Back to School Food Allergy Solutions

Parenting

Navigating Food Allergies this School Year

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by Rani Maskatia, MD, Medical Director

Latitude Food Allergy Care

As students head back to school, those with food allergies face a unique set of challenges. In this story Dr. Maskatia, MD, Food Allergies Board-certified pediatric and adult allergist and immunologist, and Medical Director with Latitude Food Allergy Care, provides important things to know for families with students of all ages, ranging from preschool to college, who are returning to school with food allergies this fall.

Readers Note: This guest post is for informational purposes only and it is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Tips to Support Kids As They Grow

Reducing the risk of exposure to allergy triggers is often easier said than done. What can families do to help their children prepare for the uncertainties that come with the school environment? Read on to learn about what different things a parent and/or student do, based on the child's age group, whether they are preschool or elementary school age; middle or high school age; or college or university age.

Preschool and Elementary School Ages

The focus for the youngest age groups is reducing external risks and building an environment that keeps children as safe as possible through awareness, communication, and clear emergency action plans. 

Communicate with the teachers, principal and other staff who will be with your child during the school day. Let them know what are the triggers, symptoms and emergency actions for your child’s specific food allergies. Submit requests for reasonable accommodations in writing. Ask questions about the school’s policies for students with food allergies. Remember that it’s a partnership, and everyone wants to create a safe environment for every child. 

Importantly, an emergency action plan should be in place starting at the start of another schoolyear. Providing this plan and updating school forms each year is a critical part of managing food allergies. If you need updated testing, physician signed forms, or an updated prescription for epinephrine, keep in mind that back-to-school time is a busy time for any medical office. FARE's Food Allergy Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan outlines recommended treatment in case of an allergic reaction. The Dept. of Education also lists modifications schools can be required to provide to students with food allergies. 

Middle and High School Students

Tweens and teens who may have been living with food allergies since childhood, are now old enough to begin to advocate for their own needs. Some schools may still require paperwork and a written emergency action plan. Ideally students are beginning to manage their own self-care, including self-carrying EpiPens at all times. 

Parents can empower their children at this stage of life to recognize the signs of a reaction, understand the difference between self-carrying and self-administering of epinephrine, and plan ways to stay as safe as possible in unpredictable environments. Encourage your son or daughter to ask questions, read labels, and avoid peer pressure when it comes to anything they will eat or drink.

College and University Ages

When going away to college, parents can talk through lifestyle scenarios that differ from living at home including life with roommates, eating in a cafeteria setting, going in parties, and potentially, drinking alcohol, etc. At this stage, self-care and self-advocacy may already be second nature for incoming college and university students with food allergies, but the typical daily routines and group environments will be new. 

A few things to remember: 

1. EpiPen prescription renewals are the student’s responsibility when he or she turns 18 years old. If they’re going away to college, they should bring more than one set so there is always a backup in their dorm room, know where to get refills, and where to get an appointment with a doctor if an emergency arises while away from home. Students should also know which medical services exist on and around campus (a good tip for college students in general). If necessary, they'll need to plan for getting refills with your home care team while classes are on break or if they will be going to a university abroad program.

2. Communication with peers and restaurants on campus is the student’s responsibility. So is filling out medical forms and making appointments (unless they’ve provided health proxies). If any of these things are new to your college student, help walk them through different scenarios and what-ifs, so they can mentally prepare for their new life on campus. 

3. As always, remember it's wise for the student to have two Epinephrine autoinjectors on hand at all times (even parties), and to consistently check ingredients whenver they eat or drink.

Conclusion

At any stage of “back to school," testing and treatment can reduce the burdens on students as well as parents. Since food allergies can develop and change at any time, periodic testing with an allergist is critical throughout childhood. Any transition to a new school offers an ideal time to make sure your child’s food allergies haven’t changed since the previous test, and to ensure that they are not unnecessarily avoiding foods that they’re no longer allergic to. In the long-term, treatment with oral immunotherapy (OIT) and XOLAIR (omalizumab) are options for patients of any age to provide an extra layer of protection to go back to school with much less worry for everyone.

About Latitude Food Allergy Care 

Latitude Food Allergy Care, founded in 2018 by mom Kimberly Yates, is comprised of a network of clinics providing testing and treatment, including oral immunotherapy (OIT), to help families with children of any age who are coping with food allergies to live more freely. Latitude has four clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area, a clinic in New York City, and a clinic in Brooklyn. Latitude is affiliated with UCSF Benioff Children’s Physicians and Weill-Cornell Medicine and partners with Columbia University Medical Center and Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University. For more information, visit Latitudefoodallergycare.com and follow Latitude @LatitudeFoodAllergyCare on Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin.