'Allergy bullies' accused of spiking sandwiches with peanut butter, daring children to eat nuts

So-called 'allergy bullies' have been accused of spiking the food of kids with food allergies, with some school children even being hospitalised.

Doctors have kicked off an important debate about the increasing problem of school children who use food as the latest bullying weapon.

Some children have had hands splashed with flavoured milk or sandwiches spiked with peanut butter, or have been dared to eat a handful of nuts.

A research paper published today finds that children with allergies are twice as likely to be bullied - easy targets for teasing and isolation because they can't eat certain foods.

"Some of the things include things as scary as being forced to eat the food they're allergic to, or people tricking them into eating food," Mr Andrew Fong from The University of New South Wales said.

In some cases, children have actually had an allergic reaction as a result of being bullied.

"They can be separated from their peers at schools, and they may not be invited to parties," Mr Fong said.

"Kicked, teased, and bullying through social media as well."

Some parents are so worried they are switching to home schooling to protect children from deadly anaphylactic shock.

In the US, allergy bullies are the target of an advertising campaign to keep kids safe.

In the UK, bullying victims have made it all the way to parliament after young lives were threatened.

In trying to combat the rise of allergy bullies, the study looks at why sufferers are targeted.

Key reasons include perceptions of "special treatment" and the need to carry EpiPens, which make allergies very visible.

"The EpiPen is something that could be stigmatised, and having an EpiPen is very obvious to other children," Mr Fong said.

"That could be dangerous - this is their life-saving medication."