ALLERGIES . ASTHMA AND YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL

WHAT EVERY PARENTSHOULD KNOW
Jennifer Giffune, R.D.

Does your child have Asthma? He is not alone. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), over 4.8 million children under age 18 have Asthma. These children miss more than 10 million school days every year. But absenteeism due to Asthma does not have to be so. Although there is no cure for Asthma, it can be controlled. The more you know about Asthma, the more likely you will be able to control it.

Asthma is an inflammation of the airways. When the airways become inflamed, they swell, the muscles tighten and thick mucus is made. You feel short of breath and tightness in your chest. The net result - coughing, wheezing, and not enough oxygen in your blood. This is known as an Asthma Attack. Food Allergies can trigger an Asthma Attack. Most people are allergic to the Big Eight – eggs, fish, milk, tree nuts (like cashews, pecans), peanuts (these are legumes), shellfish, soybeans and wheat. Tiny amounts of an allergen can trigger an Asthma Attack.

The only way to protect your child from an Asthma Attack triggered by food allergies is avoidance. You try your hardest to make your home a safe haven. But for 6 hours a day, you send your child off to school, away from your watchful eye. Now what? In a perfect world, you would have an allergen-free school. It’s possible, but you can work toward this goal by doing the following:

Create a “Care Plan” or “Asthma Action Plan,” explaining the allergies, symptoms, treatment, medications, emergency actions, etc. Everyone involved with your child needs a copy, including daycare providers, bus drivers, teachers and principal.
Educate your child! She needs to know all about the Asthma, since she is living with it. Teach her not to trade or share food; not to eat any food with unknown ingredients; to tell an adult when she has eaten something she may be allergic to; and how to recognize symptoms & report them to an adult.
Give your child his own water bottle. Many little hands and lips touch the water fountain, leaving remnants of lunches including allergens.
Provide your child’s meals. Although schools try hard to keep away allergens, there is still a chance that there are allergens in the kitchen – on shared pots, pans, utensils and countertops.
Set-up a “safe table” in the cafeteria. This is a table designated as “allergen free”. It is washed with a cloth that is different from the one used to clean other tables.
Ask for a list of birthdays. On those days, send in a yummy snack that you know is safe to eat.

It is tough keeping your child safe from allergens away from home. However, if you involve all of those people who have contact with your child, you will naturally evolve into a team. So, instead of just having two watchful eyes, you will have many.