No one knows (at least my child's allergist tells me that no one knows) the true reason for the increased incidence of food allergies in recent years. Glad to know there are so many self-styled medical experts here on Flyertalk to reveal the truth behind this mystery. Particularly the geniuses who think it is all imaginary. After watching my child have two anaphylactic reactions, I suppose the third time it happens instead of rushing to the E.R. I should tell my kid to stop the act, we are on to him now.
Parents have a responsibility to take what measures they can to protect their kids. The mother who brought her kid onto an airplane without an EpiPen was negligent. As are airlines who serve peanuts to passengers. Peanuts cause severe anaphylactic reactions with enough frequency among the population to pose a serious danger in the confined space of an airplane, far from definitive medical treatment. An EpiPen will buy you some time, that is all. After the first airline gets sued following death from a peanut allergy, I suspect the issue will be resolved.