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- SCHOOL GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING STUDENTS WITH FOOD
ALLERGIES
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- Food allergies can be life threatening. The risk of
accidental exposure to foods can be reduced in the school
setting if schools work with students, parents, and
physicians to minimize risks and provide a safe
educational environment for food-allergic students.
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- Family's Responsibility
- Notify the school of the child's allergies.
- Work with the school team to develop a plan that
accommodates the child's needs throughout the school
including in the classroom, in the cafeteria, in
after-care programs, during school-sponsored activities,
and on the school bus, as well as a Food Allergy Action
Plan.
- Provide written medical documentation, instructions,
and medications as directed by a physician, using the
Food Allergy Action Plan as a guide. Include a photo of
the child on written form.
- Provide properly labeled medications and replace
medications after use or upon expiration.
- Educate the child in the self-management of their
food allergy including:
- *safe and unsafe foods
- * strategies for avoiding exposure to unsafe
foods
- * symptoms of allergic reactions
- * how and when to tell an adult they may be having an
allergy-related problem
- * how to read food labels (age appropriate)
- Review policies/procedures with the school staff, the
child's physician, and the child (if age appropriate)
after a reaction has occurred.
- Provide emergency contact information.
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- School's Responsibility
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- Be knowledgeable about and follow applicable federal
laws including ADA, IDEA, Section 504, and FERPA and any
state laws or district policies that apply.
- Review the health records submitted by parents and
physicians.
- Include food-allergic students in school activities.
Students should not be excluded from school activities
solely based on their food allergy.
- Identify a core team of, but not limited to, school
nurse, teacher, principal, school food service and
nutrition manager/director, and counselor (if available)
to work with parents and the student (age appropriate) to
establish a prevention plan. Changes to the prevention
plan to promote food allergy management should be made
with core team participation.
- Assure that all staff who interact with the student
on a regular basis understands food allergy, can
recognize symptoms, knows what to do in an emergency, and
works with other school staff to eliminate the use of
food allergens in the allergic student's meals,
educational tools, arts and crafts projects, or
incentives.
- Practice the Food Allergy Action Plans before an
allergic reaction occurs to assure the
efficiency/effectiveness of the plans.
- Coordinate with the school nurse to be sure
medications are appropriately stored, and be sure that an
emergency kit is available that contains a physician's
standing order for epinephrine. In states were
regulations permit, medications are kept in a easily
accessible secure location central to designated school
personnel, not in locked cupboards or drawers. Students
should be allowed to carry their own epinephrine, if age
appropriate after approval from the students
physician/clinic, parent and school nurse, and allowed by
state or local regulations.
- Designate school personnel who are properly trained
to administer medications in accordance with the State
Nursing and Good Samaritan Laws governing the
administration of emergency medications.
- Be prepared to handle a reaction and ensure that
there is a staff member available who is properly trained
to administer medications during the school day
regardless of time or location.
- Review policies/prevention plan with the core team
members, parents/guardians, student (age appropriate),
and physician after a reaction has occurred.
- Work with the district transportation administrator
to assure that school bus driver training includes
symptom awareness and what to do if a reaction
occurs.
- Recommend that all buses have communication devices
in case of an emergency.
- Enforce a "no eating" policy on school buses with
exceptions made only to accommodate special needs under
federal or similar laws, or school district policy.
Discuss appropriate management of food allergy with
family.
- Discuss field trips with the family of the
food-allergic child to decide appropriate strategies for
managing the food allergy.
- Follow federal/state/district laws and regulations
regarding sharing medical information about the
student.
- Take threats or harassment against an allergic child
seriously.
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- Student's Responsibility
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- Should not trade food with others.
- Should not eat anything with unknown ingredients or
known to contain any allergen.
- Should be proactive in the care and management of
their food allergies and reactions based on their
developmental level.
- Should notify an adult immediately if they eat
something they believe may contain the food to which they
are allergic.
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- More detailed suggestions for implementing these
objectives and creating a specific plan for each
individual student in order to address his or her
particular needs are available in The Food Allergy &
Anaphylaxis Network's (FAAN) School Food Allergy Program.
The School Food Allergy Program has been endorsed and/or
supported by the Anaphylaxis Committee of the American
Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, the National
Association of School Nurses, and the Executive Committee
of the Section on Allergy and Immunology of the American
Academy of Pediatrics. FAAN can be reached at:
800/929-4040.
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- The following organizations participated in
the development of this document:
- American School Food Service
Association
- National Association of Elementary School
Principals
- National Association of School
Nurses
- National School Boards
Association
- The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis
Network
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