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Food allergies are a growing food safety and public health concern that affect an estimated 8% of children in the United States.1 That’s 1 in 13 children, or about 2 students per classroom. A food allergy occurs when the body has a specific and reproducible immune response to certain foods.2 The body’s immune response can be severe and life threatening, such as anaphylaxis. Although the immune system normally protects people from germs, in people with food allergies, the immune system mistakenly responds to food as if it were harmful.
There is no cure for food allergies. Strict avoidance of the food allergen is the only way to prevent a reaction. However, because it is not always easy or possible to avoid certain foods, staff in schools, out-of-school time, and early care and education programs (ECE) should develop plans for preventing an allergic reaction and responding to a food allergy emergency, including anaphylaxis. Early and quick recognition and treatment can prevent serious health problems or death.
Eight foods or food groups account for most serious allergic reactions in the United States: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.2
The symptoms and severity of allergic reactions to food can be different between individuals and can also be different for one person over time. Anaphylaxis is a sudden and severe allergic reaction that may cause death.3 Not all allergic reactions will develop into anaphylaxis and more than 40% (2 in 5) of children with food allergies in the United States have been treated in the emergency department.1
Food Allergies in Schools Toolkit
CDC created a toolkitto help schools implement the Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies [PDF - 4 MB]in order to prevent and manage severe allergic reactions in schools. The toolkit includes tip sheets, training presentations, and podcasts for school superintendents, administrators, teachers and paraeducators, school nutrition professionals, school transportation staff, and school mental health professionals.
FAQs
Overview. Food allergy is an immune system reaction that happens soon after eating a certain food. Even a tiny amount of the allergy-causing food can trigger symptoms such as digestive problems, hives or swollen airways.
How to deal with food allergies in school? ›
Students who have food allergies may need to:
- carry an epinephrine auto-injector for emergencies.
- wear a medical alert bracelet.
- go to the school nurse to take medicine or assess reactions.
- have special seating accommodations during lunch to avoid exposure to allergens like peanuts.
Are allergies a good reason to miss school? In most cases, it is always advisable to send a child with allergies to school.
Do school lunches accommodate allergies? ›
The guidelines specifically state “[w]hen accommodating a child's food allergy, no food item offered to the child may contain traces of substances that may trigger an allergic reaction.” The guidelines require SFAs to check food labels and specifications of food items to ensure they do not contain the student's ...
What are the 3 main food allergies? ›
The most common food allergens in adults are:
- Fruit and vegetable pollen (oral allergy syndrome)
- Peanuts and tree nuts.
- Fish and shellfish.
The most uncommon food allergens include bananas, beef, carrots, celery, corn, fish, garlic, ham, honey, lamb, lemon, malt, onion, orange, pork, pineapple, rice, salmon, sugar, turkey, and vanilla. Reading the ingredient list is the best way to determine if a food contains an allergen.
How to teach kids about food allergies? ›
Show them pictures of foods that are unsafe foods online, in books or in magazines. Then, teach them to only eat foods given to them by their parents or other trusted adults. These other people can be a babysitter or grandparent—anyone who knows about their food allergies and is trusted to care for them.
What is the fastest way to get rid of food allergies? ›
There is no way to flush food allergens out of your system. Rather, you need to avoid ingesting the food that triggers your allergy. And if severe symptoms occur, you need to treat the symptoms, with epinephrine.
Should allergy causing foods be banned from schools? ›
Do food bans help prevent allergic reactions? Banning peanuts from schools does not reduce the risk of food allergy reactions. Food bans take the focus off education and onto enforcement. Being “allergen free” gives a false sense of security.
Can I skip school because of allergies? ›
In order to gain protection under Section 504, a student's allergies must be severe enough to interfere with her ability to attend school or jeopardize her health. Put another way, the student's allergies must substantially limit a major life activity such as breathing, immunologic function, or learning.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), food allergies are a growing food safety and public health concern that affects 6 % of adults and an estimated 8% of children in the United States. That's 1 in 13 children, or about 2 students per classroom.
How long does a food allergy reaction last? ›
Allergies can take a few hours to even days to subside. However, food allergies are generally not very serious and usually resolve in a few minutes to hours. Some common foods that can trigger an allergic response are peanuts, fish, wheat, milk, eggs, or shellfish.
Do food allergies qualify as a disability? ›
Question: Is a food allergy considered a disability? A food allergy will generally be considered a disability. Per the definition of disability in the ADA, a food allergy does not need to be life-threatening or cause anaphylaxis in order to be considered a disability.
How do you deal with food allergies at school? ›
❏ Work ahead of time with school food service staff to plan safe meals and snacks for students with food allergies. ❏ Let the school nurse know ahead of time if you are going on a field trip. ❏ Take student emergency care plans, emergency contact information, and emergency medication with you on the field trip.
Are allergies a protected class? ›
Yes. A student with a food allergy has a disability if their food allergy substantially limits one or more of their major life activities.
How to respond to a food allergy? ›
Lay the person flat, raise legs and keep warm. If breathing is difficult or they are vomiting, let them sit up or lie on their side. If symptoms do not improve, or symptoms return, more doses of epinephrine can be given about 5 minutes or more after the last dose. Alert emergency contacts.
What is a true food allergy response? ›
Symptoms of allergic reactions to foods are generally seen on the skin (hives, itchiness, swelling of the skin). Gastrointestinal symptoms may include vomiting and diarrhea. Respiratory symptoms may accompany skin and gastrointestinal symptoms, but don't usually occur alone.
What is an allergy answer? ›
Q 1: What is allergy? Allergy occurs when a person's immune system reacts to substances in the environment that are harmless to most people. These substances are known as allergens and are found in dust mites, pets, pollen, insects, ticks, moulds, foods, and drugs (medications).
Which is a common food allergen answer? ›
Common foods like peanut, tree nuts, milk, egg, soy, wheat, shellfish and fish cause most allergic reactions. Study indicates that half of all fatal food allergy reactions begin outside the home. Some states have – and more are expected to – pass legislation requiring food allergy training.
