Board Policies & Administrative Procedures

Administrative Procedure 317: STUDENTS WITH LIFE THREATENING (ANAPHYLACTIC) ALLERGIES

Background

The Division recognizes the dangers faced with life-threatening anaphylactic reactions (allergies). While the Division cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment, the Division will take reasonable steps to ensure a safe environment for students, staff, and visitors with life-threatening allergies.

The responsibility for communicating concerns about students with severe or anaphylactic reactions belong to parents and to the students themselves, depending on the student’s age and maturity.

The Division has a supportive role to play in helping parents of students with severe allergies avoid exposure to pre-identified foods and other allergens while the student is at school or at a school function.

Definition

Anaphylactic reactions are those severe allergic reactions that are life-threatening resulting in circulatory collapse or shock and require immediate medical attention. An epi-pen injection will offer up to fifteen (15) minutes of time to get the affected person to emergency care at a hospital. 

Procedures

1. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) shall:
   1. Identify their children to the Principal and bus driver and ensure their child wears an allergy alert bracelet.
   2. Provide to the Principal a completed Student Information Form/Risk Reduction Plan at the time of student registration.
   3. Ensure that information on file at the school relating to the student anaphylactic allergy remains current.
   4. Be responsible for supplying the required medication for use at schools, if needed.
      
      
2. Principal(s) shall:
   1. Ensure that all staff members (certified and non-certified), including bus drivers are made aware that a child with anaphylaxis is attending their school or riding their bus.
   2. Ensure that each student who has an anaphylactic allergy has an individual risk-reduction plan on file at the school;
   3. Ensure there is a communication plan for the dissemination of information on life-threatening allergies for parents, students and employees (Appendix B: Basics of Asthma, Allergies and Anaphylaxis);
   4. Ensure all staff are trained annually on dealing with life-threatening allergies including symptoms of anaphylaxis as well as how to use, store and dispose of an Epi-Pen (the pen-shaped syringe loaded with adrenalin). The Transportation Supervisor shall likewise train bus drivers.
   5. Ensure students are taught the dangers to anaphylactic students of sharing or trading lunches.
   6. Develop strategies for monitoring “allergen-free” areas and for identifying high-risk areas for anaphylactic students.
   7. Ensure that a minimum of one epinephrine auto-injector is maintained in the school.
   8. Ensure a Student Incident Report Form is submitted when an epinephrine auto-injector is used.
      
      
3. Epinephrine Auto-Injectors
   1. An employee may be preauthorized to administer or supervise the administration of epinephrine auto-injector or other medication prescribed to a student for the treatment of an anaphylactic reaction
      1. in response to an anaphylactic reaction
      2. if an employee has reason to believe that the student is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction

Forms

Anaphylaxis Student Information Form/Risk Reduction Plan (317-1)

Appendix

Appendix A: How to Use an Epi-Pen

Appendix B: The Basics of Asthma, Allergies, and Anaphylaxis

Reference

Section 11,33,52,53,196,197,222 Education Act

Act Chapter P-30.6 Protection Of Students With Life-threatening Allergies Act

Approved: November 23, 2000

Amended: August 21, 2018; January 7, 2020

Last Updated: August 4, 2021