Board adopts food allergy policy

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By Marie Rossiter, Staff Writer Updated 8:56 PM Monday, June 14, 2010

MIDDLETOWN — Students who suffer from potentially life-threatening food allergies now have more protection at school.

The Board of Education Monday night, June 14, approved a policy that provides universal guidelines for staff training on how to deal with preventing and treating severe allergic reactions.

“We never had a formalized policy,” said Debbie Alberico, Middletown City Schools spokeswoman. “However, our staff, principals and teachers are cognizant of any diagnosed allergies that may be dangerous to students.”

The district currently has an Individual Health Plan and an Emergency Action Plan for each student with a doctor-identified food allergy with potentially serious health consequences.

The school nurse develops the plans with the student’s health care provider and parent or guardian, as well as the student, if appropriate. This is done prior to entry into school or immediately after a student is diagnosed with an allergy.

The new policy includes guidelines for posting additional signs, banning certain food items; designating special tables in the cafeterias; educating staff, students and families about food allergies; and implementing sanitizing and hand-washing protocols.

Dr. Julie McNairn, an allergist who works in conjunction with Atrium Medical Center, said approximately 6 percent of children younger than 3 have food allergies, which can increase as they get older.

“An allergic reaction is simply when the body reacts to a food protein that it believes is harmful,” McNairn said. “Reactions vary, but some can lead up to shock and even death.”

For more severe reactions, an epinephrine injection, or EpiPen, is prescribed that can be carried by the student or the school nurse. The most common cause of death with an allergic reaction is not administering treatment in a timely manner, according to McNairn.

There is no preventative treatment for food allergies, according to McNairn, other than avoidance of the food.

“Prevention and treatment is a two-way street,” she said. “The patient must modify their behavior as well as changes that can be made in the environment around them.”

The proposal comes as Ohio law mandates that schools create a prevention and reaction plan dealing with students whose allergies to nuts, milk and other foods could cause severe physical reactions.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or mrossiter@coxohio.com.

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