PREVIOUS MYTH:
The smell of peanut butter will cause an allergic reaction in someone with a peanut allergy
NEXT MYTH:
High heat eliminates allergen
PREVIOUS MYTH:
The smell of peanut butter will cause an allergic reaction in someone with a peanut allergy
NEXT MYTH:
High heat eliminates allergen
Staff Training: Food Allergies & Anaphylaxis in School – What School Staff Need to Know
This 30 minute module is designed to assist the school nurse in staff training of management of life-threatening allergic reactions and increase food allergy awareness for all school staff including teachers, food service personnel, administrators, aides, specialists, coaches, bus drivers, custodians and others.
FOOD ALLERGY MYTH
“Nut-free” schools are safest
FOOD ALLERGY FACT
Comprehensive policies that include prevention and preparedness strategies that apply to all allergens are critical and cannot be replaced by attempts at specific allergen restriction.
COMMENTARY:
Banerjee and colleagues found that a peanut-free guideline in their participating schools decreased (but did not 100% prevent) peanut from being brought into the classrooms. Approaching the issue of specific allergen restriction policies necessitates the understanding and implementation of the principles of food allergy management. Effective policies take the students’ developmental capabilities into account in addition to school resources and physical space. They must go further than simply sending out a notice that a room or building is “nut-free.” If specific allergen restriction is considered, then schools will need to clearly define what their restriction is called, what foods are being avoided, where the restrictions apply to, and whether advisory labels for those allergens will be restricted as well. Despite an allergen restriction policy, schools will need to implement effective food allergy management strategies for all food allergies at all times.
RESOURCES:
“Nut-free”? Points to Ponder: Discussion concerning the implications of specific allergen restriction and issues to consider prior to attempting implementation.
Food Allergen Exposure in the School Setting: A handy reference table that reviews evidence, challenges, and interventions for exposure to food allergens.
REFERENCES:
- Banerjee DK, Kagan RS, Turnbull E, Joseph L, St Pierre Y, Dufresne C, Gray-Donald K, Clarke AE. Peanut-free guidelines reduce school lunch peanut contents. Arch Dis Child. 2007 Nov;92(11):980-2. Epub 2007 Jun 7
- Tulve, N. et al. “Frequency of Mouthing Behavior in Young Children.” Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology 12 (2002): 259–264.
- Young M, Muñoz-Furlong A, Sicherer SH. Management of food allergies in schools: a perspective for allergists. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Aug;124(2):175-82.
