Sending your child off to school with serious
food allergies can be daunting and stressful. Having a good risk minimisation plan in place and
building communication with your child’s school can make a big difference.
Make sure inclusion is a part of the plan. A good health care plan will consider the emotional side of food allergies such as anxiety as well as preventing discrimination and exclusion from learning.
3 keywords to think about:
>Communication
>Planning
>Inclusion
Back to school quick tips
- Meet with the teacher and
principal and school nurse if you
have one.
- Consider inclusion and how that will be ensured … communicate, include,
assure
- How will your child’s condition be communicated to ALL teachers?
- Revise your plan at least every 12 months or anytime there needs to be a
change
- Communication – keep in touch with your child’s teacher and keep
positive open communication. This is everyone’s job
- Talk about the particulars of your child. For instance, discuss any
anxieties your child has, asthma, previous reactions, personal nature,
friendships etc. Every child is different
and unique.
- Ask for a communication letter to parents, to inform them and build a
team of support. See a template letter here
- Follow up! Keep touching base to ensure the plan is
being followed. Making a plan is the first step, ensuring it’s being followed
is just as essential. Is your child being included? Is the school communicating
to you? How is your child handling the plan, talk with your child as needed.
Anaphylaxis risk management
plan
What can you include?
Here is a starting point checklist of things you
may want to include/consider:
1.
List all allergies and other health conditions
What are the serious allergies? What other
health conditions does your child have? For instance asthma, and any other health
conditions.
2.
Description of previous anaphylactic episodes
What were the symptoms? It can helpful to discuss
with your child’s teachers to let them know how quickly these reactions can
occur and to hear the details.
3.
Where are your child’s EpiPens to be stored?
Everyone needs to know and agree. Never ever in
a locked cupboard! Emergency medicines
must be easily accessible, and never more than a few minutes from reach. It may be stored in first aid room, on the
student, or in the classroom or a combination of these. If being stored in the first aid room/area,
is it organised, away from sunlight and heat, and labelled, not in a mess or hard to
find in an emergency?
4.
Cross-contamination from another child’s food
Regular discussions with the students about the
importance of washing hands, eating their own food and not sharing food
supervision of eating so that food is not shared and (child name) does not come into contact with allergens.
Washing tables if lunch is eaten in the class-room can be essential, and hand
washing routines for the class may be essential too.
5.
Allergens in party or special occasion food
- No food from an outside
source to be given to (name child) including treats for other children, or food
prepared by other parents. Some state guidelines do outline how important this
can be.
- Parents to be liased with
about food related activities ahead of
time, and not to be socially excluded from a learning activity. Supply a
treat box with safe cupcakes/treats for celebrations
- Advocate for food free classroom celebrations
which many schools are now moving towards.
6.
Food-related activities in class
- ALL food activities in class will be
communicated to parents, whether eating or handling - with sufficient
time to either give permission or to arrange a substitute food.
- No food is to be handled or eaten by (child
name) without express permission from parents.
- Food rewards should be discouraged
- Science with food should be discussed with
parents first
7.
Music classes
Music teacher to be aware there should be no
sharing of wind instruments e.g.recorders. Speak with child’s parents if
necessary to provide child’s own instrument.
8.
Art classes
Check art materials. Recycled food materials
should not be used. Ensure containers used by (name child) do not contain
allergens, e.g. ensure masks, paints, glue, play dough, and ALL materials do not
contain allergens for the child.
9.
Picking up rubbish, or cleaning classroom.
As this is a possibility of touching allergens
from rubbish in the playground, (name child) will NOT be asked to do rubbish
duty or pick up waste.
10.
Canteen: possibility of sale of a food containing allergen.
Encourage parents to visit and communicate to canteen
and staff. Display photos of allergic children and their allergies in canteen,
visible to all canteen workers. Staff, including volunteer staff to be educated
in safe food handling procedures and risk of cross contamination of foods, and
reading ingredient labels.
11.
Excursions
Each excursion needs it’s own risk management
plan, as well as communication with parents to identify any potential risks.
Excursions, sports carnivals, swimming programs or sports days require careful
planning and consultation with child’s family.
12.
Part-time educators and casual relief teachers.
How is this communicated? What is in the handover folder? Who is in charge
of communicating to relief teachers?
9.
Incursion presenters
To be made aware so they can manage potential
anaphylactic risks and respond to anaphylaxis appropriately if it should occur.
Parents should be notified about incursions ahead of time.
10.
Pet visitors or school farmyard.
Think about asthma here too. Be aware that some
animal feed contains food allergens e.g. nuts in birdseed and cowfeed. Does
student need to wear gloves, or at least wash hands after touching animals.
12.
School Camps
Camps
require their own thorough planning, and separate detailed risk management plan that
requires thought, consultation and communication. Some key points can be
included here.
Every
child is different, and their individual needs will be different and unique. The above list is intended as a guide and is in no
way an exhaustive list. Please consult with your allergist and local education
department for further guidance.
Building
confidence with your child, school and teacher can be rewarding. Schools are for
everyone, and every student needs to feel safe and valued.
Disclaimer, these are
only suggestions, I am not a qualified medical expert, and this article does
not constitute as medical or legal advice in any way, rather only suggestions as an allergy mum
with experience in education sector.
❤
