ALLERGY AWARENESS POLICY 1. RATIONALE In most schools some children are anaphylactic. St Hilda s is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for students. We have adopted an allergy awareness policy to protect students who have severe allergies (anaphylaxis), particularly those allergic to peanuts and nuts. While banning particular foods and declaring schools to be nut free is not recommended as it is not possible to guarantee such positions, it is recommended that schools develop strategies to promote allergy awareness. 2. BACKGROUND 2.1 What is Anaphylaxis? Anaphylaxis is a severe and sudden allergic reaction. It occurs when a person is exposed to an allergen (such as a food or insect bite). Although death is rare, an anaphylactic reaction always requires an emergency response. Prompt treatment with injected adrenaline is required to halt progression and can be lifesaving. Fortunately, anaphylactic reactions are usually preventable by implementing strategies for avoiding allergens. Common allergens for anaphylaxis are: foods (e.g. peanuts and nuts, shellfish and fish, milk and egg) insect bites (e.g. bee, wasp, jumper ants) medications (e.g. antibiotics, aspirin) latex (e.g. rubber gloves, balloons, swimming caps) The severity of an anaphylactic reaction is influenced by a number of factors, such as exercise, hot weather and in the case of food allergens, the amount eaten. In the case of severe food allergies, an anaphylactic reaction is usually triggered by ingestion of the food. 3. GUIDELINES 3.1 How can you recognise an anaphylactic reaction? Reactions usually begin within minutes of exposure and can progress rapidly at any time over a period of two hours. A student at risk of anaphylaxis will often recognise the early symptoms of an allergic reaction before any other signs are observable. Common symptoms are: flushing and/or swelling of the face itching and/or swelling of the lips, tongue or mouth itching and/or a sense of tightness in the throat, hoarseness, difficulty breathing and/or swallowing hives, itchy rash and/or swelling about the face, body or extremities nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting shortness of breath, repetitive coughing and/or wheezing faint, light headedness, rapid pulse, low blood pressure, collapse File Name: STS01 - Allergy Awareness Policy V2.docx Page 1 of 5
distress, anxiety and/or a sense of dread 3.2 Peanut & Nut Allergy Peanuts and nuts are the most likely foods to cause anaphylaxis. Foods that contain peanuts and nuts (even trace amounts) can trigger a reaction in an allergic child. 4. KEY REFERENCE This policy has been developed having regard to the Anaphylactic Management Guidelines for Western Australian Schools 5. POLICY 5.1 Student Responsibilities All students need to be aware that they must eat only from their own lunchbox Students must understand the importance of washing hands before and after eating Educating a student s peers about anaphylaxis is important as a way to gain their support for preventing exposure to allergens. Education is also important to ensure that the affected student is protected from any teasing or provocation that may result in risk taking associated with allergens, e.g. nuts 5.2 Parent Responsibilities It is the responsibility of the parent to notify the School that their child is at risk of an anaphylactic reaction either at the time of enrolment or, if the student is enrolled, as soon after diagnosis as possible. It is the parent s responsibility to provide an up to date Action Plan signed by a doctor, with a current photo and contact details. As with other health conditions, schools provide support to assist the parent in the management of their child s health. For this support to be effective it is important that: a partnership is established between the parent and the School to share information and clarify expectations every reasonable effort is made to minimise the exposure of students at risk of an allergic reaction to known allergens within the School environment parents must supply an EpiPen and/or other medications to the School and are responsible to check the expiry dates as well as keeping the medications current parents are to remind the class teacher of medications that must accompany the student on class excursions All diagnosed anaphylactic students must be made aware of their condition and the processes involved if an allergic reaction occurs at school. 5.3 Staff Responsibilities All workers must be allergy aware and actively promote St Hilda s as an Allergy Aware School. If a child has been diagnosed with an allergy, the School will organise a meeting between the Head of Junior School or Dean of Students and the parents to discuss the child s needs further. At this meeting: ensure that they complete and return relevant forms for the administration of medication at school. discuss strategies to avoid potential exposure to allergens in the student s routine File Name: STS01 - Allergy Awareness Policy V2.docx Page 2 of 5
issues to be addressed in implementing an emergency response plan in these situations consider routine classroom activities, including lessons in other locations around the School non routine classroom activities and non routine school activities before school, recess, lunchtime, other break or playtimes sport or other programmed out of school activities, camps and excursions. 5.4 School Responsibilities Regularly remind all parents: The School has an allergy awareness policy and provide information about allergies and anaphylaxis. Parents need to be reminded to refrain from sending peanut and nut products to school in lunches and snacks. It is most important that parents impress upon their children the importance of following this request Discuss the Allergy Awareness Policy with the class. Review Allergy Awareness Policy annually and at any other time where there are changes in: student s health needs staff (e.g. class teacher) other factors that affect the plan, for example, when an anaphylactic event occurs ensure all staff attend a First Aid training course, covering allergy awareness, anaphylaxis and the use of an EpiPen on an annual basis 5.5 In the Junior School There must be an information sheet including a recent head and shoulders photograph of the child. Place a copy of this information sheet and Action Plan in: Central File, the classroom, the Front Office/Health or Wellness Room and the Staff Room the class roll relief file so Relief Teachers are made aware of the child s condition 5.6 In the Senior School Ensure the student s teachers are aware of an Action Plan for individual students. Ensure that medications (e.g. EpiPen) are clearly marked with the student s name and kept alongside their personal information in Health Room and their classroom along with accompanying anti histamine medication (e.g. Claratyne). In case of any incident do not wait for allergy symptoms to present themselves one person phone for an ambulance immediately and other person be ready to administer the EpiPen if necessary. 5.7 Raising Peer Awareness Peer support and understanding is important for the student at risk of allergies (in particular anaphylaxis). Staff may raise awareness through fact sheets or posters displayed in common areas, classrooms or in class lessons. File Name: STS01 - Allergy Awareness Policy V2.docx Page 3 of 5
Class teachers can discuss the topic with students in class, with a few simple key messages: Always take food allergies seriously severe allergies are no joke Don t share your food with friends who have food allergies or pressure them to eat food that they are allergic to Not everyone has allergies discuss common symptoms Know what your friends are allergic to If a schoolmate becomes sick, get help immediately Be respectful of a schoolmate s medical kit It is important to be aware that some parents/carers may not wish their child s identity be disclosed to the wider school community, this may also apply to the student themselves. It is therefore recommended that this be discussed with the student and their parents/carers and consent be obtained to display the student s name, photograph and relevant treatment details in common areas. 5.8 Bullying Prevention A student at risk of allergies can have an increased risk of bullying in the form of teasing, tricking a student into eating a particular food or threatening a student with the substance that they are allergic to, such as peanuts. St Hilda's seeks to address this issue through raising peer awareness so that the students involved in such behaviour are aware of the seriousness of allergic reactions. Any attempt to harm a student at risk of anaphylaxis with an allergen is treated as a serious and dangerous incident and treated accordingly under the school s Supportive School Environment Policy. 5.9 Signage Allergy awareness signage is posted in the staffroom and in other locations around the School. 5.10 Implementation This policy is implemented through a combination of: St Hilda s premises inspections (to identify wasp and bee hives) staff training and supervision maintenance of medical records effective incident notification procedures effective communication procedures with the student s parents/carers and effective communication procedures with the boarder school community 6. RELATED POLICIES/PROCEDURES Anaphylactic Shock Management Procedure Bullying Prevention & Intervention Policy Excursions Policy First Aid Policy Medical Records (Student) Policy File Name: STS01 - Allergy Awareness Policy V2.docx Page 4 of 5
Medical Urgent Treatment Policy Medication Administration Policy Supportive Schools Environment Policy 7. BREACH Where a staff member breaches this policy St Hilda s may take disciplinary action. Responsibility: Dean of Students Review Date: May 2016 Next Review Date: May 2017 File Name: STS01 - Allergy Awareness Policy V2.docx Page 5 of 5