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 | If your child has allergies, asthma, food allergies or stinging insect allergies, you need to be prepared before sending them to school. You should expected that your child's allergy or asthma symptoms may worsen at school, and therefore treatment might be necessary at school. Children with asthma should have inhaled albuterol available as well as a plan for when to use it, such as before physical education and if asthma symptoms occur. Those with food and stinging insect allergies should have avoidance information as well as injectable epinephrine available to treat severe reactions. Don't wait for something bad to happen - put a plan into place BEFORE the school year starts so that your child can be treated at school if needed. | |
Allergies and Asthma 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).
| Where Should Injectable Epinephrine Be Kept at School?
The key to successful treatment of severe food allergy reactions is the early administration of epinephrine. Therefore, injectable epinephrine should be readily available to treat students with food allergy. Preferably, epinephrine should be accessible within minutes, and should be kept in a secure but unlocked location. Keeping epinephrine in a locked drawer or cabinet is not a good idea, since quickly finding a key for the lock may be difficult when a reaction is occurring.
| Preparing and Treating Food Allergies at School
In January 2012, 7-year-old Ammaria Johnson died at her school as a result of anaphylaxis from peanut allergy. Students had just returned from winter break, and while on the playground, another student gave Ammaria an unknown food containing peanuts. Ammaria experienced shortness of breath and hives as a result of her peanut allergy, and sought help at the school office. Unfortunately, despite the school's knowing about Ammaria's peanut allergy, no life-saving medications were given: the school didn't have injectable epinephrine available specifically for Ammaria, and although injectable epinephrine was available, it was prescribed for other students. Emergency medical services were summoned, but Ammaria still died from anaphylaxis and cardiac failure.
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