In the spirit of supporting your never-ending diligence in keeping our children with Food Allergies and/or Asthma safe at school, I’ve put together a collection of links that you might find helpful. Thanks to you, dear school nurses, our children could not be able to attend school. Period. It is your passion, energy and expertise that reaches beyond your stethoscope and into our classrooms. My hope is that these lists will save you some time. They are long, but it is a one stop information shopping moment in time.
School Nurse Links and information to support managing students with Food Anaphylaxis and/or Asthma…
Asthma
- Asthma Management Tools For School Nurses from the American Lung Association from the American Lung Association is a one stop link that will bring to you various free programs to help students and teachers to manage Asthma at School. Includes links to the Open Airways for Schools program and the Asthma Friendly Schools Initiative.
- How Asthma Friendly Is Your School Check List from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
- AIR Repair for Schools from the Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics is an excellent easy to read document that covers everything a teacher, parent or school administrator needs to know about asthma. One valuable page even discusses the myths surrounding asthma medications!
- Asthma and Physical Activity in School is a nice brochure that serves as a great reminder that Asthmatics need and can move too!
- American Lung Association Asthma Action Plan-a well laid out traditional Asthma Action Plan.
- AAAAI Asthma Action Plan from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology–organized with color..a good choice for visual folks.
Food Allergy Policy, Guidelines and Nursing Position Statements
- National Association of School Nurses Position Statement-Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis-The role of the school nurse.
- National School Boards Association Food Allergy Guidelines (PDF) -developed by the National School Boards Association–this is my current FAVORITE of all the guidelines right now!!! This guidelines offers checklists for nurses to help identify students all the way to guiding teachers in creating a safe classroom environment.
- School Guidelines– created by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network–worth the read to help teachers understand a school’s role in managing food allergies.
- Management of Students with Food Anaphylaxis policy. My State’s first food allergy guidelines used by the Washoe County School District in Northern Nevada.
- Food Allergy Guidelines for Patients–the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (a department of the National Institute of Health) has created a formal federal guidelines standard of treatment and management for food allergies. This is the Patient’s guide to these standards. It is a tad long, but well worth the read. This guideline will help keep all of us on the same page of information.
Resources for Nurses to Assist in Educating Teachers, Administrators and Parents
- How to Use an Epi Pen® PDF–Created by the Makers of Epi Pens®.
- Back-to-School Tool Kit–if you only make one click today–this is the link. This on-line downloadable tool kit was created by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and includes valuable items such as Food Allergy Action Plans, Awareness Poster, How a Child Might Describe a Reaction, Food Allergy 101 Presentation, Be a P.A.L. Brochure and poster, etc.
- How to C.A.R.E.™ for Students with Food Allergies: What Educators Should Know is a FREE on-line course created by the Food Allergy Initiative–the first of it’s kind!
- Food Allergy 101 Presentation–created by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and is a slide show to share with your staff!
- Managing Food Allergies in School- What staff needs to know is an on-line video that is about 40 minutes and incredibly concise and detailed educational piece. The video was created by and narrated by Michael Pistiner, MD, of Harvard Vangard Medical Associates. He also teaches at Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School.
- What is Food Allergy-a slide show directed at an elementary aged classroom. It was created by and narrated by Michael Pistiner, MD, of Harvard Vangard Medical Associates. He also teaches at Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School.
- School Nurse Resources is a link offered by Schools@AllergyHome.org–which happens to be the same website that offered Managing Food Allergies in School-what staff needs to know. This link includes downloads, school nurse resources and a school nurse forum too!
- Pulse Uniforms offers several anaphylaxis and Celiac related links on their allergy resource page..in addition to selling uniforms!
- National Association of School Nurses-Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis NASN tool kit-The Centers for Disease Control has worked with NASN, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and the National School Boards Association to develop comprehensive guidance and resources for food allergy and anaphylaxis management in the school setting.
Food Allergy Emergency Action Plans
- FAAP-FAAN–Food Allergy Action Plan (FAAP) from the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN).
- AAAAI Anaphylaxis Emergency Action Plan–from the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology.
Educating in the Classroom-Elementary, Middle and High School
- Cleaning Methods – (PDF) : This document summarizes a study of the efficacy of soap and water hand washing to remove allergens versus hand wipes. I share with all teachers. Unfortunately, it is a misconception that hand sanitizer can remove allergens.
- What is a food Allergy Slide/video presentation: this video is directed at preschool to elementary aged children that explains exactly what a food allergy is! It was created by Michael Pistiner, MD of Harvard Medical Associates. The video discusses cross contact and the dangers of food sharing very well.
- FAAN Kids–this site is hosted by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and offers wonderful activities and even science projects geared toward the elementary aged child
- FAAN Kids: Yet another brilliant idea from those Canadians..this website is directed right to teenagers. Browse this site for ideas and conversation starters for teenagers.
- FAAN Teens–this is another website specifically designed for teenagers from the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.
- Binky_GoesNuts (PDF) – preschool and young elementary aged teaching unit created by PBS from the hit show Arthur. I really enjoy this unit since it is available in Spanish, offers classroom activities, has letters home to parents, coloring pages, finger puppet templates etc.
- Be A P.A.L program...which stands for Protect A Life! This is a fabulous 5 step programs geared towards the elementary aged student. I always refer back to this program–it’s a favorite.
- Andy and Ally’s Asthma Activity book (PDF)–created by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, this coloring/activity book is designed for children and their families to learn how to manage asthma and allergies.
Understanding 504 Plans and Food Allergies and/or asthma
- The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network offers a solid explanation of 504 Plans.
- Students with Food Allergies: the Law, now this isn’t a download, but a booklet you can buy from the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network…but it is well worth it! The booklet helps with ideas of what types of items are often included in a 504 plan.
- Dr. Robert Woods: This is a link to his Food Allergies for Dummies Website, where he references 504 plans
- The Food Allergy Initiative also explains 504 plans
- Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)–from the US Department of Education
It’s a long list, but hopefully you found everything that you need to manage food allergies and asthma at school! Happy Monday!
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..