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FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS Year-round
Tips from VTFAO
Each year there is a special week in May, Food Allergy Awareness Week, to bring attention to this life-threatening condition, however, there is always opportunities year-round where everyone can play a part to Support Families, Educate Others and create Awareness and Understanding in our communities on this growing life-threatening chronic illness. A good start is to educate yourself about food allergies and share it with others.
· 12 million Americans have a food allergy and over 3.1 million are children under age eighteen. 2.2 million are school-aged children.
· The top eight allergens know to cause 90% of allergic reactions are peanut, tree nut (almond, cashew, brazil nut, etc.) soy, wheat, egg, milk, fish and shellfish, although any food could cause a reaction.
· Food allergies can be fatal and account for 150 - 200 deaths per year as well as 30,000 emergency room visits per year.
· Any designated time during the year can be a perfect time for schools, child/daycare providers, camps and others that care for children with food allergies to review or create procedures to reduce the risks of allergen exposure and create facility wide anaphylaxis emergency action plans. Procedures can be created prior to a new school year, and then reviewed occasionally throughout the school year to see what is or what’s not working well.
· Train or review with staff to recognize food allergic symptoms and anaphylaxis
· Train or review with staff how to administer epipen
· Test communication devices for emergencies.
· Review food allergy emergency action plans.
· Check with your local emergency responder on:
· are they allowed to carry and able to administer epinephrine (Basic EMT’s in Vermont can only administer a patient’s own Epi-pen? Some Basic EMT trucks may not have epinephrine aboard their vehicle. · would a Basic EMT be responding or an Intermediate Level EMT or Paramedic be responding? · what would their ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) be to responding to your location? · have your local EMT office document the number of students with life-threatening allergies in your facility.
· Implement procedures for reducing the risk of exposure to the allergen, (i.e., peanut/tree nut only or peanut/tree nut free tables in the lunch areas, create peanut/tree nut free classrooms, encourage a “No Food Sharing” policy, encourage hand-washing before and after eating) Be sure to consider reducing the risk for other allergens, i.e. milk, soy, egg, etc.
· Send home to families information regarding life-threatening food allergies, i.e. fact sheets, information on anaphylaxis. Provide families with school policy and procedures regarding life-threatening food allergies.
· Post “Reading Labels” sheets in classrooms and cafeteria areas and send home to families (available from VTFAO).
· Check expiration dates on life-saving medications.
· Review cross-contamination and cleaning procedures in food preparation areas as well as the proper cleaning of lunch tables.
· Review and update 504 Plans, Individual Health Plans and the students Food Allergy Emergency Action Plan
· Teach student peers about food allergies (use videos or read age appropriate books) (available in VTFAO’s Lending Library).
· Review with students and staff about state laws and school policy regarding “bullying and harassment”. “Vermont Bullying Law”.
· Bring Awareness of food allergies in flyers or school newsletters.
Common Questions on Food Allergies
What is Anaphylaxis? Anaphylaxis and Response Poster
Managing Life-Threatening Allergies in Vermont Schools
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