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Re: hazardous materials in artroom-spina bifida children


From: Cathy Gaul (allgaul_at_TeacherArtExchange)
Date: Tue Sep 07 2004 - 21:55:55 PDT

Children with spina bifida are definitely at risk in the art room and the
school in general.The spina bifida association of America has a list that
they update here:

Scroll down for the list of art supplies and alternatives.
My son has spina bifida. He has a touch sensitivity, but this allergy is
progressive. You never know when it will be the time he will be exposed and
it's a 911 call.
He has friends who would go code blue to be in the same room as latex
balloons or surgical gloves! Many of the kids have to go to the dentist or
doctors office first thing in the morning to avoid exposure to air born
latex powder from gloves that have been removed or thrown in the trash, etc.
They are not only intolerant, it can be a life or death situation. My son
wears a medic alert necklace for latex.
Not to scare you, but some kids are that bad with it. Parents of kids with
spina bifida fight a losing battle with schools on this issue til something
happens. People just don't believe you can be allergic to a balloon in a
room. 'Well, he wasn't TOUCHING it' is often what we hear and the kid is in
respiratory arrest...
pencil erasers are the worst, kids put them in their mouth. Elastics,
anything stretchy is suspect. Silicone and plastic are fine, no latex in
them, but sometimes its hard to tell. Koosh balls=latex. Rubber=latex.
This list is not comprehensive, but it's a good start for you.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for being sensitive to these kids with spina
bifida. Its a real crummy birth defect in a whole lot of ways, and only some
of them you can see.

Haddonfield Friends School 1-8