Anaphylaxis 101

Though Bill 3 has only been passed in Ontario, other provinces may now pass similar legislation. Laurie Harada, executive director of Anaphylaxis Canada, says it may not even need to come to implementing official legislation though. Many schools across the country already have policies and directives in place to protect anaphylactic students, and "what they have might be sufficient as long as there is accountability at the school level."

So how do we reach that accountability in our schools? Harada says it is all about shared responsibility -- parents of anaphylactic children working with school administrators and staff to educate the school population (this includes, all staff, students, parents and visitors) about anaphylaxis and what they can do to help prevent allergic reactions.

Here are some tips to help you be proactive about protecting at-risk children in your school no matter where you live in Canada.

Parents of anaphylactic children
• Ensure your child's school administrators are aware of his/her allergy.
• Provide all necessary medical information in a timely fashion.
• Provide school administrators with an in date EpiPen® that is kept in an easy-to-access location, and encourage the principal to ensure all staff members are trained to use it.
• Meet one-on-one with your child's teachers to discuss the allergy and to teach them how to use the EpiPen®.
• Suggest that necessary educational materials are available from organizations such as Anaphylaxis Canada.
• Do NOT provide a safe snack list. "These can be dangerous. Manufacturing processes can change and if people depend on a list that says company 'ABC's' cookies are ok and there is a change (in ingredients)...then that can put people at risk," Harada explains.
• Provide a safe snack box for your child. This way if another parent drops off an unsafe snack your child doesn't have to miss out.