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Anaphylaxis & Food Allergy

Food Allergy Management Plan

Background: Senate Bill 27 from the 82nd Texas legislative session requires school districts to adopt board policy addressing health and safety protocols for students with severe food allergies.


Procedures to limit the risk posed to students with food allergies shall include:

General Information

Employees Specialized Training

For The Development, Implementation, and Monitoring of the District’s Food Allergy Management Plan.

  1. Resources used to develop the plan include Guidelines for the Care of Students with Food Allergies At-Risk for Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) as well as other school health resources.

Awareness Training For Employees

Regarding signs and symptoms of food allergies and emergency response in the event of an anaphylactic reaction. 

  1. All instructional and transportation staff will review the district’s Food Allergy Management Plan, including details about anaphylaxis signs/symptoms, emergency response actions, and general strategies to reduce exposure to allergens. This must be completed by full-time staff.
  2. Child Nutrition staff will annually provide department trainings regarding recognition of allergic reactions, how to avoid cross-contamination, and how to handle anaphylaxis in the cafeteria.

Strategies To Reduce Student Food Allergen Exposure Include:

  1. Review cafeteria menu items, identify potential allergens and make appropriate accommodations as outlined in dietary orders received from licensed healthcare providers for meals served to students with life-threatening food allergies
  2. Limiting or reduce the use of potential food allergens in classroom projects/activities.
  3. Training Child Nutrition staff to prevent cross-contamination during food preparation, to read product labels and identify hidden allergens
  4. Implement appropriate handwashing procedures including washing hands before and after meals.
  5. Ensure that appropriate staff are trained in reading product labels and identifying hidden allergens in foods
  6. Encourage and Enforce no sharing of food wherever it may be available
  7. monitoring and enforcing strict cleaning procedures, particularly if after-school activities involve any consumption of food allergen- containing foods in the areas used by afterschool activities 
  8. Enforce no eating policies while on the school bus with appropriate medical considerations and exceptions made as needed.
  9. Ensure that the Transportation department keeps a current list of students who have food allergies including whether they self-medicate for anaphylaxis
  10. Notify all pertinent staff in advance of field trips to allow time for necessary food preparation

Methods for requesting specific food allergy information from a parent of a student with a diagnosed food allergy.  

Campuses shall ensure that:

  1. a completed Emergency Health Form, which inquires whether a life-threatening food allergy is present, is received from every student
  2. the school nurse follows up with parents of students listed as having a life-threatening food allergy and a ‘Food Allergy Action Plan’ (FAAP) is on file for those if the student’s Emergency Health Form states they have a life-threatening food allergy
  3. documentation, including the FAAP, is provided to the campus cafeteria manager so that appropriate dietary accommodations can be made. 

The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) will review the District Food Allergy Management Plan annually and as needed.

Procedures regarding the care of students with diagnosed food allergies who are at risk for anaphylaxis shall include:

  1. Development and implementation of a Food Allergy Action Plan, (FAAP), which is a document containing health and allergy information specific to an individual student. The FAAP is to be signed by the student’s physician
    1. Principals will ensure that specific food allergy information requests (the ‘Emergency Medical Form’ sent out in each student registration packet) have been completed by parents at the beginning of the school year.
    2. Health Services staff shall refer to Emergency Medical Form to identify students with food allergies. If a potential food allergy is identified, the parent/guardian will be contacted by the school nurse to discuss the extent of the life-threatening allergy and to request a Food Allergy Action Plan. After this information has been received, the FAAP will be developed.
  2. Training, as necessary, for employees and others to implement each student’s care plan, including strategies to reduce the student’s risk of exposure to the diagnosed allergen.
    1. Principals and Student Health Services staff will ensure that all pertinent instructional staff are trained on how to administer medications and handle an anaphylactic emergency.
  3. Review of Food Allergy Action Plans and procedures periodically and after an anaphylactic reaction at school or at a school-related activity.
    1. Reports detailing event occurrences (an incident report will be completed by the school nurse) after any student's anaphylactic reaction incident will be completed.
    2. Feedback to the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) regarding the district's Food Allergy Plan will be provided annually and as needed.

Parents of students with severe food allergies are responsible for notifying the district of the nature of their student’s allergies and should complete the appropriate documentation, including the Request for Food Allergy Information and the Food Allergy or Medical Dietary Substitution Request.

The Food Allergy Action Plan will be completed by the parent and the student’s physician. All documentation should be returned to the student’s school. The parent should then schedule an appointment to review the documents with the school nurse or the campus principal. The required forms are available on the Troy ISD website.

 

Information regarding this policy and the district’s Food Allergy Management Plan shall be made available at each campus and available on the Troy ISD website.

District employees will not give a student prescription medication, nonprescription medication, herbal substances, anabolic steroids, or dietary supplements, with the following exceptions:

Only authorized employees, in accordance with policies at FFAC, may administer:

  • Prescription medication, in the original, properly labeled container, provided by the parent, along with a physician’s written request.
  • Prescription medication from a properly labeled unit dosage container filled by a registered nurse or another qualified district employee from the original, properly labeled container.
  • Nonprescription medication, in the original, properly labeled container, provided by the parent along with a physician’s written request. 

In certain emergency situations, the district will maintain and administer to a student nonprescription medication, but only:

  • In accordance with the guidelines developed with the district’s medical advisor; and
  • When the parent has previously provided written consent to emergency treatment on the district’s form. 

A student with a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) may be permitted to possess and use prescribed anaphylaxis medication at school or school-related events only if he or she has written authorization from his or her parent and a physician or other licensed health care provider. The student must also demonstrate to the school nurse the ability to use the prescribed medication, including any device required to administer the medication. If the student has been prescribed an anaphylaxis medication for use during the school day, the student and parents should discuss this with the school nurse or principal.

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