Back to school with food allergies: how can you prepare?

16th August 2023

Back to school with food allergies: how can you prepare?

It’s a scary time in any parent’s life: when your child goes off to school. Whether they’re just starting primary or are moving up to secondary school, you can’t help but feel this anxiety. Will they be okay? Will they do well? And will they make friends? All completely understandable concerns.

But if your child has an allergy, that’s a whole new level of stress. Not only are you worrying about the above, but now you have to face the prospect of letting your child head into an environment you can’t control. It’s something you can’t avoid. There is a silver lining, though. You can be proactive. Here’s our advice for managing your child’s allergies as they head back to school.

Talk to the school ahead of time

Your best first move is to let the school know that your child has an allergy. Yes, even if they’ve been going there for a few years already, it’s still best to check in every September. The school will have a duty of care to look after your child. The Children and Families Act 2014 makes it a legal requirement for them to make arrangements for pupils with medical conditions – and that includes allergies.

Talking to them allows you to get on the same page. What are your concerns? How do they address them? Ask about their allergy policy and what their response is to an allergic reaction. This conversation may also involve school nurses and catering staff, especially if your child has a food allergy.

Talk to your child

Depending on their age, there’s a good chance your child already knows how to handle their allergy – at least partly. They’re going to have to be responsible for themselves, so the more you can equip them with knowledge, the better.

For younger kids, it’s about making sure they know which foods (or other allergens) make them sick and to avoid them. No trading snacks or accepting food they don’t know. It’s also important you explain why – you don’t have to go into all the worst details, but they should know that “X food = sick”.

Older kids are more likely to be aware of their allergies, but they’re also at that age where identity is important to them. What teenagers want is to feel in control of their lives, especially when they have an allergy that holds them back. So work with them to come up with a plan. Give them some control in how they manage their condition.

What happens to their adrenaline auto-injector (AAI)?

Each school will have its own policy in how it handles any AAI. In fact, they should have a tailored allergy plan for each child with the condition. And that will involve the question of what to do with AAIs.

There are two concerns for you here: location and staff training. Where are the AAIs stored? And how long will it take for them to reach your child in an emergency? Anything longer than 5 minutes is a no go, so make sure it’s closer than that. Older kids may be allowed to carry their own on their person. 

In regards to staff training, you’ll want to know who is capable of administering the AAI in case of an attack. If the school doesn’t have someone, make sure they work on getting a teacher or member of staff qualified before term starts.

Controlling food

It’s hard to talk about allergies without specifically mentioning food allergies. They’re common and can lead to some of the most fatal reactions. This is why you want to talk to the catering staff at the school. They should be required to make reasonable adjustments for certain pupils, so ask what their policy on food allergens is. How do they mitigate risk?

If their answers don’t fill you with confidence, consider packed lunches. It’s much easier to control. Talk to the school about potentially setting up a lunch buddy system so your child can eat at a table with students that have allergy-safe food.

Will this remove your anxiety? Likely not – nothing ever will. But will it at least make you feel more prepared? Absolutely. These are proactive steps you can take to make sure your child is as safe as can be. It’s a difficult time, but one you can get through together.

If you need more advice and strategies for managing your child’s allergies, get in touch with our experts today. You can register as a new patient or simply call us on 02031 433 449.

Does your child have an allergy? Here are your burning questions answered

4th January 2023

Does your child have an allergy? Here are your burning questions answered

Being a parent is already difficult enough. You’re probably already well aware of the trials and tribulations of raising a small human. They can be naughty. They get sad. And sometimes you look back fondly on the days when you had so much more time and freedom. But would you change that for the world? Of course not.

Raising your child or children is a privilege – one that can, unfortunately, come with some challenges. Such as food allergies. It adds another complication onto an already tough task. And we understand why that can cause plenty of anxiety for you. If you’re new to the world of allergies and don’t know what to do, let us help. Here are some common allergy questions parents have.

Why does your child have an allergy?

We’ll start with one of the more obvious ones. Why do they have an allergy? Where did it even come from? We’re sorry to say that this doesn’t have a simple answer. Whether they’re reacting to a specific food, something in their environment, or an animal, there’s no one explanation for it.

It can be something in their genetics, a response to their environment, their gut biome, or just plain old bad luck. The “where” doesn’t matter. What does is how you respond to it.

Will they have an allergy forever?

The good part is not every child has their allergies forever. Depending on what they’re allergic to, up to 80% of children can outgrow their condition. Note that this differs from allergy to allergy. The 80% is for milk and egg allergies. For something like peanuts, it’s more like 20%. And shellfish is more like only 5%.

It’s something you will have to monitor. Can you influence the likelihood of them growing out of it? While some theorise that exposure to an allergen early on can help, this is still dangerous to do. If your child has an allergy, talk to a doctor about it for your next steps.

How do I get others to take it seriously?

This is especially concerning for parents of children with food allergies. Ingestion of food they’re allergic to can lead to anaphylaxis, which is potentially fatal. This is incredibly scary, and completely understandable to want everyone else to take it seriously.

The good news is that we’re making strides in people’s perceptions of allergies. With the passing of legislation such as Natasha’s Law, things are getting better. But to combat this in your own life, the best option is to sit down and have an honest conversation. Let people in your life know what an allergy can lead to for your child, and how it will affect them. Be firm, make no compromises, and lay out a plan for how your child should be treated.

What about at school?

At school, this gets harder. They’re out of your hands for around 6 hours of the day, and you can’t change that environment. Again, be open with the school staff and talk to them about their allergy-related rules.

Your child won’t be the only one with an allergy. So, with any sense, the school should already have steps in place. Find out what these are, talk about how they will handle your child, and don’t rest until you feel as comfortable as you need to be.

Do you have any resources?

We’ve been writing articles for our blog for many years. So we’ve built up quite a collection of information you might find helpful. Here are some other blogs on the topic of child food allergies:

• Tips for parents of children with food allergies
• How to know if a restaurant takes food allergies seriously
• Tips for travelling abroad with food allergies
• Food allergies on Halloween and how to avoid them
• Sending your child with food allergies to school

If you still have questions after that, talk to an allergy specialist. They’ll be more than happy to put your mind at ease and give you the advice you need.

Talk to our team at Allergy Clinic London if you ever have any concerns. Our experts know what you’re going through and can offer the support you need at a time like this. To find out more, reach out to us on 02031 433 449.