Egg Allergy School Preparations and Ideas
Keeping your child safe at school requires teamwork between you, the principal, the teacher, the nursing staff and anyone else that will be handling their food or medication.
Important appointments
- Schedule an appointment to meet with the principal, teacher, and the school nurse before the school year begins about your childs allergy
- Schedule an appointment with the doctor or allergist about prescriptions needed for home and school
What to discuss with the Allergist or Doctor
- Medication and refills for home and school.
- Does the nurse staff at school need a prescription on hand
- Does the doctor need to supply a letter or fill out a permission form for the school nurse? If so make sure your childs photo is attached and any contact numbers for you or the doctor too
What to Discuss at the school Meeting
- Remind the teacher and the Nurse staff of any directions for the medication and what symptoms your child usally have as a reaction.
- Do they need written permission to administer the Epinephrine shot if there is an anaphylactic reaction and give them permission to call 911?
- Discuss their process to avoid any cross contamination for lunchtime, snack time, classroom parties, and field trips.
- Is there an allergen awareness table in the lunchroom where childrien with allergies eat?
- Make it clear other children should not share their lunch or snacks.
- Find out the location of the nurse’s office and the distance from the classroom and lunchroom in case medication needs to be administered. Make sure your child is aware of the location and the process.
- Educate the staff of the allergic reactions and any leading questions they need to ask your child about what they are feeling or experiencing about the reactions.
- Ask about the excellence rewards in the classroom. Suggest the possibility of the reward be non-food related.
- For any food related parties involving the school or class ask for a several days notification of this so you can possibly prepare a dish or dessert that anyone can enjoy including your child.
- What’s the school process for educating teachers, teachers assistants or anyone else who may need to determine a reaction or administer epinephrine.
- Label the epinephrine container with your child’s name, and photo, and emergency contact information
- Prepare any medications for school and mark your calendar when they will expire. Don’t forget to check with the nurse’s office to see if they need any refills.
During the School Year
- Does anyone ever discuss at parent teacher meetings Allergy Awareness? This may get other parents on board with food safety. Would you be willing to speak at a meeting about this?
- Be willing to share any recipes with the parents if needed.
- Let the teacher know she can call you anytime with any questions or to check ingredients for snack ideas
- Remind your own child how important it is that they don’t eat snacks from other children without having the teacher check the ingredients label first.
- Review with school staff any new allergic reactions or changes to watch for
