1. Food Allergy
What You Should Know About Food Allergy
A true food allergy involves an interaction between a food protein and the immune
system. The only way to avoid a reaction is to eliminate ingestion of the food protein
even in small amounts.
F O O D S T H AT M O S T O F T E N C A U S E A L L E R G I C R E A C T I O N S
Eight foods account for up to 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions. They are:
Scientists • Peanuts
• Tree nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, pistachio, nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts,
estimate that food etc.)
• Fish
allergy–induced
• Shellfish
anaphylactic • Milk
• Eggs
reactions account • Soy (rarely causes anaphylaxis)
• Wheat (rarely causes anaphylaxis)
for 30,000 hospital
SYMPTOMS OF A FOOD ALLERGY REACTION
visits and The symptoms of an allergic reaction usually occur within minutes, but can be delayed
for up to 2 hours after the food is eaten.
150-200 deaths
TYPICAL SYMPTOMS OF A FOOD ALLERGY REACTION:
each year Common milder symptoms (can sometimes rapidly progress to more severe, life
threatening symptoms)
Skin Gastrointestinal Respiratory
Hives Cramps Itchy, watery eyes
Swelling Nausea Runny nose
Itchy, red rash Vomiting Stuffy nose
Eczema flare Diarrhea Sneezing
Itching or swelling of lips Coughing
Wheezing
More severe, life-threatening symptoms
Respiratory Cardiovascular (circulatory)
Shortness of breath Drop in blood pressure
Difficulty swallowing Fainting
Tightness of chest Shock
Itching or swelling of tongue, throat
Change in voice
• Reactions can range from mild to life threatening (see Anaphylaxis section).
• The same food can cause a different reaction from person to person.
• There is no way to know how serious a reaction will become, so it is important to treat
all reactions quickly.
Request a copy of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network’s (FAAN’s) free School Food
Allergy Program, for comprehensive information (see Handouts section).
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2. Food Allergy
What You Should Know About Food Allergy
FOOD ALLERGY MANAGEMENT
People with food allergies must:
• Completely avoid the food(s) that cause(s) the allergic reaction.
• Read the food ingredient labels of every product they buy, every time they buy it; sometimes manufacturers
change product ingredients without warning.
• Constantly ask questions about food ingredients and preparation techniques; cross contamination can occur by
using the same spatula for both allergen-containing and allergen-free foods.
• Remember that just one little bite can hurt – for some people, even a trace amount of the food is enough to
cause an allergic reaction.
• Have a food allergy management plan on file at school, which may include the use of epinephrine.
There are millions of children who have food allergies in schools across the country. When developing a food allergy
management plan for these students, it is important to remember that each student will react differently. Food allergy
plans must be individualized and modified as student’s needs change.
The key to successfully managing food allergies in school is constant communication and teamwork between staff,
parents, and students.
W H AT O T H E R S H AV E D O N E
• Discuss “allowed” foods with the parents and the student in advance so that the child knows what foods to eat,
and what to avoid, but can do so discreetly.
• Allow the student with an allergy to provide his or her own food for snacks or celebrations and keep it in a clearly
marked separate box or shelf.
• Require that only commercially prepared food that contains a printed ingredient list be sent for sharing with other
students during class celebrations or snack time.
• Clean all tabletops, counters, and cutting surfaces thoroughly between uses, as trace amounts of food left on them
can cause an allergic reaction.
• Designate a “peanut free” table of section in the cafeteria where any student with a peanut free lunch is able to sit.
It is important not to isolate children with food allergies.
• Implement a “no food trading” rule for all students, not just those with food allergies, to guard against accidental
ingestion of an unsafe food.
• Establish a school food allergy awareness team, to include the school nurse, a teacher, a food service worker, and a
parent.
• Educate teachers and food service staff.
SCHOOL NURSE tool kit 5