Food Allergy Awarenessfor Staff

Spearman ISD

This presentation was prepared in response to S.B. 27 which adds Section 38.0151 to Chapter 38 of the Texas Health & Safety Code, and adds Spearman ISD Board Policy FFAF (LEGAL) and (LOCAL) regarding the management of food allergies in the school setting

Food Allergies

A food allergy is a potentially serious immuneresponse to eating or otherwise coming into contact with certain foods or food additives.

An allergic response to food occurs when the immune system:

1) identifies a food protein as dangerous and creates antibodies against it; and

2) tries to protect the body against the danger by releasing substances such as histamine into the blood when that food is eaten.

Food Allergy Facts

• The number of children experiencing food allergies is on the rise. • 25% of anaphylactic reactions occur among students without a previous food allergy diagnosis and can occur minutes to hours

after exposure to the allergen. • Individuals with asthma are at a higher risk

for life- threatening reactions• There is no cure for food allergies

Food Allergy Facts

The reaction to a food allergy can be mild to

life-threatening. Some of the symptoms or

signs that might occur include:

• a tingling sensation in the mouth,

• swelling of the tongue and the throat,

• difficulty breathing,

• itchy skin,

• hives;

Food Allergy Facts (cont.)

• A drop in blood pressure,

• loss of consciousness, which may be followed by possible death of the individual

A food allergy reaction that becomes life-threatening is called an anaphylactic allergic

reaction; if this occurs, rapid action will be needed in order to save a life!

The emergency drug epinephrine is the medicationof choice for reducing an anaphylactic reaction in

a life-threatening food allergy event. It must beadministered as soon as possible after an

anaphylactic reaction has begun!

Epinephrine is supplied in a portable autoinjectiondevice for individuals with life-threatening allergies.

Texas law allows students to carry and self-administer epinephrine if this is stated in their

food allergy medical plan.

When epinephrine is administered, EMSand campus health personnel must be

summoned, as allergic reactionscan continue to occur after the initial reaction

appears to have ended.

Should allergy anaphylaxis occur, the supportiveactions taken by school staff could mean the

difference between life and death!

Allergic reactions can occur anywhere in the school setting where foods are consumed, such as

• In the classroom;

• In the cafeteria;

• During recess or field day; or

• During field trips

Allergic reactions can occur due to consuming

even a tiny amount of an allergen

ANY food can cause an allergy, however 90% of food allergies are caused by these eight foods which may also be referred to as food allergens:

• Milk

• Eggs

• Fish

• Shellfish

• Peanuts

• Tree Nuts

• Soy

• Wheat

Cross-contamination of food can occur when an allergen is transferred from one item to another, in much the same way that someone can communicate an illness to another person. For example, during the preparation of a peanut butter sandwich:

• The counter and plate where the sandwich is placed can become contaminated if touched by peanut butter;

• the knife used to cut it is contaminated; and

• The person's hands who prepared it may be contaminated

‘Lauren’s Law’ cited in the Texas Education Code

allows family members to bring home-baked

foods to school that could contain or becontaminated by allergens during

preparation

Students may share or trade foods duringlunchtime when less supervision is

generallyavailable

Staff less familiar with school policies mayallow foods that contain allergens to be used in classroom art/craft projects or as incentives for positive behaviors

Federal law requires the eight major foodallergens to be declared on all packaged foodlabels, either 1) in the ingredient list; 2) in a parenthetical statement (e.g. casein [milk]); or 3) in a separate statement after or near the ingredient list (e.g. contains milk).

Federal law does not regulate the use of precautionary “may contain” statements in

nutritional labeling of foods, however.

This means that the implementation of a

district-wide Food Allergy Management Plan

may be a crucial step to take in addressing food allergy dangers!

The two basic principles to be followed in food allergy management are:

Avoidance: avoid food allergens by:• Making wise food choices through vigilant

label reading and asking questions • Implementing environmental controls that

will lessen exposure to allergens, and

Preparation: being prepared in case of a reaction and life-threatening emergency

These principles should be maintained in every area of the school environment and

during school-sponsored events

To avoid food allergen exposure, campus staff can:

• Limit the presence of identified allergens in theclassroom, or identify areas that will be‘allergen-safe’ while preserving confidentiality;• Limit the presence of allergens during classroom activities and celebrations, enlisting thehelp and active participation of parents in the process; and• Implement appropriate hand washingprocedures, as hand sanitizer use does noteliminate the presence of food allergens!

Child Nutrition staff can:

Ensure that staff are trained in reading productlabels and identifying hidden allergens in foods;

Ensure that procedures used to review menuitems, identify potential allergens and make

appropriate menu accommodations as ordered byhealthcare provider orders are consistently

followed by every staff member;

Encourage and enforce no sharing of food,wherever it is available; and

Monitor and enforce strict cleaning procedures

For after-school and extracurricular events:

• All pertinent staff should be notified inadvance of field trips to allow time for necessaryfood preparation;• Event facilitators should follow strict cleaning protocols if after-school activities involve any consumption of food allergen-containing foods inthe classroom; • Training and response provisions regardingfood allergies should be built into contracts for out-sourced programs

The Transportation Department can:

Enforce ‘no eating’ policies while on the bus, withappropriate medical considerations and

exceptions made as needed;

Consider assigned seating if necessary to supportthe safety of individual students; and

Maintain a current list of students who have foodallergies as well as information regarding whetherthey carry medications to self-treat allergies or not

Preparations involved in addressing food allergies include:

Requesting information regarding allergies fromparents through SISD Health Information Forms and

questionnaires;Following up on ANY allergy-related information

obtained from parents by requesting medical ordersand emergency plans from healthcare providers; then

Ensuring that medical orders regarding allergies aresent to Child Nutrition and other pertinent staff so that

appropriate accommodations can be made

Other preparations include:

Addressing the need for services for those studentswho have documented anaphylactic food allergies, by:• Developing a food allergy action plan and emergency action plan to be communicated with

anyone needing to know about the student’s allergy; • Training those who need to know about what to do if

the student has an allergic reaction, including how to use emergency drugs, and

• Determining whether the student should be evaluated for Special Education or Section 504 accommodations and follow-up

All school staff working together can encourage parents to:

Promptly provide documentation from theirhealthcare provider stating what food(s) the

student is allergic to, signs/symptoms caused bythe allergen and how to treat an exposure;

Provide a favorite snack to have on hand;

emergency meds if needed, and updated phonenumbers should parent contact be necessary; and

Visit the school to meet staff and become familiar

with policies that will help ensure the safety oftheir child

Staff Should Remember That:*ANYONE can experience allergic reactions to food at

any time, requiring the activation of the campus emergency response team and EMS. Having

awareness of how to recognize and respond to ananaphylactic emergency could

mean the difference between life and death!NO one with a food allergy can control their body’s

response when it is exposed to allergens. A student may observe another student having an allergic reaction and make fun of that student due to discomfort or

misunderstanding the situation.The act of bullying anyone who experiences a severe allergic reaction is wrong and not to be

tolerated!

This completes the Food Allergy Awareness Tutorial.

Other useful websites:

www.FoodAllergy.org

www.epipen.com