All About Allergies

PreS-K—Episodes from four PBS series showcase familiar characters who discover that they have allergies. Daniel Tiger from Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood starts itching and feeling sick in his tummy when he eats his first peach. He goes to see Dr. Anna, who gives him simple instructions to help him avoid eating peaches. In the next episode, "Allergies at School," Daniel practices what he's learned as he chooses foods from the pretend restaurant his friends have created. In the Arthur episode, which may appeal to slightly older children, Binky finds out that he has developed a peanut allergy and that peanut products are a common ingredient in many foods, so it's necessary to read labels. Initially, Binky is upset, especially when he's told that he will be seated at a special table during lunch at school, but his friends support him and join him with their peanut-free lunches, and he realizes that it won't be so bad having an allergy. In the abstract world of Peg + Cat, Peg can't stop sneezing, but by using math to solve the problem, the friends ascertain that four-leaf clovers are the culprit. In the WordWorld episode, Pig is ready to make pie when his friends arrive with peaches that cause him to sneeze repeatedly. Viewers will draw the conclusion that Pig is allergic to peaches long before the characters do, but the episode gives kids a chance to spell out plenty of words.