Talking Allergies

Can anyone tell me where I can find a sample/ideas for an individual plan for a multiple food allergic child. Our school has an emergency plan for our daughter who is ana to Eggs, Shrimp, Oats, Peanuts and Treenuts. But we have no individual plan for her. The Superintendent thinks that she only needs a emergency plan. Any help would be greatly appreciated. The principal looks to the Superintendent for direction.

Sabrina's law requires risk reduction strategies in place in addition to emergency plans. For my daughter, we have asked for the following routines/ strategies in place:
- all students in class wash hands after eating
- all desks are washed after snacks and lunch - with the help of older students
- students stay in their own seats for meals/snacks
- my daughter washes her hands prior to eating
- students in class are taught about allergies
- student scissors are not used to open food packages during meals/snacks - teacher designates one pair to be used by non-allergic students for this purpose
- our daughter only eats food provided by or approved by parents
- non-food rewards used in class
I think that is our entire list.
The new document, Anaphylaxis in Schools and Other Settings, which is in every school in Ontario has a large section on risk reduction strategies. Most of this document is found at www.allergysafecommunities.ca
Good luck,
Kate

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11 year old daughter -- lives with life-threatening allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts; seasonal allergies (birch, maple, ragweed); pet allergies; asthma; and eczema
9 year old son - no allergies

Our plan also includes students eat lunch in their homerooms there is no eating inthe Computer labs, Music room, French rooms or the gymnasium.

There is a safe table in the classroom where our daughter is to eat and those with lunches qwhich don't include her allergens are invited to eat with her. This table is supposed to recieve extra attention from the custodial staff.

Our school has done away with Pizza Day as the risk or exposure to dairy products that afternoon is too high. Students are allowed to bring a piece of pizza for lunch though as the risk from one student les severe.

Students are encouraged to wash their hands but...I don't think it's enforced. (Something I'm working on this year)

There is a note sent how requesting that peanut and tree nut products not be sent to school but I don't think there is a ban. Parents are not advised of special brands to purchase or avoid.

Our daughter has a treats container in the classroom to which she can go when there is a special food treat handed out.

Allergens are concidered when creating the lesson plan and teachers call to discuss the possible concerns.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Thank you Kate and Susan for your replies.

It gives me some great ideas to have on our daugters individual plan. It was also very helpful to hear from families that have other food allergies other then just peanut.

Many of these items we have asked the school for but they have not been formally written.

I am very lucky our daughter is able to come home for lunch everyday so that at least helps us out some.

I was so happy today when my daughter came home and said the teacher had the kids wash their hands!! Hopefully this will last throughout the year.

If you have a teacher who is making them wash their hands, you've got a great teacher there!

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/chn-rcs/handwash-eng.php

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

I concur!

It's the one thing that I would like to see more of - handwashing that is - that isn't happening enough yet at our school.

My son's teacher in Grade 5 this year took out Daniel's epipen yesterday to show the class and explained how to use it and what kind of symptoms Daniel (plus another boy in his class has the same allergy plus shellfish) might be experiencing. And the importance of finding a teacher and telling them to call 911. And the importance of not bringing food with nuts or peanuts into the classroom. I think he did a great job - I hadn't even asked him to do that.

The importance of peers being knowledgable of the situation and what to do if a reaction occurs (or if my son is just "not right") in the playground is so important, I believe.

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mom to 3
son, 10: anaphylactic to tree nuts, asthma
daughter, 7 : skin reaction to all adhesives on bandages, even paper tape, asthma
daughter, 3: no known allergies but haven't tried the tree
nuts yet.

Does everyone have an individual plan since Sabrina's Law was passed? I don't. The school policy regarding anaphylaxis includes everything I would have asked for. Several years ago I had a problem and booked a meeting with the principal. I explained the problem and what I would like done about it in future -- she said it was a great idea and would now become school policy for all students with emergency meds.

I fear when we change schools, I'm going to suddenly have to fight for everything. I wonder if I can get a copy of the school policy to bring with me -- to show what I had and what I want.

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self: allergy to sesame seeds and peanuts
3 sons each with at least one of the following allergies: peniciilin, sulfa-based antibiotic, latex, insect bites/stings

Hi,

When we're discussing individual plans, are we referring to the Anaphylaxis Emergency Form that is posted throughout the school describing each student's specific allergies/precautions to be taken/symptoms of anaphylaxis and action protocol if a reaction takes place?

Every year I speak with my son's teacher about what his allergy is, what his reactions have looked like in the past and the importance of Daniel only eating his own food and encouraging others to not bring foods with nuts into the class. And of course reiterate many times that please, please administer an epipen even if you are in doubt. I tell them that I would never be upset if they were wrong - I would be grateful.

Once I knew (and then the school realized) that Sabrina's Law was coming into reality, I worked with the principal collaboratively to ensure the forms/letters home to parents, etc, were clear, concise and to the point. The package our school board came out with originally was not the best and due to my good relationship with my principal (I always mention that we need to be working on a safer environment for the entire school community, not just my son), he allowed me fairly free rein to redo it without changing the context of it all.

I think each family needs to take responsbility to meet with their child's specific teacher each year and go through the same spiel that we do every year. And yes, each student should have an individual plan and yes, that plan might include different precautions depending on the type of allergy and age of the student. We need to just remember we are working as a team with our schools - they, for the most part, don't want anything to happen to a student and will take any reasonable precaution possible to avoid it. But then again, we need to remember we are all humans - things we don't like will happen. We just need to keep addressing them in a positive, helpful way.

That's enough from me.

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mom to 3
son, 10: anaphylactic to tree nuts, asthma
daughter, 7 : skin reaction to all adhesives on bandages, even paper tape, asthma
daughter, 3: no known allergies but haven't tried the tree
nuts yet.

Yes, it sounds like the medication and emergency contact information, the signs which identify our children and their allergens as well as the storage of their auto-injectors is the individual plan. Basically anything that is specifically geared to the student.
Here are the definitions of the board created policy and the individual plan:




http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_ ... ionID=38:1

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Most schools had emergency medical plans in place prior to Sabrina's law. But now with the rise of many other allergies (other than peanuts) preventative plans or "risk reduction" plans need to be in place also. I think schools forget this important part and most medical school forms do not provide or allow room for preventative measures. I add a page to our board's medical form to record all of the measures that we feel are necessary to keep our daughter safe (see post above). If it is not written down then it is not likely to be followed up.

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11 year old daughter -- lives with life-threatening allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts; seasonal allergies (birch, maple, ragweed); pet allergies; asthma; and eczema
9 year old son - no allergies

Schools also forget about regular disemination of information to parents and students.
One line about allergies buried in a newsletter is not sufficient.

I am happy to hear about schools who discuss anaphylaxis in the classroom.

Our school newsletter went home with this entry:


It also included a copy of the article: 10 Things a Child With Food Allergies Wishes You Knew. http://www.allergymoms.com/uploads/news ... dwish.html

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb