Allergies in the back to school season.

CT State Department of Education school health consultant Stephanie Knutson talks in this article about how parents need to work with the school to create a safe environment for children with food allergies. This is not the only type of allergy to be concerned about, and here are a few ways in which parents can deal with kids who are susceptible to allergies going back to school in this season: Food Allergies: If your child suffers from an allergic reaction to specific types of food, you need to make sure that this information is available in her health records, as well as communicate with her teachers in school personally if possible. In case of children eating at school, the food preparation needs to take this into consideration and avoid common allergy causing ingredients, or if not avoid, label them. The above-mentioned article also mentions that you must authorize the school to use emergency medication such as an epi-pen after consulting with your pediatrician. Breathing and Asthmatic Allergies:Make sure that your child has the necessary medication at hand for an emergency situation. Write a note to the teacher specifying what sort of situations might trigger the allergy – such as excessive exercise, exposure to pets, to chalk dust, or to the dust in the playground. In this way, someone at school will be alert in case they see the child feeling uncomfortable in any of these situations.

Kids and allergies
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Nasal Allergies: Some conditions like allergic rhinitis or hay fever may not lead to high-alarm situations, but can still cause a child a lot of discomfort. It would be ideal if the child takes their medication before going to school, for relief during the day. Do inform the teacher and nurse, if you think any specific allergens need to be avoided. Allergy to bites: Some children may have a severe reaction to insect bites or stings, and similar to the food allergies you need to make sure that the school has some injectable epinephrine that can be used in emergency situations. Discuss with the teachers and the school nurse regarding the procedure that would be followed in such a situation. It is definitely possible to work with the school authorities to make it easier for your child to handle any allergies while at school. While physical allergies can be difficult to deal with, when addressing the aptitude for studying and levels of concentration of your child, we at Aloha USA can help to focus and improve the same. Please see our website for more details: http://www.aloha-usa.com