- MONDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) — Parents, teachers and school staff
need to take measures to ensure the safety of the more than 2.2 million
American students with food allergies, says the American Academy of
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

“Open and frequent communication between parents and school staff is a
key ingredient to keeping food-allergic students out of harm. It takes a
partnership to establish effective avoidance strategies and emergency
plans,” Dr. Michael Pistiner, a member of the AAAAI Adverse Reactions to
Foods Committee, said in an academy news release.

The AAAAI offers a checklist of safety tips and a sample food allergy
action plan to assist parents and school staff as they prepare for the new
school year. Among the tips:

• Inform the school cafeteria, teachers and other staff of what foods
  your child must avoid. Pack bag lunches. Your child should avoid classroom
  snacks and refrain from sharing food with friends.
• When there's a classroom party, provide your child with safe snacks he
  or she can eat during the party.
• Push for “no eating” policies on buses and in other settings where
  there's no supervision of children.

Pistiner, whose own nut-allergic son enters kindergarten this fall,
added another important tip.

“Parents should be aware of expiration dates and keep in contact with
their allergist to insure that all medication, especially self-injectable
epinephrine, is replaced prior to expiration,” he said.

More information

Visit the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology for more
on food allergies and their management.