Preparing for Food Induced Anaphylaxis and Other Allergic Emergencies in Schools

General strategies needed for ALL students and staff with KNOWN OR UNKNOWN allergies

• Supportive District Policy on Food Allergy Management in the School Setting
• School Physician Prescription and Standing Medical Orders for Non-Patient Specific Epinephrine
• Full time school nurse
• Annual universal staff training in allergy recognition and anaphylaxis rescue
• Emergency protocols for crisis intervention to medical emergencies, including anaphylaxis, familiar to all staff
• Periodic crisis team training drills in crisis management, including anaphylaxis
• One-on-one training in use of epinephrine auto-injector for identified staff*
• Communication devices to contact school nurse and 911 for transport by ambulance to ED

Child-Specific strategies needed for those with KNOWN history of food allergy

Non-child specific strategies needed for those with UNKNOWN history or 1^st time food allergy

• Food Allergy Emergency Care Plan
• Updated, reviewed, accessible
• With parent understanding to be shared with all responsible for students care

-Identification of students with life threatening allergies on a need to know basis
-Child specific auto-injectors (enough for second available dose) provided by family

• Kept in an accessible but secure location

-Delegate training*

• Non-licensed staff trained to recognize signs/symptoms of anaphylaxis and administer auto-injector when school nurse is not immediately available

• In most states currently only licensed professionals can administer epinephrine to those experiencing anaphylaxis without a prior known allergy*
• Standing epinephrine orders*
• Stock epinephrine*
• 911 transport to Emergency Department

-Rapid identification of allergic reactions and immediate contact of school nurse and/or 911(especially if nurse not immediately available)
-Non-child specific auto-injectors provided by school*

• Kept in an accessible but secure location