How to Inform the School About Your Child's Allergies

This tells you what schools need to know about your child's allergies.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Notify the school of the child's allergies. This being food, medication, and all other allergies the child may have.

2. Put the Food Allergy Action Plan to use. Provide written medical documentation, instructions and medications as directed by a physician.

3. Educate the child in self-management, including: what foods are safe, what foods to avoid, the symptoms of allergic reactions, how to inject their EpiPen, how to relate to an adult that they are having a reaction, how to sign that they are having a reaction in case they cannot talk and how to read the food labels in their school.

4. Give the school a backup EpiPen in case it is needed for your child. Never just assume your child has it with him.

5. Provide emergency contact information; make sure it's in the office, the nurse's station, with the bus driver, etc.

6. WHAT KIDS CAN DO:
   • Never kid about food allergies.
   • Don't share food, you never know how it was prepared.
   • Wash hands after eating, sounds simple but it can save a life in this instance.
   • Ask a friend what they are allergic to and help the friend avoid it.
   • Get help immediately if a schoolmate has a reaction.