Back to School with Food Allergies

August is here which means the new school year is right around the corner! Browse through the tips and resources below to ensure that your food allergic child and their school are equipped to safely manage food allergies.

1. Talk to your child – Ensure that your child understands their food allergies. Discuss what a food allergy is, what food they are allergic too, and the importance of avoiding their allergens. For school specific scenarios, be sure to instruct your child to avoid sharing food at lunch and to only eat food that has been approved by a parent/trusted adult.
2. Talk to the school – Make sure the school nurse and your child’s teacher are both aware of the food allergy before school starts. Scheduling a meeting with the school nurse, main teacher, cafeteria head, ancillary teachers, and principal can be helpful to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Be sure to discuss what the allergens are, symptoms of an allergic reaction, what to do in an emergency, current policies regarding food allergies at the school, and options at the cafeteria.
3. Clean, clean, clean – Keeping clean is key to preventing accidental allergen exposures! Ask your child’s teacher to implement hand washing policies and send your child to school with wipes to clean off table areas if necessary.
4. Plan ahead – Request to be notified ahead of time about special treats at school (i.e. an ice cream party on the last day of school), field trips (i.e. the annual visit to the science museum), class activities with food (i.e. an egg drop science lab) and class celebrations (i.e. birthday parties). With advanced notice, it is easier to send a replacement treat for your child, discuss an alternative assignment, or avoid accidental exposures to allergens.
5. Send duplicates of medication – Be sure to send all medicine to the nurses office on or before the first day of school (EpiPen’s, Benadryl, asthma inhalers, etc.) alongside paper copy of their Emergency Action Plan. In addition to the medication at the nurses office, your child should also carry any emergency medication on them at all times. Discuss storage location options such as in the classroom, in a locker, with the teacher, or in a backpack, depending on which option will provide the fastest access in an emergency.

With these tips in mind, you and your child will be well on their way to having a safe and problem free school year! For additional resources, check out the links and videos below provided by organizations such as FARE and other helpful websites: