Backpack: check. School supplies: check. Lunch box: check. Updated Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan?
One of the key strategies for keeping a child with food allergies safe at school is having a clear, concise, updated plan for the staff to follow if your child suffers a reaction.
The plan offers clear, step-by-step guidance for handling allergic reactions. As food allergy emergencies like anaphylaxis can be life-threatening, having a plan in place ensures everyone involved —teachers, school nurses, and staff — knows exactly what actions to take.
Questions like: Should epinephrine be administered if your child shows mild symptoms but is suspected of having eaten an allergen? Should it be given if your child has ingested an allergen but hasn’t shown symptoms yet? What about antihistamines? Bronchodilators? When should emergency services be called? Who should be contacted? These questions need immediate answers because quick action leads to better outcomes.
Here follow templates from leading organizations to help streamline the process of crafting an emergency plan with your child’s doctor. Download and print your preferred template, discuss with your child’s allergist or pediatrician, and have them complete and sign the relevant sections.
Once you fill out the remaining sections including emergency contact information, sign the form and make copies for each teacher, the school nurse, and the office staff. Be sure to introduce yourself to each recipient, discuss the severity of your child’s allergies, and step them through the form to ensure they understand when and how to take action.
Consider making additional copies for yourself, family members, babysitters, and everyone else responsible for your child, like coaches, clergy, and caregivers.
Every child with food allergies should have one ready, should the unthinkable happen.
Emergency Action Plan Template from Kids with Food Allergies/Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (KFA, AAFA)
Emergency Action Plan Template from Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE)
Emergency Action Plan Template from American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Emergency Action Plan Template from American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
