How can families support allergy aware schools?

How can families support allergy aware schools? 3.21MB

If your child has an allergy:

• Tell the school about your child’s allergies when you enrol them.
• Before your child starts school, give the school a copy of your child’s ASCIA Action Plan.
• The ASCIA Action Plan should be completed by your child’s doctor or nurse practitioner.
• Meet with the school to talk about what the school can do to care for your child while at school, at excursions and on camps.
• Give the school one of your child’s adrenaline injectors (in date), along with any other medication (such as antihistamine and asthma reliever medication).
• Let the school know if your child’s allergies change and give the school a copy of the updated ASCIA Action Plan.
• Work with the school to plan for activities that involve food (such as food technology lessons or social occasions) and talk to the teacher who is organising the activity.
• If your child is attending a school camp, talk to the teacher who is organising the camp or activity. Ask them for the contact details of the camp caterer so that you can talk to them about your child’s food allergies.
• Teach your child about their allergy.
• This will depend on your child’s age, allergies and abilities.
• Children with food allergy need to: 
  • Learn about the food they are allergic to.
  • Learn how to talk with others about their allergies.
  • Wash their hands before and after eating.
  • Not share food.
  • Only drink from their own water bottle.
  • Only eat food provided by a trusted adult who knows about their food allergies.
  • Tell a teacher if they feel unwell.

• Children with insect allergy need to: 
  • Learn about the insect they are allergic to.
  • Learn how to talk with others about their allergy.
  • Keep their shoes on when playing outside.
  • Be careful when at outdoor swimming events if they do not have shoes on.
  • Drink from a container with a lid and be careful if drinking from cans.

If your child does not have an allergy your family can support allergy aware schools in the following ways:

• Help the school look after children with allergies by supporting the ways the school reduces the risk of a child having an allergic reaction.
• Talk to your child about how everyone has different health needs and teach them to be respectful of the needs of other children.
• Teach your child about how to care for their friends and other children with allergies.
• Caring for children with allergies includes:
  • Washing hands before and after eating.
  • Not sharing food.
  • Only drinking from their own water bottle.
  • Telling a teacher if their friend is sick.

Content created November 2023