simply wanting to be treated the same as everyone else, not having every peanut in the area collected and destroyed. Must be harsh having that allergy though, just going to the park you can easily see them around the grass and stuff.