Doctor Dies From Allergic Reaction After Raglan Road Meal at Disney Springs

[lanejudy]

I’ve yet to get 110% confirmation that the park medics carry it (and do so as stated above). Would like to think so.

To my knowledge, First Aid locations at each park and DS have Epipens. I believe that has been true since ~2015. Whether anyone (CMs) moving about within a park have an Epipen on their person, I don't know but I'd think not since it was announced as the First Aid locations would have a supply.

 

[Danicat77]

Have you ever looked into professional oral allergy treatment? We are lucky to have a clinic here in Iowa. I believe kids need to be kindergarten-age to start. A good friend of ours has a child who was severely allergic to peanuts. They found out when he was in a high chair at a restaurant and broke out in full-body hives just from coming in contact with leftover peanut butter residue on the tray (it wasn't cleaned well enough). Once he was 5 (ish), he started at a clinic where they literally introduced MICROSCOPIC amounts of the allergen and then slowly increased. The goal is to get kids to the point where they can tolerate exposure of 1 full peanut, and it's a slow process and took a couple of years. However, for many kids, it can end up being life saving. Our friend's kid actually got to the point where he could eat peanuts & peanut products. He's now 14. To maintain this, he has to eat a spoonful of peanut butter every morning. A lot of people around here who have peanut allergies go to this clinic, and it has a pretty high success rate. I'm a teacher at a middle school and teach hundreds of kids each year. In my 6 years here, I have only had ONE student with a high risk peanut allergy because the treatment is so successful for so many.

Just to put in my 2 cents: my DD is severely allergic to peanuts. We’ve been told by our allergist that she’s too severe to do the treatment.
And then to the whole board about initial post: this story terrifies me. We pick Disney because of the way they do cater to those with allergies. It’s a very sad situation.

 

[keishashadow]

Whether anyone (CMs) moving about within a park have an Epipen on their person, I don't know but I'd think not since it was announced as the First Aid locations would have a supply.

I’m thinking not. Although, first aid can be summoned quickly via golf cart and grabbing the pens. Not sure if always quick enough tho.

In this vein, both out of curiosity & for safety purposes, I often look to see what brand of AEDs are on the walls in doctor’s offices, entertainment, retail & public places etc (since one of my DSs employer offers that medical equipment along with other devices). I keep trying to remember to look in the Disney parks but, that pixie dust gets in my eyes.

I have my own issues. A family member has a shellfish allergy. Developed out of the blue in teens. Had eaten it all his life, a shame as it was one of their favorite sort of foods. progressively worsened to point the sensitivity has morphed into a true allergy.

No matter the assurances, has learned to not eat anything from a fryer in a restaurant that offers shellfish on the menu. Mention concerns to waitstaff but, always request to speak directly to the head chef. If they don’t accommodate you, leave. Goes to show their poor level of concern

Many restaurants do have a separate seafood grill. That only goes as far as all cooks being trained and careful.

Often, in the better real world venues, the head chef will offer to personally prepare an entree, sometimes an off the menu sort of thing. It always has better presentation than normal selections. Easy enough to call ahead to determine.

Felt so bad first time I invited them to The Boathouse. Didn’t realize that shellfish can go airborne too! Doctors never mentioned that, admittedly, remote possibiity. Didn’t start to feel ill until returning to our room. Benadryl worked to get thru that mild event, thankfully.

 

[VolvoManiac850]

I have a thread on here about Disney going out of their way to accommodate my wife's issues with seed oils at Yachtsman and Flying Fish. Both are Disney-owned properties. Raglan Road, to my knowledge, is not.

It's a shame to see restaurants not taking these things seriously. To be fair, I don't think many people know the severity of something until they either have an allergy themselves or have a friend or family member who does. I really never thought twice until my wife's seed oil issues began, as the only other people in my life with an allergy were my mom (who is lactose intolerant), a gluten-free buddy of mine from Bible study, and a colleague with an egg allergy. All three are easy enough to get around by and large, but something like a remnant of a peanut on a conveyor belt or even an oil that could be toxic to someone is another story.

I live in Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh) where we have a pretty strict health department in terms of restaurant inspections, but I don't think they do anything to ensure allergy needs are being met. It's something I'd like to see added to inspections and I'd like to see Disney, which is #1 in my book with handling allergies, do something to maybe take over Raglan Road. It's really a good restaurant (have eaten there) and it's a shame this had to happen...and it's something that should have never happened.

Awareness in the industry is another factor. A lot of menus just don't have ingredients listed, and this needs to go down to things like cooking oils. Peanut oil is more common than some people think...

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I have a thread on here about Disney going out of their way to accommodate my wife's issues with seed oils at Yachtsman and Flying Fish. Both are Disney-owned properties. Raglan Road, to my knowledge, is not.

It's a shame to see restaurants not taking these things seriously. To be fair, I don't think many people know the severity of something until they either have an allergy themselves or have a friend or family member who does. I really never thought twice until my wife's seed oil issues began, as the only other people in my life with an allergy were my mom (who is lactose intolerant), a gluten-free buddy of mine from Bible study, and a colleague with an egg allergy. All three are easy enough to get around by and large, but something like a remnant of a peanut on a conveyor belt or even an oil that could be toxic to someone is another story.

I live in Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh) where we have a pretty strict health department in terms of restaurant inspections, but I don't think they do anything to ensure allergy needs are being met. It's something I'd like to see added to inspections and I'd like to see Disney, which is #1 in my book with handling allergies, do something to maybe take over Raglan Road. It's really a good restaurant (have eaten there) and it's a shame this had to happen...and it's something that should have never happened.

Awareness in the industry is another factor. A lot of menus just don't have ingredients listed, and this needs to go down to things like cooking oils. Peanut oil is more common than some people think...

Live on other side of Pa and can add for sure the inspections do nothing for allergies. Work at a park and we are inspected each season. Nothing is checked about how allergies are handled

 

[kc51570]

I have a thread on here about Disney going out of their way to accommodate my wife's issues with seed oils at Yachtsman and Flying Fish. Both are Disney-owned properties. Raglan Road, to my knowledge, is not.

It's a shame to see restaurants not taking these things seriously. To be fair, I don't think many people know the severity of something until they either have an allergy themselves or have a friend or family member who does. I really never thought twice until my wife's seed oil issues began, as the only other people in my life with an allergy were my mom (who is lactose intolerant), a gluten-free buddy of mine from Bible study, and a colleague with an egg allergy. All three are easy enough to get around by and large, but something like a remnant of a peanut on a conveyor belt or even an oil that could be toxic to someone is another story.

I live in Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh) where we have a pretty strict health department in terms of restaurant inspections, but I don't think they do anything to ensure allergy needs are being met. It's something I'd like to see added to inspections and I'd like to see Disney, which is #1 in my book with handling allergies, do something to maybe take over Raglan Road. It's really a good restaurant (have eaten there) and it's a shame this had to happen...and it's something that should have never happened.

Awareness in the industry is another factor. A lot of menus just don't have ingredients listed, and this needs to go down to things like cooking oils. Peanut oil is more common than some people think...

I’ve had a super attentive Disney chef come to our table and make my son something special when he had many allergies. The chef ended up calling our room later that night to let us know that he made a mistake and there was milk in the bread he gave him. Luckily this was also around the time he was outgrowing milk so he did not have a major reaction, and only minor digestive issues the next day. At the time of the call he was fine, but I should have called back the next day to mention he did actually have a reaction later.

Some people including allergists I’ve encountered claim you can’t be allergic to oils including peanut although I’ve read stories and had experiences to the contrary. No way I am letting my kid eat anything deep fried in peanut oil with a peanut allergy when he used to have reactions to soybean oil. And as a parent of a child with peanut and tree nut allergies among others, I do find it is easier to avoid them rather than something like soy or soybean oil which is in absolutely everything.

Allergies are covered under the American with Disabilities act. If restaurants need to comply by having wheelchair ramps, accessible bathrooms, etc. than they should also be responsible for appropriate training to ensure their patrons with allergies are safe. Especially at Disney where from I think I read somewhere else on this board server positions at Disney can undergo 3 months of training.

 

[HopperFan]

Allergies are covered under the American with Disabilities act. If restaurants need to comply by having wheelchair ramps, accessible bathrooms, etc. than they should also be responsible for appropriate training to ensure their patrons with allergies are safe. Especially at Disney where from I think I read somewhere else on this board server positions at Disney can undergo 3 months of training.

From what I have found while allergies are acknowledged under the ADA, the protections they have are not applied across the board.

Attaching two articles, one that is written in response to the Disney story. I thought they both offered understandable parameters in this situation, requirements for restaurants and suggestions.

Find Law regarding Disney story

Dietary Restrictions and the ADA

 

[imbelle]

Perhaps holding restaurants to the same standards as installing a wheelchair ramp when a life-threatening allergy is involved is unrealistic. Expecting a restaurant to share the risk of death is setting the bar pretty high.
Imagine that you are a server and when you go to take an order the customer says "I have a life-threatening allergy to X and if even a molecule passes my lips, I die. You are now responsible for the possible cross contamination of every ingredient, every utensil, every person that touches either of those (all while servicng your other customers). If, despite your best intentions or circumstances beyond your control, you fail and I die, you and your establishment will be sued by my heirs, you will most likely lose your livelihood, and you will have my death on your conscience forever." If I were that server, I'd head directly for the time clock to punch out. No one needs that Sword of Damocles hanging over their head, especially not on restaurant wages.

 

[Madteaparty001]

Perhaps holding restaurants to the same standards as installing a wheelchair ramp when a life-threatening allergy is involved is unrealistic. Expecting a restaurant to share the risk of death is setting the bar pretty high.
Imagine that you are a server and when you go to take an order the customer says "I have a life-threatening allergy to X and if even a molecule passes my lips, I die. You are now responsible for the possible cross contamination of every ingredient, every utensil, every person that touches either of those (all while servicng your other customers). If, despite your best intentions or circumstances beyond your control, you fail and I die, you and your establishment will be sued by my heirs, you will most likely lose your livelihood, and you will have my death on your conscience forever." If I were that server, I'd head directly for the time clock to punch out. No one needs that Sword of Damocles hanging over their head, especially not on restaurant wages.

DH works IT for a medical organization, he had to sign paperwork saying he understood that in this field errors caused by him or colleagues could result in patient death. I don't see how someone working in the food industry is any different.

 

[kc51570]

Perhaps holding restaurants to the same standards as installing a wheelchair ramp when a life-threatening allergy is involved is unrealistic. Expecting a restaurant to share the risk of death is setting the bar pretty high.
Imagine that you are a server and when you go to take an order the customer says "I have a life-threatening allergy to X and if even a molecule passes my lips, I die. You are now responsible for the possible cross contamination of every ingredient, every utensil, every person that touches either of those (all while servicng your other customers). If, despite your best intentions or circumstances beyond your control, you fail and I die, you and your establishment will be sued by my heirs, you will most likely lose your livelihood, and you will have my death on your conscience forever." If I were that server, I'd head directly for the time clock to punch out. No one needs that Sword of Damocles hanging over their head, especially not on restaurant wages.

I suggested better training. I also don’t come up with the suggested guidelines but they exist. And the ADA does not allow for compensation other than legal fees so I am sure this husband is not using that as part of his case.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

DH works IT for a medical organization, he had to sign paperwork saying he understood that in this field errors caused by him or colleagues could result in patient death. I don't see how someone working in the food industry is any different.

Those are very different in my book and likely in just about everyone else's.

With respect to the ADA it's about allowing equal access and reasonable accommodation (even with food allergens). That is not about legal liability with respects to allergens to a server. It's precisely the reason why just about everything we encounter in our day to day life discusses risks involved such as "may contain..." "assembled in a factory that along with...", etc.

One of the examples I saw was about outside food policies when the establishment could not accommodate the person's food allergy.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Those are very different in my book and likely in just about everyone else's.

With respect to the ADA it's about allowing equal access and reasonable accommodation (even with food allergens). That is not about legal liability with respects to allergens to a server. It's precisely the reason why just about everything we encounter in our day to day life discusses risks involved such as "may contain..." "assembled in a factory that along with...", etc.

One of the examples I saw was about outside food policies when the establishment could not accommodate the person's food allergy.

The outside food causes another issue for restaurants. Even heating in microwave could cause cross contamination which leads to rules and not from the parks that no outside food can be reheated. This includes allergy related food. At Disney if I am correct you can heat in baby center where parent does the heating but not restaurants.

 

[kc51570]

The outside food causes another issue for restaurants. Even heating in microwave could cause cross contamination which leads to rules and not from the parks that no outside food can be reheated. This includes allergy related food. At Disney if I am correct you can heat in baby center where parent does the heating but not restaurants.

I’ve never brought in outside food to be reheated. Do people do that? I understand why that would not be allowed. I did bring a lunchbox any time we went out to eat for about 5-6 years because there was little on the menu my kid could eat. That is why we ended up vacationing at Disney all these years-they work around all kinds of allergies. Disney theme parks allow outside food, but some others do not. If I had a problem bringing in the lunchbox at another park, I mentioned the allergy and that was the end of it.

 

[imbelle]

DH works IT for a medical organization, he had to sign paperwork saying he understood that in this field errors caused by him or colleagues could result in patient death. I don't see how someone working in the food industry is any different.

"You think that Jane, if it gives you comfort"

 

[brent02139]

Perhaps holding restaurants to the same standards as installing a wheelchair ramp when a life-threatening allergy is involved is unrealistic. Expecting a restaurant to share the risk of death is setting the bar pretty high.
Imagine that you are a server and when you go to take an order the customer says "I have a life-threatening allergy to X and if even a molecule passes my lips, I die. You are now responsible for the possible cross contamination of every ingredient, every utensil, every person that touches either of those (all while servicng your other customers). If, despite your best intentions or circumstances beyond your control, you fail and I die, you and your establishment will be sued by my heirs, you will most likely lose your livelihood, and you will have my death on your conscience forever." If I were that server, I'd head directly for the time clock to punch out. No one needs that Sword of Damocles hanging over their head, especially not on restaurant wages.

Couldn't you call your manager or allergy coordinator to take over then?

Also, you could say the same thing about driving, if despite your best intentions or circumstances beyond your control, you run over someone with your car, wouldn't you face similar consequences?

Here's what we do to keep our DS5 safe and has worked so far
-research restaurants ahead of time that are allergy-friendly
-ask questions
-examine food when it arrives
-ask more questions if you have doubts

We haven't had issues with restaurants, and we eat out or do carry out 2-4 times a week. What we had issues so far are daycares, school, and social gatherings. I've had to rush him to the ER 5 times in the first 5 years of his life.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I’ve never brought in outside food to be reheated. Do people do that? I understand why that would not be allowed. I did bring a lunchbox any time we went out to eat for about 5-6 years because there was little on the menu my kid could eat. That is why we ended up vacationing at Disney all these years-they work around all kinds of allergies. Disney theme parks allow outside food, but some others do not. If I had a problem bringing in the lunchbox at another park, I mentioned the allergy and that was the end of it.

Can not say for Disney but we get asked a few times a season at small park I work at. Most times parent is upset we can't just microwave it for them. No problem if it was a lunchbox meal that doesn't need heated

 

[lanejudy]

The outside food causes another issue for restaurants.

The reasonable accommodation is being allowed to bring in safe food from elsewhere. That doesn’t mean heating or preparing the outside food, which is not a reasonable accommodation. Examples are takeout from the restaurant next door or a lunch bag you prepare yourself.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

The reasonable accommodation is being allowed to bring in safe food from elsewhere. That doesn’t mean heating or preparing the outside food. Examples are takeout from the restaurant next door or a lunch bag you prepare yourself.

You can bring in but we can't heat or reheat. It is the heating that can cause problems. We have that happen a few times a year where parents get upset because we can't heat for them

 

[lanejudy]

Parents getting upset does not mean bringing in outside food isn’t a reasonable accommodation. Maybe your employer needs to add a line to the website and/or posted rules about unable to heat outside food. That’s pretty standard.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Parents getting upset does not mean bringing in outside food isn’t a reasonable accommodation. Maybe your employer needs to add a line to the website and/or posted rules about unable to heat outside food. That’s pretty standard.

It is not a park rule this inspection rule is government rule about not heating brought in food. We don't stop parents from bringing in food just heating up. It is the heating up that upsets some. What we hear is how do you expect us heat this up after being here all day. The same rules about heating applies to Disney also. Example using Disney you pick up nuggets and fries at a counter service and bring to a sit down but sit down is running 20 minutes late and you are seated late. Sit down can not reheat for you even if you are eating there. Allergy or not