ALLERGIES AND BULLYING

KIDS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES
MAY BE BULLIED, NEW STUDY

HealthDay News - Many children with food allergies may be bullied at school - sometimes with potentially dangerous threats to their physical health. A new study, of 251 families at a New York City allergy clinic, found that about one-third of kids said they'd been bullied specifically because of their food allergy. 
The bullying usually happened at school and often took the form of teasing. Some children said classmates threatened them with the food to which they were allergic - waving it in front of them, throwing it at them or saying they would sneak it into their other food. “With food allergies, that kind of bullying does carry a theoretical physical risk,” said Dr. Jay Lieberman, from University of Tennessee Health Science Center, in Memphis. Food allergy symptoms can range from hives, swollen lips and stomach pain to potentially life-threatening reactions where children can't breathe and their blood pressure plummets.

In the USA, an estimated 4 % to 5 % of kids younger than 18 have a food allergy, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. A handful of foods, including peanuts, cow's milk, eggs and fish, account for most. Because parents of food-allergic kids are usually vigilant about avoiding the culprit foods, severe allergic reactions are fortunately rare, said Dr. Eyal Shemesh. Both Shemesh and Lieberman said it's important for parents, schools and doctors to be aware that food allergies can make kids a target for bullying. The study is reported online Dec. 24 and in the January 2013 print issue of Pediatrics. 
This new study, Lieberman said, went a step further by asking kids about their quality of life - including their emotional well-being and how they were getting along at school. It turned out that children who were bullied reported a lower quality of life than their food-allergic peers who were not targeted.

Children could get stigmatized at school, when classmates have to avoid bringing peanuts and peanut butter to school. Peanuts, even in small amounts, can cause a serious allergic reaction. And simple skin contact with a peanut product can trigger a rash. Education about food allergies - for kids and adults - could help. Experts say that kids doing the bullying do not understand how serious food allergies are, so it's possible that if they get more education about this, some cases of bullying may stop. “What really affects these children's lives is everything that surrounds the allergy - the food avoidance, the anxiety,” said professor Shemesh. And bullying, apparently, can be part of the “everything” that surrounds kids' food allergies.  Every day a child is bullied at school or online. Say NO to bullying!

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The alarming rise of bullying in the schools ... inspired me to address bullying with an educationally-based yoga program during the school-day curriculum to teach ahimsa - nonviolence to self and others. ... There is a huge need for this type of education for kids. With the constant advancement in technology, kids and teens are continually bombarded with external stimuli. ... Students of all ages love yoga. It is fun and very relaxing. The CK system teaches children how to balance their lives and how to communicate effectively. Students do not ask for asanas (yoga postures); they do ask for relaxation, concentration or conflict resolution scenarios. It is the lifestyle of yoga that sparks their interest. Yoga is an enjoyable way to learn self-reflection, introspection, and relaxation, which most children greatly appreciate. It helps them to counterbalance their reaction to the busy world they live in.

Ms Dee Marie, MA :
“Bullying Can Be Stopped With Yoga”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-schware/yoga-bullying_b_1867274.html
CK - Calming Kids - Creating a Non-Violent World
www.calmingkidsyoga.org  -  facebook.com/calmingkidsyoga

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/