Dive Brief:
- The number of students with severe allergies continues to rise, and schools need to be prepared with consistent food allergy management policies that keep kids safe without ostracizing them.
- District Administration reports 15 states have food allergy management guidelines and schools generally create health or action plans for students that outline the specific allergy, the best response and the preferred treatment, though the best school plans prevent allergic reactions from ever happening.
- Best practices include prohibiting students from eating food outside the cafeteria, limiting allergens in school food and offering modified lunch menus for students with allergies, and student advocates warn schools not to take the easy route and separate kids with allergies from their peers.
Dive Insight:
The recent spike in the cost of Epipens has drawn renewed attention to the issue of food allergies. Severe reactions can create life or death scenarios in schools. It is important advice not to preclude students from fully participating in school opportunities, however. Schools have the responsibility to accommodate the needs of all students without limiting their access to the same experiences their friends get.
As more students come to school with allergies, this might get easier. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2013 that food allergies among children increased by about 50% from 1997 to 2011. If children with severe allergies are sprinkled throughout a school instead of clustered in certain classrooms, it is easier to rationalize schoolwide policies that protect their safety and require vigilance from teachers and other staff members at all times.