Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Information - Blog

This story courtesy of here BgoNews

Schools better equipped for food allergy cases
Friday, February 23, 2007
Victorian school children at risk of severe allergic reactions will be safer thanks to a new food allergy resource kit launched today by the Minister for Education Services Jacinta Allan.

Australian Medical Association president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, who has a child with anaphylaxis, joined Ms Allan at Strathmore Primary School to launch the kit, which will be sent to all government, Catholic and independent schools. More than 2300 schools will get the kits free of charge.

The easy-to-understand, plain English Anaphylaxis Guidelines will complement efforts to train Victorian school teachers, kindergarten teachers and child-care workers in the care and support of students with severe allergies and raise awareness of the condition.

“Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life threatening condition and we want to ensure that students at risk of the condition are safe at school,” Ms Allan said.

Dr Haikerwal congratulated the Victorian Government on the initiative.

“This kit will not only help teachers and promote a greater understanding of anaphylaxis and other food allergies – it will save lives,” Dr Haikerwal said.

It is estimated that 0.43 per cent of children are at risk of anaphylaxis, with about 17 per cent of episodes occurring at school or pre-school. Peanut allergy affects about one in 100 children and the rate has more than doubled in the past 30 years.

The resource package includes:

· a canteen checklist for managing food allergies
· awareness raising posters
· booklets offering clear and practical information on prevention and response to allergic reactions
· anaphylaxis fact sheets, including detailed information for staff
· a trainer EpiPen to learn how to administer adrenaline

Ms Allan said allergic reactions to food were sudden, severe and potentially fatal.

“A simple adrenalin injection can save a child’s life,” Ms Allan said.

“We are giving schools the information they need to not only recognise and respond to the symptoms of an allergic reaction but also implement strategies to prevent food reactions occurring.”

“All schools have a duty of care to students and the key to managing this condition is awareness, knowledge and planning.”

Since November 2005, more 8100 staff have attended anaphylaxis management training run by Ambulance Victoria First Aid.

In October last year the Bracks Government announced it would mandate training for child-care workers, kindergarten and school teachers to treat children with life-theatening allergies.

$2.1 million over five years will be provided to fund state-wide training for teachers and children’s services workers. The Government will legislate to require training for all staff in early childhood services and the majority of staff in schools.

In 2005, the Victorian Government commissioned Swinburne University of Technology’s Centre for Health and Wellbeing to conduct a comprehensive research project into the incidence and causes of anaphylaxis in Victorian government schools.

That research examined national and international best practice in managing anaphylaxis at school and was used in preparing the guidelines.

The guidelines were developed in consultation with Anaphylaxis Australia, the Australasian Society of Critical Immunology and Allergy, the Royal Children’s Hospital Department of Allergy and Immunology, the Department of Human Services parent groups and school staff.

I thought I’d post another one of Melanie’s fine responses to an Allergy Smart newsletter member question.

Toni from Brisbane is just coming to terms with her son’s new found dairy anaphylaxis. Her son is now 1 year old and had a mild dairy allergy since 3 months. Anaphylaxis to dairy has now onset and he requires the epi-pen.

This is new territory for Toni, as it is for all of us when we find out that our children have this condition.

Enough from me, here is what Melanie had to say about it.

Toni, my heart really does go out to you. I can recall the sheer terror that I felt, learning of Declan’s anaphylaxis when he was 4 mths, and all that it encompasses. The responsibility of parenthood is huge, but it is magnified greatly when dealing with children with life-threatening allergies. I was completely overwhelmed, and went through several stages in dealing with it - hypervigilence and depression to begin with. We have since learned that there is a natural grieving process when a parent discovers that their child is afflicted with a medical condition that will cause a life(style) change, as there is a loss of what you envisaged your lives to be. If this gets too bad, it is always advisable to seek councilling to gain skills to help cope better.

One of the biggest struggles is getting people to believe that food can be poison to your child, especially one so “healthy” as dairy. We have learnt that not all people ‘get it’, and they pose a risk to your child with their lack of understanding. Especially if they are looking after your children without you supervising. We had family members in serious denial to begin with, because the job seems too much to handle. But some did begin to understand, others we don’t see that much at all.

I am a full-time mum. The thought of leaving my helpless child in the care of others who did not have the emotional investment in him as I do was too much to comprehend. People do it though, after lots of research into finding a safe place. Most of those people I have heard are dealing with peanut issues, where the common thing is to “ban” peanuts. Can’t do that with dairy, as it is in so much, and I couldn’t trust other parents to read labels etc?

Remember to signup using the form on the right to join our newsletter membership and ask us any questions you like.

Aaron

I’ve been getting some great questions from our newsletter subscribers so keep them coming.

I thought I’d start answering them on the blog, since they will most likely help others as well.

Jody of Canada writes this:

I have a seven year old daughter who has a severe peanut allergy. Is there any breakthrough news I should be aware of regarding this allergy? Also, the school which my daughter attends is “peanut Aware” not “peanut free”…is there anyway to change this and make it manditory for the school to make sure lunches are checked? For my daughter as well as another little boy in her class, someone bringing a peanut product to school is like bringing a gun and pointing it directly at her/him. It really is scary.

Yes it’s scary but you are thinking about this from the wrong direction. My son has dairy anaphylaxis and is therefore at more risk because more food contains dairy.

They are both as deadly as each other, just one has more exposure. Banning foods does not work. Period. You need to work on putting risk reduction measures in place at the childrens schools instead, and a solid action plan should something happen.

And something will happen, it always does, no matter careful everyone is.

We do not advocate banning any substance. This is the stance of the Anaphylaxis Australia, and most likley the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and Anaphylaxis Canada as well (but I’m only guessing on that last two). Someone from America and Canada can confirm that for me.

Declan has been through 3 years of schooling now with Anaphylaxis to dairy, and every day we hope that he doesn’t have a trip in the ambulance to the hospital or worse come home in a body bag.

We train the staff yearly, and have a solid action plan in place. The children in the class are in fact the best line of defence in taking care of their classmate. Children are more accepting of changing and looking out for their food around there classmate than their parents are. It’s disgusting but true.

It is up to you to work with the staff and school administration to have the whole class learning and being educated by having a child with a food allergy in the class and the school in general. With the children in the class taught early in the school year about food allergies it’s amazing how they look out for food on the ground, or if someone spills food on themselves.

If you avoid the issue, you are asking for big trouble, not just now but in the future. The child has a food allergy, so teach everyone around you how to reduce risk and notice the signs of food allergy and your child and everyone else will be better off for it.

Granted, you may have to search around for a school that you feel can handle the challenge (we did), but it’s no less of a challenge for the school than having a wheelchar student, or a student with learning disabilities, they just have to learn and teach new skills.

Sorry for the rant, but you have to change your thinking, or you’ll go crazy (more so than the rest of us) dealing with anaphylaxis.

Aaron