BoardBuzz recently came across a study published on the November 16, online edition of Pediatrics that shows that reported food allergies along with related visits to doctors and hospitals have risen dramatically among children in the U.S. over the past decade. The underlying causes for this increase are unclear.
According to the study, the prevalence of self-reported food allergies increased by 18% from 1997 to 2007. The study could not determine how much of the increase is attributable to clinical disease and how much is related to enhanced awareness by physicians, other healthcare providers, and parents. However, one possible reason was increased use of food allergy V codes, that is, patient case notations that record health issues not directly related to the cause of hospitalization.
In addition, the study found increases in food allergy prevalence were shown across gender, age, and race. Nevertheless, certain disparities in the prevalence were revealed: black children were twice as likely as white children to test positive for peanut allergies on blood tests and were twice as likely to have detectable signs of milk allergies. Black children were also four times as likely as white children to have detectable antibodies for shellfish. And, while not as likely to have food allergies as black children, Hispanic children were more likely to have food allergies than were white children.
So how can schools deal with this alarming scenario and help both food allergic students and their families feel that the school environment is safe? BoardBuzz knows it is hard to strike a balance between protecting those who have food allergies and guaranteeing the freedom of those who don’t. For instance, prohibiting certain foods, such as nuts in the school can be something hard to accomplish a child might bring cookies from home that have nuts or some families might feel that that a child who is not food allergic should not be restricted by schools and denied the right to eat whatever they like, such as, the all-American peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
However, there is no cure for food allergies, and the best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid the food that causes that reaction. At the same time, some food allergies can cause anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that affects multiple organ systems, including heart and lung functions, and, if left untreated, can lead to death in a matter of minutes. Believe me, that is very scary situation that none of us wants to deal with. One solution that some schools have implemented is to have separate tables for food allergic kids. BoardBuzz knows this doesn’t sound like the perfect solution since it seems like kids are being “left out,” but the truth is that this can mean the difference between life and death.
When addressing food allergies, it is imperative that schools first assess their student body and verify what kinds of food allergies are present, as some schools may have more food allergic students than others and/or more severe cases. Then it is important to establish policies, programs and practices that are aligned with students’ needs. Part of that process is ensuring that there are established emergency protocols for life-threatening food allergy reactions such as anaphylaxis.
Besides that, a comprehensive policy for the management of food allergies includes: communication and confidentiality; individual written management plans for students with food allergies; medication protocols; professional development for school staff; food allergy awareness education for students and parents; healthy school environments; and monitoring and evaluation.
With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NSBA’s School Health Programs is currently developing policy guidance for policymakers and other school personnel as well as a comprehensive toolkit to help them better manage food allergies among students, so stay tuned! Meanwhile, if you ever need help developing or revising your schools’ food allergy policies, don’t hesitate to contact us at schoolhealth@nsba.org.
This article is really helpful. Thank you very much. It’s really important for a school to create policies about allergies since it can pose great danger to children.