How to Talk to Your Child’s School about Food Allergies

preschool snack If your child has food allergies, it is important to ensure your child’s needs are being met at school. The following information is intended to help you establish a dialogue with your child’s school.

As the parent of a child with a food allergy, it is critical that you know the following:

The foods your child must avoid
The signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction
The ways your child might describe an allergic reaction
The treatment, including epinephrine
How schools generally manage students with food allergies
How your child’s school approaches food allergy management

Providing information about your child’s food allergy and medications to the school nurse and classroom teachers specifically, is critical. The first step is to create a Food Allergy Action Plan with your child’s licensed health care provider.

The plan should include:

A complete list of foods to which your child is allergic
The possible symptoms of your child’s allergic reaction
The treatment that should be administered to your child and under what circumstances
Contact information for emergency medical services, your child’s health care provider and you
A current picture of your child
The signature of the licensed health care provider

Managing food allergy at school involves a team of individuals, including the school nurse, teachers, administrators, cafeteria staff, other parents and your child’s classmates.

Before the first day of school, try to meet with members of your team to:

Introduce yourself and share information about your child
Find out what they already know about food allergies
Provide information on the basics, clear up misconceptions and discuss the role that team members have in managing your child’s food allergy

For more resources about managing food allergies in schools click here!