Food Allergies & Diabetes

Minimizing Risk

Food allergies and glycogen storage disease (diabetes) may be life threatening. 

The district is committed to developing practices to minimize the risk of accidental exposure to food allergens and to ensure prompt and effective medical response should a child suffer an allergic reaction while at school.

The district is also committed to appropriately managing and supporting students with diabetes. 

What if my child has an allergy? 

Early identification of students with life-threatening food allergies and diabetes is important.

Please notify your school of children with a life-threatening food allergy or diabetes and provide as much information about the extent and nature of the food allergy as is known, as well as any known effective treatment for the allergy.

Individualized Health Care Plans and Emergency Care Plans

The district will work with parents, nurses, food service administrators, classroom teachers and students to develop an individualized health care plan any child with a life-threatening allergy. Each IHCP should contain information relevant to the child’s participation in school activities, and should attempt to strike a balance between individual, school and community needs, while fostering normal development of the child.

In addition to the IHCP, the district will develop an Emergency Care Plan which describes the specific directions about what to do in a medical emergency. 

Training & Education

The district provides appropriate education and training for school personnel regarding the management of students with life threatening food allergies. Such training includes the administration of medication with cartridge injectors (i.e. epi-pens) and preventative strategies to minimize a child’s risk of exposure to life-threatening allergens, and the provision of food or dietary supplements for students with diabetes. School personnel are educated on how to recognize symptoms of allergic reactions and a diabetic emergency, and what to do in the event of an emergency. Staff training and education is coordinated by the school nurse. 

Each school within the district also provides age-appropriate information to students about food allergies and diabetes, how to recognize symptoms of an allergic reaction and diabetic emergency and the importance of adhering to the school’s policies regarding food and snacks.

Prevention

We are working to minimize the risk of exposure to life threatening allergens by encouraging hand washing, discouraging students from swapping food at lunch or other snack/meal times, and encouraging the use of non-food items as incentives, rewards or in connection with celebrations.

Non-food items are recommended for birthday and holiday celebrations. Please check your child’s school handbook about specific celebrations. Foods brought from home must be brought in by a parent/guardian. No food for this purpose can be sent with a child on the bus. All food items must have a food label on them in the original sealed container so the ingredients can be reviewed for potentially hazardous ingredients. No home baked items will be allowed in classrooms. You will be notified each year if specific food items will be excluded in your child’s classroom activities based on the individual medical needs of children in that classroom. Children are discouraged from sharing foods with other children during meal and snack times due to concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some children’s’ diets.