{"id":5458,"date":"2019-08-14T09:59:09","date_gmt":"2019-08-14T13:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=5458"},"modified":"2024-07-16T15:13:45","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T19:13:45","slug":"food-allergies-at-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/food-allergies-at-school\/","title":{"rendered":"How to prep your kid with allergies for school"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watching your kid start elementary school can be an emotional roller coaster of a milestone. For parents whose children have allergies, it can be even more fraught\u2014on top of navigating new classes, new faces, and new teachers, your kid has to take extra precautions to stay safe at school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While the thought of your kid having an attack at school when you\u2019re not there can be scary enough to take your breath away, the good news is that your child\u2019s school will most likely take her allergies very seriously and be willing to work with you to develop a plan to keep her safe. Here are a few steps you can take to make a plan to manage food allergies at school<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Reach out to your child\u2019s school.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Before the school year kicks off, contact the school and provide them with a copy of your child\u2019s food allergy and anaphylaxis emergency plan, recommends Lisa Gable, the CEO of nonprofit organization Food Allergy and Research Education (FARE).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What exactly is this? Essentially, it\u2019s a document that clearly details a) your child\u2019s allergens, b) his symptoms, c) treatment plan, and d) is signed by his doctor or allergist. You may also want to include a photo of your child, as well as note any other conditions (such as asthma) that he or she may have. Not sure exactly what it should look like? You <\/span>can download a template from FARE here<\/span><\/a>. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) <\/span>publishes a similar template that\u2019s also available to download<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cManaging food allergies at school involves a team, including the school nurse, your child\u2019s teachers, administrators, cafeteria staff and bus drivers,\u201d Gable says. \u201cIt\u2019s a good idea to meet in person with at least the school nurse and your child\u2019s teacher in advance so that they understand what precautions must be taken and which allergens must be avoided.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Learn how to work with your child\u2019s school nurse<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Hae-Young Song, MD, allergist at Loma Linda University, agrees and adds that it\u2019s also wise to meet with the school\u2019s principal. The most important thing is to make sure that everyone who needs to be is looped into those conversations as early as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Involve your kiddo in the discussion, too.\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Gable notes that your child is, \u201dpart of the team and should know what the emergency procedures are and what to do if they experience symptoms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Song says the conversation with your kid should be \u201congoing.\u201d It\u2019s important that your kid feels comfortable recognizing foods that are safe (or unsafe), reading labels, and using her epinephrine autoinjector (the most common of which is an EpiPen).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Read our EpiPen 101<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

3. Get creative.\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

One of the best parts of elementary school (besides learning new things) is getting to celebrate a holiday or someone\u2019s birthday\u2014but most often it includes a sweet treat, like cookies or cupcakes. To ensure that your kid and others with allergies aren\u2019t left out of the fun, Gable suggests providing your child\u2019s teachers with fun, allergy-safe treats to have on hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA good general rule for schools to follow is to exclude the food, not the child,\u201d she adds.<\/span><\/p>\n

A few fun non-food ways to celebrate special milestones, courtesy of FARE, include: goody bags with toys, \u201cno-homework passes,\u201d stickers, or providing time for extra recess, games, or arts and crafts.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also recommends that schools stay away from providing known allergens as treats or rewards or as part of science experiments, arts and crafts, class parties, birthdays, and more, noting that they should work with staff to \u201c<\/span>create a safe environment for students with allergies<\/span><\/a>,\u201d and double- and triple-check that any foods they provide are safe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t