One of the most difficult challenges for parents whose children have severe food allergies is developing a plan of action for when the child is at school. It's important that your child not feel isolated or marginalized by their allergies, but it's also important that everyone around them has an understanding of the severity and what to do in a crisis.
While public schools will likely have prior experience in handling these situations, private schools, with a smaller student base, may not. Below, you'll find a guide to developing an allergy plan for your child at school, allowing you the opportunity to work with his or her teachers to guarantee a safe environment that remains unobtrusive.
Schedule Meetings Ahead Of Time
One of the major advantages of attending a private school is the feeling of care and connection that you get from the staff. This can be especially useful in developing an allergy response plan, as it can allow you to feel as though the school's employees truly know your child and are committed to their best interests.
Scheduling a meeting before your child begins attending the school is an important step in getting out front of the allergy problem. This will allow all relevant teachers and administrators to ask you the questions that they needed answered in order to collaborate on guaranteeing a safe environment.
Consider All Environments
The lunch room is not the only place where your child may be at risk from allergic reactions. Some activities and projects conducted in the classroom can include the involvement of foodstuffs, and other children may bring in snacks or treats to share that could contaminate the learning environment.
It's important that both your child and his or her teachers understand the limitations that your child's allergy poses. Often times, this will allow the teacher to reconsider an activity or send a note home to other parents suggesting an appropriate replacement for a potentially hazardous snack.
Keep Medication Accessible
With many allergic reactions, time is of the essence. Your child needs to know that he or she can get to their medication quickly and without having to jump through a number of hoops. This is another area where a private school can have a unique benefit, as the personal care and attention that your child receives can allow teachers and staff to be on the lookout for any signs of trouble and respond with the appropriate medication immediately.
Talk to experts at places like http://www.cadets.com for more information.
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