About Allergies: Back to School with Allergies and Asthma

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Allergies Allergies Symptoms / Diagnosis Treatment Coping From Daniel More, MD, your Guide to Allergies During the next month, millions of kids around the country will head back to school. Thousands of these children suffer from various forms of allergies, from nasal allergies to food allergies, and from stinging insect allergies to asthma. These children may need treatment of their allergy symptoms while at school, so they need allergy treatment plans, along with the appropriate supply of medication, available at school. So, if your child suffers from any chronic allergic condition, check with your child's doctor to see if an allergy treatment plan and a supply of medication should be kept at school. All About Allergies at School It is best to have a plan in place to treat a child's asthma and allergies before the school year starts. This may include a meeting between the parent and child's teacher, school nurse, cafeteria staff and school principal. The meeting should cover the child's medical problems, need for medications, and special instructions (such as dietary limitations in the case of food allergy). The school may have a policy for what needs to be done before medications can be given to a child while at school (such as a form for your doctor to sign). See More About:  food allergies  epi-pen  asthma Food Allergies at School Food allergies have been becoming more common over the past few decades, now affecting approximately 4% of all children. Food allergy is a common cause of anaphylaxis at school, with close to 20% of students with food allergies experiencing a reaction. In fact, 25% of children allergic to nuts experience allergic reactions at school even before a diagnosis of food allergy is made. Therefore, it is very important for schools to be prepared to treat allergic reactions in children caused by foods. Is your child's school prepared? Read on to discover what you need to be concerned about, and then ask about special precautions and preparations. See More About:  food allergies  childhood allergies  allergies at school Preventing Allergies and Asthma at School Allergic rhinitis and asthma are two of the most common chronic diseases of children, and both cause a significant amount of missed school days and reduced ability to learn when at school. Symptoms of asthma and allergies can worsen during school, in both children and teachers, as a result of exposure to indoor allergens in the classroom. Allergens present in carpeting, dust, pillows, stuffed toys, and in upholstered furniture can worsen allergies and asthma. See More About:  school allergies  food allergies at school  allergy avoidance Allergies Ads Seasonal Allergies Allergies Treatment Asthma Allergies Food Allergies Pollen Allergies Featured Articles Asthma and Lung Allergies Common Allergy Issues in Children Food Allergies Allergies in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Drug and Latex Allergies Insect Allergies   More from About.com Free Children's Books How would you like to have access to a free online public library of books from around the world for kids 3 to 13? Read more...> Best Water Parks Better pack your bathing suit -- here are our recommendations for the funnest, wettest, splashiest water parks around. Read more...> This newsletter is written by: Daniel More, MD Allergies Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Allergies newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Must Reads What are Allergies? Symptoms of Allergies Diagnosis of Allergies Treatment of Allergies Preventing Allergies   Follow me on: Advertisement