Allergies & Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a sudden and severe allergic reaction that requires immediate medical emergency measures or else it can be fatal.

Reactions usually occur within minutes of exposure to an offending substance or sometimes even within a few hours. Specific symptoms vary from person-to-person and sometimes from attack-to-attack in the same person.

• Identify children with severe life threatening allergies and develop an emergency care plan for that child.
• Promote allergy “safe” classrooms, activities and playgrounds.
• Ensure that all teachers and staff with supervisory responsibilities are aware of:
• How to recognize signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis
• Avoidance strategies
• What to do in case of an emergency
• What to do in case of a reaction
• How to use an epinephrine auto-injector

Avoidance strategies

The 3 A’s of Preventing Anaphylaxis

Emergency Care Plan

Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan

Health Authority's role

• Consult with schools and provide training for anaphylaxis management, treatment and auto-injector use.
• Provide schools with resources for anaphylaxis education.
  

Parents’ role

• Notify the school every year about their child’s severe allergy and any changes in his or her condition.
• Work with the school to complete an emergency care plan for their child.
• Provide the child or school with at least one epinephrine auto-injector. It is recommended that parents provide two auto-injectors in case their child requires a second dose and to take on field trips.
  

*Parents should be informed that school staff will not be trained on the second manual injection dose of epinephrine provided in the Twinject product. If parents prefer the Twinject product, they will need to provide the school with two Twinjects in order for a second dose to be readily available.

More information on Anaphylaxis 

Download Section 14 of the School Health Manual for more information:

Section 14 - Allergies and Anaphylaxis