Everything you need to know about sending a kid with food allergies to school: Part 2
I shared with you some important things to consider as you send a child with food allergies to school.
Remember, we discussed the three key areas you should address with your child’s caregivers. They must know how to:
AVOID an allergic reaction
RECOGNIZE an emergency situation if it occurs, and
RESPOND appropriately if an allergic emergency were to occur.
I’ve already given you some practical tips to partner with the staff at your child’s school to ensure that your child avoids allergenic foods.Today, we’ll discuss ways you can equip your child’s caregivers to recognize and respond appropriately in an emergency situation.
And remember-
The better you communicate, the better the school can accommodate your child’s needs.
So let’s get started!
Be sure you’ve taught others how to RECOGNIZE an emergency
Many schools offer some type of training for their staff in responding to emergency situations, but they can’t respond until they recognize that something serious is happening.If the building catches fire, it will be obvious. If a tornado threatens to destroy, you will know it is happening. But when a child is having a severe allergic reaction, it can easily go unnoticed for some time and those seconds and minutes that pass are critical.
Here are some things you should discuss with your child’s caregivers to be sure they know how to recognize a serious situation:
- Be sure they know the difference between a food intolerance and a true food allergy. Some children may need to avoid foods that give them undesirable symptoms (i.e. bloating and gas when consuming milk or wheat products). This is not the same as a true food allergy that causes an immune response threat, which can be life-threatening.
- Common signs and symptoms associated with an allergic reaction are:
- Hives (red, raised areas of the skin that appear suddenly and can show up anywhere on the body; may cause itching, burning or stinging)
- Itchy mouth
- Swelling of tongue or lips
- Itching or tightness of throat
- Trouble breathing or swallowing
- Shortness of breath or wheezing
- Repetitive cough
- Pale or blue skin color
- Feeling faint or dizzy
- Change in alertness or a sense of impending doom
- Nausea, vomiting, cramps or diarrhea
Reactions present themselves differently in different people, and it’s especially difficult to evaluate when a small child cannot communicate as an adult would.
Explain to your child’s caregivers that instead of a child saying, “I feel tightness in my throat,” they may say things like, “it hurts when I swallow” or “something is stuck in my throat.” Instead of an itchy throat, they may describe something poking them or instead of saying they feel faint or dizzy, they may simply say that they feel tired.
Be sure you’ve equipped others to RESPOND to an emergency
Here is a checklist of things you should do to prepare in case of an emergency.(Note: this checklist was adapted from the toolkit provided by St. Louis Children’s Hospital. See the toolkit here for more information.)
- Give up-to-date emergency contact information to the school.
- Provide epinephrine auto-injectors for your child’s use. Two doses must be on hand as anaphylaxis often requires a second dose. (Brand names you might recognize are EpiPen®, Auvi-Q® or Adrenaclick®.) Medication should be stored at room temperature in a clean, dry, secure location and labeled for your child’s use.
- Make note of the expiration date on the medication provided. Put a reminder on your calendar to replace the medication once expired.
- Provide instructions to all necessary staff members about how to use an epinephrine autoinjector correctly. Use the training device provided with your medication as an example. See these online resources for more information:
- Ask your allergist or pediatrician to help you develop an emergency response plan specific to your child’s needs. (See an example of an emergency plan here and here.)
- Work with school staff members to implement this emergency response plan. If anaphylaxis occurs, the staff members should:
- Inject epinephrine immediately
- Call 911
- Place child in a reclined position with feet raised.
- Keep second epinephrine dose nearby if needed.
- Consider asking the following questions of school personnel when developing your emergency response plan:
- Who is responsible for staying with the child and who will call 911?
- Who will notify school administration?
- Who will notify the child’s parents? When will the child’s pediatrician or allergist be contacted?
- Where will epinephrine be stored and who will retrieve it?
- Does the school need written permission from you or from your doctor to allow them to administer?
The problem we often encounter is this: we see that perhaps a child has begun to have a reaction, but we wonder how bad it has to be before it’s considered an emergency situation.
When exactly does a child need epinephrine?
Parents, teachers and medical personnel all wrestle with this because there often isn’t a clear answer. Since we aren’t quite sure, sometimes we may decide to wait and see how the situation develops.
However, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology recently addressed this topic, and here’s what the experts say:
When in doubt, give the dose of epinephrine.
When given in doses available in the auto-injectors, epinephrine is very safe. Delaying the dose of epinephrine may be much more dangerous in the long run.
Talk it over with your allergist or pediatrician before an emergency occurs.
If you aren’t sure you understand when epinephrine is needed or what signs and symptoms to look for, talk to your doctor. You can’t prepare your child’s caregivers well if you aren’t prepared, and you need your doctor’s input.
Once you’ve addressed each of these issues, feel good about the knowledge that you’ve done everything you can do to prepare for an emergency. Relax and enjoy the school year!
To read part 1 of this blog post, click here: Everything you need to know about sending a kid with food allergies to school
