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Anaphylaxis Policy

Anaphylaxis is: a severe allergic reaction that can be fatal, resulting in circulatory collapse or shock. The allergy may be related to food, insect stings, medicine, latex, nuts, etc.

Purpose 

Flex Academy (FA) recognizes that it has a duty of care to students at risk of life-threatening allergic reactions while under school supervision. The school also recognizes that this responsibility is shared among the student, the parent(s)/guardian(s), the school, and health care providers. 

This policy ensures preparedness and foresight and calls for parents that have children prone to anaphylactic shock to inform the office by filling out the following Medical Forms: Medical Alert Planning Form & Medication Administration Request Form.  

Flex Academy Staff complete Anaphylaxis training each year through allergyaware.ca

  • Parent provides Epi- pen onsite
    • Stored appropriately with Teacher/ supervisor access and kept nearby
    • All those in care of the student throughout the day provided with a copy of the Medical Planning Form and aware of the epi-pen’s location

Regarding severe allergies (life-threatening), the teacher of this student or teacher-on-call (TOC) must obtain the Epi-pen from the office and ensure that it is taken on all field trips that leave the school grounds. All students with life-threatening anaphylactic risk will have their information with an accompanying picture placed in the FA Staffroom for increased awareness. Additionally, this information will be kept in the Emergency Folder at the Elementary front office.

Protocol for Parents of an Anaphylactic Child:

  • Inform the school of their child’s allergies.
  • Provide the school with an up-to-date auto-injection Epipen, clearly labelled with the child’s name and prescription details.
  • Provide their child with safe foods (if a food allergy is present.)
  • Review the school prevention plan with school staff and offer in-service support and information as requested.
  • Teach their child:

a)       about their allergy and the substances that trigger it;

b)      to recognize the first symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction;

c)       to know where medication is kept, and who can inject it;

d)      to communicate clearly when he or she feels that a reaction is starting;

e)      that the teacher or TOC should have the auto-injector in a body pouch or fanny pack; present on all off-school ground trips

f)        not to share snacks, lunches or drinks and to politely explain why he/she is not  sharing (if a food allergy);

g)       to understand the importance of hand-washing;

h)      to cope with teasing and being left out; and

i)        to take as much responsibility as possible for his/her own safety.

All Parents will:

  • Endeavor to provide food that is nut free. 
  • FA is committed to ensuring the safety of all students by creating a nut-safe environment. School parents are cautioned to carefully read the contents on the food that they are sending to school with their children and to keep all products with nuts at home. Food products that may have contact with or have traces of nuts may still be present at the school. Parents of children who, historically, have suffered an anaphylactic reaction to any food need to provide the school with an up-to-date medical action plan.

Emergency Response Steps for Staff

1.       Keep the child calm.

2.       Administer Epi-pen immediately if the child displays any of the symptoms. The Epi-pen gives you 15 minutes to seek medical attention. If you are with someone else, have them call 911. If not, administer the Epi-pen first and then call 911.

3.       Pull off blue safety cap. (Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh.)

4.       Grip with a tight fist and firmly jab/press orange into outer thigh through the child’s clothes.  Keep pressed against thigh and hold for count of 10.  Do not place thumb at end of Epi-pen. Listen for the “click” and check to see if the needle is exposed when it is pulled out of the thigh. If so, it has worked. If there is no exposed needle, administer the 2nd pen right away.

5.       Call 911. Advise dispatcher that the child is having an anaphylactic reaction.

6.       Inform the FA Elementary School Office of the situation. The office staff will then call the parents ASAP.

7.       Office staff will produce emergency information for the ambulance medical personnel regarding the child (name of parent(s)/guardian(s), phone numbers, address, care card number).

8.       Follow through in transporting the child to hospital immediately even if symptoms subside.

9.       A staff member will travel with the student in the ambulance unless a parent or guardian has arrived and can accompany. 

The used Epi-pen will be discarded in a needle-proof container to minimize any chance of injury or contamination.

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